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by Ryan Knox     Added January 20, 2009

When event complexity requires more than a handful of microphones, lighting looks, or video sources, human intervention is required for smooth operation. Mixing consoles, lighting desks, video switchers, DVD players, character generators, and their operators all need a place to work. Where is that place, how big is it, and do we have to see it?

These technical operations areas are commonly referred to as control booths. These can range from equipment mounted in a portable cart to a very quiet recording studio control room, but all have a number of criteria that must be met for good workflow and aesthetic acceptance. Providing an inadequate space, or placing that space at the wrong location in your sanctuary, can cause your services to be plagued with technical problems that can be difficult and expensive to correct.

Control booth form is driven by the intended function, aesthetic concerns, flexibility needs, short term growth plans, specific operator needs, accessibility requirements, and existing space conditions. Control areas are one of the most important tools that operators have at their disposal. One could equate the control area to a toolbox, necessary for holding and protecting the tools used for daily operations. If a pair of pliers breaks or is lost, it can be replaced with little effect on the other tools in the toolbox. If the toolbox is too small or not adequately suited to its job of holding and protecting, all of the tools will be affected by its replacement or repair. And, just like a toolbox, the equipment often has a shorter useful life expectancy than that of the building it is placed in.

Sanctuary Control Booths
The location of the control area can have tremendous impact on the challenges staff and operators face. The difficulty of their work is magnified if their control areas are not where they can see well and hear sound similar to that of the attendees. Communication with other team members, direct access to the platform and back stage areas, and the ability to work without disrupting attendees are also very important criteria. Could all of these criteria be met with a control area in a dedicated room behind the congregation? No, since the audio operator needs to hear what the congregation hears and what the music team hears. In theatres, audio equipment is often in a separate room to maximize the number of ticketed seats. This is possible only because performances are very well rehearsed and identical for days or weeks. Also the original mixing was almost certainly done in the theatre with a portable console located in the prime seating before being relocated to a control area that doesn’t take up seats. This is not a good plan for live mixing that isn’t extremely well rehearsed. The audio operator is part of the musical team much like each note is part of a song. The musical team is given a place on the platform in which to use their skills with proper support from audio, video, lighting, and acoustics. As part of the musical team, the audio operators need a place to work that is equally well suited to their role. They need to hear what the band and congregation hear, they need to have excellent verbal and visual communication with the musical team, and quick access to the platform.

Control areas should be located so that the congregation is not distracted by typical workflow within the booth. Some of the best locations are at the back of a seating section with a walk way behind or in the front of a steeply terraced seating section allowing good views from seats behind the control booth. Height of equipment above the control booth walls and the need for operators to stand or move around during events should be considered when determining sightline obstructions. The control booth floor often needs to be raised 6-12 inches or more to allow seated operators to see over the heads of a standing congregation. Careful integration of the booth with the architecture can create a booth that meets all of the functional criteria and remains unobtrusive to the congregation.

Audio control booths should not be located under a balcony or low ceiling because these locations dramatically affect the sound character. This will make it difficult for the sound technician to achieve a good audio mix, making that huge investment in a quality audio system ineffective. Control booths should not be located within about 10 feet of a wall for similar reasons.

The audio technician isn’t the only person that needs a prime location. Your lighting tech also needs a clear video of the entire room, and be within the room being lit, so they can experience themselves the lighting they are controlling and ensure both stage and house lighting is appropriate at all times. It’s hard for the lighting operator to tell if the house lighting is too low for people to read their bible, if they aren’t working within that room themselves.

Image Magnification and Broadcast Video Control Spaces
A separate room is often desirable for image magnification and broadcast video control because of the constant communication that needs to happen within the production team. A simple video station may be required in the audio control booth for events requiring minimal operator interaction like a lecture with computer graphics controlled by the presenter. A control area at the back of the room is a viable option if a dedicated operator is always present or a secondary control station is provided for events with minimal technicians like weddings, funerals, and lectures.

It is very important for a control area design to consider the operational requirements and weigh them carefully with the aesthetic concerns. This briefly touches on some of the criteria that should be considered during the development of a control booth.

With projects to his credit such as the Crystal Cathedral, The Church at Pinnacle Hills and the Wynn Lake of Dreams, Ryan Knox is deeply experienced in sound design for complex spaces. Ryan works as a consultant with Acoustic Dimensions.