How to Set Up Digital Scenery for Your Show

How to Use Theatre Projections (It's Easier Than You Think)

If you've never used theatre projections before, there's a good chance you're imagining something far more complicated than it actually is.

Maybe you're picturing expensive software, a room full of cables, or someone with a computer science degree quietly running everything from backstage.

The reality?

It's often much closer to making a PowerPoint presentation.

Seriously.

One of the biggest misconceptions about digital scenery is that it's difficult to use. In fact, if you've ever inserted a picture into PowerPoint, built a slideshow in Keynote, or shared photos with someone over email, you already understand most of the process.

Let's walk through it.

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Step One: Download Your Scenery

When you purchase a projection collection, the first step is exactly what you'd expect.

Download the files.

Those files become a copy that lives on your computer.

That's important because your projector isn't pulling scenery from the internet during your performance. It needs the artwork stored on the computer that will actually be connected to the projector.

That's it.

Nothing mysterious.

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Step Two: Get the Files to the Right Computer

Sometimes this is the same computer.

Sometimes it isn't.

Maybe you're downloading everything at home but your technical director runs projections from a laptop at the theatre.

No problem.

Move the files however you normally move files:

• Email them.
• Copy them to a thumb drive.
• Share them through Google Drive.
• Use Dropbox.
• AirDrop them.
• Copy them over your network.

The method doesn't matter nearly as much as making sure the projection computer has the files before rehearsal.

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Step Three: Put Them Into Software You Already Know

This surprises a lot of people.

You don't need specialized Theatre Avenue software.

In fact, there isn't any.

Our projection collections are simply high-resolution image and video files designed to work with the presentation software many people already use every day.

That includes programs like:

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Apple Keynote
• Google Slides
• QLab
• and many other playback systems

If you've built a slideshow before, you're already most of the way there.

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Think of Your Show as a Slideshow

This is where projections suddenly become much less intimidating.

Imagine every scene in your production as a slide.

The opening scene?

One slide.

The castle?

Next slide.

The forest?

Another slide.

Need a blackout?

Insert a black slide.

Need another scene?

Add another slide.

Suddenly the entire production starts making sense.

You're simply moving through scenes instead of moving through slides.

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Transitions Become Part of the Story

One of the real joys of digital scenery is that transitions become visual storytelling.

Instead of dropping one backdrop and flying in another, you can let the scenery evolve naturally.

A sunrise can slowly brighten.

Day can dissolve into night.

Summer can become winter.

The audience experiences the passage of time instead of simply being told that it happened.

Even a simple cross dissolve between two still images creates a level of atmosphere that's difficult to achieve with traditional scenery alone.

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Animated Projections Are Just as Easy

People often assume animation makes everything dramatically more technical.

It really doesn't.

Most animated projection files work almost exactly like still images.

You place them into your presentation.

When you reach that cue, you start the animation.

Many are designed to loop continuously until you're ready to advance to the next scene.

In practice, it's often no more complicated than pressing the spacebar.

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Every Production Gets Easier

One of the hidden benefits of digital scenery is that your work accumulates.

Once you've assembled your show's presentation, you've done the hard part.

Need to move a scene?

Drag a slide.

Need another blackout?

Insert a slide.

Need to duplicate a projection?

Copy and paste.

Need to remount the production next season?

Open the file.

Everything is already organized.

That's especially valuable for schools, competitions, touring productions, and community theatres that revisit productions or perform in multiple venues.

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Start Simple

One misconception we'd love to eliminate is the idea that you have to use every feature immediately.

You don't.

Your first projection show can be wonderfully simple.

One image per scene.

A few blackouts.

A couple of cross dissolves.

That's enough.

As you grow more comfortable, you can add animation, timed transitions, cue integration, lighting synchronization, and more advanced playback.

But none of those are requirements.

They're opportunities.

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Technology Should Get Out of the Way

We've always believed something simple.

Technology should make theatre easier.

Not harder.

If using digital scenery requires weeks of technical training before you can even begin rehearsals, something has gone wrong.

Our goal has never been to build complicated software.

Our goal has been to create beautiful artwork that works inside software many directors and teachers already know.

That's why you'll hear us talk about PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, and QLab so often.

They're familiar.

And familiar means you spend less time learning technology and more time making theatre.

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You Already Know More Than You Think

If you've been hesitant to try projections because they seemed overwhelming, here's the encouraging news:

You've probably already learned the hardest part.

Downloading files.

Creating folders.

Dragging images.

Building slides.

Those are everyday computer skills.

Using theatre projections simply gives those skills a new purpose.

Instead of presenting information in a classroom or boardroom, you're creating a world on stage.

And that's a pretty exciting trade.

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Watch the Full Conversation

In the video above, Theatre Avenue founder and projection designer Mitch Stark and Technical Director Josh Hornung walk through the complete process of downloading, organizing, and running digital scenery—from your very first download to your final cue on opening night.

If you've been waiting for the "technical" part of projections to feel approachable, this is a great place to start.

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