Theatre Projections Tip 4, How to Keep Actors' Shadows Off the Screen

Projections Tip #4 - How to Keep Actors' Shadows Off Screen?

Keep your projector up high and tilt it down toward the screen. The closer to the screen the better. You can mount your projector from a light bar, or house ceiling in some cases. You’ll need to use your projector’s ‘keystone’ setting to correct the image in this case.

Also, consider a short-throw projector or lens. It cuts down the distance that the projector has to be from your screen, while still displaying a large backdrop image. If you have room backstage or could ‘float’ a screen forward, try rear-projection, which means placing the projector at the back of the stage and projecting forward on your cyc or screen. Your screen will have to be a little transparent for this to work, like a normal cyc, but not so much that you see the projector light through it.

2 Responses

Mitch Stark

December 27, 2024

Hi Rachael,

Great question! So ‘cyc’ is short for ‘cyclorama’, that piece of light fabric that hangs down at the back of a lot of stages. The cyc is commonly used for lighting effects, but a lot of directors will project imagery right onto it because it’s lightly colored, can hold an image well, and also is something they already have and don’t have to purchase to begin using digital scenery. Hope this helps!