TechnoPraxis™

Private Jets and Private Lives

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:21:00 +0000

It’s been a rough week for the folks at Fellowship Church in Dallas. One of the local television stations produced an eight minute long “expose” of Pastor Ed Young, raising questions about his financial relationship with the church. They seem most excited about a supposed “secret” Fellowship corporate jet.

Ed and the Fellowship board responded during services over the weekend. The remaining question is how will the affect Fellowship going forward.

I’m not going to bother to link to the TV piece itself. You can find it, and Young’s response easily enough if you’re interested.

I do have a few thoughts and reactions.

First, the story itself was pretty weak. It rested on a single interview with an anonymous person who clearly doesn't like Fellowship Church.

It included inflammatory language, and unsubstantiated conclusions and statements, including stating that attendance has declined at Fellowship. I haven't been there in about six months, but the last time I did make it to Dallas, the auditorium was full on both Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Particularly outrageous was a statement that Young is perhaps “violating the covenant of honesty with his congregation.” That’s about as close to libel per se as I think you can get. To call a doctor a quack… a lawyer a shyster… or a pastor dishonest? I’m going to guess the TV station’s lawyers didn’t approve that statement ahead of time!

The interview with an SMU “expert” was interesting. He stated that the church should own the intellectual property created by the Senior Pastor. He called it outrageous that the Pastor would want to control that.

Well, he may not like it, but it is pretty common and accepted practice. Sermons become books. Do you think Max Lucado has ever used sermons to flesh out an idea that eventually became a book? Do you suppose Rick Warren used the phrase 'purpose driven' in a sermon before the book came out?

Who owns the rights to that intellectual property is more correctly part of a discussion of employment terms between the church and the Pastor.

It's the same with questions of compensation. You may not like the fact that a Pastor makes a lot of money and can afford a big house. I, personally, try to be pretty careful about attaching motivation to actions I observe. Discerning fruit is one thing. But there's also that whole judging thing, too. Be careful.

The only REAL question raised in the entire story was that of the airplane. That was addressed by Ed and two of the members of his Board of Directors at Fellowship over the weekend. Sort of.

They indicated, but did not state directly that the plane is leased.

OK.

They said that the board approved of the use of Ed's use of private aircraft, for much the same reason that corporate CEO's make use of them. Their time is quite valuable. To leverage them, and to take care of their health and family lives, a judgment is made that the expense of corporate aircraft is justified.

Again... a decision for the Fellowship BOD to take carefully.

My counsel for Fellowship and Ed Young? I have no idea what is actually happening behind the scenes. I don't know if there is actually a problem or not. Based on what I've seen and read this was a bit of a hatchet job by the television station.

I do know this. For pastors, a private life is a dicey concept. Like public officials, they have chosen a position where conduct in private has far greater impact that for the average person.

It is time for a season of radical transparency for Fellowship. Do not allow this wound to fester. Open books. Open meetings. Open minutes. Over communicate and over disclose. There should be virtually nothing under wraps. If a reporter wants to know how much you make, get in the Hummer, and drive over and meet with them.

Not at least meeting with the reporter in this case was a mistake. It carries the appearance of impropriety, and not a little bit of fear of disclosure. That is like chumming the water for a reporter. On the other hand, sitting down with them, off camera at least to start with, and talking about all of their questions will disarm all but the most rabid of reporters.

Radical transparency and telling the truth, even when it might not be comfortable is the only response going forward that will keep this from becoming a millstone around the neck of the church.

Technorati Tags: Ed Young,Fellowship Church,private jet,private life,compensation,intellectual property

Will Churches be Excluded from Wireless Interference Protection Plans?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:47:00 +0000

In the wake of the recent FCC ruling that set a final date for the retirement of wireless microphones in the 700 MHz band, there’s word that churches may be excluded from the new geo-location database that will provide important protection from interference with your wireless mics.

