Please go here for the most recent and up-to-date Tech. Team schedule.
Woodlands Technical Arts Ministry (WTAM)
FAQ’s for Schedules / Rotations / Specific Tech Areas
GENERAL
How long is this schedule for?
The dates for the schedule are listed in the main title box.
When do I serve?
In order to maintain greater consistency, scheduling will be determined by the Sunday of the month. Volunteers are assigned to a crew that is designated to serve on a specific Sunday of the month (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or in some cases 5th).
How do I know which dates I work?
Simply look on a calendar. Look at the upcoming month and count to the Sunday’s that correspond to your assigned team (i.e. Week 1, Week 2, etc.). The Sunday for that month which matches your week is then your assigned date.
I have a conflict with the week I am scheduled, what should I do?
Find a sub.
Who finds a sub for me?
You are responsible for finding your own sub AND THEN communicating that to your producer.
Who should I contact for sub purposes?
The people who are scheduled on the WTAM Team Schedule are NOT the first people to be contacted. This is a change from the way we’ve operated in the past.
We’ve had many wonderful volunteers throughout the past who have served faithfully, and because of various circumstances have had to scale back their participation. However many of them would still like to be a part of WTAM as subs if needed. Therefore, on our roster you will find the names and contact info for subs in your area (i.e. Sound, Visual, etc.)
First, contact the designated subs according to the WTAM Roster via email or telephone and indicate your need. In the past it sometimes has taken a couple of attempts at sending out emails to get a response. With busy schedules it sometimes takes a couple of attempts to hear back from people. Let them know any important specifics regarding sound and slide check times, etc.
Second, once the sub has agreed to fill in for you, let your producer know who is filling in for you.
What if none of the subs can fill in for me?
If none of the subs can help out, then you should try to contact the regular team members in the following order:
- Volunteers assigned to Week 5
- Volunteers who are on Weeks 1-4 (excluding Level 2 Volunteers)
- People who are listed as Level 2 Volunteers
What is a Level 2 Volunteer?
Someone who wants to serve, but is scheduled to serve once every other month. (They are listed in Green on the schedule). Sometimes this is the result of serving in other areas, and therefore the person is unable to serve in more than what is listed.
How are months with 5 weeks scheduled?
If we have enough volunteers in an area, they are scheduled in. However, for volunteer areas that are left blank (not scheduled) a rotation will be used. Week 1 will take the first 5th Sunday month, Week 2 will the second, etc. These specific months will be listed in the notes area of the schedule, along with the assigned crews.
Does everyone on a rotating crew for a 5th Sunday Month serve?
–OR–
Who from those assigned rotating crews for the 5th Sunday Months will serve?
Only the volunteers that can fill in to their corresponding area of service (if it happens to be a blank area already). If you look on the schedule and note that the area that you normally serve (Gym or Chapel + specific tech area) is blank, then you are the assigned volunteer. If your normal area of service (Gym or Chapel + specific tech area) is already filled in with a name, then you do not have to serve for that 5th Sunday. For instance if you normally serve on Sound in the Gym and your crew is assigned to work the 5th Sunday, look at the schedule to see if Sound in the Gym is filled or not. If it is already filled with a volunteer, you do not have to serve for that 5th Sunday. If however, it is blank, and then you are now the designated volunteer for that 5th Sunday.
How should I prepare for a Sunday morning?
Be well rested, but more importantly, find some time to spend alone with the Lord before arriving to serve. Many times the morning can be rushed and it’s good to remember who we come to serve and honor. Ask Him to prepare our hearts to honor Him through our teams’ work and ourselves.
Will there be anything as a team that we do together on Sunday morning?
Once the musicians are done with sound check, and the other speakers have sound checked as well, we will pray collectively as a group for that morning’s services, for the people attending, for others throughout the building who are serving our community, for our brothers and sisters worldwide, and for anything else that God lays on our hearts.
SOUND TECHS
When are the practices for worship teams?
Currently they are held on the Thursday before your scheduled Sunday.
What if I can’t make practice for sound team?
