Tech Expo Illuminating A Production with Digital MultiMedia
by M. Barreu Cleveland
School of the Arts, Colorado State University
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this Speaking Body, written and choreographed byJudy
Bejarano, premiered April 2002 as a joint production betAveen the Colorado
State University School of the Arts and Impact Dance Company.
Bejarano expressed an interest in incorporating multimedia elements
into the show, and, after seeing samples of still and video digital images
projected with a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector, she decided to
explore integrating multimedia elements throughout the production.
The multimedia design for This Speaking Body required both front
and rear projections. Although the 1000 lumen Toshiba TLP57 used in the
demonstration was bright enough for the smaller rear-projected images, it
was not bright enough for the 15' x 20' front projection needed for one
section. Colorado State University's Office of Instructional Services kindly
loaned us tvo new Proxima DP6860 projectors. These larger units, rated
at 2800 lumens, not only boosted the brightness of the rear projections
but also made projecting the larger front projected images viable.
LCD projectors transmit the video display of a personal computer,
both still and moving images. Moreover, when controlled with presentation
softvare, such as Microsoft's PowerPoint, transitions from image to
image are possible on a single projector. Most LCD projectors have an
output of at least 1000 lumens, and some larger projectors are rated at
3000+. Medium zoom lenses are standard on most models.
LCD projectors have one serious liability-their projections cannot
be completely dimmed. Their light sources are arc lamps, so even when
the projector is "blacked out," it still projects a dim, gray image. We
added Wybron Eclipse I dowsers to solve this problem, and they performed
admirably. Both the original Eclipse I and the newer Eclipse II's
are DMX 512 devices that mount on the front of follow spots or other
non-dimmable sources. Of the tvo, the Eclipse II works better for projections
because it uses an iris instead of vertical louvers to close the
opening-nothing interferes with the projection when the iris is open.
(Figure 3) Wybron graciously provided two Eclipse L's and a Coloram II
power supply for the project. A DMX 512 line from the WVhole Hog II
lighting desk controlled the dowsers, and the lighting designer, C.S.U.
studentJohn McKellar, programmed all Eclipse II cues in his cue list.
We fabricated projector stands from 1" box tube and 1/4" x 2" flat
stock to hold the Proxima projectors. The design was based upon a prototype
built previously for a Toshiba TLP57. (Construcdon details are
available in "Melded Technologies: Video Projections and Moving Mirrors,"
TechnicalBrief 1322, Vol. 21, Issue 1, Oct. 2002.) An angle iron
frame was added to mount the Eclipse with the center of its opening
aligned with the center of the projector lens. (Figure 1)
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Because they come with a dual-screen video mode, laptop computers
are more convenient than most desktop models for controlling LCD
projectors. Unless a desktop computer has a dual-head video card, either
a VGA splitter box or an additional length of VGA cable run in "pass
through" from the projector is required. Regardless of platform, the
computer must have adequate processing speed and RAM to load and
run the presentation softvare.
Microsoft's PowerPoint 2000 controlled all of the multimedia, audio
and video, for the production PowerPoint slides can include still
images, animated text sequences, stereo audio and MPEG video. The operator
triggers cues by pressing the space bar. Multimedia sequences can
be automated with transitions timed to fit either the choreography or the
music. With the exception of hvo short video clips and a few last-minute
still images, all of the multimedia cues were programmed on the computers
by the day the production moved into the theatre. Although minor
changes were made throughout the technical rehearsal period, most reprogramming
was done outside of the rehearsals.
A 45' x 15' black Rosco Screen wvas dead hung 21' upstage of the
plaster line. The rear projector produced an image approximately 8'-6"
x 6'-6" over the 16' of remaining stage depth. The front projector was
positioned on the FOH 2nd Beam. With a throw of 4I'-6" the image size
wvas 16' x 12'. The rear projections were the primary focal point; the
laptop that controlled these was positioned backstage and also played
the audio cues for the producdon. A line out from the computer's sound
card fed a small mixer, which in turn sent the audio feed to the house
sound desk. The desktop computer controlling the FOH projector was
located offstage right. (Figure 2)
The Coloram 11 power supply was fed a DMX signal from the lighting
desk, and scroller cable fed both power and control to the Eclipses.
McKellar programmed all of the cues to open and close the dowsers into
his cue list We immediately discovered a significant amount of reflected
spill from the projectors when the irises were closed, but strategically
placed black wrap addressed that issue.
No problems were encountered with the multmedia playback during
the week of technical rehearsals and performance. Since a number of
the muldmedia cues were timed to pre-recorded music, the stage manager
needed to call only the cues opening a sequence.
The images produced by the Proxima LCD projectors, especially on
the smaller rear projecdon area, were stunning. (Figure 4) They were
clear, sharp, bright and easily readable from even the most extreme
sightlines in the house. My one regret for the project was that I did not
add a black scrim downstage of the screen, but I was concerned about a
double image distorting the front projections. As a result, when a stray
beam of light from a follow spot hit the screen, wrinkles and dust were
highlighted. Overall the process and methods were successful, and I look
forward to more opportunities to explore digital multmedia in theatre
and dance productions.
This Speaking Body received generous product support from The
Office of Instructional Services, Colorado State University, Wybron, Inc.,
and Peter Maurelli, Barbizon Light of the Rockies
This Tech Expo exhibit was supported by The Department of Music,
Theatre and Dance: School of the Arts, The College of Liberal Arts Professional
Development Fund, and Colorado State University.
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TITLE: Illuminating a Production with Digital Multimedia
SOURCE: TD&T 39 no2 Spr 2003
WN: 0310506077006
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