Chris Lyons with Shure, and Doug Gould of Worship MD (formerly with Shure, too!) along with many others are working hard to get the word out on what could be a huge issue for churches. It’s another part of the complex 700 MHz, digital TV transition, white spaces issue that have been causing confusion for wireless users for the past few years.

The FCC is considering a change in licensing rules, for wireless microphone, in-ear monitors, wireless com and similar equipment operating in the television broadcast band.

Until now, only a select few, like broadcasters, and movie and TV producers could actually license this equipment. All other users, including churches, schools, theaters and other users were operating without a license. The FCC has been aware of this for years, and operation of these devices is permitted with or without a license.

However, development and testing of a new generation of portable devices and fixed location services has begun. Look forward to a lot of cool new connected toys. But, they will be operating in the same TV bands that wireless mics use.

To protect wireless mic, monitor and com users, the FCC is working to develop a geo-location database that will allow licensed wireless users to register their systems. These new TV band devices will check that database to avoid licensed wireless users. It’s an important protection to avoid having someone with a cool new connected handheld device stepping all over your wireless mic transmissions in the middle of a show.

The question is whether churches will be among those who can obtain licenses, and register in the database.

“The FCC believes that not everyone needs protection from interference, and that protecting everyone would make too much spectrum off-limits to new internet-enabled ‘white space’ devices.,” said Lyons. “They are seeking some way of classifying wireless mic users so that they can easily determine whether they should or should not be eligible for license, whether that is based on the type of facility (church, school, theater), type of activity (broadcasting, recording, live performance), number of seats, or whatever.”

And, if churches are not on that list, that could potentially leave churches wide open to intermittent and continuous interference in their systems.

So, what can you do about it?

The FCC is accepting comments on who should be allowed to get licenses until February 22nd. It is critical that they hear, loud and clear from churches about how important it is that they be allowed to register.

For guidelines on how you can submit comments on this issue, send an email message to wirelessmicrophones@shure.com. You will receive a reply message with details on information to be included in your comments and how to file them with the FCC.

In your comments, be sure to include how many systems you use, what kind of services and productions you do, and describe the impact that losing reliable wireless would have on your services.

I’ll be sending my comments later today. I hope you will, too.

HOUSEKEEPING NOTE: If you think you’re seeing double on this post, you’re correct. I also write at ChurchTechMatters.com, and it’s always been my policy not to duplicate posts between the two. I want you to read both blogs, and hope what I write at CTM has some real value. I’m making an exception with this post, because the issue is time sensitive and critical.

Technorati Tags: Technorati Tags: Churches,Interference,Chris Lyons,Doug Gould,Shure,ChurchTechMatters

The End is Near, for 700 MHz Wireless

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:40:00 +0000

So maybe it's not really as dramatic as all that, but as far as wireless microphone use in the so-called 700 MHz band, it is now official.

As of June 12, and possibly earlier in some cases, use of wireless mics transmitting between 695 and 806 MHz is officially illegal. The final rule was issued on January 15.

This wireless spectrum has been reallocated for use by public safety agencies, and by wireless service providers.

As we've said before, the FCC won't have a squad of 'wireless cops' cruising the streets on Sunday morning, looking for violations. What is clear, though, is that the wireless companies who have spent BILLIONS of dollars to buy up spectrum will be watching. One of those providers began sending letters to higher profile wireless users last year, warning them that they would be watching for any infractions.

So, it's time to stop using the systems. It will be against the law to fire them up after the deadline. Thankfully, church techs now have a firm date to refer to when discussing this with church boards. It would have been nice if they'd announced the date a bit earlier... say before budgets for 2010 were set, but they didn't.

Beyond the fact that it's wrong, there is actually an element of danger in continuing to use the systems. As the FCC order itself points out, your system could interfere with a public safety radio system. Is it highly likely? Probably not. But it is possible, and that would be bad.

So, where to go from here? More on that over at Church Tech Matters this morning!

Technorati Tags: wireless microphones,700MHz,Shure,Sennheiser,rebate

What’s to be Learned from a Murder

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:35:00 +0000

So, for the last month or so, I’ve been up to my ears in managing media for a very high profile murder trial going on here in Wichita. I was working for the courts and the trial was big, big news.

