Opening Video Sequence for "Smile"

[AlecIrwin]

I work as technical director for a small community theater that is doing "Smile" the musical. The musical opens up with an announcer on a video screen, and the video screen is also used several other times throughout the production. This is a fairly low budget project, so I was planning on either using a simple program such as Microsoft Powerpoint, (or something, I know that is not an ideal program.) To cue up the clips and then use the projector remote to show or hide the projector screen. Is there a more simple way (program) to use video clips like this with a computer connected to a projector? (That is very cheap?)

 

[sk8rsdad]

If you have access to a Mac then QLab is very good for this sort of thing and quite affordable to rent or own.

 

[TheaterEd]

I've used FLV media player(FREE) on a PC for this before with some success. Note, if you use powerpoint you can just type 'b' and it will black out the presentation which will continue on your next click. I've been burned by a projector remote before. Also, I always run it as an extended monitor so I can use the computer during the show for other things, so I make sure to have a black desktop just in case I close the window it is running in.

 

[Joshualangman]

Even better, just put in black slides when you need to black out the projector. You should also set the actual desktop background of the projector to solid black.

I will also second QLab if you have an available Mac. You can rent the applicable license for three dollars a day.

 

[dbaxter]

If you need Windows software then Cue Player Premium Plus (full disclosure - it is my program) will work for you. For free, you could try VLC, but it does not do a smooth fade-out.