Headlights

Steven Hall from journeychurch.tv in Norman, OK brings us this cool stage filled with blinders.

From Steven: Every year our church celebrates the past year at our My Church is Kinda of a Big Deal Event. We have a high energy worship set, food trucks, games, and carnival rides. It is a blast to say the least.

For the set we wanted to play off of rectangular shapes. Our main element to build off of was a rectangular projection screen we built. We built it 4′ x 16′ out of plywood, 2x4s, spandex, and half a million staples. It was WAY WAY over built and very heavy. Pro tip plywood screens are dumb.

Since then, we have built some odd shaped screens out of solid Mod Scenes panels that are much lighter and easier to build.

In addition to the screen, we made 5 rectangular blinder arrays. Each one (except the center) held 7- 4 bar blinders. We had a bunch of these blinders from a past set, so they were an easy and cost effective win).

To support the blinders, we built segments of 20′ long uni-strut on the ground. We built these unistrut pieces into pods for easy rigging. Each pod had a top and bottom unistrut that was bridged with 4 bar blinders. We latter combined these pods in the air to create 40′ long spans. We evenly spread 7 blinders across these 40′ sections.

We also used the same unistrut to support some of our GLP pixel tape. We zip tied it on, doing our best to make sure all the connections ended in the center for wiring ease. Hanging the tape horizontally was a pain but created a cool low res strip of content near each blinder.

In the process of building the few additional blinders we needed, we realized we could improve them a bit. We took this improved version and added it to the stuff we do with Mod Scenes to serve other churches. You can find them here. You can also find all the DYI instructions here.

We wired each of our blinders individually which gave us some really cool effects. We used Light O Rama LOR 1602s to dim them.

As we built off our rectangular design, I started wanting to make a change to the originally flat pipes that supported our Mac 101s.

We ended up creating 4 angles pipe sets that created a diamond around the center screen. It makes for an awesome element that draws your eyes in. It also gave us a bunch of great varied lighting angles with the 101s. We placed our Colorblast TRXs between the 101s for even more beams.

We also placed some LED tape into our drummers new acrylic kit.

As always, we did a really cool design in the lobby too to boost the energy. We blew up about 3,000 balloons and made some balloon clouds. It was cool and a pretty affordable thing.

More info can be found on my blog at churchlights.blogspot.com.

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Understanding Blinder Lighting in Church Stage Design

Blinder lighting has become an essential tool in modern church stage design, offering dramatic visual impact and versatile programming options for worship environments. These powerful fixtures, originally designed to create the effect of vintage news camera flashes, have evolved into sophisticated lighting instruments capable of transforming the atmosphere of any worship space. When properly implemented, blinders can add energy, excitement, and emotional depth to your services.

The rectangular blinder arrays featured in this design demonstrate how geometric patterns can create visual rhythm and structure on stage. By arranging the blinders in linear formations, Journey Church created a sense of order and intentionality that draws the congregation’s attention toward the center of the platform. This approach works particularly well for high-energy events and contemporary worship services where dynamic lighting effects enhance the musical experience.

One of the key advantages of blinder fixtures is their ability to produce both intense bursts of light and subtle ambient illumination. The individual wiring configuration used in this setup allows for chase sequences, random flicker patterns, and synchronized bursts that can be programmed to match specific moments in worship. During upbeat songs, rapid blinder sequences can amplify the energy in the room, while slower, more deliberate patterns work beautifully during reflective moments or prayer.

The integration of GLP pixel tape alongside the blinders creates additional layers of visual interest. This combination of high-intensity point sources (the blinders) with continuous linear lighting (the pixel tape) produces depth and dimension that flat lighting cannot achieve. The pixel tape’s ability to display low-resolution graphics and color gradients complements the binary on/off nature of blinders, offering your lighting designer a broader palette of creative options.

For churches considering blinder installations, it’s important to plan for both the visual impact and the practical requirements. Blinders draw significant electrical power and generate considerable heat, requiring proper circuit planning and ventilation. The unistrut mounting system used here provides professional-grade rigging security while allowing for future repositioning or expansion of the lighting rig.

Related Designs

• A Journey of Light and Unity – Angular panel design with LED tape outlining for dynamic visual effects
• LED Sunburst – Dramatic LED lighting design featuring radiating beams perfect for high-energy worship
• Versatile Brilliance – Custom LED fixtures built with lumber and tape lighting for flexible stage illumination
• Pins and Points – Arena stage design utilizing LED walls and dramatic lighting configurations
• Acrylic LED Cross – Modern cross design with LED tape behind translucent acrylic for glowing focal points

Pro Tips for Blinder and LED Stage Designs

Plan Your Power Distribution: Blinder fixtures are power-hungry, and running multiple units simultaneously can strain your electrical system. Before installation, calculate the total amperage draw of all fixtures and ensure your circuits can handle the load. Consider using relay packs or dimmer racks like the Light O Rama LOR 1602s mentioned in this design to distribute power efficiently and provide individual control over each fixture.

Think Modular for Flexibility: The pod-based unistrut system used here is brilliant because it allows for reconfiguration without rebuilding from scratch. Design your rigging with future changes in mind—worship trends evolve, and a modular approach lets you adapt your stage design for different seasons, events, or sermon series without major construction projects.

Layer Your Lighting Types: Successful stage lighting combines multiple fixture types to create depth. In this design, blinders provide punch and energy, pixel tape adds color and movement, Mac 101s offer spot lighting, and Colorblast TRXs contribute wash and beam effects. Each layer serves a different purpose, and together they create a rich, three-dimensional lighting environment.

Consider Audience Sight Lines: While blinders look fantastic from the congregation’s perspective, their intense output can be uncomfortable when pointed directly at people’s eyes. Angle your fixtures thoughtfully, and program your lighting scenes with audience comfort in mind. Many modern blinder fixtures include diffusion options or barn doors that help control light spread.

Related: Bender – Discover how curved metallic panels can transform your stage with reflective lighting and industrial aesthetics.