Favorite Projector to Use?

[Darci Faye]

Hi!

I am looking into getting a projector for a theatre that I will be using a lot in the coming year, but I don’t know much about these. I’m looking for one that will be able to project images on the chic with the stage lights up all the way without the images being too washed out. Also one that can be mounted on the ceiling would be a bonus.

Thanks for any recommendations!

Darci

 

[seanandkate]

Lots of details needed here in order to give you good recommendations. I assume you mean cyc as opposed to chic, correct? How wide and high is the projection surface that you want to fill? What is the distance from the projection surface to where you would ideally like the projector mounted? Almost all projectors can be mounted on a ceiling with the appropriate mount. Remember that actors caught between the projector and the projection surface will cast unwanted shadows. Your best bet is often a short throw projector mounted onstage to shoot over-top of actors. Here's the big one: what's your budget? If you're used to pricing out consumer grade projectors at around 3500 lumens, you will experience sticker shock when you get to brighter units that can begin to fulfill your requirement of cutting through stage lighting. Stage lights will generally murder any projection for intensity, so when using a projector, you always have to be very careful to control the light that is bouncing around on stage. These answers will let us direct you more effectively.

 

[NickVon]

We recently used and Epson Short throw Laser Projector for projected backdrops for a summer/camp show. I believe it was rented for 2000$ for 1 week. I believe it MSRP for about 28,000$ Not the answer you probably want to hear. And it still required thoughtful LX design and required keep actors about 5ft DS of the cyc so we could limit lighting spill upstage. (we front projected from a height of about 14 ft (of a second electric) and the cyc was probably 12 ft way from the lens to image center on the cyc.

Rear projection as you will find in threads on CB are generally always better but sometime requires sudo-specialty projection material, and still at least 12 ft of space. Most short throw projectors are still going require at least 12ft to create a 28 foot wide image.