Directed and tech. managed video coverage for service at Manchester cathedral with both Archbishops

A event that has been in the planning for 6 months finally came to fruition last night. Following a previous event at the cathedral I was asked to provide video coverage for the congregation at the special Run the Race service wih both the Archbishop of Canterbaury - Rowan Williams and the Archbishop of York - John Sentamu as part of their Mission to Manchester taking place all this week.

As the diocese wanted as many people  to be a part of the service they needed to use every last corner to fit everyone in. However this meant, that depending where you were sitting, you wouldn't be able to see parts of the service.

With the help of Manchester College who provided a 6 camera rig and crew headed up by Colin Ralph,  I devised a plan to place 24 plasma screens around the cathedral and then directed the video so that everybody would be able to see what was happening where ever they were sat.

There were a number of elements to the service including marking the end of the Bishop of Manchester's Run the Race pilgrimage, the signing of a copy of the King James Bible and then a reading from it and the induction of the new Order of William Temple which has been created to honour peple who have made a significant contribution to the life and witness of the Diocese of Manchester.

As a sound person, this was some what outside of my comfort zone, but I have been involved in other events mainly in the corporate communications sector for comapnies like Shell, SmithKline Beecham and AT & T.