Scrim for visible acting and front projections

[Painterspoon]

At my high school, I have a white chameleon scrim which has worked great in a number of shows to reflect coloured light from the front and to show things like dream sequences, flashbacks, and other locations behind. I'm planning on doing Cabaret next June, and would like to have a scrim on the grand drape traveler so that the entire second half is illuminated behind the scrim, and then at the very end, I want to hit the audience with a couple minutes of imagery prior to the show's disturbing finish. So, I want my cake and eat it too. I want to see all of the stage content, and then have a really clear way of projecting onto the scrim, then I need to bring up some backlighting, so that we see the front and back at once. Is this possible? I'm really tempted to go with a black sharkstooth (Chameleon is really in your face). But I can't afford to pay through the nose for it and then have it not work. Is there anyone out there who might have some scrap sharkstooth so I could at least test out the effect? Or have any of you tried this? I have no fly space, by the way, hence the traveler (which probably won't travel - it will have to be tied up at intermission). Thanks for helping a really ambitious yet strapped for funds high school teacher!

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

It should work fine but when you want to see the projection and people behind, neither will be bright, but it can be great. You do need well controlled lighting behind - consider side lighting - and a decent projectors. Always used white or off white shark tooth scrim, framed or stretched.

For the final dissolve on one production, de-focused image while fading out. Very cool. Have played with zoom also. This was in the Ektagraphic era.

 

[Painterspoon]

It should work fine but when you want to see the projection and people behind, neither will be bright, but it can be great. You do need well controlled lighting behind - consider side lighting - and a decent projectors. Always used white or off white shark tooth scrim, framed or stretched.

For the final dissolve on one production, de-focused image while fading out. Very cool. Have played with zoom also. This was in the Ektagraphic era.

Sounds like fun! Will white sharkstooth provide adequate visibility behind? And can I essentially front-project? Or do I need to get sneaky and do it from a sideways angle, making insane keystoning corrections? It's for the second half of Cabaret, which I want to have a far more grim feel overall. But at the end, I'm going for a WWII sequence...

How do you recommend I suspend the scrim? I can use my front drape track, but do I need to pull it tight? Will sharkstooth withstand more abuse than my chameleon (which some kids just put the first hole in the other day....after 6 years!)

Thanks!

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I always put the projector as close to straight on as reasonable.

Scrim with pipe pocket should be fine. If tied to carriers, just keep taut at top - maybe bungee cords on end carriers. Other options.