6/24/2005 4:53:46 PM

A number of visualizations have been developed to bring freedom and excitement to your presentations. These include Clouds, Fireworks, and Color Motion, just to name a few. If you're not familiar with visualizations, they are motion backgrounds that are always unique and don't continually loop like background videos. They have user settable properties and are quite customizable.

Here are a few questions to spark discussion: How do you employ visualizations in your presentations? Which ones are your favorites and why? If you haven't been using them, what changes would inspire you to start? Are you pleased with the variety? What features would you like to see added?

6/25/2005 10:50:25 AM

We only use visualizations in our Teen CBS. My personal fave is the fireworks, but I try to use them as randomly as possible. Aurora us the default background for the Bible Cheer they do every week that TCBS is in session.

gap

6/25/2005 2:18:05 PM

The snow visualization is great. We use that quite a bit during the winter, here in WI, on top of winter scenes. Our only trouble is making sure we don't OVER use it.

I have used the clouds once. But htey look a little fakey (somehow, fakey with the snowflakes works). by and large, we really prefer stills or loops that fit the theme of the day and/or song.

Our congregation isn't ready for random colors changing themselves on the screen. It was enough work getting the screen into our 150 year old building.

I did use the fireworks for AWANA award night and the color fountian (can't remember the name) to plug our summer Sabbath school on an announcement slide.

But, the oozing colors just don't do it for us.

6/27/2005 5:12:51 PM

We use visualizations a lot for our youth services but not Sunday mornings. When the University of Illinois was in the basketball tournament we were able to create our own orange and blue backgrounds. Starfield was neat when we had a Star Wars themed night. We also use a lot of loops. There is something moving on the screen almost constantly until the message when the youth pastor doesn't want the display to be too distracting.

6/27/2005 7:48:49 PM

Hi,

I'll try to reply again about visualizations. We love the visualizations! We do use quite a few of them. We use the color motion, but I tone it down. I don't want people to get dizzy. We also use the clouds and I usually slow them down and darken them up a bit. I am begging them to let me use the fireworks for this Sunday. I love to experiment with the balloons on parade stuff during VBS. I do think that anything fast and spinning though is better off used in youth groups. It seems like water is always pleasing to the eye. If you could make visualizations that contain water like rain, puddles, etc., that would be great! When it is slow, it is soothing to the eye and helps to enhance worship. If it is fast and bright it will be a distraction during worship. We mainly use the visualizations during the worship time. I haven't used them on slides yet, but I can see that happening shortly. I love using the pan and zoom feature too. I use still with it and it really enhances the worship experience.

Keep up the great work!

Karen

6/28/2005 2:04:21 PM

Hear, hear!

Rain and puddles would be great.

Also, it would be neat if the snow visualization would actually pile up snow on the foreground objects (as an option).

That's certianly not a priority, but it would be cool.

6/29/2005 9:06:11 AM

I like all of the visualizations and there is a good selection to choose from. Naturally one has to make an appropriate choice for the material being shown. I'll use almost any of them from SSB for our promotional videos but only a few from SSP behind lyrics.

From SSP, clouds and gradient motion work well behind lyrics. Regarding clouds, I prefer Doug's visualization to any of the purchased cloud video files; they move unnaturally fast, or the clouds are too dense, or too dark or tumbly, etc. But with the cloud visualization I can adjust them to have a nice blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds in different layers moving smoothly and gently. Or a decent dark sky when appropriate. It does require some parameter tweaking, else you'll get "fakey" clouds.

By the way, clouds doesn't have to be used only for a sky-like appearance; it actually is quite versatile. You can seed the colors with your own file and by manipulating the parameters, you can create a kaleidoscope moving all over the screen - wildly or ever so gently! Try it using various files, from a DJ abstract to a colorful photo.

Features to add? Perhaps an easier (quicker) way to understand the effect each parameter has on the results, since the adjustments are intensely trial-n-error.

Variety? It is already quite good, but here is one to contemplate: one that generates and moves shapes, and fills the individual shapes with the contents of a user-specified file (photo or otherwise). The shapes could be 3D, and motion can include rotation around all axes.

Is SSP ahead of the pack regarding visualizations? Or do some competing software also have that capability?

Lee

6/30/2005 11:28:42 AM

I really appreciate everyone's feedback. It is nice to hear that visualizations are being used.

As to the comment that "adjustments are intensely trial-n-error:"

There are presets for most visualizations. Do you typically use the presets, or are you more likely to tweak the settings for a specifically desired look?

Thanks!

6/30/2005 3:39:50 PM

I usually tweak the preset in order to slow down the spin or movement of the visualization.  I also may tweak the colors to make them darker and easier on the eye than the bright rainbow colors.

Karen

6/30/2005 3:51:31 PM

Also, in response to the need for a quicker way to see the results of tweaking the settings:

There is a check box on the apply button that you can use for this purpose.  When this box is checked, any setting changes you make will be instantly viewable.  It took me a while to figure that out myself. 

