Tilted Light

Scott Chamberlain from First Baptist Church Harvester in St. Charles, MO brings us this very twinkly and bright stage design.

They got inspired by a Radiohead stage design that used LED panels and a light LED curtain.

Reusing much of the lighting and trussing that they had acquired over the years and a budget of about $1500, they built 5 LED panels out of wood, plexiglass, and RGB LED strip lights that line the inside border. They then built an LED string curtain out of 72 strings of warm white string lights placed on four separate dimming circuits to allow for subtle movement on the back wall. To create depth on the stage, they used 12 sticks of LED light triangular truss and arched them out from the back wall over the stage. Then they used 10 Color Kinetics iColor Accent LED tube lights hung 18" off the back wall to give even more depth to the design. For crowd wash lighting, 12 Color Kinetics ColorBlast 6 fixtures mounted to the four lowest sticks of truss.

They ran into a bit of trouble with the LED panels limiting the range of motion of their moving lights, but were able to overcome that issue by pole mounting three of them just below the height of the panels to allow for full crowd sweeps. Another challenge was creating a durable stage design that could handle all the abuse that may be encountered in a student building. So instead of using Coroplast on these LED panels, they opted to use Plexiglass and wood for the construction along with four 1/16" steel cables per panel to ensure that they remain safely intact for the duration of the design.

The construction of the LED panels required careful planning and precise execution. Each panel frame was built using 1×3 lumber, creating a rectangular box approximately 4 feet by 8 feet. The RGB LED strips were mounted along the inside perimeter of each frame, facing inward toward the plexiglass diffusion panel. This edge-lighting technique creates an even glow across the entire surface while minimizing hot spots. The plexiglass sheets were secured using small L-brackets at each corner, allowing for easy removal if maintenance was needed on the LED strips. Power injection points were strategically placed every 16 feet to maintain consistent brightness across the entire strip length, preventing voltage drop that commonly affects longer LED runs.

The LED string curtain proved to be one of the most impactful elements of the design while remaining surprisingly affordable. Using standard Christmas string lights purchased during post-holiday sales, the team created 72 vertical strands hung from a horizontal truss. The key to achieving the subtle movement effect was dividing the lights across four separate dimmer circuits and programming slow fades between them. This creates a gentle twinkling effect reminiscent of stars without the distraction of rapid flashing. The warm white color temperature (2700K-3000K) was specifically chosen to complement the RGB panels and create visual warmth in the student ministry environment.

From a budget perspective, the $1500 investment was allocated strategically to maximize visual impact. Approximately $400 went toward lumber, plexiglass, and hardware for the five LED panels. The RGB LED strip lights consumed another $300, while the string lights for the back wall cost roughly $200. The remaining $600 covered electrical supplies, dimmer packs, safety cables, and miscellaneous mounting hardware. This budget-conscious approach demonstrates that impressive stage designs are achievable even with limited financial resources when creativity and careful planning are applied.

The installation timeline for this design spanned approximately two weeks of volunteer labor, working primarily on evenings and weekends. Week one focused on constructing the LED panels in a workshop area, allowing the wood glue and paint to cure properly. Week two involved rigging the truss system, hanging the LED curtain, and mounting the panels. The final two days were dedicated to wiring, DMX programming, and focus adjustments. Having a dedicated project manager who could coordinate volunteer schedules and track progress was essential to completing the project efficiently.

Related Designs

• Circle Fun! – Pixel tape circles creating dynamic LED stage elements with programmable lighting effects
• White on White – Clean contemporary design featuring LED accent lighting for modern worship spaces
• Curved Wall – Architectural curved backdrop with integrated LED lighting for dramatic stage presence
• Light Boxes – Custom-built illuminated panels using LED technology for versatile stage backdrops
• Firefly Nets – String light installations creating magical atmospheric lighting effects

Pro Tips for LED Stage Design

LED Strip Selection: When purchasing RGB LED strips for panel construction, opt for 5050 SMD chips with a density of 60 LEDs per meter for optimal brightness and color saturation. Waterproof strips are unnecessary for indoor stage use and actually make soldering connections more difficult. Always order 20% more than your measurements require to account for mistakes and future repairs.

Cable Management: Plan your cable runs before constructing any panels. Use XLR or etherCON connectors for DMX signal distribution to ensure reliable data transmission. Label every cable at both ends with permanent marker or printed labels. For power distribution, use terminal blocks rather than wire nuts for secure, serviceable connections that can handle the vibrations from worship music.

Dimmer Circuit Setup: When creating animated effects with string lights, invest in quality dimmer packs that support smooth fading curves. Cheap dimmers often produce noticeable steps between intensity levels, breaking the illusion of organic movement. Test your dimmer curves during programming to ensure the fades look natural and complement the worship atmosphere rather than distracting from it.

Durability Considerations: Student ministry environments require extra attention to structural integrity. Use safety cables on all hung elements regardless of weight. Apply clear polyurethane sealant to exposed wood edges to prevent splintering and moisture damage. Consider using polycarbonate instead of plexiglass for high-traffic areas as it offers 250 times the impact resistance while maintaining similar optical properties.

Related: Live Living Room – See how Venture Church created an intimate living room stage design using discounted materials and clever furniture placement for their livestreaming setup.