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  • 1.  Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-08-2014 10:55
    Has anyone used rear screen projection for backdrops? If so, what is the best type of projector to purchase, where did you mount it, and from where did you purchase it? And what did you use for a screen, and how did you hang it? I'm trying to do some really fun effects for Wizard of Oz!!

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    Suzanne Craig
    MS & HS Theatre Director
    David Lipscomb High School
    Nashville TN
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  • 2.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-09-2014 07:31
    I was looking into this myself and got a quote from a lighting/AV company. To be powerful enough to overcome lighting and such, and be big enough to fill the whole back wall, the projector the company said I needed would cost about $12,000, plus 2,500 for thebulb. I would love it absolutely if someone else has a cheaper solution! ------------------------------------------- Phillip Goodchild Valrico FL -------------------------------------------
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  • 3.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-09-2014 08:05
    You can use almost any surface for projections.  However, I often size a muslin drop or flat with a mixture of starch and water (let me know if you want to do that as the formula and procedure is important-- it can be found in Lee Pectal's book, too).  I've also used classroom video projectors and overhead projectors, along with rented "scene machines", etc-- all will work, however, the light levels are important to think about and to experiment with.  The classroom projectors tend to work best in complete darkness or one has to focus their stage lighting instruments in such a way as to avoid spill onto the projection surface.

    One really neat projection surface we used once was gauze-- like that of white bandages or scrim.  The actors were inside a box of this stuff with projections of an estate surrounding them.  It was a pretty neat effect.

    Whatever you choose to do-- experiment.  Your first attempt could be to just get a couple of projectors and set up a small demonstration-- have some students hold up a piece of muslin and see what you get.

    You'll also have to experiment a bit with the focal length of the lens for your projector to see where you can mount it to get the desired image.

    Some projectors have "keystone" functions for both the horizontal and vertical so you can tweek the image a bit.

    Best

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    Michael Johnson
    Trinity NC
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  • 4.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-09-2014 09:43
    We used a  Infocus  IN5534. It was used in "Wizard of Oz", also. Get a few specialists in and go quality. But, you can also rent.
    I have used rear projection on small stages as well as a BIG stage. One word - brilliant! The location of the projector has a lot to do with the size of your stage, size of your cast, and the rigging or system you have. Get a sales person/specialist in (costs nothing, but opinions are valuable).

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    Phil Ridley
    Drama Director
    Dubai UAE
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  • 5.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-09-2014 12:36
    I tried some of this recently and it didn't go well. I would like to hear ideas as well. ------------------------------------------- Scott Hasbrouck Wheat Ridge CO -------------------------------------------
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  • 6.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-09-2014 15:30
    We are actually doing rare screen projection this year. From everything I researched, I needed at least 10 feet behind the backdrop and I don't have that kind of space to play with. So I bought black scrim and am stretching it on frames so that I have two black panels. We are using one projector to cover 35 feet of width, but my tech guy is actually doing projection mapping so that he can control which part of an image is going where. We are using a regular classroom projector- I can look at the brand next week if you like. And we are hanging it from the catwalk above . I believe that this angle give us around 16 feet from either target panel. Let me know if you want any more info. We are using front projection as well but the angle is significant as it is over the heads of the raked audience from the back of the auditorium . ------------------------------------------- Natasha Hart Montreal QC -------------------------------------------
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  • 7.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-21-2014 22:56
    I've done rear projections several times in different ways.

    For The Wizard of Oz, we had a muslin drop flown in downstage. Upstage about 10-15 feet, I wheeled in my overhead projector cart. I used the projector to shine on the muslin and the attached ELMO (I guess it's another projector w/a flexible head) facing our Wizard, who wore sunglasses and closed his eyes. We hit the negative image button on the projector and presto, instant giant head of the Wizard that was exactly the right look. Easy, funky, awesome.

    For Alyse in Wonderland: steampunk style, I hung a 4' x 8' piece of corrugated plastic on which we drew a fancy frame to look like a picture that hung over our back wall scenery. Upstage of the scenery, horizontal to the screen, I had a projector at the top of a ladder. It was tethered to an ipad operated by a student using my phone as the remote control for Keynote. Those images matched the scenes below. Also, we use the same muslin from Oz (it's permanently hung DS; sketchy fly system so no removing it) and a high powered light with the actress literally walking closer and farther away for growing and shrinking.

    For Flowers for Algernon, I've borrowed a rear projection screen and mounted it on a wood frame. It sits SL at a nice dynamic angle. We have maybe 6-8 feet behind. We're using a high powered light for silhouette, much like we did with Alyse, for scenes from the past. I'm using the same projector/ipad for projecting the Progress Reports, Rorschach tests, etc. on the same screen. Hoping it'll work; think it should. I'm testing it in a week if all goes as planned.

    You can always use a sheet. I've done that before, as well.

    I'm not saying these are the best ways to do it, but I teach at a school with 100% freed/reduced lunch and an auditorium that was built in 1930. With a little ingenuity, it can be done and look like a million bucks. :)

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    Jo Strom Lane
    Theatre Teacher and Director
    Portland Public Schools
    Portland OR
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  • 8.  RE: Rear Screen Projection for Backdrops

    Posted 11-23-2014 09:28
    I just did a production of I NEVER SAW ANOTHER BUTTERFLY. We made a 7' Star of David and covered it with a frosted shower curtain and used the middle of the star as our rear projection screen. I found out on youtube that a frosted shore curtain van be used as the screen. It works very well and is very cheap! ------------------------------------------- Raymond Ellis Savannah GA -------------------------------------------
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