6/30/2005 5:27:23 PM

"Apply" is not available in SSB where preview is distinct from edit more. Another situation is that the only hint as to the effect of a parameter is derived from its name, which sometimes may be obscure. Therefore, even if an edit-preview existed, unnecessary previews may still be required.

7/1/2005 7:20:03 AM

I use the Visulisations, for many different things
Physix = Balloons for Kids time, fountains for birthday's etc

Fire = for some songs but mainly as backgrounds for Titles

Pan zoom = Mainly for slide shows with photo's done into a little presentation, ( I would love to be able to loop the pan and zoom or even make it random, than I would use it with songs alot more. I have used it with songs when I want to use a series of images, ie one for each verse. but have to put the song in a few times with different display properties or make a slide show.)

Live Video = Have played with it, but havent used it LIVE yet, just dont need to do that through SSP.

Have used them all in different ways, I like it when doing a larger convention and can get the lighting to create the Look with the AV. IE clouds on the sceen with Blue wash and cloud gobo in the lights on the Back wash. Same with colour motion when a guest artist is performing and they have no AV requirements.

I think they're great

Rod

7/2/2005 8:00:39 AM

Here's a suggestion: Currently, in SSB, text is added to a "slide" using an "object" containing text. The object is always transparent; only the text is opaque, which is normally the desired case. The properties for the object brings up a 7-tabbed dialog with tabs for Line, Fill, Effects, Shadow, Text, Animation, and Position. Some of the tabs refer to the text inside the object and some refer to the object itself.

Suppose the capabilities of the current Line and Fill tabs were relocated to the Text tab, and the Line tab changed to refer to lines around the object (instead of the text), and the Fill tab changed to refer to the object, that is, fill the object color (including transparent) but not the text color. Then a user could create text objects with an opaque background and layer them around on a slide. The visualizations would be the background surrounding entire objects containing text.  Of course, then we'd want 3-D objects and 3-D text and rotation around any axis.

Actually, it would be nice if the Shapes could accept text. But just an ability to place animated "signs" on top of a visualization background would have its uses.

Just a thought ...

7/4/2005 8:18:06 AM

I believe that an earlier version of SSP had the ablity to create a background around a line of text. I never used it myself, but the Youth Minister was playing with SSP to get a cool looking effect for a slide she was creating. I seem to remember it was semi-transparent, and more customizable than the shapes that are available now.

I would REALLY like to be able to make a simi-transparent background (of the object only) for text so I wouldn't have to worry about a motion background making the text unreadable. Sort of like some of the images that have a semi-transparent white area in the middle of an image.

gap

7/4/2005 11:16:44 AM

Rod,

I love being able to adjust all the colors to match the lighting!  We have colorscrollers we use at the back of our stage behind the band to light up the wall.  They're very cool.  Anyways, we can change the colors of them and then I can change the colors on the screens to match.  I especially love to do this during concerts.  We use lots of video file backgrounds and motion backgrounds during concerts without any words on the screens. 

I also love to use the pan and zoom feature.  I use it with a photo and zoom out during a worship song.  It really enhances worship.  I only wish we could darken up the photo during the pan and zoom feature.

Karen

7/25/2005 10:07:18 AM

I jsut found out that the one time I tried the cloud visualization, we had 3 people complain, they had to not look at the screen because they were getting motion sick.

I guess I'll be staying away from that one. 

7/25/2005 10:25:25 AM

ACK!

That is worrisome.  You do know that it is very easy to slow down those clouds right?  Would slower clouds be more useful?  One of the points of these (in my opinion very cool) motion backgrounds is that they can be tweaked into something useful - as opposed to the generally unmodifiable video.

Was it the speed that made them sick?  The colors?  Or the idea of flying (poor souls... I sure wish I could fly)?

Thanks.

7/25/2005 11:01:36 AM

I think is was the consistent motion behind the stationary words. There might have been too many clouds, perhaps. I think I did have it slowed down, a bit.

I would like to get them in the sanctuary and try several things to see if we could figger out what the problem was. I know one lady can't stand any kind of motion behind the words, not even the nature loops of the leave gently swaying or the water gently lapping.... You can't please everyone. That was just one person.

Complaints by multiple people, OTOH, is another issue.

And I certianly agree that one of the strong points of the visualizations are thier tweakabliity.

7/25/2005 12:48:56 PM

Whenever I have used the clouds, I have them going very slowly and I don't use as many clouds as normal.  I also time them to a fairly slow song.  I have found that the more the visualizations move, the bigger chance people will get sick.  I don't get any complaints anymore ever, but when we first started using the visualizations, I did have some people mention things until I learned to slow everything way down and I definitely never have anything spinning.

7/28/2005 7:16:59 PM

Huh? Haven't they ever watched TV? Or do they get sick then, too?

More seriously, they were probably using hyperbole on you as an attempt to persuade you to yield to their personal preferences.

