Stage Designs

Screens are Falling Down

Jon Morris from Harvest Time in Fort Smith, Arkansas brings us this large-scale use of an inexpensive material.

They has a 27′ x 90′ space to fill, so they chose window-screening material. They purchased the screening in 25′ rolls (4′ wide), unrolled them and wrinkled it up. No cutting necessary! They hung the screens with zip ties and lit them with American DJ – LED Megabars. The materials (not lights) cost $450 and the whole set took only 2 of us 3 hours to setup. Awesome!

 

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26 responses to “Screens are Falling Down”

  1. Chad says:

    Can you provide the link where you purchased the material from?

    • Tyler Jacobs says:

      You can get it at Home Depot or Lowes. It's a type of screening for windows. It holds it's shape and the edges are sharp, so it isn't like the regular black screen. Go take a look in the store for it.

  2. Ben says:

    was the color of the screen material black?

  3. Gavin says:

    Since you said the edges are sharp, am I correct in assuming that it is aluminum screening and not the softer mesh kind?

  4. Steven Hall says:

    It needs to be "Brite Aluminum Screening" Fiberglass wont reflect very well. It is normally near the windows and doors in your local hardware store.

  5. Dave Hewlett says:

    Was wondering if there is a baptistry behind the scene and if so how do you reveal it for use? Also, how much distance between the wrinkle screens and the back wall? Thanks

    • Jon Morris says:

      No, there is not a baptistry behind it. We have a portable baptistry that we put on stage when needed. Most of our baptisms are done immediately following service. We film them, edit them down and show them the next week during worship. Works great!!!

      What you see as black behind the wrinkle screen is actually a black curtain. It sits just a few inches behind the wrinkle screens. They are attached on the same truss. Behind this curtain was our original choir loft. We’ve gutted it and it’s now backstage/storage for worship and creative elements. We keep all the instruments, risers, microphones and more back there. It’s an awesome space to have. We are really blessed to have this!

  6. Caleb Baker says:

    Jon,

    I love this bro. The church I’m working with now is under reno and they are also gutting backstage and adding the curtain. I’m stealing this idea and I’m going to add a little twist. I’ll send you pics in a few weeks when we get it done.

  7. Ray says:

    Wow We love it so much we would like to recreate it is the a way you guys could give us the materials list and either an overview or step by step thanks in advance.

    • Jon Morris says:

      Ray, we purchased 25′ rolls of aluminum window screening (Brite) from our local Home Depot. Brite is important, you don’t want black or the normal dull gray. Secondly we stretched out the material full length and then grabbed and pinched and wrinkled it top to bottom. Once we had a nice texture, we cut small holes in the top and zip-tied it to our truss in our ceiling (you could probably zip-tie it to drop ceiling framing as well). Once it was hanging we used some LED lighting fixtures to make it glow. We used the Amercian DJ megabars (http://www.americandj.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ItemNumber=2000&Category=L.E.D.&txtSearch=) but any led or gelled par cans can probably take care of it. We lit them from the top and bottom for a good color wash. If you have any other questions feel free to email me jmorris@harvesttime.net

      • Theresa chatelain says:

        I love this effect. Do you anchor the bottom of the screen once you crinkle it so it hangs straight? I’d love to try this at my church. Your screen almost looks like columns. Can you please tell me how that is accomplished. Thank you.

  8. Dave Hewlett says:

    I’m looking at adding the screen elements to our new stage layout. Are the screens anchored at the bottom and what do you do to keep people from bumping the LED strips on the floor?

    • Jon Morris says:

      The are hung from the top with zip ties. Super light weight!

      The LED bars are just sitting on the floor. They are the exact same width as the screens so it’s easy to keep them lined up.

  9. Great info! I’ll be coming back here often.

  10. Ben Engle says:

    Love the stage layout. The church I am working at will be doing a remodel of the stage next year and I am trying to gather as much information as possible.

    What are the dimensions to your center video screen?
    Are you using ProPresenter?
    After having used the aluminum screening for several months now would you have changed anything?

    • Jon Morris says:

      Center screen is basically 16×9 x’s 2, it’s a double wide screen. We are using propresenter for edge blending.

      We loved the aluminum screen. It’s changed now but it worked great for us for an entire year.

  11. Daniel says:

    What size projector screen is that and where did you purchase it?

  12. Jonathan says:

    I don’t understand. Why do churches need screens? And where is the organ?!?

    • Jon Morris says:

      Why screens? For people to be able read the lyrics to the songs.
      Where’s the organ? The organ is inside our computer in a program called Reason. :)

  13. Jonathan says:

    Thanks for your comment. I responded, if you care.

    Blessings,

    Jonathan

  14. Wow Harvest Time has come a long way since I was there back in 2008. I was the worship leader at Grace Community Church down the road. When I visited Harvest Time it looked like a trip to my parents church from 1990. Great transition!!!

    • Jon Morris says:

      Thanks Stephen. It did use to look like that but it doesn’t anymore :) It’s been a 7 year journey so far and I think we got it looking pretty great now! You still leading worship?

      • Yes, but not in Arkansas. I moved to start a church in Ann Arbor, MI so my wife and I could be closer to family. Still, I miss everyone in Fort Smith and I am happy to see that you guys have really stepped up your services. I know that things were challenging with the pastoral transitions and it looks like you came out on top…Grace UMC is on its third pastor now so they have not fared as well. Hopefully third times a charm!

  15. jhun says:

    Hi what kind of DMX Controller you used for your lightings

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