AVL Guides, Manuals, Training

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

• Follow your Checklist sheet every Sunday to avoid any unexpected and forgettable procedures, and additionally:
• Make sure all automation is properly set.
• *Slides auto advance. *Embedded audio. *Audio stop cues. *Light cues
• Doublecheck control over the light cues.
• Go through every slide and make sure its content is clear.
• Videos play from beginning to end
• Important text is readable
• Fonts are correct
• Listen to the songs list in advance and practice!
• Make notes or memorize the form/structure and pace (speed) of the songs.
• Be proactive with song slides
• Advance on the last word or two of the last line of lyrics.

DETAILED MANUAL

1.   In Sanctuary: turn ON 2 projectors, Confidence TV and *lights.

2.   On Extension TV: Power on (lower right side), Restart MacMini, Close Lightkey, Open Proclaim and the correct presentation (click on File and Open).

• May need to enter password and sync keyboard and mouse
• Go to main screen by ‘Vmix’
• Password is 1050ireland.
• If computer by Vmix doesn’t come on reset mac mini.
• If curser isn’t working…turn TV (ext) on and off.

3.   *Lights

• Lightkey will automatically come up.... double click sanctuary
• In Proclaim go to settings…then light- Midi and then save the scenes.. by clicking and then saving. Verify by checking light presets in PREVIEW. Go through the lighting columns on the right and watch for changes in lighting.

4. Camera for singer

• Press NDI on upper bar.... Press NDI…select SEBAS-iPhone

5.     Go through every slide and make sure its content is clear  

• …Videos play from beginning to end
• …Important text is readable
• …Fonts are correct

General notes:

• use EDIT to change things, PREVIEW to quickly and fully check slides without sending out ON AIR…
• ON AIR is only to see on screen.
• If need to correct something quickly…EDIT SLIDE (edit will pop up when you hover with the mouse). Go back to preview and sync.
• To stop a preset timer, click on little box within the countdown circle.
• Be sure to resync after each edit, or constantly (others might be editing too)

6.   Check date and automated slides timings, on upper left corner  

• Note time of preservice loop and countdown and warm up loop. (Try to start preservice loop before the combined time. It should then automatically go to preservice to next preset.) If not, then will need to manually do this.

7.   Listen to the songs and follow along.

•  Make sure singer is visible (NDI)

8.   Advance, click on Service at 10. If doesn’t automatically happen.

9.   Follow slide sequence by advancing as needed. Coordinate with Preacher when they'll take over.

 Post service loop:  

• When ready to stop. Press the timing circle of last slide. Select OFF AIR. Immediately select Sanctuary light preset and then turn off TV.

10. TURN OFF Lights and Projectors.

Written by Joy Pearson

Operation

• Do a mental or written schedule/flow of how and when cameras, graphics and transitions will be used.
• When to use dedicated video inputs:
• Camera 1: Main PTZ Camera located in the center. Used for wide-reference shots and main mid-long speaker/singer(s) views.
• Pastor Close:
• Pastor Mid-Long:
• Pastor Wide:
• Piano-Guitar Mid-Long:
• + 1 Singer Mid-Long:
• +2 Singer Mid-Long:
• Altar Mid-Long
• Altar Extremely-Close:
• Camera 2: Second PTZ Camera located on the left wall. Used for close up shots and congregational views.
• Proclaim: Use this only until the text has been fully red, not beyond. Bring it back as many times as it's needed.
• Lower Thirds: Use this only until the text has been fully red, not beyond. Bring it back as many times it's needed. Note: not to be confused with subtitles. (subtitles are meant to stay, not lower thirds)
• Praise Band Lower Thirds:
• Pre/Post Service:
• AV iPhone:
• Don't hesitate to freelance!! there are many shots to be used. Even during the sermon: 
• Focus on the preacher, at a medium shot or closer (use Pan arrows to follow preacher movement).
• But also use medium long or long shot. *learn about framing and types of shots here
•  Quick transitions (less than 1 sec.) are less distracting.
• Use CUT transitions most often. They are clean and precise.
• Fades/Merge are stylistically acceptable (slow character of religious service) but could be distracting. Don’t overuse them. They need a specific reason or intention.
• Use Fade at the end of long sections, like the Sermon, or Song.
• Don’t use fancy transitions like Slide, Fly, Cube; unless they serve a purpose.
• Use the 60 seconds rule
• Cut to a different shot/angle every 60 seconds or less, this creates dynamism.
• Make transition between speech pauses if possible, but don’t be limited by it.

• Anticipate mentally but not in action (switching). IMPORTANT: It's better to be some secs late.
• Only switch when you're absolutely certain, not before. Ex. aurally: when you hear Pastor reading the words of a slide. Ex2: when you hear the first notes of Lisa playing.
• Proclaim Full or Lower Thirds aka 'shots with slides' should not remain more than 5 seconds after the slide has been red or referred to.
• Keep the flow of shots active, don't sit on a camera angle for more than 60 secs, find a different view (camera 1 wider vs camera 2 closer) to keep engagement and interest. Be proactive about finding your next move.
• When showing action in the congregation 'aka' greeting time, use Pan motion.
• USE the AUTO FOCUS (on big streamdeck) when cameras are consistently hunting for focus; wait until your object is in perfect focus and lock it... don't forget to unlock when moving away to a new plane/distance or subject.

Lower Thirds

WHY?

• Lower thirds are minimal and non-intrusive, they are a clean approach since they only appear in the lower part of the screen.
• They require very little setup from Proclaim. Over the shoulder isn’t optimized to fit the screen in a balanced way.
• Text is ultimately the most important thing, graphics behind text are secondary. And text size will always between 55-75pt.

HOW?

• Use Lower Thirds when available, otherwise use Full Screen Slides
• Lower Thirds are not to be confused with Subtitles, so!
• Don’t anticipate neither Lower Thirds or Full Screen Slides, don’t show them too early.
• Don’t stay after the text has been all red… remove immediately.

Here are two industry standard samples of this being used:

• https://youtu.be/9Yy_aA8lzF4?t=1688
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEOGkQEgnlg

Maintenance Tips

• Do FOCUS calibration every year.

Operation

• Remind people to share the video they are watching. And be ready to walk them through how they can do that.
• In case of evident failure (Audio, Video) don’t ask the audience for feedback, you are the audience. Instead concentrate on communicating that we are addressing the problem and keep everyone positive, away from the issue.