7/28/2005 8:33:06 PM

Two of the three reporting this problem are trusted friends. They generally support what I do on the screen. 

I think it was the non-moving words on top of the moving clouds. And probably a bad speed on the clouds. 

1/21/2006 3:06:04 PM

I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the sparkle animation. Today I used it on "God of Wonders" using a background that was mostly a starfield, with the earth in the lower left corner. You can see a thumbnail of it here.

I was wanting to punch it up a bit, and remembered the new Sparkle animation. It really added a lot to this already incredible graphic.

The snow was also flying today on our welcome screen and opening hymn. Again, I was really taken by the quality of this animation.

1/21/2006 3:28:20 PM

Wow, that sounds awesome!  We use a longplay loop from worship films for that song, you may want to try that too.  It is of the universe and really, really goes along well with "God of Wonders".

1/21/2006 3:36:21 PM

When I get some budget money to actually buy some loops, I'll probalby check it out.

In the meantime, I do what I can with my $30/year CMN membership and all the cool bells and whistles in SSP.

1/21/2006 4:35:20 PM

OH, yeah, that is true!  The loop we use is downloadable for $10.00.  We finally have a budget to buy some loops. 

1/21/2006 4:43:19 PM

I believe our Magnify team put in a request for a media line item in next years budget. So it the finance team included it in the final budget and the leadership team left it in, I may have some money to play with next year.

1/21/2006 9:31:32 PM

I have bought several motion backgrounds and count down videos from Worship Films out of my own pocket and don't regret it one bit.  When they started using the fusion videos as motion backgrounds in the Sunday morning services I knew I did the right thing buying them.  I thought that only the youth would use them.

3/13/2006 7:41:38 PM

I see by the poll that a lot of folks like the physix visualization best.

I'm curious how you use this.

Thanks.

3/13/2006 8:11:59 PM

I have found Physix great for our "Kids Time segment" I like to use things like the balloons, and bubbles etc for them.

We also have a "Mainly music" group for mums and tots that meet during the week.. have found all the physix stuff great for them as well..

Just some of my uses, for this visualization 
Rod

3/15/2006 11:39:40 AM

Hi everyone,

I, too, enjoy using the Physix Visualizations. At our youth service I've used the Lazy Glowing Specks quite a bit, I think that is my favourite.

In our main Sunday services, I use the Clouds quite often, Aurora a lot (I love that I can now customize the colours!), Gradient Motion (love all the colour and movement variations).

Visualizations I use once and a while -

Pan and Zoom (wish I could loop them),
Sparkle, playing with it a bit lately (very cool with space stills)
Panorama (also wish there were more than two backgrounds),
Fire (use for a few songs at your youth service, love the green ooze),
Christmas Lights and Snowfall are great for the winter season.

All in all, I love the Visualizations. They really add so much variety and colour to the video loops I already had. Thank you SSP tech team!

~ Kirsten

3/15/2006 12:59:37 PM

Hear, hear! I cant use Pan/Zoom because if I make it slow enough to last the song, it's too slow, but if it finishes, it stops.

I actually put in a wish, some time ago, to allow a Pan/Zoom chain, when you could, say, start in the lower left, pan to the upper right, then pan down to the lower right... Well you get the idea.

As long as you ended up where you started, you could loop it.

If it doesn't show up on the interactive wish list, I'll be submitting it again.

3/15/2006 1:08:47 PM

We use pan and zoom all the time.  I'll adjust the timings to match the first verse of the song.  I'll have it zoom out so that by the time you are done with the first verse, you can see the whole beautiful sunset or mountain.  It really makes for a very worshipful enhancement in my opinion. 

3/15/2006 1:10:48 PM

Yes! A Pan/Zoom chain!
Excellent notion, and when it is on the wish list, I will be voting for it!

So far I've used the Pan/Zoom on slideshows. Such as a Welcome slide show where the text does not change but the backgrounds pan and zoom over a multitude ove different scenic photos. Very nice effect.

I have also used Pan/Zoom for a song background - but I also usually have 2 copies of each song, so I can change backgrounds mid-song without an abrupt switch, one fades nicely into the other with the same words but different background. This way I can set the Pan/Zoom for a medium speed and change it before it ends.

~ Kirsten

3/16/2006 6:13:18 AM

I, too, pan-n-zoom across our building or roadway sign as part of a "welcome" slide, but I scream (inwardly) every time I try to use it with photos when I want to zoom into one particular person but can never get it to be quite accurate enough.

Despite that limitation, it is super great for photos; it sure improves upon the staid look of popping up one photo, letting it sit static for a moment, then popping up another. I personally would be reluctant to use it in the sanctuary for a song even if it looped.

3/16/2006 6:18:31 AM

Do you use other motion backgrounds during worship?  It is especially nice when we sing the song, "The Wonderful Cross".  I will have it zoom out so we end up with a beautiful cross image behind the words as we're singing, "When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the King of glory died."

3/16/2006 6:23:10 AM