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FAQ: Broadcast Audio Process

Prior to January 2018, we were sending automated broadcast audio from Front of House (FOH) for the live weekend streaming audio feed. From January 2018 to the present, we have hired a broadcast audio engineer who mixes for willowcreek.tv and our archive recordings. We still use automated broadcast audio for our overflow and in-house cable […]

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GrandMA1 Lighting Console

Preparing for a Lighting Load In

A part of my role here at Willow is designing and installing many large lighting rigs every year. With large-scale production like at Willow, lighting rigs can get very complicated very fast. In order to minimize unnecessary complications and maximize efficiency, I have developed a process to help prepare for and lead lighting load-ins for large […]

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What’s with the Creepy Heads?

Anyone who has been on the Willow stage will likely recognize the sight of mannequin heads on sticks scattered haphazardly across the stage. One of the questions I answer most frequently when giving tours at Willow is “What’s with the creepy heads?” Before I answer that question let’s first talk about what the heads are. They […]

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FAQ: What system do you use for tracking broken equipment?

Willow’s Production Systems Team’s job is to maintain all of the audio, video, and lighting gear throughout the building. The scope of this is pretty massive. With all of the usage that our gear receives among various volunteers and personnel, stuff breaks. It’s inevitable. The good news is that we’ve got a web-based helpdesk ticketing system […]

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FAQ: What Graphics Software Do You Prefer?

In 2010 we switched our entire campus over from a CG system called Harris Inscriber to Renewed Vision’s ProPresenter and we haven’t looked back since. We are keeping up to date with Renewed Vision’s updates to ProPresenter and have been using them since the days of ProPresenter 4. A lot has changed in the software since then! In […]

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Communicating With Your End Users

A main element of the Systems Team at Willow’s job is to maintain gear in our venues and train users when needed. Since we operate as Engineers on Call (EOC) during services and events, much of our feedback on how users interact with our systems comes in the form of helpdesk tickets or calls to […]

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FAQ: Production Headsets

We often get asked what comm headsets our production team uses for our events and services. Ask no more!  Sensaphonics makes an earpiece called the TC1000. It runs about $600 (not including cost for in-ear molds and visit to an audiologist) and is an ear saver.  Why do we use this? Great question! When over the […]

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Hitachi HD Cameras Enhance Worship Experiences for Willow Creek – The Broadcast Bridge – Connecting IT to Broadcast

As one of the largest churches in the United States, Willow Creek Community Church places a very high value on the power of video to connect with its congregation within the church and beyond its campuses. When the church upgraded its production equipment to HD at its main site in South Barrington, Illinois, it selected […]

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FAQ: Where did the Main Auditorium Window Shades Come From?

The window shades in our Main Auditorium are custom made shades on motorized lines hafts controlled by iRig software. We have ten very large windows in our Main Auditorium, five on each side of the stage. Each window is approximately 14 feet wide by 40 feet tall. The sides of the window openings were fitted […]

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