Browsing through previous postings, it seems that a few folk have already been involved in "RTTFP". We are putting on a production at the end of May, and I would very much like the benefit of your experience with this show! We have a few "technically-minded" people on-board, but I have to admit that I am definitely not one of them!
Any help or advice would be gratefully accepted, especially with regard to the video screen stuff(!)

Thanks!!

Where abouts are you based? I know Dave Beattie of this board ,has lit the show, well was technical manager as well I think. I also have access to the kit needed

Hello Nick

We're based in Derby. Just a small group, with a fairly limited budget.
What do you think is the best way to do the video screen bit - I've read about other groups using a projector, and someone else using a large TV monitor. I've never used a projector before - would it be fixed up in the lighting rig, or would that be too close to the screen? (sorry! but I did say I wasn't very technically-minded!). By the way, you'll be pleased to hear that I'm not doing the "technical stuff" (I'm directing it - but I like to have some sort of a clue about how to approach things! Especially as this show is so dependant on good special effects/lighting etc).

Thanks for any help!

Th approach I would take is to have a back projection screen built into the set. I know this depends on the depth of the stage, but maybe mirrors to increase the image size might work.

The show that Dave did I saw, and I found the use of a large plasma type screen too small to see. Their clips were brilliant though!

I dont know how tightly the script for the inserts is, but it is worth directing the clips, and not relying on them being pieces to camera!

We used a multimedia projector up in the lighting rig, which worked very well, and was technically easy- you just have to make sure the lights are a bit lower when the screen is projecting. However, we had pre-recorded clips (Prospero came on to the ship immediately, and we saw "flashback" footage of him and Gloria in the lab, him being tied up, etc. We were also able to pre-record footage of a looming monster, with cunning editing and effects to make it look quite eerie. Frequently, the screen would flash up words or phrases ie. ship's computer messages, which allowed us to have the computer making witty comments. Also, we had clips of rockets taking off, planets exploding, asteroids, etc. Everything was on powerpoint, and once the slideshow was put together, the A-V man just had to hit the space bar at the right time during the performance. It all worked very well (once I got it to work!- there was another thread about this, but I can't find it just now).

Simon
You make it all sound so easy!! Wish I'd seen your production.
I was having a chat with one of our technical guys last night, and he suggested the same as you - the projector in the rig. I think this is the way to go, as we have no space behind where the the screen will be.
When you say that you had Prospero come straight onto the ship, do you mean that he didn't appear on the screen at all, beforehand?
Where did you get your clips? I've seen some on www.spacetelescope.org
I like the idea of the computer's witty comments...... but then, I'm convinced that my computer has a life of it's own, anyway....

Thanks for your help,

Tina

He didn't appear speaking on the screen. When he is first noticed ("My God, it's Prospero, who..."), we had a still of Prospero, looking menacing. He then dramatically appeared at the airlock door. When he told the story of him and Gloria, we played a silent film taken on camcorder and edited fairly simply (friendly computer geek had a copy of FinalCut editing software, but Adobe Premiere Elements will do the same), which had been taken beforehand. This also gave scope for humour (eg. "I had almost cracked it" at which point a picture of bottles marked 'u', 'v', and 'w' factor on lab desk. Amusing shot of Prospero tied up with gag and Gloria standing triumphantly over him)

The narrator was done the same way, but with the sound turned up. Again, prerecorded. Once on disc, all these clips, still and action, can just be embedded on a powerpoint slide.

We chose to do Prospero this way so that we didn't have any problems with the sound, or him not being able to hear/see the orchestra during his song.

I did get a few clips from the website you mentioned. There are some good sound effects available cheaply from www.sonomic.com (and we also had someone with a "Star Trek" sound effects cd, which apart from some explosions, had great "bridge running sound" and door opening. If you PM me with you address, I could send you a copy). For exploding planet at the end, I believe it is possible to take Alderon exploding from the original Star Wars video and digitise it, but there are probably copyright issues, and I wouldn't recommend it on this forum )

Give yourself plenty of time to do all this. I was forced to do it all in 3 days, due to unfortunate events (director's incompetence). I am not a computer whiz in any sense, so it's not that difficult!

Hope this helps, and good luck!

I'd been worrying about getting the timing right - with Prospero and the live music ..... but why make life complicated? Better to keep it all running smoothly - I'll have another look at the script!
Very grateful for your help - it's a great show, we just want to make a good job of it.
Better go to work

we did essesntially the same as Simon, but had Prospero on the screen 'live' singing misunderstood, cutting back and forth between the live prospero and the pre-recorded. i think I talked about it in more detail somewhere, will try and find the link to the thread . .