This is not the place to discuss the merits of the case, or the issue itself, but there were a few lessons learned that I thought were worth passing on.

As you can imagine, there was crazy media interest in this case. More than 150 credentialed reporters, from about two dozen organizations covered the trial. Enough satellite trucks that we had to close a lane of traffic on Main Street to park them all.

So, what are the take-aways with regard to media relations?

First, if you aren’t tracking social media,you’re entirely out of the loop. There were thousands of tweets and other social media posts regarding the trial. I live in the connected social media world, and I was still shocked by the sheer volume.

I was also saddened, and shocked by the gross inaccuracies that spread like wildfire via Twitter. Most were a result of laziness and ignorance, people repeating and retweeting, rather than checking things out. Some were intentional, leveraging repeating and retweeting to push an agenda.

Most disturbing were traditional media and ‘experts’ who didn’t do their homework, and spread misinformation via blogs and tweets.

Beyond social media, it’s clear that the definition of ‘media’ has and is changing rapidly. Because of the nature of this trial, we had a lot of folks claiming to be media who clearly weren’t. Many were just partisan players on one side of the issue or the other who knew they wouldn’t likely be able to get a seat in the courtroom (due to space limitations) and wanted a seat, or really wanted access to the media themselves. Those were fairly easy to weed out.

Harder was dealing with freelancers and those working for web only, or non-traditional but legitimate media outlets. Coming up with a fair and at least relatively objective way to identify who are ‘real media’ is going to become more and more difficult over time.

So what does that mean. Pretty simple. Get some help.

Managing media for a major event being covered by national and network level media is not an activity for an amateur or even the average PR person. There are tough calls to make, major egos to manage, and you have to be willing to make a few people more than a little bit angry. Trying to do it yourself would be a bit like watching monkeys play with guns.

It’s fun at first, but in the end, somebody’s gonna get hurt.

Technorati Tags: media relations,crisis management,Roeder

So, Where Have I Been?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:29:00 +0000

Sorry for the long absence! Maybe we should cue the the theme from “Welcome Back Kotter!” I have been a busy guy since right after Christmas.

Along with all of the normal stuff, I have just wrapped up a huge assignment, managing the media relations for the local district courts in a “major murder case” here in Wichita.

There’s absolutely no need to discuss the merits of the case here, but from a communications management standpoint, it was pretty interesting.

Local media, and national media from coast to coast covered the trial start to finish. In Session Television, formerly known as Court TV televised it live. Networks in and out, with the Haiti earthquake and the State of the Union address impacting who would come to Wichita to cover the trial.

Lots of folks who were clearly not legitimate media who wanted access and media privileges. Lots of freelancers working for mainstream outlets, web only outlets, or non-traditional outlets. More than 150 media people from about two Lots of tough calls to be made within a pretty high pressure environment.

The photo above is the media workroom, actually a courtroom taken over by reporters, most of whom couldn’t get a seat in the courtroom itself. What you can’t see is the seating all around the edges of the room, full of print and radio reporters as well.

All in all, a big job, but a very rewarding assignment. I am, however, glad to be back at my desk for the first day in more than a month. In the next few days, I’ll share a few lessons learned, and things already understood that were reinforced.

Now, back to our regular programming.

Technorati Tags: media relations,Court TV,In Session TV,Roeder

A Big Number… and a Big Challenge

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:33:00 +0000

Think you know where the information revolution is headed?

Think again.

Trillions from MAYAnMAYA on Vimeo.

HT to Jon Edmiston!

Copyright Confusion and Simple Solutions

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:28:00 +0000

One of the most confusing topics to be discussed in church has nothing to do with the Trinity, or pre vs. post-millennialism, or even anything that remotely resembles theology.

It’s Copyright.

Years ago, the debate was over whether it was OK to copy music for the choir. (It’s not.) In the late 90’s the question of projecting lyrics was the hot button. Today, it’s webcasting and downloading that cause the confusion.

