Day 1: Rest & Renewal

Starting Your Christmas Season Right

In the rush toward Christmas productions, livestreams, and special services, our first call isn’t to do more—it’s to rest. Yes, rest. Right at the beginning of the busiest season.

Jesus himself modeled and commanded rest. He withdrew to quiet places (Luke 5:16), invited his disciples to “come away and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31), and reminded us that “the Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27). This wasn’t a suggestion—it was a gift. The Father established this pattern at creation: six days of work, one day of rest (Genesis 2:2-3). This rhythm isn’t just for everyone else—it’s especially for those of us who facilitate worship experiences for others.

Because before you run the cameras, mix the audio, or create the graphics for others to encounter Jesus this Christmas, take time to encounter Him yourself. Rest isn’t laziness—it’s obedience. And it might be the most spiritual thing you do all season.

Your Next Step:

  1. Log off all social media platforms for the rest of the day
  2. Set your phone to Do Not Disturb – only respond to truly urgent work messages
  3. Fill your day with life-giving activities:
  4. Take a peaceful walk outside: Spend quality time with family or friends, Enjoy a great meal that you didn’t have to cook, Spend time in worship, Just be & rest with God.

Reminder: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:28-29

12 Days To Thrive This Christmas November 30, 2024

Filo 2021

Below are notes from the Companion Breakout at FILO 21. Feel free to comment with questions!

General Links:
Companion by Bitfocus
Companion Slack Channel
Companion Facebook Group
Midi-Relay Downloads

Enclosure post on Facebook
Enclosure mentioned in post

Hardware mentioned:
TP-Link Network Plugs

Icons:
ProPresenter 7 Icon Set
Native Icon Directory
Aurora – Free Icon Set
Stream Deck Key Creator
Note: For best results use these settings:
Size (width/height): 72, 72
Scale (x/y): 1, 1

Spotify Commands for Vicreo on Mac OS:
Play: osascript -e ‘tell application \”Spotify\” to play’
Pause: osascript -e ‘tell application \”Spotify\” to pause’
Next Track: osascript -e ‘tell application \”Spotify\” to next track’
Play a playlist: osascript -e ‘tell application \”Spotify\” to play track \”spotify:track:0T3iZrykxliMyN1yeunXQh\” in context \”spotify:playlist:37i9dQZF1DWVYgpMbMPJMz\”‘

Uncategorized May 10, 2021

Filo 2020


How Many Screens can your Mac NATIVELY Handle?

  • iMac with 2 USB-C: 2 external displays
  • iMac Pro: 4 external displays
  • Macbook Pro (no touch bar): 2 external displays
  • Macbook Pro (with touchbar): 4 external displays
  • Mac Mini (18/19): 2 external displays + HDMI

Add more outputs using one of these recommend devices

NDI Resources

Other Helpful Links
Syphon Recorder
Record ProPresenters Output
ProPresenter + OBS for streaming
Official ProPresenter 7 Tutorials
ProPresenter Offical Users Group

Editing Priorities:
• Edit for content
• Fix audio
• Add soundtrack
• Color correction
• Titles and Effects

Helpful Hotkeys:
Razor tool: c
Zoom: + or –
In and Out points: i or o
Cut at playhead: Ctrl(cmd) + K
Default Video Transition: Ctrl(cmd) + D
Default Audio Transition: Ctrl(cmd) + Shift + D
Jump to Edit: up or down arrow
Export: Ctrl(cmd) + M
JKL = playback controls (shift goes slower)
insert (,) overright (.)

Use this link to get a 10% discount on a SoundStripe.com Subscription.

Color Correction and LUTS
https://lutify.me/
https://www.colorgradingcentral.com/

Other Helpful Links:
https://handbrake.fr/
5 Ways to make PREMIERE PRO FASTER!

Uncategorized May 18, 2020

ProPresenter + Live Streaming

Notes and links from the Filo 2019 breakout.

