holograms, seriously...

I recognize that where I go in my mind with stage designs and experiential elements for worship is off the chain. That being said, seriously, holograms in the worship experience is one small step closer to being a reality.

With not an ounce of technical ability; I am a dreamer, a visionary, the “vicar of vibe”. I see things, a simple image or video clip and I instantly start extrapolating it into how it could be utilized in the worship experience. Trust me, I find it just as odd and unusual as I am sure other people do. I seriously don’t believe it is me. I strongly believe that God has this ability see things in new ways.

So, simply put, I see these visions for the future, I pray for specifics (people with the needed talents and skills) and “Pow” He provides. Honestly I don’t really get it; I just keep stepping out in faith. I don’t know where this journey will lead.

Last Thursday I had a meeting with Nick (the large scale projections guy) and David, most awesome media guy. It was a “getting to know you” session. Nick works with a local company that specializes in providing full-service audiovisual rental, staging and production services, with a specialty in HD widescreen projection and keynote development. Read: Large Scale Projections. Woo Hoo!
In the course of our conversation, I mentioned the fact that I have dreamed for utilizing holograms in a worship environment for several years now.
His company probably something along this scale of holographic imaging (click to watch the first video showreel image).
If you continue down, you can watch the Radiometer Free Format™ Case. This is more along the line of what I have been thinking about.
Large scale, free format, holographic imaging. Probably in the open air space above the auditorium seating. There are several links in this post cheoptics on the brain.

This is the video that prompted the idea of using holograms in worship in my brain about 4 years ago


Next step…I believe it is to continue to pray for someone with grant writing experience.
So hear I go…

like a kid in a candy store...

Out of the blue...

I've been dreaming and praying about massive projections for almost two years now. It's where huge designs are projected across an expanse of a wall or building.

I was inspired by Visual Worshiper. You should check out their gallery.

We created some really small versions of the projection concept, like clouds on the ceiling and stained glass windows, backgrounds for dramas and logos. The equipment for massive projections is just beyond our financial means. We have been working with two small projectors.

Well, God has been answering our prayers and is bringing us an influx of volunteers. Yippee!

And would you believe one of the people stepping up does this projection stuff for his job.

We will have access to borrow massive projectors for a weekend and/or rent at a substantial savings!!!

Several of the techie guys (love my media techies) have loved the concept all along. Bill shared this last nightfrom Nuformer Projections. They do 3D projections. Can you just imagine the possibilities? Watch and be amazed.

Projection on Buildings from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

Obviously it is going to take a little time to work the details out, but I would LOVE to be able to do some spectacular massive projection at the beginning of the fall series. We are ready to rock and roll!

Thinking, thinking, thinking!

I love prayer! I LML! I love what I do!

Isn't God awesome!

לקוות ...

Wild and crazy production weekend. While we try to do a creative piece each weekend; this last weekend was a magnificent tapestry woven together of many creative elements. I am simply blown away to be able to serve with our awesome teams.
These elements included the blowing of the Shofar, two original songs, a dance, a reading from Eli Weisel and last but certainly not least, 4 cantor elements with Rabbi Neal Surasky of Kehilat Sar Shalom.
For the stage set design we created a background screen of chiffon draped over two 1” x 2” x 10’ pieces of wood. They were painted black, and we drilled to holes on each end. Then each piece was suspended on the black curtains with fishing line and safety pins. Honestly I don’t know what I would do if we didn’t have fishing line and safety pins.
Sadly, I got so wrapped up in producing, that I failed to get enough pictures.
One last thought, part of what makes our team work so well together is we actually like to spend time together. We often go out to lunch after our Saturday set up/rehearsal and EVERY Sunday. This week Rabbi Neal and his amazing wife Kim joined the crew at Foster’s. It was an incredible time of laughter, learning and gnoshing.
ILML

Our Order of Service (and worship set list)
Blowing of the Shofar
Instrumental Opener

Worship Set 1
Freedom is Here

Bridge: Hope in difficult circumstances using illustration of God’s Chosen People.

