Pete's Big TVs is for the fourth year providing video support for “How Sweet The Sound,” an annual competition traveling the country seeking the best church choir in America.
Guy Benjamin of Pete's Big TVs handled their role in the touring production, which was designed by LD Michael Dalton and set designer Jeremy Thom.
“Video projection is a large part of the show,” said Dalton. Four Barco FLM 20k projectors focus on the main front projection "scenic" screen, which measures 30x80. The projectors are fed by two Green Hippo HD Hippotizer media servers. The Hippotizers blend and shape images, as the large scenic background has a big curvature.
Live I-mag is rear-projected on screens on both sides of the main projection screen, using Barco SLM R12 projectors.
For the production, there are three Sony HDC-1500 Multi-Format HD cameras and four Sony HD box cameras on pan & tilt remote controlled heads. The cameras are switched using a Ross Vision console. An Avid Deko 3000 manages all the graphics for the production. Each city's shows are recorded on a series of Apple Xserve computers running Apple Final Cut Pro.
Pete's Big TV crew includes Video Director Jody Lane, EIC Paul Whitfield, EIC2 Brian Brinckman, Projection/Hippotizer Tech Rob Villalobos, Projection/Camera Brent Jones, Camera Operators Erin Lynch and Cybelle Forbes, Video Tech Chris Hill and Deko Operator Michelle Lippett.
A panel of judges - sitting at the side of the stage - presides over each city's competition, while top names in gospel music entertain as well.
Dalton said the biggest challenge in the lighting design is accommodating a wide variety of gospel choirs on stage. Each choir has varied numbers of singers and different colors in robes.
“We build the basic show cue list, which remains the same throughout the tour, then update it based on the actual choirs' sizes and robe colors for each city,” he said. “As with most competition shows we try to keep the lighting looks within certain boundaries to help level the competition.”
Nook Schoenfeld programmed the show and acts as lighting director.
Dalton and Pete's Big TVs have worked together on How Sweet the Sound since the concept for the competition began. “Pete's Big TV is a great crew,” Dalton said. “They're easy to work with and with great results!”
The tour has scheduled its finale Oct. 28 in Los Angeles.
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About Pete's Big TVs
Pete's Big TVs/Performance Video provides LED video screens, projection and full video production for concert, entertainment and corporate events since 1987. For current news, photos and updates on projects in action, visit the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/videoequipmentrental or call 1-800-999-0010.
Press Release: Debi Moen, INK.