It’s a confusing topic, but the underlying question is pretty simple, and one worth discussing. I believe every church should have a policy, whether formal or informal, indicating their organizational intent to honor the spirit and letter of the law when it comes to copyright.

Why?

It is simply the right thing to do. It honors artists. It may not seem like a big deal to copy a CD for your worship team, but it is. I posted a while back about musician and recording artist Dennis Jernigan, who put it this way.

“I hope you understand how hurtful and harmful that is for me and my family. If I can even stammer a reply to these people offering insights into how making unauthorized copies of my CDs affects my ability to provide for my family, the retort is too often, ‘God gave you the music freely. You should be willing to give it away freely.’”

So, if we can all agree that honoring copyright is the right thing to do, how do we go about it?

Fortunately there are some easily accessible, affordable, and easy to use tools that make the process a lot simpler!

Read more on that at Church Tech Matters this morning!

“They Turned Life Into a Musical”

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:16:00 +0000

I am a huge fan of the folks at Improv Everywhere. Keep watching through to the end of the video!

In the end, it’s all about creating experience and telling a story.

Why Live Video?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Over the past several years, the use of video in a church setting has exploded. The use of video projection was common in the church by the early part of this decade. Most of that use was limited to outlines of sermons and the occasional movie clip or still illustration. Today, even the smallest of churches haul out a portable projector to project song lyrics and announcements on a screen, or in some cases, on a wall.

In the past few years, congregations in larger churches have suddenly been treated to (or assaulted with) the giant smiling face of the teaching pastor, and videos produced specifically to support that teaching. Other churches jumped to use video to extend the reach of their church, on broadcast or cable television, or on the Internet.

They have installed broadcast quality cameras, state-of-the-art equipment in full video control rooms, and post production suites, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in technology.

For the church considering taking video beyond simple lyrics and Powerpoint, or making a leap into the world of live video, it can be a confusing world.

But for most, the first step toward the use of live video in a worship context has nothing to do with technology. It starts with a conversation, and a question: “Why do we want to use live video?”

Read more at ChurchTechMatters.com

Life Equals Risk

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:32:00 +0000

Here’s a very good thing to remember, particularly for anyone who's been knocked down or kicked to the curb recently.

Thanks to BlueFishTV.com and HT to Cher Floria Nelson.

Excellent Idiocy or Idiotic Excellence?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:08:00 +0000

From Ben Arment:

“Excellence can be obtained if you:

- care more than others think is wise;
- risk more than others think is safe;
- dream more than others think is practical;
- expect more than others think is possible.

That describes an idiot.”

Hope we all get there someday.

P.S. Ben is the brains behind “Story” coming up next month. You should go!

Wireless Microphone And DTV Update

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Studio Daily has a nice rundown of the current state of wireless.

A few things I took away from the article.

First, it confirms what we already know. The FCC has not yet acted to make it illegal to operate wireless in this band. But it’s going to happen, and when it does, operating these units will be illegal.

Second, there are already lots of public safety systems using this spectrum. The specific frequencies are noted, and they quote a couple of very smart guys who line out scenarios where wireless microphone use actually could cause a real life and safety issue.

The article also points out that commercial users who have purchased the spectrum are using it.

“On the other hand, as the winners of last year's auction begin to fire up transmitters in their spectrum, wireless mic users may suddenly, and without warning, find themselves unable to transmit reliably beyond three feet! There simply is no way to predict when the carriers will begin testing and deploying base station transceivers in the spectrum they paid such a premium for.”

And finally, the article indicates there are indications that the FCC will take enforcement action, particularly in the case of interference with public safety uses. They have already visited movie sets with regard to use of walkie-talkies.

Hope this article might be helpful to those who have been asking for assistance in convincing church leadership that they need to move forward on replacing 700MHz systems. You still have a few months take advantage of some very attractive rebate and incentive programs to replace these soon to be legacy systems.

Video for Teaching?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:10:00 +0000

I think it’s just abut time to put this one to rest.

