In an effort to keep their members engaged-both in person and at home-an emerging trend among video production departments at houses of worship across the country is the use of handheld cameras and a lot of creative motion in their shots. Some call it the cinematic look.
At Woodside Bible Church, a non-denominational Christian megachurch, based in Troy, Michigan, the team has a different opinion about production values. The visual arts team there recently installed a complete multi-camera robotic camera system from Telemetrics and they are now getting the exact look and feel of the services they are after.
[What some traditionally refer to as the cinematic look] does not reflect our personality as a church, said Alan Lockwood, Visual Arts Director/Live Video Director who leads the church's video and lighting team. It's too fast and jerky. We want to see smooth, solid dynamic motion. So, placing robotic cameras in strategic places throughout the auditorium and on stage has allowed us to get that immersive' look we're after. It helps our church members feel closer to the action on stage and more a part of the service and its message.
Installing a robotic system has been a huge win for us, added Casey Selph, Arts Tech Director at Woodside's Troy campus. We're getting consistent repeatable shots now that a human operator cannot easily get.
Prior to the pandemic, Woodside Church boasted a total weekly attendance of over 9,000 across its 15 locations in the Detroit Metro area, making it the 48th largest church in America. That in-person That in-person number has seen a decline, so the Church decided to prioritize the current livestream and to invest more in its online experience for its three Sunday Services to people's homes and the results have been fantastic.
Beginning in December 2020, they installed a total of six broadcast-quality cameras: four Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro cameras on Telemetrics PT-HP-S5 Pan/Tilt Heads and two RoboEye HD Pan/Tilt Camera Systems. All are under the control of two Telemetrics RCCP-2A control panels with Studio software that features Telemetrics exclusive reFrame Automatic Shot Correction technology that enables them to program pre-determined shots and automatically keep the pastor and band members on stage in frame at all times. ReFrame uses both facial and object tracking to follow the people on stage at all times and keep them centered in the video frame without a human operator having to touch a camera.
Rounding out the robotic camera control system is a Televator elevating pedestal, which supports the cameras and Pan/Tilt heads, and TeleGlide camera track system mounted on stage to capture the entire devotional experience in panorama or in a highly focused way on a specific person.
The back wall of our auditorium is about 90 feet away from the main stage up front, Lockwood said. We wanted to get the camera closer to the main stage, to give viewers at home a more immersive experience. As if they were sitting in the auditorium. This allowed us to avoid having to rely on zooming the cameras so much. But we also wanted to have them as close to center stage as we could, understanding that we could not block seats in the audience.
We ended up going with the Televator near the center of the auditorium with a couple of robotically controlled cameras, said Selph. This is a custom bar configuration that accommodates three cameras. Two Blackmagic Ursas and a RoboEye in the center.
During each service, the camera control panels are manned by a single person at each location in the church. Because many of the operators are church volunteers, Selph often mans the second panel during more complex services, like those held on holidays, to add more creativity to the service presentation.
Once they get confident in operating the system, we let them try out during a Sunday service. The RCCP-2A panel is very intuitive to learn and our volunteers have been having a lot of fun with it.
The second panel is also used for training new operators, which Selph said has been relatively easy to do (it takes about three hours to train a new person to run the cameras with the panel's dual joysticks and user configurable TeleKeys (shot presets.).
The RCCP-2A's illuminated dynamic graphical TeleKeys automatically change to show options relevant to the operator's task at hand. It's fully customizable dials, levers, and knobs make it easier to operate robotic cameras, elevating columns, and elevating pedestal. Six TeleKeys on the top row of the main button panel automatically present user determined commonly used functions related to the current operation. Another separate group of Hot TeleKeys provide fast access to system parameters for on-the-fly changes and individualized program settings. The RCCP-2A can also easily store and recall specific user preferences to help manage production workflows and streamline camera control operations.
We start them with one camera or two: one camera they are running with a touch screen to run pre-programmed keyframe shots while they're using another or two features, he said, adding that they have about 45 volunteers on the video production team.
Once they get confident in operating the system, we let them try out during a Sunday service. The RCCP-2A panel is very intuitive to learn and our volunteers have been having a lot of fun with it. At least those that express an interest in video production. We've had young and old people learning the system that have done really well and have taken to it pretty naturally.
