Zzz HowTo:Set Up The Back Projection
Introduction
The theatre has available, both for its own shows and increasingly for visiting artistes, a projector capable of displaying high-quality images and video onto a screen measuring 3.65 x 3.65 metres. This screen is motorised from the stage-manager's desk area and is relatively quiet, meaning that it can be raised and lowered during a show if either of the mid-stage blacks, or the red house tabs, are in and there is some distractionary scene playing out downstage.
The back projection system comprises three elements:
- An image/video source such as a laptop
- The motorised screen which drops into a position just downstage of the three-door cyc
- And the Optima projector itself, currently mounted in the wood store, below the props store
The Image Source (laptop etc.)
Our in-house shows can make use of our own laptop which is geared for editing and displaying both images and video. Visiting artistes can either:
- Bring their content on a memory stick for us to project, providing that it has been agreed in advance that we have the correct software
- Bring their own laptop, preferably with an HDMI output. If bringing an Apple product, we have some converter/adaptors available, although again, it is advised that they supply their own if they know what works best with their devices.
The Screen
The screen replaces the three-part black cyc wall. It is electric, operated by two buttons on the wall, slightly upstage of the SM's desk. They are labeled IN (to drop the screen in) and OUT (to fly it out). Complete travel takes about 50 seconds in either direction. It can be lowered to any height: it only moves whilst a button is being held down.
- DO ensure that the three-part cyc wall doors (or the parts of it that you wish removed) have been opened BEFORE attempting to lower the screen.
- DO ensure that the operator can see that the screen will be unimpeded on its descent. When flying OUT, it will stop automatically at the end of its travel.
- DO NOT let it go any further IN than the floor, otherwise it will go slack and show ripples.
- DO NOT let artistes, particularly children, touch the screen. The material is reasonably delicate, very expensive to replace and fingermarks will not be appreciated.