View from Below (click for larger view)

View from Above (click for larger view)

I’ll post again later on with more info on how I got on with the software and hardware – but overall it was very good, having 8 channels of video to mix with is great, and the ease of use makes selecting videos quick… during one song I did have 7 layers of video in use at the same time!

I started mixing VHS tapes (eg the original Images for Worship VHS tapes from onbd.org), with a Panasonic MX50 mixer connected to a couple VHS players. This was great with lyrics keyed in over the top…. I started doing this about 12 years or so ago…

Now I have a growing collection of video files and have been looking for the best way to locate, mix and control video mixing of these files – mpgs, movs etc…

I have recently been using 2 laptops with their SVIDEO output connected to an Edirol video mixer, and then connect the output of the edirol to a projector.

However, I’ve been looking for a better solution, and I’ve decided on this:

Software Mixer: Arkaos Grand VJ

MIDI Controller: Livid Instruments Ohm64

They are currently on order, but the idea is, that the software can mix 8 channels of videos, and apply effects etc and more, and using the MIDI controller will make make the physical mixing/settings etc quick and easy…

I’ll post back with how it goes, I have an event on March 28 at which I’ll be using this…

Anyway, this is what I did at our carol services this year…

As you can see in the images, our front wall has 5 arches (one with a wooden cross infront)- they actually used to be windows, but years ago we built behind the wall, and they are now filled in.

I created a mask, and edited some videos using the mask, so as to only project video in the arches, it was a great effect and people loved it!

I projected with a 5000 lumen Christie projector from the back of the room, the mask was actually made in OpenOffice Impress (the PowerPoint equivalent), only because I thought it was the quickest and easiest way to draw arches – I created the mask whilst at the church with the projector connected. I then exported the file as a jpeg and used it in Premiere and Photoshop to create the images and videos.

The photos show our usual projection which displayed lyrics, camera and other media during the services.

Click the photos below for a larger version – sorry for the poor quality, they were taken on my phone.

Snow falling

Stained Glass Nativity

Angels - during Hark the herald angel...

Animated star of Bethlehem

Candles flickering in the arches

Post a reply below if you have any questions or have done something similar yourself!

Here I’m projecting images of a stained glass Christmas scene on to an otherwise blank wall, but I’ve masked out sections so that the image is only projected in the arches of the wall. An effective way to bring some Christmas decoration on to an otherwise empty wall!

The Results

I wasn’t overly pleased with the results but I think it’s workable, here’s what it was like:

Church building projection (Click for larger view)

I used a 5,000 lumen Christie projector with a 0.8 wide angle lens – as there isn’t much space between the building and the pavement and road. Unfortunately there are quite a few street lights around, and the closest one does a good job of lighting the building too!

Tips

Here are some tips and notes if you are thinking of doing something like this, and have less that a perfect environment:

• Simple Black and White images/text works best
• Our brick is red/brown, and projection still works
• Pull down the blinds on windows – otherwise you project on to the room inside which distorts the projection
• If you have large windows and less brick work, then turn off the inside lights (if possible)
• Fast moving video is eye-catching
• Colour doesn’t really come out well, black on white or white on black is best.
• Projecting at the top of the building is better, as there is less ambient light up there – as well as being more noticeable in the street.
• Use video/text that is clear and sharp – a video of fire just looked odd, as it wasn’t clear what it was!

The main 2 things that can improve this and give more scope for what can be projected are: more powerful projectors, and less ambient lighting – this would make the best projection setting!

I will now think how we can use this in the future…

Other people are doing this much better than I, take a look at WorshipVJ.com for starters!

About these Videos:

There are points in worship, particularly  loud youth events, where the song is about Jesus and it would be great to overlay the word ‘Jesus’ over the top in time with the beat… These videos may well help you, they are quite simple, but they are here for you to download and use for free.  You can probably change the speed in your VJ software to match the beat of a kick drum for example. They are on a black background so you can luma-key the videos over something else!

