There's a guy at my church named Jared (not his real name). He's a faithful volunteer who is also a whiz with computers. Honestly, I feel lucky to have him because he consistently goes above and beyond in creating PowerPoint slides. He seems to know every piece of software out there; in fact, he gets so excited about all the "cool" things he can do with his computer that he tends to go overboard with flying text and animations.

Everyone knows someone like Jared. The problem is that many Jareds seem to think that knowing software is equal to knowing how to create good art. They think because they know Photoshop that makes them a graphic artist. Churches are in the habit of using people with knowledge instead of style. After all, it's a challenge to find good volunteers and we sometimes value their time despite their lack of talent. The advent of computers and software has changed the questions we ask. Instead of asking, "Are you an artist?", we ask, "Do you know Photoshop?" An approach like this is akin to asking a potential pianist if they know where all the keys are on a piano.

Computers have given everyday people access to stuff that before only belonged to professionals at big corporations. Anyone can edit video, make a poster, or record a song with cheap (or free) software, and it usually comes preloaded with more effects, transitions, and filters than anyone should be allowed to use. But putting media-building tools in the hands of novices is risky, resulting in (best case) poor taste or (worst case) a distraction from the message you want to present.

Learning to Use Less

Just because your computer can do something, doesn't mean you should do it. You know that really funky filter that makes your photos look hand-drawn? Don't use it. What about the PowerPoint entrance where the letters bounce onto the slide? Skip it. And that video transition that does wavy lines across the screen? Don't go near it. For the most part, you should stick to effects and transitions that are subtle, not sexy.

Whether you create graphics, PowerPoint, or video for your church, it's important to intentionally limit yourself to some standard effects, perhaps even against your own best judgment. It would be better to miss an opportunity to use a cool effect than to use that effect inappropriately and distract from the message your art is trying to communicate. In that case, it's never a bad idea to stay away from flashy and stick with the basics.

Actually, even professionals only use a handful of filters or transitions on a regular basis. Watch television and the movies, they usually use just two transitions: A straight cut or a cross-dissolve. And when they do something fancy, it's not something you'll find in your "HomeMovieGuy" software; it's something they created themselves from scratch for the art of it, not because they bought some box that came with a preloaded effect.

When it comes to video or PowerPoint, there are very few instances when anything other than a cut or dissolve won't work. These simple transitions are staples and should never be looked down upon as too easy. If you find yourself getting bored, though, look for some other subtle effects that aren't distracting. Some of my other favorites include a Blur Across, Flash Dissolve, or Fade Through Black. You should never use the feature that applies a random animation; always intentionally choose each effect/transition.

When we create PowerPoint to accompany our teaching, we don't even ask what kind of effects we should use. We always use a cross dissolve (also called Fade Smoothly by Microsoft). On rare occasions, we take the risk of using a different effect, but only if the moment seems to need something more. For instance, a few weeks ago our teaching team was including a Top Ten-style list in the message. Since it was a lighthearted moment and intended to be funny, we chose to have the "Top Ten Reasons To Love Your Enemies" logo fly in and spin 360 degrees. This effect seemed to go with the mood of the moment, but it's the exception.

But What About Video?

With video, I've found that the need for special effects increases with poor footage. People are surprised when they see that some of our productions have no special effects or flying titles, no fancy graphics, and sometimes no music. But that's because we spent so much time trying to get the shot to look good, that we didn't need special effects to enhance it. On the other hand, the times that I'm prone to apply flying graphics and glowing beams of light is when we've shot bad footage. Sometimes the only way to make a bad video good is to cover it up with special effects.

A helpful piece of advice is to try to draw or describe your idea first. How do you want this graphic to look? What should the transition from this slide to the next look like? What kind of effect should be applied to the video? If you're able to draw it or describe it in a few words, there's a good chance you've chosen that effect because of its artistic value, and not just because your computer can do it. If it doesn't seem worth the effort to draw or describe, that might mean you should stick with the basics.

But if you don't know how to do something, don't do it. The worst thing you can do is try something and do it poorly. Don't get me wrong: trying something new is the best way to learn. But if you try it and it doesn't quite look right, toss it out. Even if you know what you're doing, and your exploding 3D title would turn heads in Hollywood, you don't want people to think about the effect (even if they like it). You want them thinking about the message and responding appropriately.

Even Jared might be surprised at how much more professional your media looks when you stop going fancy and start using only the basics. A side benefit to limiting yourself when it comes to effects is that it forces you to be creative: your production stops being about the effect or the technology, but becomes about the story and the message. It can be more challenging to tell a story when you don't have an arsenal of technology behind you. Yet the result is often a better story. When this kind of shift takes place, people notice.

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