Automation in Worship by Kevin Poole

For our workflow, we are using two types of timecode simultaneously. First, DP is very good at handling midi. DP allows multiple tracks of midi, much like audio tracks. They can be assigned to different outputs of an interface (see diagram below). Once I could get midi out, I could then get midi in to other devices, either natively or through an interface. I won’t mention brands of gear because most gear has this ability, and if not, may have a work around.

I set DP to output Midi Time Code (MTC) and connected my midi interface to my lighting desk. I also connected midi thru my audio console. Some audio consoles allow for MTC, but for me, all I needed was midi note values to recall presets in my audio desk. So now as DP tracks along in time, the MTC flows to a timeline in my lighting console which is programmed with cues, and my audio desk listens for midi notes telling it to recall specific presets. My lighting now is automated with my mix/mic cues.

Now lets talk about video. This is a bit more complicated yet easier. Video playback has a frame rate that plays back at a certain specified number of frames per second. In our case, we sync video playback to 30fps. DP allows you to set this playback amount with in the app, so if 29.97 or 24 or 60fps is your workflow, there are ways to do this as well. Finding a video playback device that listens to MTC is difficult

. The video world has seemed to standardize on SMPTE as its timecode of choice for this kind of workflow. I’m an audio guy first and foremost, so if I badger anything here, please give me grace.

DP is also capable of outputting SMPTE timecode as an audio source. As an audio guy, I found this very comforting. It was simple to then route audio through XLR cable to a video playback box which the capability of inputting and tracking to SMPTE.

In DP, there is a feature called “Chunks. “ Our workflow uses this feature as discreet multitrack sessions, each being labeled as one song. I can then set each chunk to its own specified timecode hour. I set our video playback box to play the appropriate video at the appropriate timecode hour related to the song in DP. Now, when I press play in DP, my audio desk will fire the appropriate preset for the song, lighting will start its thing, and video playback will start. All three disciplines, one play button.

In this workflow, the only position that was required to make the look happen was a TD switching video. While there are means to automate points of a switcher, we have not taken it that far yet. GPIs are limited in what they can do, and can be complicated to wire

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