How to keep attention

[kac4him]

After a year of having a flat screen for our front foyer Ive noticed that it is not getting the attention it use to.

This came to reality after a email went around the church office and then came to me asking do you have a picture of the church all done up for christmas..well on the screen since the Sunday before thanksgiving was that exact picture with a announcement for hanging of the greens

With the exception of 4 slides i try to keep things fresh and up to date and don't leave anything in the loop for longer then 2-3 weeks

The visitors all love it and find it informative. And i guess that is the main objective but is this to be expected that after a while it loses its newness and becomes another picture on the wall to the regular attendees.

Does anybody have any tips on how to keep it exciting and watched

[[Admin] osborn4]

Change up the format completely. If you were using a rigid template before, lose it and go more free form.

If you were free form, go to a rigid template.

If you have a consistent color scheme over all the slides, change it dramatically.

If it's currently simple, make it busy, If it's busy, go simple.

I guess I'm trying to say to change it up.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by osborn4

I guess I'm trying to say to change it up.

And just mix it all around, keep it moving.

What do you use to drive the media content displayed?

[Gene]

I find the methods used in "A Clockwork Orange" (a truly disturbing film, though brilliantly conceived) are about the only way to make sure people watch much of anythings these days. People are so used to tuning out things because we're bombarded by so much, that it's difficult to rise above the noise except when the audience has already self-selected (e.g, an audience at a movie, or a congregation at a church service, though obviously even those are no guarantee people will watch something)

So it's not surprising that visitors watch it, and people who are regular attenders don't.

[JHVideoGuy]

We've had our digital signage system for over 3 years. All our content is video designed in After Effects. Some things I've found that get attention:
-Lighter colors draw more attention than darker colors
-Pictures of people draw more attention
-Motion draws more attention than static
-Good content i.e something humorous or entertaining draws more attention.

-dave
http://creativeideas.wordpress.com/

[Gracetech]

It's funny but we were having the same problem and what we did to bring it back to life is add audio elements. It's amazing that people would be talking and then hear the audio elements and then immediately start watching the video elements. It some thing to initially grab the attention of the passerby.

crt

[kac4him]

What do you use to drive the media content displayed?

we use mediashout the computer and screen were a donation. The plan is to eventually add more screens throught the church building and then get a real system so we can talior the loop to the screens.

Change up the format completely. If you were using a rigid template before, lose it and go more free form.

If you were free form, go to a rigid template.

Yes i would say we have a rigid template
Welcome
Worship Times
Youth Events
Events this week
Events comming up
Prayer Request (Directing people who to notify)
Pod Cast info
Cd/casset of worship
Website
A screen on were to get more info
Directions

For the most part during the week i do talior the loop (lots more youth stuff during youth events ect.

The timing is not ridged some are up longer (if their is more content)
Transtions i do use a couple of diffrent ones

before worship/youth/events comming up/prayer request i have a bible verse with background (Got some from the exchange)

If If you have a consistent color scheme over all the slides, change it dramatically.

If it's currently simple, make it busy, If it's busy, go simple.

-Pictures of people draw more attention

I use lots of visual backgrounds and all are made in photoshop cs3
I do use people pic's when i can (i use stock photo's ill use reall members for some church events)

I guess I'm trying to say to change it up.

I do change most of the content every week a few graphics have been up for a while (i think their is only 2 that have been up for a long time)

We've had our digital signage system for over 3 years. All our content is video designed in After Effects. Some things I've found that get attention:
-Lighter colors draw more attention than darker colors
-Motion draws more attention than static
-Good content i.e something humorous or entertaining draws more attention.

I would like do some video content time is a issue right now
Also a computer shortage that will be fixed in early 08 as i have budgeted for a dedicated video editing system so that shold solve a lot of those problems.

[twj]

Can you move the screen to a different location? The regulars are used to it's location and are ignoring it.

[NGRRFan]

The thing that catches attention best of all (IMHO) is motion. Whether it is animation or video, movement will grab your attention. Next the presentation of the information has to be "short, sweet and to the point". Nothing is worse than reading a whole page of jibberish when I'm trying to figure out "Day, Date, Time, and Place".

Finally..... "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." Quit worrying about keeping people's interest. Those that want to read it will and those that don't, won't. Remember that your regular members are "tuned in" as to what is going on, for the most part, and it is the visitor and new member that is reading bulletin boards and message boards for information.

[JHVideoGuy]

Originally Posted by kac4Him

Yes i would say we have a rigid template
Welcome
Worship Times
Youth Events
Events this week
Events comming up
Prayer Request (Directing people who to notify)
Pod Cast info
Cd/casset of worship
Website
A screen on were to get more info
Directions

From you list of 11 elements, it sounds like 8 of them have the same content every week (welcome, worship times etc...). Once somebody has been to your church a few times they don't need that info anymore. If they have to watch 8 things they already know to get to the 1 or 2 things they don't they'll tune the screens out. If each element is around 15 seconds each that can be waiting for 2 or 3 minutes for the new info I wanted to come back up. I'm not standing around watching a screen unless I'm waiting for my wife to get out of the bathroom and no one is around to talk to.

You might want to consider combining some of your elements or just encourage them to read the bulletin, ask a usher, visit your hospitality/ guest/info booth/center/kiosk.

I don't know if it's possible, but here's something we do. Before service it's directional information for new comers (where to drop kids off, where various classes are meeting, silence your phone, if you need help ask a greeter). After service it's all promotional items. We also have a dozen screens through out our building so some are just promotional items all the time.

-dave
http://creativeideas.wordpress.com/

[NGRRFan]

Nothing should be on the screen longer than 8 seconds, and the whole loop shouldn't be longer than 2-3 minutes. If you can't read the info in 8 seconds.... you have to much info on the slide. You want to cover the "Who, What Where, Why and How" in as few words as possible.

Now another idea is to have a scrolling screen. Move the text from bottom to top with only a line to break one subject from the next. Motion is constant, which draws your eyes to it, and the info is being fed at a constant rate and always changing.