Billerica, MA--Broadcast Pix announced that Calvary Chapel Modesto, based in Modesto, CA, is using its Granite 1000 Video Control Center to produce live webcasts of its religious services for a growing online audience, while simultaneously delivering an image magnification (I-MAG) presentation across its 17-acre campus.
- Calvary Chapel Modesto upgraded to Granite in July 2011, replacing an outdated single-camera SD production system that was installed in 2003. The new Broadcast Pix system was purchased from and installed by Snader and Associates, a full service broadcast and AV system integration company based in San Rafael, CA.
- According to Jonathan Kehler, administrative pastor, the advanced HD capabilities of Broadcast Pix were the primary reason for the upgrade.
- "The Granite 1000 system has drastically simplified our workflow, enabling us to provide a more interactive experience for our congregation," said Kehler. "Now, our members can access our religious services online anytime from anywhere."
- A non-denominational church, Calvary Chapel Modesto includes more than 50,000 square feet of buildings spread across its 17-acre campus. With 2,500 members and growing, it offers three services on Sundays and one on Wednesday evenings - all of which are streamed live and can be viewed on the church's Web site, ccmodesto.com. The webcasts regularly draw up to 1,000 viewers each week from around the world.
- Along with three Sony BRC-Z330 pan/tilt/zoom cameras, which are positioned along the back wall of the church to provide multiple angles of the altar and congregation, the Granite 1000 is also used to produce special events such as concerts, conferences, and memorials. Portions of Sunday services are also incorporated into According to the Scriptures, a 30-minute program that features Bible teachings by the church's senior pastor.
- In addition to live video streaming, Calvary Chapel Modesto produces a separate I-MAG presentation for its congregation, sending a native HD signal directly to its Christie projectors and distributing the video to various monitors across campus. "The I-MAG feature was a big draw for us," Kehler said. "We enjoy having two different live program outputs, so our I-MAG viewers get a different experience than our online audience."
- The church also takes advantage of Granite's built-in Fluent( workflow tools, including the Fluent-View multi-viewer, which Kehler said is easy to customize and helps keep productions organized. Fluent Clip Store is used for sermon illustrations and video announcements, while the built-in Harris Inscriber CG displays scripture references. Lower-third graphics are created in Photoshop and transferred to Granite via the Fluent Watch-Folders. "Fluent Watch-Folders are a convenient way for us to move files into the Granite system and have them easily accessible via our network," said Kehler.
- "The Granite 1000 system has made the video aspect of our ministry fun again, and has given us endless possibilities for production," Kehler said. "We're all about reaching people for Jesus, and we feel the Granite system has given us better tools to do that."