The two RCCP-2-STS control panels are linked together with a Telemetrics server running Enterprise Database Control Software (EDCS), which allows Selph to sit at any of the two panels-located in separate control rooms within the auditorium-and take cont
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
04/06/2026
Sony Electronics is introducing the SRG-AS10, a 4K 60p-compatible PTZ auto-frami...
04/06/2026
This recent grad from Spring, TX, led creative-video output for the Aggies' men's basketball team last season and has been producing video and creating ...
04/06/2026
For the first time at a women's golf major, every player in the field will r...
04/06/2026
Three Panasonic PT-RQ45 40,000-lumen 3-Chip DLP projectors made their first live...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin and Akamai have announced a collaboration with NRJ Group, a French mult...
04/06/2026
Telestream will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7952), demonstrating media work...
04/06/2026
Sony has announced the development of RIALTO 65, a 65mm format image sensor block for the VENICE 2 digital cinema camera, targeting release in the first half of...
04/06/2026
KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America will exhibit at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N8025, June ...
04/06/2026
Bell Media's TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian broadcasters of FIFA Wor...
04/06/2026
The Challenge: Receiving Heavy Media Files From Road Games Quickly and ReliablyT...
04/06/2026
MASV, a managed file transfer platform used in broadcast and live sports product...
04/06/2026
NESN has announced the appointment of Fahad Haider as Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Haider returns to NESN, where he previously served as Vice P...
04/06/2026
David J. Halberstam, who spent almost 50 years in sports as a broadcaster and an executive, died June 2 after a years-long battle with brain cancer.
Over his l...
04/06/2026
Although collegiate production programs are tasked with delivering high-quality ...
04/06/2026
California studio, two production trucks, global distribution system are combine...
04/06/2026
New global program empowers and supports storytellers through scriptwriting course and access to industry experts
TikTok and Sundance Institute today announce...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
Is Your Job Making You Work this June?
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS Launches the World Cup Watchers' Rights Association to Stand Up For Australians&...
04/06/2026
Statement regarding unauthorised use of SBS logos on third party social content
4 June, 2026
Media releases
SBS has become aware of social media posts in c...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming infrastructure, and Akamai, the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business onli...
04/06/2026
American Underground (AU), the Startup Hub of the South and a community of mor...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/06/2026
NVIDIA and Microsoft Reinvent Windows PCs for the Age of Personal AI
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
RTX Spark - a 1-Petaflop Superchip, the Full...
04/06/2026
Inside the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Grade
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Simone Grattarola discusses shaping the look in DaVinci Resolve...
04/06/2026
Cine Gear Expo Announces 2026 Awards of Excellence Recipients
Brie Clayton June 3, 2026
0 Comments
Ed Lachman ASC, Caleb Deschanel ASC, and M. David M...
04/06/2026
St. Vincents Live with Orchestra Tour to Feature Berklee Alum Ruby Plume Berklee alumni St. Vincent and Ruby Plume will appear on the same bill across seven d...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
All the Truth in My Lies Coming to Netflix on August 28
Entertainment
04 June 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the imag...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Larry Tanz, VP of Content, EMEA, Delivers a Keynote Speech at ...
04/06/2026
Back to All News
Turn Your Living Room into a Stadium With the New FIFA World ...
04/06/2026
Keeping conversations real on LinkedIn Published on Jun 4, 2026 Categories: Product News
LinkedIn Corporate Communications
Share
LinkedIn
Facebook ...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
04/06/2026
June's forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming.
GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies...
03/06/2026
SES and Viva, Mexico's ultra low-cost airline, have launched multi-orbit satellite inflight connectivity on Viva's Airbus aircraft. A total of 60 A320s ...
03/06/2026
The College Football Playoff, ESPN, and TNT Sports have announced kick times and...
03/06/2026
RED Digital Cinema will exhibit at Cine Gear Expo 2026 (Booth 33, June 5-6, Universal Studios Lot), hosting three panels and hands-on product demonstrations.
P...
03/06/2026
Roku has announced the Soccer Zone, a dedicated hub for FIFA World Cup 2026 content available across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argent...
In an effort to keep their members engaged-both in person and at home-an emerging trend among video production departments at houses of worship across the country is the use of handheld cameras and a lot of creative motion in their shots. Some call it the cinematic look. 
