JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – The Rhema South Church is home to people from all walks of life and age groups. Its popularity in the region can be attributed in part to its moving sermons and gospel performances, which are bolstered through the incorporation of visual effects and video. This dynamic church enhanced the visual impact of its services even further, when In Harmony Productions installed 40 CHAUVET Professional ÉPIX Tour fixtures in the area around its podium and altar.

Supplied by Johannesburg-based distributor Audiosure, the ÉPIX fixtures were used to fill in an empty stage space below the 9-metre by 4-metre LED wall, which is positioned behind the altar.  “The ÉPIX install brilliantly masks the ‘dead’ space below the LED screen,” said In Harmony Productions Project Manager Juan Soothill. “What’s more, the pixel mappable ÉPIX fixtures provide an excellent counterpoint to the LED screens above, and give the church a great deal of flexibility in terms of looks for different occasions.”

In Harmony Productions used 24 ÉPIX Strip Tour and 16 ÉPIX Bar Tour fixtures across four pillars spanning the 9-metre wide area.  The ÉPIX Strip and Bar fixtures are mapped to work together to create four diamond-shaped arrangements, with the bars forming the inner structure of the diamond, and the strips forming the outer structure.

“While the bar fixtures provide a solid looking central diamond shape with their 3 rows of LEDs, the strip fixtures provide the counterpoints, thanks to their singular column of LED lighting,” said Soothill.

An added benefit of using the ÉPIX fixtures is that their individual RGB LED light sources can be used to create punchy vibrant colour combinations. “The ÉPIX fixtures provide saturated and vivid colours, which can be pixel mapped to provide interesting and varied looks and patterns that we can combine with the already existing LED screens,” said Soothill. “The ÉPIX fixtures have given this church a whole new set of options for creating interesting visuals.”

In addition to the low power draw, efficiency and low maintenance of the ÉPIX fixtures, the install provides the church with other practical advantages for the people on stage. “Given the close proximity of the performers and preachers on the altar, it was also essential for the church to have a set of fixtures which wouldn’t emit huge volumes of heat,” continued Soothill. “Fortunately the LED light source of the ÉPIX fixtures aren’t just beneficial in terms of low power draw, but also where heat omission is concerned.”

The installation of the ÉPIX fixtures has positively contributed to the engaging environment within the church, while simultaneously adding to the visual aesthetic of sermons and performances. “The church has been rewarded with a completely different visual dimension, thanks to the ÉPIX install,” said Soothill. “What’s more, the installation was accomplished within a tight budget.  It was a win/win situation for everyone involved.”