The evidence is overwhelming that video as a delivery medium for the teaching portion of a worship service works. Period!

No matter your demographic, your geographic location, or your worship style, using video to deliver teaching is effective, and it it is efficient. It just simply works.

There’s a great post today on the Learnings Leadership Network site on this whole issue. It features an interview with Larry Osborne from North Coast Church. They call him the “Godfather of Video Venues.” He says video has worked, and it has worked without regard to age or demographic, or geographic location, or worship style.

“We should have realized that teaching is uniquely suited for a big screen. It allows people to clearly see facial expressions and non-verbals – which is why most people in a large facility with a video screen end up watching the screen rather than the little person up on the stage.”

When Northcoast began working with the concept of a video venue, it was really cutting edge. At this point in history, in terms of the technology require, it’s simple. It’s being done everywhere, enough so that it’s tempting to call it “mainstream” despite the resistance still seen in some quarters.

Here are a few powerful reasons to consider using video teaching resources, at least some of the time.

There’s no better way to leverage a teaching resource. Video technology blasts through the barriers of space and time, to allow a great teacher to have exponentially greater impact.
On the flip side, video teaching has the potential to allow a local pastor to focus more on taking care of people, and spend less time preparing a weekly message.
Video teaching is a great way to span preference and taste issues in worship. It’s possible for a single teacher to be featured in services with widely ranging formats, musical content and format.
Using recorded video allows far greater latitude for creativity with graphics and other support elements than can be realistically pulled off in a live worship environment. Pre-production rocks!

Here’s my off the wall thought when it comes to video teaching. I think it may very well be the saving grace for small community churches in rural areas across the country. It has the potential to allow a pastor the time to actually care for more people that is possible if they are responsible for preaching and teaching weekly.

Ain’t it the Truth

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:14:00 +0000

The Noticer

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:59:00 +0000

“That’s what most folks lack—perspective—a broader view. So I give them that broader view . . . and it allows them to regroup, take a breath, and begin their lives again.”

It’s been quite a while since I’ve read a book in one sitting.

It’s been even longer since I’ve had a book knock me back in my chair, make me take a few deep breaths, and then go take a walk just to think through some of what I’d just read.

“The Noticer” from Andy Andrews did it, though. It’s a small book, under 200 pages, and one you can easily plow through it in just a couple of hours. I did that, then read it again the next evening. I’ll be reading it again this weekend.

“Worry . . . fear . . . is just a misuse of the creative imagination that has been placed in each of us. Because we are smart and creative, we imagine all the things that could happen, that might happen, that will happen if this or that happens.”

Jones is an older man. How old we really never find out. And his name might not be Jones, at least not for you. It might be Garcia, or Chen, or something else.

His gift, he says, is a simple one. He is a “noticer.” Jones notices things that others overlook, things that are often in plain sight, he says. And, in the noticing, he offers perspective.

“Most people think it takes a long time to change. It doesn’t. Change is immediate! Instantaneous! It may take a long time to decide to change . . . but change happens in a heartbeat!”

Jones slips in and out of the lives of the characters in Andy Andrews new novel, which is based, he says, on a true experience. He offers them the gift of perspective, allowing them to see beyond circumstances, and to understand their real potential, their value and worth. Jones shows them, with simple logic and absolute clarity, that change is possible, that life can be different and rewarding and is not ever over until it’s over.

“Despite popular belief to the contrary, there is absolutely no power in intention... there is no difference in the person who intends to do things
differently and the one who never thinks about it in the first place.”

Not that it probably means much to you, but I can’t recommend this book enough to you. Buy it today and read it tonight. It will encourage you and lift you up.

It may even change your life.

I am pretty sure it’s changing mine.

Technorati Tags: Andy Andrews,The Noticer,perspective

“Edgy” or just Offensive"?

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:56:00 +0000

The more Craig Groeschel writes, the more ~~of a fan I become~~ I look to him as an example of a great leader. I just wish the OKC campus wasn’t a little over two hours from my house. His topic today is being edgy for the sake of being edgy.

