I just finished reading through The Worship Media Handbook and the first two words I have to say are, “Ohh” and “Wow.” Jeff McIntosh has done the most incredible job of covering every conceivable angle when it comes to putting together an effective and attractive worship projection presentation. Throughout the guide Jeff continually references how each topic is to be considered for not only music worship but the spoken message as well. From lyric projection to scripture display, he hits all of the marks.
The topics Jeff thoroughly walks though include:
- All facets of font selection (size, type, spacing, etc.)
- Motion and still backgrounds
- Visual silence
- Grammar best practices
Jeff titles his offering as a handbook and he’s spot on with this as a descriptor. I wholeheartedly recommend you start by reading the book from cover to cover. As you turn through the pages, be ready to use whatever method of highlighting you have available to mark the sections where you say, “Ohh yeah, we could be doing that better.” This tome goes far beyond the first read, however. My next step is to print a paper copy for binding and storing in my satchel of holding. I’m a little old school that way. The military hasn’t quite advanced to the point of using tablets yet so I still have binders of highlighted and sticky noted regulations. I imagine that my bound copy of this handbook will appear much the same, and so ready for those times that I’m creating a presentation or rehearsing a worship set and the slides just don’t look quite right.
Thankfully, visual learners (like myself) are not forgotten in a swirl of text. Each section that contains practical actions also contains a graphical representation of the recommended method verses a not-so-optimal version of the same example. Concepts such as; serif verses sans serif fonts, white space, word shape, all caps, and line spacing (just to name a few) become crystal clear when combining the thoroughly descriptive text with simple yet detailed images pop right off the page and into the creative lobes of your brain.
I do recognize that at some point, personal taste and/or the desires of the person in charge have to come into the equation. If the boss (pastor) wants a serif font because he feels the elegant appearance speaks more to his audience then fine. In those times, however, that you feel the need to suggest change or a new method, this book will give you some substantial reasoning behind choosing a font style or size beyond, “I just think it looks better this way.”
If you have any role in the visual presentation that your church puts together for worship services then I highly suggest you get this guide and make it your own, you’ll be surprised at what you may be over looking! Or, if you’re at a church that is wanting to put together a visual presentation, or maybe it just has and things just aren’t coming together, this book is totally for you. I’ve already highlighted quite a few sections and plan to start making suggestions to the powers that be at my church to start incorporation these tested methods.
Get your copy over on Jeff’s site: http://worshipmediahandbook.com/
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