You are responsible to find someone to cover for you. After finding a practice sub, please communicate who is covering your area for that night to Zak.
Are practices important to make?
Most definitely, yes! It is important to get familiar with the team, they way they sound together, interacting with the equipment, striping the cd’s for the worship team, etc. All of these things will help you (and the worship team) get more prepared and skilled for the
upcoming service.
How can I improve my sound tech skills?
There are many w
ays to improve, but here are two that you can focus on:
One- Developing your ear. Listening critically to sound. Listen to the noises in your work area, the sounds around your house, the song playing in the background of the restaurant you are eating at. What does the snare drum sound like in that song? Where is it located in relation to the rest of the mix? I would also strongly suggest asking Pastor Doug for a copy of the music that he gives to the musicians to learn their parts. In the same way that the musicians become familiar with the music, you as well can hear and study what you are shooting for with the mix. This is a great representation of how Pastor Doug would like it to sound, so the more you can become familiar with that, the better idea you have as to what you are trying to achieve while mixing Front of House (FOH).
Two- Practice, practice, practice. The only way to improve is to experiment and not be afraid to make mistakes. The best time for this is during the worship team practices, NOT during services. Tweak knobs and find out what happens to a vocal if you turn it down, but boost the tone at 4k. What about 10k? What happens if you cut a lot of the mids out? The only way to discover is to take advantage of the practice time and see how the sound is shaped or changed. Become familiar with the equipment and how those tools affect and shape the sound.
There are literally tons of resources out there on the Internet when it comes to sound, the science of it, how to create a better mix, mic placements, etc. Maybe make it a goal to do a little research once a month on mixing live sound. The more knowledgeable you are about the ‘black-art’ of mixing, the more comfortable and skilled you will become (Col. 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”)
VISUAL TECHS
How can I improve or get comfortable with the software?
There are two main ways to improve your Visual Tech skills.
One- becomes familiar with the worship songs that our teams lead. Pastor Doug creates cd’s for the musicians in order for them to learn their parts, feel free to contact him in order to learn how songs go as well.
Two- we’d invite you to come to practice to work with the software and the team to get a feel for how they might lead a song. Please contact Jenn to verify that the program is set up for you to use.
Am I able to practice slides with the worship team on their practice night?
Yes! (Please contact Jenn to verify that the program is set up for you to use).
When are the practices for worship teams?
Currently they are held on the Thursday before your scheduled Sunday.
CAMERA CREW
When should I arrive for Sunday mornings?
Typically the pastors sound check a half-hour before the first service. It is important for you to be there for that in order for you to frame the shot, set the focus, etc. with help from the producer.
How should I get setup?
The producer will walk you through how to setup the tripod, get the camera ready, focus it, frame the shot, etc. Once you have gone through this with your producer, you will be able to prepare your station on your own.
How should I hold the tripod handles?
You should be in contact with them, but you should not be grabbing them tightly. If you do, you will have a hard time keeping pans, tilts and even static shots without vibrations.
What are some other tips for camera operation?
-Anticipate movement, but don't rush into it. Also, with how our shot is composed, if you are unable to anticipate a move, you are able to let the speaker push the frame as you, the operator, catch up.
-Smooth moves work much better than always keeping the speaker directly in the middle of the frame, especially when they are moving.
-Follow the speakers’ waist or feet. When they are still, more often than not, the camera should be too. This will help to have a still background when the speaker stands still or stops. When this type of movement occurs, when the speaker has stopped, this creates a sense of drifting or floating, and can give the same feeling to viewers as that of getting seasick.
-Study your speaker. Pay attention and observe your speakers habits when the present their message.
What are things I should try to avoid?
-Vibrations (aka ‘Earthquakes’) – What helps: be steady
-Drifting backgrounds when speaker is stationary (aka ‘Out To Sea’) – What helps: staying still / anticipating movement and stops / being familiar with your speakers’ habits.
-Rushed movements (aka ‘Falling Asleep At The Wheel’) – What helps: anticipating / learning the habits of your speaker / being well rested / staying focused on the task at hand and not on what the speaker is presenting.