ProPresenter Lower 3rd options

Multi Screen Module

  • Module – $199
  • Triplehead2go / duelhead2go – $179 – $449
  • Datapath x4 – $1,098

Alpha Key Module

  • Module – $999
  • Blackmagic UltraStudio HD Mini (USB-C) – $495
  • Blackmagic UltraStudio 4K (thunderbolt) – $995

Master Control Module

  • Module – $299
  • PLUS another computer to output to switcher

Syphon & NDI Options

Network API

Streaming distribution options

Uncategorized May 20, 2019

Musicbed Membership vs Soundstripe

Soundstripe has long been a long favorite for churches looking for quality music at an affordable price, but even the the biggest Soundstripe fans know that The Musicbed has the high quality music from some of the biggest names. The issue has always been the price, so when Musicbed announced their subscription we couldn’t wait to see what it looked like.

So how does Musicbed Membership stack up?
NOTE: All price comparisons listed are for churches and nonprofits.

Traditional Per Track Pricing

  • $79 per song – Internal Projects AND External Projects
  • $79 per song – Streaming projects: Vimeo, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Crowdfunding, etc.
  • $149 per song – Internal, External AND Streaming

Rates increase if your church is larger then 1,000 people or the track is used for advertising.

Musicbed Membership Pricing

Unlimited Song downloads

  • $49.99 paid monthly totaling $599.88 per year.
  • $479.88 when you pay yearly

Coverage:
– Internal Projects: Videos shown only to your employees
– External Projects: Non-broadcast presentations like conferences, events, congregational gatherings, tradeshows, etc.
– Streaming projects: Vimeo, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Crowdfunding, etc.
– Allows up to $25,000 (USD) in online paid advertising spend per video.

Perks of Musicbed Membership

  • SyncID which takes care of YouTube Copyright claims
  • 25% off tracks not included in membership
  • Every track can be used in advertising, streaming and internal / external.

Downsides of Musicbed Membership

  • Memberships are a year long contract
  • Not all artists are included. Many big names like Hillsong, Bethel, Needtobreathe, Rend Collective and more are not included.
  • Videos with Membership audio can’t be shared with other churches on a site like ChurchMediaDrop.com

Subscription Cost:

  • $15 (paid monthly) – TOTAL per year: $180
  • $135 (paid yearly)

Coverage:
“…a gratis, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-transferable license to use, copy, publicly perform and display, synchronize with video, publish, and distribute the sound recording (including the composition embodied therein) (“Property”), solely in connection with (the “Video”), in perpetuity, in any medium currently known or later created.”

Basically in any project for any use besides illegal activity and pornography(stated in another section of the agreement).

Perks of Soundstripe

  • Use the audio anywhere
  • Share videos with Soundstripe audio with other churches on ChurchMediaDrop.com
  • Pay monthly and cancel at anytime.

Downsides

  • No Content ID, video may get flagged by YouTube, but you can dispute the claim to remove flag.
  • No big named artists

Final Thoughts:

Musicbed may have some great artists on their site but many that churches would like to use are currently missing from memberships (they say their goal is to eventually add everyone but there is no guarantee). So the premium cost of Musicbed Memberships is not justified because it doesn’t include the premium big named artists at this time. If Musicbed Memberships add the missing premium artist the cost would have a better justification so, we will keep checking to see if they get added.

Our Pick:

Soundstripe is hands down our choice, You can use the music anywhere, share with other churches, and the cost is less than 1/3 of the cost of Musicbed. It is easily the smartest $135 you can spend each year for your ministry. We are not sponsored by Soundstripe but you can use Promocode: CHURCHMEDIADROP to save 10%.

Affiliate Link Notice: We may earn money from the link above, but this IS NOT a sponsor post. Our goal is to share information that is helpful for your church or ministry.
Uncategorized October 1, 2018

Up Your Instagram Game

Many churches struggle to know how to use social media effectively, often times it is a last minute thought and feels very haphazard.

This video is not about tricks to get followers or the best way to edit filters. It is about how create a brand on Instagram that is worth paying attention to.

What was your favorite tip? Leave it in a comment below!