Cantor Piece # 1 - Hatikvah - Rabbi Neal

Reading from Eli Weisel

“Israel’s Song“with dance (original song Desneige Eisenberg)

Cantor Piece # 2 - Rabbi Neal (In Hebrew, but words in English on the screen)

Reading of Psalm 42

Worship Set 2
“Psalm 42” (original song by Melanie Moore)

Message: Chris Eads interviewing Rabbi Neal

Cantor Piece # 3 - Rabbi Neal teaching a song to the congregation

Worship Set 3
I Surrender
Congregational Prayer
Better is One Day (Amazing Grace)

Cantor Piece # 4 - Rabbi Neal doing the Aaronic Benediction Blessing (Numbers 6)

creative fuZion lab //18// new ways of thinking

Welcome to "creative fuZion lab" at designing for Philistines (on Thursdays)...
Once upon a time there was a blog kingdom where freaky creatives could share the chaos created in their minds for THE Kingdom. Sadly, it went away.
Yet the creative minds keep blogging.
Now there is a place to share all those creative elements again at the creative fuZion lab on Thursdays.So here’s what you do…
1. Each Thursday YOU post on your blog on whatever creative church element sparks your passion.
2. In your blog, link back to this weeks specific creative fuZion lab.
3. Then post the link to your particular post at the NEW Mr. Linky below.
4. Then come back and comment. If you don’t blog yet, still feel free to share your idea in the comments.
5. Then off you go. Go visit other people’s ideas, comment and share.
6. Ready to begin? Here we go. Let the creative fuZion begin.
Spread the Word.
Dorothy (vicar of vibe)

I have been quite taken by visualworshipper.com

They do absolutely amazing things with projections. I've been dreaming about this concept for many months and playing around with a small projector I have.
Our first attempt was in August last year. We projected a motion loop of clouds floating.


This week we projected a stained glass image on the back curtain.
The pictures I took turned out really bad. But it
will give you the idea. It actually turned out really nice.

We are talking now how to utilize two or three projectors to be able to project a much larger image across a larger space.

This is actually really fun. I'm looking forward to exploring the possibilities.


Next, my family has asked me to stop climbing on ladders. Several things have happened to me
recently and they are concerned for my safety.
So this adds a new dimension for planning the stage designs.

Either not hang cloth or have someone else

climbing the ladders. I've been asking God what He thinks I should do now...

This idea hit me this weekend. We opened the back curtains. Then attached cloth (with safety pins) on the the rope (that opens and closes the curtains) and then closed the curtains, which
raise the cloth up like a flag on a flag pole. It took a couple of times to get the placement correct,
but it worked extremely well.
Then we stretched the cloth across the stage.
I'm sure other ideas are going to come up.

So, over all this is what our stage design looked like this week. it actually was really interesting and fun to do. Oh, I forgot to mention that the picture of Jesus is covering up the proctor and computer.
It's been a tough week. With people being a little judgemental, not about the designs but about what our creative team does and how (often) we do it. It was odd and hurtful. But, I realized if I am the only person doing this for how ever long, I'm really fine with it. But I have very committed people from our creative team that step in to help now. We are all at a point in our journey where we are eager to serve, which comes from the overflow of our relationship with God. And you know it's always been true 20% of the people do 80% of the work.

Now I am going to work for the next day or two on a tree for this weekend. Ha, ha!

Do you have any new concepts you are working with?
Now it's your turn.

clouds...

Revelation Pt. 5 "Heaven"

For this week's worship set design we are projecting this ^^^ motion loop (representing heaven) on the ceiling of the auditorium through out the service.

We are working towards moving further in, further out and further up. Our venue is fairly large a 400 seat junior high auditorium and there is a lot of blank space. So we have been playing with various ideas on moving the focus away from the stage all the time. Breaking through the fourth wall.

We also had a dramatic Scripture reading of Revelation 21 & 22 (whilte scrolling on screen). We have decided that we will read a lot more Scripture aloud on stage through out the next year. (no comment on the use of the papyus font, I've tried so hard to get it banned. But our graphics/mulit-media gal and our pastor are in love with papyrus)

The clip is from a new place I found last week called Muddy River Media, who provide free, quality media resources for churches using the internet as the primary delivery tool.
They carry various things like count-down timers, motion loops, stock photo's and more. Worth checking out.

Our Sunday set list.

Have you used projections in unique places? Tell me about it.

This is going to be submitted to Ragamuffin's Soul Creative Chaos (if he decides to blog on his birthday)