“…without wisdom and prayerful attention, a pastor can easily cross the line from edgy to offensive.”

Great wisdom, and even a bit convicting for me. Read the rest of his post, right here.

It’s All About the Flow

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:24:00 +0000

Jon over at Stuff Christians Like recently wrote about a youth retreat where he was the featured speaker. Jon says he’s not a comedian, and he’s not, but he is one of those guys that has the gift of finding the absurd in the everyday stuff we all see.

At this particular event, he got stuck in a “flow nightmare.” Slow melancholy music, leading into his talk. Not fun to follow!

“If you’re planning on starting with a really funny skit and then following that with a devastatingly sad video, and then a sermon about tithing and then a really happy worship song, help us out a little. Give us some transitions on that emotional rollercoaster.”

This really drives home the value in planning. When you plan a worship service, or any event, pay attention to the transitions. Let me say that again: Pay attention to the TRANSITIONS.

Television has an advantage. They can fade to black to signify a significant change in scene or mood. We don’t really have that option, most of the time, in services.

What we CAN do, is make sure that the individual elements are in harmony. Make sure they work together. Make sure that everyone involved KNOWS what is happening before their element, and after their element.

Planning is not the most fun part of creating experiences. The sad truth is that most churches don’t do it effectively. Without it, we’re just rolling the dice as to whether or not our experiences will be effective.

Stuff Christians Like, Jon Acuff, harmony, event planning, transitions

A New Look is On The Way

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Hey… check this out!

For the past three years or so, I’ve run this site courtesy of Blogger, and it’s been a great solution that I still recommend highly. Along with all the other changes I’ve been working through, we’ve decided to make the switch to WordPress.

The first step was actually to work through the branding process for TechnoPraxis. I owe a huge debt to my friends Jeff and Laurie Carney at The Strategy Group in Wichita for their support and kindness over the years. They’re branding gurus, and Laurie was great in helping me take scattered thoughts, and bring focus to the brand.

Then, SG designer Karis Marsh hit it out the park with the logo you see above. I love it, and it really speaks to where I see TechnoPraxis heading in this new season.

So, keep an eye out for the new look and feel. I’m looking forward to actually using WordPress for my own site, instead of just recommending it to others. And, as always, if you have questions, comments, criticisms or just like to see your name on the web, leave a comment below!

Not going to MinistryTECH? Catch it online!

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:17:00 +0000

I stole this from Jason Powell, who stole it from Jason Lee. Yep, just plain old stole it! It’s that good, and I’m that busy!

Geeky but grounded?
Plugged-in but cash-strapped?
Interested but otherwise occupied?

If you can’t physically make it to MinistryTech for some end-of-the-world reason, you can still take in part of the excitement virtually. We’ll be streaming selected workshops and all keynote sessions during the conference, FREE!

So fire up your smartphone, laptop, or other cool gadget and keep it with you at all times. Nothing is more important than MinistryTech’09. Here are some things to think about:

Wife having a baby? No problem, use headphones. Imagine what an awesome thing it will be for you to be able to say that your newborn’s first geek experience was at age 0.1!
Don’t have enough money to travel? This is free. Mooch some wireless at Panera.
Actually have a job you can’t get away from? This will help you enjoy that more.
Don’t like Colorado? Whatever.
Afraid someone will ask what you’re doing? Don’t worry. They know you’re a geek. Tell them you’re logged on with hundreds of other “smart people” discussing the next generation of Church Integration Networking Social Internet Directory Management Infrastructure Ministry — you know, the ChINSIDIMS — 2.0.
Get lots of [throw in some acronyms here]!
It’s better than trying to follow someone else’s blog that is actually a digest of their tweets which just goes to prove their not really paying attention anyway.

So how do you partake in this virtual goodness?

Register Here so we can make plans to reserve your virtual seat (the soft comfy recliners will go first, oh wait, you choose your own seat..)

