But although attendance wasn't an issue, the 1980s-construction Ridgeview building presented its own set of challenges. Desperately in need of an overhaul, it was remodelled and repurposed to resemble the church's original Antioch facility, giving BVBC a consistent look across campuses. As part of this renovation project, the lighting at both sites was upgraded, using Chauvet Professional's Ovation E-190WW warm white LED ellipsoidal as a mainstay fixture. Also featured in the project was the Freedom Par Hex- 4, a battery-powered, wireless-DMX Hex-Color LED par from Chauvet DJ.
"Both campuses needed lighting overhauls," said Brent Handy, a designer and engineer for Advanced Sound & Communications (Kansas City, Mo.), which designed the lighting, video, audio and control systems for BVBC. "The Ridgeview campus just did not have the right lenses, instruments or control capabilities. Antioch's instruments were aging and not easily accessible to re-lamp and gel. The stage heat and HVAC zoning were also concerns. Additionally, the music and youth departments desired lighting effects that would be an extension of their events and presentations." Plus, with multi sites, BVBC would now be streaming HD video between campuses, which created a need for noise-free broadcast-quality lighting.
Added to all these requirements was the concern that the church's lighting technology be standardized across campuses, Handy noted. "Like most churches, BVBC relies on volunteers, not professional production staff members. We needed professional, repeatable results, using high-performance, user-friendly equipment. The volunteers would need to be able to walk into either campus and use the same gear, the same way, with the same results."
In order to determine which lighting products would best meet BVBC's requirements, Handy conducted a shoot-out involving one brand of traditional ellipsoidal fixtures and three brands of LED ellipsoidals. The Ovation E-190WW LED emerged as the clear winner. "The Chauvet Ovations were the brightest, the most consistent from instrument to instrument, and produced the least amount of fan noise," reported Handy, making the energy-efficient LEDs ideal for the church's low-heat, quiet running, low-power-draw, repeatable performance and user-friendly requirements.
For the BVBC project, Handy used a total of 20 Ovation E-190WW fixtures with 19° lenses. The Ovation units were utilized "in the traditional fashion", he said, "to provide white light on the stage and three point lighting for the pulpit area. In worship services, the lighting is used to set a mood or reinforce the content of the services."
(Jim Evans)
