Well, by now, if you are a returning visitor to the site, you are aware that the site has gone through a big change, from top to bottom. It was a long time planned, and a longer time actually being done. But it’s a good change, and one that was long overdue.
So, why was it done , and what does the change mean for you, the visitor? Watch a short video to get a quick idea of how to use it best.
We’ve all seen the way that fast-food chains will temporarily close a location, then tear it down and rebuild it brand new from the ground up. The food offered is the same, but the entire look is updated and improved. Likewise, with a website, you sometimes you just have to start over to implement new technology, to integrate new web trends, and make the site more appealing to the guests. As the access technology changes –the shift from desktops to tablets and smartphones– a site must keep up and be adaptable to easy viewing on the various devices. That is one great benefit of the new site; it can be viewed equally easy on any device, adapting to whatever you are coming to it on.
By changing to the blog-based design, it also makes available all the tools and extra functions that a blog is capable of versus a regular site. The Search functions, for example, make it easy for you to find what you need by searching either through a Category menu, a Tag Cloud, or by simply inputting any term you want to look for. Of course, the menu at the top of the page is always ready to guide you to the main pages.
The biggest change, other than the way it looks, is how the scripts and soundtracks are offered. Before, the scripts were posted in their entirety for reading and printout, and the soundtracks were an option that could be ordered to go with them. Now, the scripts and soundtracks are offered together, not separately. That means that you buy both as a package. Additionally, the soundtracks before were mostly in Combo Packages that had two or more titles on the same CD. Eliminating the Combo Package aspect of the soundtracks means that a guest no longer has to get other material when all they wanted was one soundtrack. Each soundtrack is separate from all the others, and you buy them one at a time.
Instead of reading a script, you now get a page with a complete description of it, with sample script pages, and audio samples of the tracks created to go with it. This is actually a faster process than having to read an entire script to know what is in it. Armed with all the info needed to make a decision, one can then order and get both the script and the soundtrack to perform it with. The guest can choose to get them instantly upon payment by selecting the Download Only option, or they can get the script PDF emailed and the physical CD mailed to them.
One of the main considerations was to ensure that the person buying the package has everything needed to perform the script as written, with the tracks created especially for that script. Sometimes, before the change, I would find that some people were using the scripts but neglecting the soundtrack, and all the benefits that come with it, in order to save a little money. (I’ve seen some of their efforts posted on Youtube, and believe me, they NEEDED the soundtrack!) But by not using it, they would end up working more to try and put something together themselves, without the understanding of what the soundtrack brought to the production they were doing, or even how it was supposed to sound.
Imagine going to a movie, but the owner of the theater wanted to skimp on the sound system, so as the movie played, they shouted the script’s dialog out loud and hired an organist to play some improvised music from the wings! The audience would be cheated of much of the experience they came for. These scripts and tracks were made to be used together, so by making them part of one package, the buyer can rest assured that they have what they need to make it as enjoyable, professional and moving as possible.
Much work has went into the new site, and much work remains to be done as the remaining script pages are prepared and posted almost daily. So, bookmark it and come back often to see what has been added. Lots of new things are planned also, so come be a part of it, and share it with your friends on your social media accounts!
-Frederick Passmore, Sheep Laughs Publications
WHAT WE OFFER:
Dramatic Plays:
Our plays range from 20 minutes all the way up to 80 minutes. They are written to engage the viewer, make them think, to impact the emotions, and present the Gospel in such a way that they perceive it as meeting the needs of their life. The aim is to bless the believer, and give the person that has never made a decision for Christ a desire to invite Him into their life.
Comedic Skits:
Our skits range in length from 5 minutes up to 20 minutes. While most are comedic in nature, using humor to impart a perspective that may not have been considered, the laughs are all tied into the message, and there is always a resolution that leads the viewer into consideration of the Truth contained in it. The humor can be enjoyed by all ages.
Soundtracks:
The soundtracks that we make to accompany the scripts add drama and emotional impact to the script’s performance. There are two different kinds of script and soundtrack; the kind where you do the lines live and the soundtrack is played at certain times during the performance; and second, the kind that supplies all the narration, music and effects mixed together to play as the actors perform, with no lines to learn. Each script description page tells you which kind it is under the “Soundtrack Key.”