Okay, okay... I'm getting schooled here.
It's amazing that what seems like such a simple, straight forward thing to a non-video professional is in fact an extraordinarily detailed process filled with extremely complex decisions!
Let's just get down to the nitty gritty regarding specifically what I'm doing, with the hopes that by hearing my needs and needs alone (absent what I *think* may work, because clearly I'm mistaken...)
you will all be able to make some recommendations.
(quick note: I was able to test live video as fed through my laptop today. you were all right, the lag is too much to make it feasible - very kung-fu movie-like in terms of actual spoken word as matched up with the visual action of speaking... I will not be going through my laptop, so it's officially a two source (vid cam and laptop) project, between which I'll need to switch)
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It might really help if you better defined the application. Rather than focusing on the equipment, what are you trying to do and what are your goals? There may be big differences between something that simply puts an image on the screen and what you really need to do or the impression you are wanting to give. This might also help resolve some of the differing indications of your priorities and goals.
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Precisely. Here's the scoop.
I'm a solo entertainer working in the resort, corporate and college markets. I present a stage show that is sometimes on beautiful stages with as much control over lighting as one could want, complete with a full tech crew to run everything, all the way to banquet halls with temporary staging and minimal control over lighting (though I can usually bring most of the "
house" down while maintaining a hot section on the "stage")
I'm looking to incorporate two things into the show.
1.) Projections of very basic slides (powerpoint) with textual content, still
images, minor animations and some short video clips, and
2.) Live video to act as image magnification for certain sections of the show
so that the audience can get a more "close-up" view of some of the
action and
props. The close-
ups will be of my body, and will be limited
roughly to the waist up.
Camera will be stationary, and for the
IMAG sections I will be stepping into the predefined stage area marked off as covered by the camera for just such a purpose.
Screens will vary in style, and in many cases they exist on-site. However, I do have a lycra/spandex screen (from
www.djscreen.com - gain 1.5 ) that I can always have available. I can stretch this up to 96" x 96" (physical limitations of the stand I'm using)
Front projection *or* rear projection is a possibility with this screen, and rear projection is sometimes possible with on-site screens as well. I'm not *always* limited to front projection.
I need to rely upon running everything myself, which means that a video switch needs to be either a.) run by remote or b.) easily positioned on-stage for me to access during the show and manually make a change.
I will be controlling the powerpoint by concealed remote.
As audiences get larger, I typically have much more control over lighting - the larger audiences are typically found in the theaters. I currently have a regular weekly show at a roughly 350 seat theater and we have full control over all lighting. That said, when theaters get larger than this, there are often projection systems already setup so I need not worry so much about providing my own equipment
In contrast to that venue, I have another weekly show at a more "corporate" style venue for roughly 100 to 150 people, and while the lighting is basic in-ceiling room lighting (not flourescent) I do have the ability to turn off a great deal of the "house" and retain or switch off lighting that is closer to the stage. It can get pretty dark. That said, I will need to be visible during each projection, so we will always have some stage light - but given variable screen positioning, the screen can sometimes be located in the dark, away from the stage light, other times not.
Whether it be in a small college
auditorium, a hotel banquet room or a small theater, it's these two types of shows and those within their range that I typically would have to provide my own equipment for projection.
I'm concerned about contrast and the visibility of smaller detail for one routine only, wherein a fairly thin black string needs to be seen against the pale complexion of the skin on my stomach. All other applications need not be so particular - video in all other applications need not be stellar, so long as it
enhances watching it live on-stage, and the powerpoint slides won't contain anything that needs to be super sharp - though I wouldn't mind if the video clips looked good... No fine detail like intricate spreadsheets will be projected, though.
Those are roughly the conditions, roughly the need, and it *all* has to fit within a reasonable budget AND most importantly, be portable enough to not take up much room in my vehicle. I travel solo - no crew, no big vehicle, and constantly.
I'm thinking that what I need, without going into specifics (which I'm hoping you can help me with) is:
-A screen (got it - either in house, or the DJ Screen)
-A Projector (need it)
-A Camera (got it - a Sony Handycam DCR-HC28 mounted on tripod)
-A Laptop (got it)
-A Switch (need it)
-A Scaler? (not sure if I need it! you tell me)
As you can see, this doesn't need to be MegaChurch or MegaRockTour quality . I need to project live video and powerpoint in these somewhat variable conditions, and I need to switch between them. The switch doesn't even need to be super refined or advanced.
I'm looking at sub-$1000 projectors at this point, and while I'm willing to shell out a bit for a switch/scaler if I need it, I don't have an extra $600 to $1500+ for the pro video ones I've been finding.
Is it possible to present passable projections to these types of groups to augment a solo show without breaking the bank or making it too complex?
On another note, though I haven't yet solved my problems, let me thank you ALL for the feedback that you've given thus far! I've learned more about these technologies (though not nearly enough) in the past couple days than I ever thought I'd learn. It's interesting and, despite the hurdles, continues to intrigue me. Though I'll never possess as detailed a knowledge of this field as the lot of you, I do hope that by circling around the fringes here I'll at least become a knowledgeable consumer - I owe you all a great big thanks.