Uncategorized October 6, 2016

DIY Drum Enclosure

Links

Whiteley Solutions Drum Enclosure (approx. $2,500 – $7,000)
Clear Sonic Drum Shields (approx. $500 – $2000)

Circle Arc Calculator

DIY Floor Plan – PDF

Notes about the DIY enclosure

  • The aluminium frame was all 90 degree angled pieces
  • The lexan(polycarbonate) was sandwiched between the angled frame and aluminum strips using nuts and bolts
  • The other side of the frame was bolted to the floor(drum riser)
  • Lexan Thickness: 3/16 inch

Tips

  • Adding a roof to your enclosure has a huge impact of reducing volume
  • Enclosures get warm, we installed an exhaust fan to help reduce heat
  • With any drum enclosure watch directions on cleaning and maintenance of the glass so that you don’t scratch the surface or cause damage.
Production May 20, 2016

How To Create Hand Drawn Worship Lyrics

Hi, I’m Michael Slater and I’ve made this tutorial to help you bring life to your lyrics through this hand-drawn style, inspired by Hillsong Young & Free.​ I hope this tutorial and the resource attached will really be a great help for you! I love the online community of church media guys and want to give back to that community by providing you with this! All the best.

Original Inspiration

You can download the resources for this tutorial here:

Free Download

Design ProPresenter May 6, 2016

Transitions in ProPresenter 6

ProPresenter 6 offers a great many transitions to help you achieve professional results. This tutorial walks through how you can use these transitions effectively with various options.

ProPresenter April 30, 2016

Advanced Slide Design in ProPresenter 6

There is a wealth of features and options for building slides in ProPresenter 6, and this comprehensive tutorial will show you creative design strategies you’ll want to incorporate in your presentations.

ProPresenter April 30, 2016

Templates in ProPresenter 6

The fastest way to achieve a cohesive look for your presentation is by using templates. This tutorial walks you through how to use templates effectively in ProPresenter 6.

ProPresenter April 30, 2016

Props in ProPresenter 6

The Props layer in ProPresenter is useful for persistent objects that you want to appear above the other content within ProPresenter.

ProPresenter April 30, 2016

Telestrator in ProPresenter 6

The telestrator function of ProPresenter 6 gives you the ability to annotate slides in real-time during a presentation. This tutorial shows how you can use this powerful tool effectively.

ProPresenter April 29, 2016

Arrangements in ProPresenter 6

ProPresenter’s arrangements function make it easy to customize the ordering of slides without creating separate presentations. This tutorial shows you how.

ProPresenter April 29, 2016

Masking in ProPresenter 6

The Masks layer in ProPresenter sits on top of all other layers and is designed for easily masking out sections of your output. This tutorial explains how this function works.

ProPresenter April 29, 2016

Stage Display in ProPresenter 6

The Stage Display output in ProPresenter is one of its most powerful features, giving a great deal of flexibility to the information you want to see at a glance. This tutorial walks you through the many options available when working with the stage display.

ProPresenter April 29, 2016

Trapcode Particular Essentials, Everything You Need to Know

Dan Stevers covers the essentials of Trapcode Particular, a particle generating plug-in for After Effects that also happens to be the greatest plug-in of all-time!

QUICK REFERENCE

  • Dust – 2:35
  • Rain – 9:40
  • Snow – 14:50
  • Sparks – 18:44
  • Firework – 23:03
  • Layer Emitters – 25:34
  • Custom Particles – 31:40
  • Snow w/ Custom Particles – 36:25
  • Light Emitters – 41:41

Watch more AE tutorials and download free resources at: danstevers.com

Design October 25, 2012

Show Your iPad On Your Projector Without An Apple TV

In this tutorial learn how to show your iPad, iPhone or iPod on your projector without an Apple tv. We also give you apps and ideas on how you can use this in your ministry.

Uses:

Full screen gaming
head to head gaming (2 iDevices)
Using Planning Centers Projector App without and Apple TV
Screen capturing your iPad or iPhone
Digital Whiteboard
Letting your Pastor run Keynote

Links:

Reflection
Air Server
Amazing Alex (game)
Planning Center Projector
12 Reasons Why Every Youth Ministry Needs an Apple TV
Paper (painting and drawing app)

Production ProPresenter August 9, 2012
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