Twelve High End Systems ColorCommands™ are enhancing the weekly worship at the Fellowship of the Woodlands in Woodlands, TX. ColorCommand is a dichroic color-mixing PAR/washlight fixture that offers complete freedom from gels and color scrollers.
Dave Marks, the media minister, LD, technical director and set designer, says the ColorCommands are a big asset to the 4,400-capacity venue. "We have 300 dimmers, but mostly I use the 12 ColorCommands. They are awesome. I absolutely can't imagine doing what we do without them," Marks says.
"Divine intervention," Marks claims, plays a role in their successfully executed set designs, which change each week to enforce the Woodlands minister’s message. Along with the divine powers, the four-person production team including Marks, a carpenter, audio director, and video director work hard week to week.
"The ColorCommands save a huge amount of time on our set designs," Marks says. During the week, the set is constructed. On Friday, he receives the music to be performed for Sunday's service. Then by Saturday's noon rehearsals, he must have his lighting programmed and ready to run.
"I have just four hours to build looks for every song," Marks explains. "There are six to seven songs plus a drama during our hour and a half service. So we start with the contemporary, upbeat songs, which call for hot colors; then we go into the ministerial songs, which call for cooler colors. Without having to hang eight different colors, I can go from a hot pink to a nice cool green or blue and still have versatility with every song having a different look."
The stage is 100’ wide by 40’ deep with a trim height of 30’. "It's a big stage and pretty high up there, so when I need to focus in a general area, I have beam control with ColorCommand, so I can focus."
For their Christmas show, a massive 30,000 people attended eight special services. A snow-covered stage, Christmas trees, video of winter landscapes and, of course, ColorCommands set the scene.
Another theme recently saw the stage set up with a real golf hole. A 6’ hill sloped up to the hole and pin. To its right was a genuine sand trap, recreated with 2,500 pounds of sand. "The message was about how we keep a score card in life," says Marks.
This particular week, "integrity" is the message. "This set is a bit more artsy," Marks says. Included in the design are 4’x6’ canvases and 25’ curtains made of screen door material, with ColorCommands illuminating from below.