Presented annually by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, the Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary. A two-day live event that draws in students and youth leaders from across the state of Tennessee, YEC was first created a half-century ago to clearly communicate the Gospel while inspiring the next generation of worship leaders. Wanting a production design to match the occasion, event organizers worked with Atlanta-based Stacked Heart Productions who brought in designer Justin Kitchenman, Align Design Group, programmer Gavin Lake, and production partner Elite Multimedia who provided an expansive audio, lighting, LED video and live IMAG video design.
“Over the last 50 years there have been over 1 million attendees to the conference from youth groups across Tennessee who want to come and hear the gospel and be encouraged in their relationship with Christ,” began Kent Shingleton, YEC Executive Producer. “Throughout our history, we have produced the event in six different venues and each year we try to bring something new. I have been wanting to implement LED video into our design for a few years now, and when I spoke with Elite Multimedia they put together a great package of lighting, audio, rigging and LED video, all at a price that we needed to be at.”
Having been a member of the production team behind YEC for the last 20 years, Shingleton now oversees all aspects of the weekend production and is commonly referred to as “the YEC guy”. With so many moving parts which require his attention, the selection of a production partner is key to the events success.
“We do rely heavily on our production partners to help us make it happen behind the scenes, and we have worked with a number of production companies throughout the years,” admitted Shingleton. “After we met with Elite Multimedia and explained to them our desire to have both LED and live IMAG video in this design, they really came through, and it looked amazing.”
As the time for load-in drew near, Shingleton grew excited to see the design take shape. With their largest hanging production rig to date, he knew the one-day load-in would be on a tight schedule, but Elite Multimedia was ready.
“We traditionally create an in-the-round stage set-up and this was easily the largest video and automated lighting production package that we have ever had,” explained Shingleton. “With all these design elements, we would also need a whole lot more rigging points than we had ever done in the past. The venue has a dome ceiling and I have heard it’s a nightmare to rig in, but Elite Multimedia got it done. What they were able to accomplish was a pretty big deal and a massive undertaking.”
Now complete the new production design for YEC 50 was up and ready for programming. Working under the direction of designer Justin Kitchenman, the various elements began to come together into what would be a historic design for a historic occasion.
Shingleton continued, “At the conference, we always have a worship band, a guest pastor, a keynote speaker, and then a live performance aspect as well. This was our 13th year in this venue, and often depending on where you would have sat, you might not have a good view. This year, we had four IMAG cameras up on risers so that as the speakers walked around the stage, we had the right angle for the live shots. Plus, we also we had one camera set up next to the drum kit that gave us another great look for the live IMAG video, which was a complete game-changer.”
With the YEC 50th Anniversary celebration underway, the new production design was a proving to be a successful addition to the worship experience. Watching as attendees were drawn deeply into the message, Shingleton knew it was the partnerships created that helped make the weekend a beautiful reflection of their rich history.
“Throughout the entire design process and final production, the team at Elite Multimedia was extremely professional,” concluded Shingleton. “They really took the time to understand what our event was trying to accomplish. With the amount of gear they were able to provide, I feel like they went above-and-beyond in helping our 50th Anniversary celebration be something truly special.”
Elite Multimedia is a privately-owned, leading supplier of the most up-to-date audio, video and lighting technologies today. With a combined 85 years of industry experience, our team of dedicated professionals knows how to pair the right technology with your vision whether partnering with you in a rental, systems installation, or sales relationship. Through an unconditional desire to make your production or project a complete success, our passion and knowledge to innovate knows no bounds. For more information on how Elite Multimedia is the right partner for you, visit www.elitemultimedia.com, follow us on Twitter at @EliteMultimedia or find us on Facebook or Instagram.
FULL GEAR LIST:
AUDIO
1 - Midas Pro 2
1 - Avid Profile
50 - Electrovoice XLD Line Array Boxes
24 - Electrovoice xSub
Shure IEM
Shure Wireless Microphones
VIDEO
188 - PixelFLEX FLEXLite Plus 8.9mm LED Panels
4 - PixelFLEX SU-401 LED Wall Sending
1 - Mac Resolume Media Server
4 - Canon FOH Camera Kits
4 - Hitachi POV Cams
1- Panasonic Director and Switching Rack
1- Record Rig
LIGHTING
1 - GrandMA2 Light Lighting console
18 - Clay Paky Sharpy Moving Light
16 - Ayrton MAGICBLABE-R LED Luminaire
60 - Elation 360 Rayzor
40 - Elation Platinum 7 Wash
30 - Elation Artiste DaVinci
16 - Vari-Lite 3500 Wash FX
4 - HazeBase Base Hazer Pro
RIGGING
50 - Chainmaster 1-ton motors
Tyler GT Pre Rig Truss
Tyler 20.5″ Box Truss