So why did I need to steal this? I’m busy with the last minute details of producing the keynotes for MinistryTECH. Make sure you’re there, either in person or online, and give me a holler. I’d love to connect.

Sound for Musicals – Part Two

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:38:00 +0000

When it comes to casting, please remember to keep sound in mind. A few specific things that will make for a better show.

First, think projection.

Does the actor have a voice BIG enough for the role. You might want to reconsider a lead who has a nice, but tiny voice.

Coach projection throughout the rehearsal process. Make sure the actors are filling the room with their voices, particularly when it comes to dialogue. There’s nothing tougher than pushing the sound system to the point of feedback because the kids are whispering their lines, and then being blown out when they begin to sing!

Not everyone in the cast needs a line. Characters with lines need mics. It sounds bad to have characters with lines off mic, when others are on mic. Lots of characters means lots of mics, mic packs and and pack switches. Don’t make this harder by insisting that every kid who auditions gets some sort of line or solo. There is nothing wrong with having a chorus or ensemble.

That brings us to the topic of equipment. You may be lucky enough to have wireless mics on hand. The question is this. Are they professional grade, quality units. Here’s a rule of thumb. If you paid less than $700.00 per unit for them, they’re probably not adequate. You will have dropouts and problems. Don’t force your sound person to use them! If you do, don’t blame them for the problems!

Also, please understand that mixing and matching wireless units requires more work for your sound person. Coordinating wireless frequencies is not for the faint of heart. It takes time and the right tools to do it. Make sure you plan for this in the budget and production process.

When you get to technical rehearsals (you have scheduled tech rehearsals, right?) don’t forget sound. I like to have a time during a rehearsal to go over mic use with actors. We talk about pack placement, swaps and placement of elements.

Then, plan on a sound check before a run-through. Plan on five minutes for each actor with a mic to allow the sound operator to get things dialed in. In musicals, most sound operators will want to place the mic element over the actors ear, or in the hairline. This technique can sound great, but it requires a bit of time to get equalization set to achieve a natural sound.

During the sound check, I have actors sing a number from the show. We do this a capella. No piano or orchestra. It makes it much easier to get things dialed in. For actors with no musical numbers, I generally provide a printed monologue to keep them from stumbling and stammering, trying to think of what to say.

Sound checks continue through the rehearsal process, and I insist on them prior to every performance, at least for key characters, generally scheduled just prior to the house opening.

Don’t expect that any sound operator or designer will be able to come in an provide flawless sound with just one rehearsal. It just will not happen. You won’t be happy, and the sound person will be frustrated as well.

Remember, the sound person has to hit every entrance, exit and line. That’s not easy! At an absolute minimum the sound person will need three or four rehearsals to get things right.

Like I said, sound for musicals is not easy, but it’s rewarding. I love doing it, at least when I have the right tools and the time to get things right. Hopefully, these tips will help you as you get ready for your next big show!

Sound for Musicals – For Directors

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:33:00 +0000

One of my favorite things to do in live sound is a musical. I think it’s one of the toughest assignments in all of audio. Getting consistent sound from night to night, dealing with hundreds of cues, wireless issues, and an orchestra is a real challenge!

I fairly regularly do sound for high school shows which I also really enjoy. It can be a challenge, though, working with a drama teacher or even a volunteer director who doesn’t regularly deal with a “real” sound designer.

Here are a few tips for directors that will go a long way toward preventing sound related problems with the show.

The biggest issue I run into is a director who doesn’t work the technical aspects of a show far enough ahead of time. Quality sound for your show takes time. That means time before technical rehearsals, during rehearsals, and before doors open for each show.

Let’s break it all down.

Long before the show moves into technical rehearsal, the sound designer begins work. As soon as casting is complete, and the director has a feel for blocking and set design, I want to see a As soon as possible, the sound guy needs a clean and complete photocopy of the script.

Complete means every single cut, line change or other change you’ve make. Clean means a good copy. Be nice and go ahead and 3 hole punch it for a binder. One page of the script to a page. Don’t use both sides of the paper. We make lots of notes, and highlight, and things will fade through the pages. I like the script flush to the left hand side of the page. That way my notes can go down the right column.

