Church’s technology narrowcasts and broadcasts
Jun 14, 2007 10:00 AM
Jay Budzilowski, producer at the First Baptist Church in Texarkana, TX, works on a Broadcast Pix Slate 1000 switcher that powers in-church widescreen displays and broadcasts to local stations as well as nationally through religious networks.
As many as 2500 people fill the pews each Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Texarkana, TX. With these large crowds, the church’s two 16x9 widescreen displays are crucial to ensuring that everyone can see the worship services. Moreover, a Broadcast Pix Slate 1000 switcher, a live video production system that powers the giant screens, also supports broadcasts of the service locally, regionally and nationally.
The FBC currently broadcasts in SDI but plans to upgrade to HD in a few years using the HD-ready Slate 1000. In addition to digital displays, services are broadcast locally on Texarkana’s KLFI-TV and KAQC-TV as well as KTAL-TV in Shreveport, LA. Services are also seen nationally on religious networks such as The Church Channel and Family Net.
PixButtons that show the exact content on every source and key proved helpful for FBC’s production. During worship services, the Slate 1000 controls what appears on FBC’s 16x9 screens at the front of the church. The screens display song lyrics and other video segments that pertain to the pastoral messages, using the switcher’s clip store functionality.
Prior to installing the switcher, producer Jay Budzilowski edited segments in Final Cut Pro, then burned them to DVD. The player was hooked to the switcher, the scene was cued and then played at the appropriate moment. Now, FBC producers can simply import multiple edited pieces into the Slate 1000 and play them on the fly.
The church previously used PowerPoint display song lyrics, with no ability to key the lyrics over moving video. Now, lyrics are keyed over edited video clips or shots of the choir.
For more information, visit www.broadcastpix.com.
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