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What is Environmental Projection?

Those post sponsored by Visual Worshiper—the leading environmental projection expert for churches.

Environmental projection is a very simple process with huge potential. Simply put, environmental projection is the use of projectors on the walls of your building. Rather than pointing a projector at a projection screen, you point projectors at the walls of your room. Then you project visuals onto them. This turns your whole room into a blank canvas you can digitally paint with projection.

The idea is to use images to change the atmosphere of your room. You could turn a beige box church into a cathedral with a single image. You could turn your walls into stained glass. You could make it seem like it’s snowing inside the room. You could even make your congregation feel like they’re in the middle of a jungle if you wanted. Making use of digital projectors, environmental projection allows you to transport your congregation to new worlds.

Environmental Projection (14)

How Does Environmental Projection Work?

While the actual process of environmental projection can get rather complex, the concept is quite simple.

  1. Choose one central point in your room to place your digital projectors. (most commonly, three projectors)
  2. Use test patterns to line up the images on the projectors. Where one projector’s image ends, the other projector’s image begins. Usually this means pointing one projector in the center of the room, then two on either wing of the room.
  3. Connect the three projectors to one computer using a device like a TripleHead2Go—which splits one single image across three different digital projectors.
  4. Use a program like ProPresenter. This lets you mask out the areas of the room you don’t want an image projected onto. This might include projection screens, the ceiling, or the floor.
  5. Then use ultra-wide images and project them on your walls.

Those are the basics of environmental projection. There are multiple products you can use, but the concepts are the same.

Using Environmental Projection Wisely

Environmental projection is very visually impacting when done well. That’s why it’s important to be careful. If you change the room’s visuals too much or use motion graphics, you run the risk of over stimulating your audience and potentially making them sick. So make wise use of still images and subtle motion if you incorporate environmental projection into your church services.

Also, consider using it only on special occasions. Pick one or two songs each week to highlight with your environmental projection. The less you use environmental projection, the more special and impacting it will be. Anything, no matter how cool, becomes less special when it’s commonplace.

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5 responses to “What is Environmental Projection?”

  1. What kind of projectors are suggested to use for EP?

  2. These are some great projectors and would be awesome for EP use. They are on sale too!!!
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/300903640947?lpid=82

  3. Allen says:

    I understand there are numerous factors affecting the projection acuity, but what would be the minimal recommended projector lumen and do outside projectors (left/right) lumens need to be same as center projector? Thx!

  4. janet says:

    Oh, my. What a lot of “visual noise.” Must we really distract ourselves from the message of the gospel with all this nonsense? Praying it does not come to my church – I prefer to focus on worshipping Jesus and studying His word, rather than coming to a weekly show. Bless your hearts.

  5. Jamie says:

    Has anyone found a suitable alternative to TripleHead2Go. We recently updated our projection computer to a newer MacMini. We have been using a Mini with TripleHead2Go with great success. However, both Apple and Matrox have made overhauls to their systems in that time that make the new computer and old Triplehead device incompatible. It seems like the newer Matrox products are not as easy to work with. They are very specific with the kinds of inputs/outputs they support. So all that to ask again, is there anything else out there?

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