In the alternative, you could scan the script with each page becoming a .jpg image. I have done books in a spreadsheet using this technique. I makes for a very nice book, and it’s great for long runs.

Once your sound designer has the book, he or she will go through the show, line by line and scene by scene. The object of this exercise is to find every sound effect or piece of music needed, and to determine who needs a body mic, and when. As a director, you may be used to doing this yourself. Feel free to give you sound person input and preferences. That’s always helpful. If they’re good, your sound designer will likely be able to show you how to do the show with more efficient, fewer and more appropriate mic pack swaps.

Speaking of swaps, there is nothing wrong with using a wireless unit for multiple characters. But remember this! ONLY the transmitter moves. The microphones stay with the actor. It’s difficult enough to keep the mics in the right places on actors to avoid bad sound without trying to move them around.

In theater mic placement is critical. In a more traditional show, we want to keep the mics as invisible as possible. Mics are often placed over the ear, or in the hairline using elastic loops. Occasionally, they may be concealed in clothing, but this is tough. Mic elements are not draped over the ear and taped in the middle of the cheek.

Wherever the mic is placed, the key is consistency from performance to performance. For that reason, I like using an ear clip rig like the one shown here. Telex makes them, and they are a real help. A piece of heat shrink tube or some tape to mount the mic element, and you simply don’t have to worry about placement issues. They stay in place all night long!

One final note. If you’re using wireless microphones for a musical, then every character who has a line should be amplified. It just doesn’t work to have some actors on a mic, and others without. It’s distracting the the audience, and when the un-mic’d lines come up… it looks like the sound guy made a mistake.

But even with all of your actors on a wireless microphone, don’t make the mistake of thinking the sound system will solve every projection issue! They won’t. We’ll look at what a director needs to remember during casting and rehearsal tomorrow!

Photo by Omega Man

Free (almost) Backgrounds and Loops

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:39:00 +0000

It’s not Monday… but this one is limited time resource! How about some nearly free loops and animations? Footage Firm is offering looping motion background DVD’s for just $8.41 each. They have 10 collections available, so for $84.10 you can get them all. I’ve glanced over them, and they look fairly usable. They are SD and 4:3, and they include both an .avi and a .mov of each loop. Pretty sweet deal for a Wednesday, but you need to hurry. They say they only have 500 of each disk so you need to order it now!

Monday Resource - ConfineMouse

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:11:00 +0000

If you’ve ever accidentally wandered off your primary display and had your mouse cursor end up on the display screen (like I have) you’ll appreciate this cool little utility. ‘ConfineMouse’ does just what it says it will do. It keeps the mouse confined to one screen. Best of all, it’s another freebie, thanks to One Hour Software.

Another Legal and Cheap Image Resource

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:06:00 +0000

We haven’t had a Monday Resource post in quite a while! Sorry about that! I need to get busy, don’t I?

To get us back on track, here’s another option you can turn to when you need great and affordable images for your blog, website, or print projects. Check out out Fotolia. It will remind you of our old friend iStock. Tons of images. Great search capabilities. And it’s pretty cheap.

Remember, legal use of images matters! Ripping off artists, especially in the name of “church” just plain sucks, particularly when it’s pretty easy and very affordable to do the right thing!

PR Firm Needs New PR

klonghofer@gmail.com (Kirk Longhofer) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:47:00 +0000

I’ve always hated the phrase “Public Relations.” I’ve hated it, even though I’ve made a reasonable living at it at times during my career. I’ve always thought it sounds like you’ve gotten caught doing something inappropriate in the parking garage by the Warren Theater in Old Town.

I’ve also said that there are some folks who don’t deserve good public relations counsel. There is conduct for which you deserve to be hammered for engaging in.

The flip side of that is that there are some clients a PR firm should never, ever take represent. That’s my opinion at least.

Clearly, there is at least one firm that disagrees.

HT to Jon at For Your Entertainment.