New Panasonic Varicam LT cameras fitted with a range of new Fujinon lenses were recently installed at College Park Church in Indianapolis, IN.
The rapidly changing dynamics of live and streamed worship production continue on an unprecedented scale. So, many worship production teams are in an ongoing process of rethinking and upgrading their production equipment. These worship teams understand that, today, the production value of weekly services or other programs they produce has to be broadcast- or near broadcast-quality every time. This includes the content they produce, and incidentally the equipment used to achieve these professional results.
Fujinon provides a wide range of lenses for houses of worship, including the ZK and XK series of Cabrio cinema lenses featured at College Park Church.
College Park Church is an extremely active and busy 1,800-seat house of worship located on the north side of Indianapolis in the town of Carmel. The church first met in 1985 in a conference room at a Holiday Inn and has been on its current property just a few miles away since 1992. Fast forward to 2022, and its production team decided to upgrade its equipment and bring the church one step closer to achieving an overall better production look.
"The Fujinon lenses proved to be a great value. Their price compared to other lenses in their class was exceptional." - Director of Video Production, Scott McColgin, College Park Church
College Park Church has many areas of ministry, but the Sunday morning gathering has always been its primary emphasis. One of the main design goals for the College Park team was to create a space that feels intimate at the 1,800-seat size, and they identified their video system as a key element that could help people in the seats connect with the pastor, speakers, worship team, and musicians on stage.
The Video Production Team led by Director of Video Production Scott McColgin, recently took the lead on producing some very special Christmas Services and Christmas events for the church. These were shot on new Varicam LT cameras fitted with beautiful new Fujinon Lenses.
The church's video team, led by Scott McColgin, director of video production, is responsible for multiple weekly services, as well as the choir, orchestra, and praise band components of those services, which require a multitude of different looks. McColgin recently took the lead on producing special Christmas services and events for the church, as well. These were shot on new Varicam LT cameras fitted with new cinematic Fujinon lenses, a dream combination for the church team considering major motion pictures and TV shows oftentimes use the same glass.
It All Starts with the Lens
Just as great sound starts with a quality microphone, an excellent image starts with an outstanding lens. Of course, over time and with experience, video production professionals come across a number of really great, expensive lenses out there, but they also learn that many of them aren't the right fit. Also, as teams build out their upgrades, they must analyze the overall project to get the most out of their lens budget.
Here are some of the critical factors that must be considered to get the right lens for the job:
1. What will you be shooting? Will the lens be a good fit for your new or existing cameras?
2. How much are you willing to invest in each lens?
3. Can you sell or trade in your old lenses if they won’t work with your new cameras?
4. Can you arrange for a day of testing a number of different lenses? This is well worth your time spent at a local rental house.
5. Get many eyes, not just yours, on the test.
6. Find a local lens or equipment dealer that is willing to be a partner, taking the time to walk you through the purchase process and discuss various equipment options for you and your church. What you're looking for is someone who will answer the phone and not just disappear after they get the sale.
"We had been streaming our services for several years, but quarantines put a new emphasis on [our video ministry]. As our people relied more on video, we shifted our production strategies." - Director of Video Production, Scott McColgin, College Park Church
Decision Time
For College Park Church, when it came time to make big decisions, McColgin took a smart path. For lenses, he reached out to local Fujinon representative Bret Shisler, and this is what he reports about the choice. "Bret was great to work with and really knew the Fujinon products well. We talked about Fujinon's history in the market and how their lenses would fit our needs. He made us feel very comfortable with our purchase decision and was quick to respond when we had some questions during installation."
McColgin continues, "We went with Fujinon lenses. They proved to be a great value, and their price compared to other lenses in their class was exceptional. [When] we rented a fifth camera for a recent event, along with a lower priced lens, it did the job but the difference was noticeable."
McColgin shares that he and his team came out of the upgrade process with some tools that will definitely take their ministry further, more professionally, than they could've imagined. "We have four manned cameras on a typical week (the Varicams) along with two small Marshall positional cameras to show the piano keys, an over-the-shoulder drum shot, or similar. We also have a couple of Panasonic PTZs used in transition or for specific tasks."
"I looked at lots of church streams from all over the country in 2020 and the cinema cameras always stood out." - Director of Video Production, Scott McColgin, College Park Church
For context on the importance of College Park's video upgrade, McColgin describes, "Our current sanctuary opened in 2011. That building project included all new audio, video, and lighting systems, which are now being replaced or serviced in segments as gear ages out. The original installer for our room in 2011 was Clair Solutions. We have had incredible support from Clair for over a decade and they’ve continued to be our primary video contractor and dealer. Seth Morth designed our system. Gaetan Rioux and Rob Wolford out of the Nashville office oversaw the installation and have been our support. Dan Heins leads the Nashville team and has been an asset to us, as well."
He continues, "Our previous cameras were showing their age and were scheduled for replacement in May of 2020. We had a set of broadcast cameras picked out and had all our quotes lined up. Well, the spring of 2020 didn’t go how anyone planned and our purchase was immediately put on hold. We also had been streaming our services for several years, but quarantines put a new emphasis on that part of our ministry. As our people relied more on video, we shifted our production strategies. There was a period where our services were entirely streamed by necessity. It was really important to us to continue to create authentic and intimate worship opportunities for our people in such an uncertain environment. The world had changed, but the faithfulness of God hadn’t changed."
McColgin says that, in response to world events, his team set up in the round and used its cameras from every angle possible. "Our older broadcast cameras worked, but the new setup showed us how much better cinema-style cameras would serve our congregation. I looked at lots of church streams from all over the country in 2020 and the cinema cameras always stood out."
Once he began researching cameras all over again, he notes that the team's purchase plan had shifted. "We have worked with Clair Solutions for over a decade and they’ve been our go-to for video questions and system design. We worked with their team and landed on the Panasonic VariCam LT cameras with Fujinon lenses. The lenses were Clair’s suggestion to us. I looked at a few other options but was thrilled with what we found in Fujinon. The quality of their lenses is incredible, from the glass and the depth of field, all the way down to the servo controls that our volunteers use. Our ministry relies heavily on volunteers (approximately 40) and the entire team (five full-time players) has been thrilled with the new cameras."
Other equipment in the new system includes a Ross Carbonite 3ME switcher with an Ultrix router. "Our current audio console is a Digico SD8, but we hope to install a Yamaha PM10 in the near future," McColgin describes. "We use Shure wireless systems. Lighting includes a Jands control console, and a variety of incandescent and LED fixtures, including 20 Maverick MK2 spots from Chauvet."
The team's control room, he reports, houses several Macs, Panasonic camera controls, and a Clear-Com intercom system.
Even though the purchases were considerable, the pastoral team was considerate and comfortable with the large purchases, McColgin notes. "It wasn’t a quick process to get a new camera system approved, but it wasn’t unreasonable either. When the pandemic changed our plans, leadership was always willing to listen to our suggestions and look at how our plans fit into the larger organizational goals. Our entire worship arts team enjoys a high level of trust with our executive leadership and elders."
Food for Thought
College Park Church and its production team can stand as a role model for other churches that are changing to reach their congregations in new ways, redesigning and rethinking the production process along the way. The pause in activity that was experienced during the pandemic gave McColgin and his team time to reflect and choose a new path. He says it helped greatly that they didn’t have to go it alone. With help from trusted partners, Clair and Fujinon, they were able to get the upgrade they wanted, ensuring a beautiful, cinematic look for years to come.
