Alpha & Omega Church in Miami was looking for a dynamic lighting solution for their newly remodeled Next Level Youth ministry auditorium, something both welcoming and energetic, and found the flexibility they were looking for in an Elation Professional lighting package of LED lights and Platinum Series moving heads.

Elation's dynamic lighting solution is selected by Alpha & Omega Church. (Photo courtesy of Elation Lighting)

Total Audio & Visual Solutions (TAVS) of Miami installed the lighting system upgrade during a refurbishment of the space, one that allowed the South Florida production and rental company to start with a fresh canvas. “What I wanted to accomplish with the lighting design was to create an environment where it would leave a great impression on anyone who would be a part of the services,” commented Total Audio & Visual Solutions’ Chris Fernandez, lighting designer on the project. “This design was specifically for their youth building and we wanted to add a modern touch to their auditorium.”

The lighting package in the youth auditorium, a large building that can seat up to 1,800 people, is used to light the auditorium stage and consists of 12 SixPar 100™ LED PAR lights, 6 Lumina Strip™ LED battens, 4 TVL 1000™ white light LED array panels, 4 Rayzor Q12 Zoom™ LED moving heads, and 6 Platinum Beam 5R Extreme beam lights. An Antari F-1 Fazer™ is used for atmospheric fog and haze effects.

Flexible lighting and more
“The new lighting system needed to be flexible as it’s used for special events and conferences, as well as youth services,” stated Kelvin Burgos, Director of Sales at Total Audio Visual Solutions. “Besides that, we were looking for fixtures that were well designed and of good craftsmanship, as well as a lighting system that was cost effective and easy to maintain.”

Chris Fernandez adds, “The moving light fixtures and LED fixtures create a fun and energetic environment and the blinders are used to create intimate worship moments or exciting fast chases for the youth. They enhance the environment and provide a place to welcome new people with a modern new fresh look.” Chris says that the well-proven Platinum Beam 5R beam lights set the tone for the entire rig and are primarily used for “awesome effects and eye candy.” He has them placed along the floor with some rigged above on truss. Compact Rayzor Q12 Zoom LED wash lights, also located on the ground and truss, “provide great back light and also eye candy effects.”

Broadcast ability
Because it’s important for the Next Level Youth ministry to reach people outside their four walls, an important aspect of the lighting system was its ability to function as effective broadcast lighting. “Since the clients do a lot of broadcast recording we included TVL 1000 fixtures to create a front TV wash with some SixPar 100 fixtures with barn doors to fill in any gaps,” Chris explains. Located above the audience, the TVL 1000s are white light LED array panels that blend warm white and cool white LEDs for a uniform projection of flat white light and also fulfill the high CRI requirement of broadcast lighting. The compact SixPar 100 PAR color changers with their 6-color LED multi-chips are located above the stage on trussing to provide backlighting on stage and a wide palette of dynamic color washes.

Finally, grouped together with ground truss towers towards the back of the stage are Lumina Strips, LED-based batten lights with warm white LEDs that give an incandescent-type light. “These fixtures provide a great blinder effect, which can be used to create an intimate or exciting environment,” Chris says. The variety of lighting looks needed in the youth auditorium was programmed using Elation’s PC-based Compu Show lighting software program.

TAVS worked with Miami-based rep firm and Elation partner Freed Sales on the installation, which was completed in March 2016. “Freed Sales helped with the facilitation of the gear and service,” Kelvin says of their role. “They always go above and beyond with their service and support.”