Why Quality Matters

facebook livestream quality Mar 15, 2021

Why does QUALITY Matter?

When you first started streaming, quality might have looked like trying to get an image that wasn't flickering with acceptable audio.

Many video professionals and Youtube gurus are always pushing for 'cinematic visuals'. This group is wrapped up in a specific visual aesthetic. 

The desire to improve seems natural. But why?

That's the question I'm passionate about. In fact, there's a whole section in the Church Livestream Level Up course about quality: what it looks like, why it matters, and why it's achievable at ANY level. This is before we even begin to talk about gear, strategy or online best practices. 

For this email, I'll keep my 'thesis' short. 

 

Visual Language in the Digital Age

We speak a visual language. It's inherent. The craft of visual communication through moving pictures has been developing and evolving for the past century. In historical terms, that's still a young language. 

For your lifetime, as a consumer of media, you've been part of that evolution. Standards update, the craft develops, tastes change. 

When a piece of media comes along and DOESN'T reach this set standard... You, the consumer, recognise this. As the old saying goes, 'Everyone's a critic.' 

A poorly lit movie, a Youtube video with fuzzy sound, content shot on a green screen that looks obvious. You know what I'm talking about.

Sure, you may not be able to 'write' (or create) in this language, but you can definitely understand it. And your church audience can too.

When we look at Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he says he didn't speak with 'wise or persuasive words'. 

But what did he do? To the Jews, he spoke in the synagogues and used the language of the old covenant, prophets and the promise to come. To the Greeks, he met them in the city centres and spoke of their 'unknown Gods' and even referenced their poetry. 

He met them where they were at. He spoke their language. 

 

 

In the visual/digital age, there are many aspects of craft, experience and, to some extent, style that form a standard. A standard that has to be met.

In a church livestream setting, missing the bar could mean poor visuals. But even worse, it could mean bad audio, lackluster communication, poor user experience, no creation of a 'community feel', just to name a few.

Trying to simply 'show' the in-person experience to an at-home viewer without further thought does not translate. These are different mediums. Different languages. 

Why would someone keep watching if they didn't have a quality experience? The language and expectations haven't been met. It's a stumbling block that doesn't need to be there. 

I'm not pushing for extravagance. Or 'persuasive' high-end video techniques and cameras.

I'm pushing for the improvement of quality within the limitations and budget each Church has. Quality that comes from strategy, technical knowledge of visuals and audio, editing theory, user experience creation, internet best practices and strategy. That can all happen before you even spend an additional cent. 

Let’s pursue excellence to meet people where they are at, so that by all means possible we might reach some.

 

 

The 'Church Livestream Level Up' Course was designed to help churches improve the quality of their stream. OR to start streaming live if they've never before. 

If you'd like to learn more, click the button below. 

 

- Alex

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