Stage lighting/projectors

[ThomBassmonkey]

My band's considering investing in some stage lighting and/or a projector and screen for our shows. General feeling is that we consistently want our gigs to be a show rather than some people on stage playing music, we get good comments about our stage show as it is but we want to take the next step and make our stage ours rather than feeling like we're playing on someone else's stage.

We'll have our manager/roadie to take care of it hands on while we play, but I'm curious if other people have experience with it. How much hassle is it adding a projector screen to the stuff that needs to be got on and off stage when we play, how many venues have somewhere suitable to put a projector etc.

If anyone is in the know, any suggestions on software or hardware that can be used to give a good effect? How does a projector compare to some basic lighting that we could set up quickly.

I don't know a budget yet, this is very early stages of consideration.

[icastle]

They can look really impressive if it's done well.
The function band I play with went through a phase of GAS before I joined them and invested in some massive back screen projection thing but it was a PITA to transport and setup and eventually got sold off.

Not sure how good (or practical) they are, but those little projectors that businesses use for PowerPoint presentations might be worth investigating...

[bartelby]

Last time I saw Red Sparowes they had their films on dvd and just used a dvd player through an average projector.
It worked well, and the player and projector would cost less than a laptop these days.

[Dad3353]

Good afternoon, Thom...

Stage lighting/effects is a whole domain of expertise, both designing and operating. Improvisation or experiments, although worthwhile, could lead to disappointments, sometimes expensive. The advise and cooperation of a confirmed expert would be recommended, at least in a consultative role.
A couple of points, for reflection...
One should take into account, for all decisions, the dual purpose of lighting. Is it to light up something so as to see it (as a spot light, for instance...) or as an effect (such as a colour wash on a backdrop...)?
On projection, there are a number of choices to be made. Assuming the use as an effect, is the screen to be behind, as a backdrop, or one one side (or both sides, of course...)? The source (projector...) must be perched high enough to not suffer from shadows cast by either band members or the public, and far enough back to occupy the whole screen. Not always easy, depending on the venue size and disposition. It is usually necessary to project perpendicular to the screen, to reduce the 'tombstone' effect and obtain a 'square' picture.
Any light source captured by the screen will 'wash out' the projection. Total dark is best; other light effects can work well, provided that they don't leak onto the screen. This very often precludes frontal lighting, so the players will be either in the dark, or relatively back-lit.
For both traditional and moving head-type lights, I have used successfully a laptop running 'Sunlite'; there is a USB/DMX interface, commanded by the PC, which drives either power blocks (for trad...) or moving head (Martin and the like...). 3-D simulation of the stage is very effective for designing and testing one's ideas.
The learning curve is reasonably short, not too expensive and capable of running both modest and high-end shows. May be worth a look (search for 'Sunlite lighting'...)
Enough for now; good luck with your projects...

Edited August 27, 2011 by Dad3353

[JTUK]

You have to work out how cost-effective it will be and how much you can control as to where you use it.
You could be getting close to the realms of you dictating certain conditions at a avenue... where to hang the back-drop, control of stage/venue lighting....and it just becomes a nice idea to set you apart but doesn't actually work out on 80% of venues... so therefore you can't justify it etc etc ..
I tend to think unless the stage is built around your performance there is only so far you can go with it.
I was talking to a band the other day who said they MUST play at night at the local festivals as their light show demanded it...as opposed to getting the performance worthy of that slot in the first place...
Depends how much of a distraction it gets and the returns for the outlay.