By Stephen Proctor - www.gi-inc.org

In the context of a message (whether a song, sermon, etc.), visual media can be either directly or indirectly related to that message, and can also cause a cognitive or emotional response within you. Visual media that is directly related is more or less a literal translation of what is being sung or talked about. Indirectly-related media is more of an “aquaintance” to the message; there’s no direct correlation but there is some link that supports the message. When a visual causes a cognitive response, it activates something in your head; you see text or an image and it causes you think. The visual can also cause any type of emotional response…excitement, energy, reverence, adoration, anger, awe…on and on. Text-based media tends to lean more on the cognitive, while image-based media usually touches your emotions. None of these are mutually exclusive so here are examples of the four combinations:

A. Direct/Cognitive: A simple example is lyrics to a worship song. Projected lyrics are directly related to the song itself…how more literal can you get? And when you see lyrics on a screen, it triggers a cognitive reaction; you see the words and sing along. Another example of this is keywords from the lyrics that fly across the screen, as in any iWorship video.

B. Indirect/Cognitive:  Have you ever decided not to project lyrics because everyone knows the song from memory? I do this with “Breathe”, “Awesome God”, and “Agnus Dei” all the time. Instead of lyrics, I’ll scroll through various scriptures that support what is being sung about. Or I’ll play a video that has the names of God (Names of God from Highway Video’s Vibe Vol. 4).

C. Direct/Emotional: Try singing “We Fall Down” and using a silhouette of someone kneeling down and praying. There is a direct and literal translation, and the image can stir something in you. Maybe you aren’t in a position to kneel down yourself in worship, but you can wrap your heart around the image on the screen, letting it be an expression of your heart state. In concert settings, an example of direct/emotional would be singing along with a music video.

D. Indirect/Emotional (‘indie/emo’ as I like to call it): This is where most of us VJs lie in using visuals, especially as backgrounds for lyrics. These visuals have little or nothing to do with the song itself, but evoke emotions that are appropriate. Using colorful, abstract animations to an upbeat song can support an energetic and celebratory atmosphere. For many, candles can represent a closeness and intimacy with the Creator. The use of creation/nature imagery or a video of a galaxy or nebula that stretches 15 million light years while singing “How Great is Our God” is another great example. You’re obviously not singing “How great is our galaxy, sing with me…”. Being reminded how big God is and how small we are certainly echos the anthem of God’s glory louder than a blue background.

Knowing why and how visual media affects us will help us in selecting visuals that will speak truth to us on multiple levels and help us be more effective in our worship experiences.

In the next edition, Proctor addresses The Art of the Worship VJ – Part 2: Defining the VJ