Looking Ahead: Future Developments for the Media Ministry ~ Maximizing Media Ministries

So, now that our audio/video ministry is actively live streaming our services, what might be some areas that we could improve as we go forward? We do not simply want to remain stagnant with our technology and practices, but we want to keep pressing on to provide quality video streaming to our live viewers. In this post, we will be looking at what we can do better now and soon.

What we can do better NOW

First, we will be looking at areas that we can do better now. While it may not seem normal to start implementing improvements immediately, there are certain improvements that are too important to not implement. These vital improvements consist primarily of how we handle our equipment. Here, we will be looking at various techniques that will improve the quality of both our audio and video.

Improving our audio

There are two primary things that we should take note of when we are running the sound board. The first is that when we are running the sliders, we need to move them smoothly yet confidently. In other words, when we see someone step to the pulpit, we need to confidently push the slider to approximately where we think this person will need it. While this may take some getting used to, it is a vital element in running the audio because the audio will sound much better when we confidently move the slider to the right spot.

The second area that we should note when we are running the sound board is that we should remain active at our post. We are not to simply set the volume when someone starts talking or singing, but we should remain ready to adjust the volume if the person should get quieter or louder. Our prompt response to the changes in an individual’s voice will directly impact the audio feed. In contrast, if we did not adjust the volume, those watching the live stream may not be able to hear what the individual is saying. In summary, being confident and active are vital characteristics for the person running the audio.

Improving our video

In addition to improving our audio, there are also some simple ways in which we can improve our video. These consist primarily of how we zoom and pan. In other words, how we zoom and how we move the video camera will directly impact the video quality. The first thing we should do here is to do it slowly. Moving slowly is important to not make the broadcast jerky. Similarly, the second thing we should do is to move smoothly. When we move both smoothly and slowly, we are providing our viewers with a quality video feed. Also, we are actually helping ourselves when we move slowly because that gives us more time to find the exact place to be zoomed in on rather than being so hurried that we accidently take the viewer across the room unnecessarily! One thing I like to add when talking about this topic is that we can pretend that the viewers are actually sitting inside the video camera. But, rather than actually being at church, they can only see what you let them. As such, we should be sure to give them a smooth and comfortable ride. It may seem like an odd comparison, but I believe that it helps give the proper perspective when running the video camera.

What we can do better SOON

While we have looked at various ways to improve our techniques, there are also some other important areas that we can improve as well. These consist primarily of improving our hardware and improving our video cameras.

Improving our hardware

When we go about improving our hardware, the primary piece of equipment that we see here is the computer. The computer is the tool that links the video feed to the internet. Because this piece of equipment is so vital, we will have to ensure that we have a fast and powerful computer that is capable of live streaming our video feed. While our current computer may work for what we do right now, updating our computer will enable us to broadcast a better feed because it should be able to handle a higher video quality.

Another extremely vital element for having a good quality video feed is the internet speed. While this may seem like a no-brainer, we must be sure that we get a high internet speed that will enable us to live stream high quality video. While we do not have to initially get high speed internet, we will have to have it if we want to ever really improve our video quality. If you want to check your internet speed, you can visit:

www.speedtest.net

Improving our video output

While we have looked at the various hardware perspectives for improving our video feed, none is more important than the cameras themselves! Here, we see two primary avenues for increasing the quality. The first route we can take is to use quality cameras. While there are many different cameras available, High Definition (HD) cameras can provide great quality for our video broadcasts. There are much better cameras available, but HD should be sufficient for live streaming.

The second avenue through which we can improve the quality by the cameras themselves would be to purchase additional cameras. Utilizing additional cameras increase the number of angles and provide variety for the video feed. While adding cameras may seem like more work, it provides the viewer with a much better broadcast. Also, having multiple cameras enables one camera to be moved while a different one is being used. This process provides a much better view because the cameras can pan or zoom while not being used. Also, it is important to note that if we are going to use multiple cameras, we will need multiple video inputs on our computer or a video data board to mix the signals in order to efficiently stream from multiple cameras.

Conclusion

In summary, we have seen various ways to improve the live streaming environment. There are things that we can do now, and there are things that we can do soon! So, let us get busy and improve our video broadcast because there will certainly be people who will appreciate any improvements that we make!

Here is checklist based off of this post for you to implement at your church:

Improve our audio

Are we confident when we run the sliders?

Are we active when we run the sliders?

Improve our video

Are you zooming and panning slowly and smoothly?

Are you pretending the viewers are sitting inside the camera?

Improve our hardware

Is your capable of processing high quality video?

Have you secured a high Internet speed from your provider?

Improve our video output

Have you added additional cameras?

Do you have HD cameras?

Any comments or interactions? Feel free to comment below!

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Monday, April 27, 2015