Projectors, Surfaces, and Lighting
Video system choice can be a hugely consequential decision when working with projection and video content in theatre. Typically we suggest a high output projector with a short throw lens and rigged to a fly bar in the upstage region of the stage.
Projectors
Surfaces
There’s some consideration to projection surfaces too. The lighter the surface, the brighter the resulting image will be. For a best looking projection surface a very smooth, matte and light coloured surface is best. We’ve had a lot of success with opera cream specialty projection surfaces, if they have a matte finish, light hitting them from the projector and from stage lighting won’t be as distracting, and will look more evenly lit.
Having a short throw projector so far upstage, means actors won’t run into the beam of the image. Some lenses we’ve used on shows can allow the projector image to be 4x as wide as the projector is far from the screen. Meaning a projector 1.5 meters or 5 feet away from a projection surface becomes 6 meters wide or 20 feet. This means an actor would need to stand right up against the screen for the image to be cast on them. perfect for stages full of actors, or bright daytime scenes. You might get away with more front on projection with darker video content if required. An LED wall doesn’t have this kind of limitation, but it’s a totally different design look, and needs much more tuning, and brightness limiting to not be too bright onstage. We recommend projection, smart placement and lighting and you can get beautiful looking scenes.
Lighting
For the clearest image, lighting should be thought about. The best looking projector screens are cinemas. Pitch black rooms, with only a projector on. Turning the lights off in the classroom makes the screen easier to see. Same in the theatre. Lighting in a theatre can be much more controlled. Some parts of the stage can be bright while other parts kept dark. We can use side lighting from booms, top lighting, and follow spots, to keep light off the back wall of the stage and keep that image high contrast, bright and looking stunning