These are designed to loop, so you can play then again and again and again…

These are in PAL resolution, and you are free to do what you like with them (within reason!) If you have any ideas for this kind of video then leave a message and hopefully we can make some more…

Example:

This is the Jesus spin/zoom video:

Downloads:

	‘Jesus’ text spin and zoom loop A short video that can be used for keying over other video. The letters J, e, s, u, s appear and spin out into the screen. You can probably change the speed in your VJ software to match the beat of a kick drum for example. 'Jesus' text flashing loop 1 (142) PAL MOV H.263
	‘Jesus’ text stepping loop A short video that can be used for keying over other video. The letters J, e, s, u, s step up the screen to form the whole word. You can probably change the speed in your VJ software to match the beat of a kick drum for example. 'Jesus' text flashing loop 2 (115) PAL MOV H.263
	‘Jesus’ text flashing loop 1 A short video that can be used for keying over other video. The letters J, e, s, u, s flash up one by one on a white background. You can probably change the speed in your VJ software to match the beat of a kick drum for example. 'Jesus' text stepping loop (65) PAL MOV H.263
	‘Jesus’ text flashing loop 2 A short video that can be used for keying over other video. The letters J, e, s, u, s flash up one by one on a white background. You can probably change the speed in your VJ software to match the beat of a kick drum for example. This is a slight variant on the first one, as the last flash has the text larger. 'Jesus' text spin and zoom loop (73) PAL MOV H.263

More Free Videos:

Check the download page for the other videos that you can use…

Environmental-Projection

“Environmental Projection” is a term used where you use video projectors to project not on to screens, but on to walls, ceilings etc -- ie using multiple video projectors you’d try to cover as much of the walls as possible. There’s no limit really! Inside or outside! I’ve tried it in our church…

Environmental Projection

Our building is Victorian and has recently had the internals refurbished. All the ceilings and walls are white -- which I thought would be ideal for some large projection opportunities! I went to the hall when no one was there and played around a bit. I’m actually thinking of using this kind of setup at a youth event in a few weeks time.

Here are some Photos:

These photos aren’t the best quality, but you get the idea of big images projected on to walls

In these examples, we have:

• a projected image on the left
  (we would have on on the right too, but at the time I didn’t have another projector available).
• a projector aimed at the ceiling
• a projector producing the large image on the main wall.
• we are also using our installed projector which is projecting lyrics over the top

I’m projecting some space videos, as they look quite good!

(Click on the images for a larger version.)

Video:

Ok, a pretty bad quality video… but hey!

How to make it better?

Here are some things I’m going to improve for next time:

Fuzzy Edges

The projected image is rather obvious where it starts and stops -- Using some cardboard with a hole in it I hope to make a ‘filter’ for the projector that will make the edges fuzzy

Making Black ‘Blacker’

Even when projecting ‘black’ it actually projects a dark grey -- as it’s still projecting light. -- often we won’t want to project anything apart from black, but projecting dark grey images will look a little odd. I’ll either turn the brightness down, or/and create a cover for the projector lens that can be moved in to place during these time of black out.

Better Align Projectors

So as to make it look less ‘blocky’ and appear as one projected image rather than several

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Edge Blending etc?

When the ‘professionals’ do this kind of thing -- projecting with multiple projectors they tend to use hardware that ‘blends’ one projector’s image in to the next -- making the projection seamless -- they also use ‘matched’ projectors -- projectors that have been tested to produce the same colours/brightness etc. But here, we’re on a shoestring budget!

All we have here are some bog-standard projectors (4x 2000 lumens, and 1x 5,000 lumen), plugged in to a computer via a distribution amplifier. This is environmental projection on a budget -- but trying to do the best with what I’ve got!

More Information on ‘Environmental Projection’

You can google, but here are some great pages and examples:

http://worshipvj.com/category/creativity/environmental-projection-creativity/