Willow Creek constructs
new production facility
Willow Creek Community Church’s production ministries provide video productions and technical support for visual communication at services and events. The church unveiled a new digital video facility this September.
As the church made plans for a new 7200-seat auditorium, the need for a new control room became a priority. The primary goal in building the new video production space was to serve post and live production requirements by centralizing tape operations and video engineering in one location. Other goals included sharing resources between post and live event productions and having enough space in the present with room for future growth. The church also wanted to put an infrastructure in place for expansion to HD. All this needed to happen within close proximity to the auditorium.
The church selected Ross Video to design the facility. It was built with 16:9 screens with the ability to easily feed overflow and other areas a 4:3 signal, using Ross’ Synergy 4 SD production switcher to handle dual aspect ratios. They chose options such as internal DVE squeeze and tease 3-D effects and the ability to run servers with VTR control to coincide with the production switcher. The Ross Talia routing system incorporates all SDI I/O and routes the signals through the facility. At the same time, RossGear terminal equipment distributes, converts and monitors audio and video.
One key factor in planning the new facility was to incorporate existing live production equipment while adding new technology. While the live production design allowed for nine cameras, existing Sony D30 and D35 cameras, and wiring for three rentals, there is room to expand to up to 18 cameras in the future. Post-production design required Discreet and Apple Final Cut edit suites.
They installed a virtual monitor wall using Miranda processors, plasma screens and LCD displays. Mitsubishi Diamond Vision LED screens were chosen for the main large-screen viewing in the auditorium. The flexibility of the LED screens allows for position and movement to accommodate the production. They are either placed separately at the sides of the stage or together in the center forming one large 14x48ft screen. The main auditorium also incorporates supplemental video displays. The team chose video projection, LCD and plasma screens for these viewing areas.
Design Team
Acoustic Dimensions:
Stu Reynolds, video designer
Roscor:
John Gephardt, video eng.
Equipment List
Ross Video: Synergy 4 digital switcher, Talia Kondor facility routing, RossGear terminal equipment
Mitsubishi: Diamond Vision LED walls, Plasmas
Panasonic: Plasmas, DVCPRO50 decks, DVD recorders
Sony: CRT and LCD monitors, D35 cameras, MAV-555 server, DSR-DR1000 recorders
Videotek sync generator
Clear-Com digital matrix
Apple Final Cut Pro edit suites
Discreet fire edit suite
Miranda virtual monitor wall
Barco ELM R12 projectors
Sanyo projectors
The Screenworks projection screens
Samsung plasmas
Philips LCD TVs
Zenith LCD TVs
Marshall LCD monitors
Inscriber: CG, Still store
Vinten robotics
Sachtler tripods
Belden and Gepco cable
Fujinon lenses
Canon lenses
Middle Atlantic racks
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