Although it’s been used in theatre since the 1950s, high quality video imagery is increasingly part of contemporary theatrical productions. Occasionally, productions come along that could not exist without multimedia elements, such as the National Theatre’s Network.
LSI: Heritage Pathways 3 - Screen Time (June 2024)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International
LSI - Network: Combining Stage and Screen (December 2017)
[2.2Mb PDF]
From Lighting & Sound International
Projection Design by 59 Productions (London)
The team talk about their work on a wide range of projects.
Katie Mitchell on directing multimedia productions
The Builders Association – SuperVision trailer
LED / L.E.D.
Light Emitting Diode. LED technology has transformed stage lighting, at a time when energy efficiency is at the top of many agendas. The best LED luminaires for theatre are, however, still expensive, but getting cheaper. Cheaper units have noisy fans and may have issues with flickering on video recordings of shows, as well as poor dimmer curves and low CRI (colour rendering index) values.
LED light sources are extremely efficient, and give off very little heat, making them ideal for display or architectural work. LED video walls are in use all over the world - they are more efficient and lighter in weight than projection alternatives.
The LED Museum
How LEDs work
- Evolution of Projection
- Glossary of Technical Theatre Terms – Multimedia
- Multimedia Connections
- Multimedia Projection for Drama
- Projection Mapping
- Using TVs On Stage
- Virtual Reality and Immersive Technologies
See also
Projection Mapping
MadMapper
Video Editing
History – Video for Live Performance
Film projection was used by a range of multimedia artists, but the mega concerts of the 1980s demanded a more immediate relay of the performers.
1987: A large video wall was used in the Aretha Franklin/George Michael ‘I Knew You Were Waiting’ music video (in 1987, filmed in Detroit, directed by Andy Morahan)
Simon Le Bon, of Duran Duran, said that they used the first video walls in a live concert. [ref: Smartless podcast April 2023]. Research is ongoing.
U2 (1996) used a very early LED video screen, as the technology emerged.
LSI: Heritage Pathways 3 - Screen Time (June 2024)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International
Video
- Pixel Mapping Workshop (Martin LED)
- Sound and Video Supervisor - Careers at the National Theatre
- Tron Dance (Japan)
- Tron Dance: iLuminate
Amazon Shop
Productivity Through Wellness for Live Entertainment and Theatre Technicians
Buy at
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Access Equipment |
| Genie Lifts and Access Equipment [Worldwide] |
| Slingsby Access ladders [UK] |
| Zarges Access ladders & towers [Germany & UK] |
Control Systems |
| Folsom Products Video Switching |
| Kramer Electronics Video Switching [Israel] |
| Vortex Communications Video Switching [London, UK] |
| Wahlberg DMX DVD controller |
| Wahlberg DMX Shutter |
Dance Technology |
| Chunky Move [Australia] |
| Group Motion |
| Jasmin Vardimon [UK] |
Designers |
| 59 Productions / Leo Warner [London, UK] |
| Jon Driscoll Cinematographer, Lighting and Projection Designer [UK] |
| Mic Pool Sound and Video Design for Theatre |
Manufacturers |
| Luminex (IT Networks for AV) [Belgium] |
Materials |
| Gerriets Hologauze Projection Material |
Notable Installations |
| Projections in How to Train Your Dragon Live |
Practitioners |
| Davy & Kristin McGuire - Silent Movie [UK] |
| Forkbeard Fantasy |
| Forkbeard Fantasy - Drama Resource |
| Josef Svoboda |
| Katie Mitchell |
| Laterna Magika [Prague, Czech Republic] |
| Laurie Anderson |
| Pervasive Media Studio [Bristol, UK] |
| Robert Lepage |
| Robert Wilson |
| Synaesthetic Theatre |
| The Builders Association |
| The Gray Circle Lightscapes, Projection Design |
| The Wooster Group |
Projection |
| BMD Broadway Media Distribution Scenic Projection media [CA, USA] |
| DLP Technology |
| EMF Technology Projection, video mapping, waterscreens [UK] |
| Fogscreen |
| Inition |
| Knifedge Projection, video mapping, waterscreens [London, UK] |
| Musion 3D 'holographic' projection (as used by the band Gorillaz) |
| Pani [Large format projection] |
| What Lumen rating projector should I use? |
| XL Video [London, UK] |
Publications |
| AV Magazine |
Resources |
| Modern Theatre relies too much on technology (The Guardian, 2008) |
| Multimedia in theatre: sound and fury, signifying something (The Guardian, 2008) |
| Multimedia Theatre: A new art form? (Blog, 2006) |
| Projection Design Resources |
| Simulcast Technology at Seattle Opera |
| TED talk - Natasha Tsakos |
| Waves Sets a High Water Mark for Multimedia Theatre (The Guardian, 2006) |
Software |
| Baxel Data - Cue Player Software for Windows |
| ClipChamp Free Online Video Editor |
| Drafty App for lighting, sound & video designers [USA] |
| DT Videolabs PlaybackPro Software |
| GarageCube LED and Video Mapping [Switzerland] |
| Isadora Multimedia toolkit for performance |
| KM Player Audio & Video media player for Windows |
| Mitti Video Cue Playback |
| Photopea Free Image Editing |
| PlaybackPro Plus Video Presentation Software (Mac) |
| Qlab Cue-based multimedia for performance. Qlab is available for Mac OS, and is tremendously powerful and adaptable for playing back video and sound cues and using live cameras. |
| Screenmonkey |
| Showmagic |
| TimeLord - Media Timecode Player Optimised for use with grandMA2 |
| Touch Designer - Live Design article, Feb 2013 |
| Veed Transcription, Subtitles and Online Editing |
| Effects >> Resolume VJ Software for Live Events |
| Projection Mapping >> Dataton Watchout Blending multiple projectors together for massive scale projection |
| Projection Mapping >> HeavyM Easy Projection Mapping software [France] |
| Projection Mapping >> MadMapper Video & Light Mapping Software |
| Projection Mapping >> Tools |
| Video Editing >> Adobe Premiere |
| Video Editing >> DaVinci Resolve Video Editing |
| Video Editing >> DaVinci Resolve Training Materials |
| Video Editing >> Final Cut Pro [Mac] |
| Video Editing >> Hitfilm Express and Hitfilm Ultimate Editing and Visual Effects for Windows [UK] |
| Video Editing >> Open Shot Open Source Video Editing for Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Video Editing >> Pinnacle |
| Video Editing >> Vegas Video |
| Effects >> Adobe After Effects |
| Effects >> Apple Motion |
| Effects >> Autodesk Maya |
| Show Control >> Qlab Event-driven media playback for Mac |
Stock Footage / Photography |
| ArtGrid |
| Boxcat Design Video Loops for VJs [UK] |
| British Library Vintage Images Over 1 million images free to download [UK] |
| Can Stock Photo |
| Canva Free & Premium Stock Photos |
| Foto Search [USA / UK] |
| Free Images Free Royalty-Free Photos |
| iStockPhoto Stock images and video |
| MotionLoops Video loops and motion graphics [Texas, USA] |
| Movietools Video Loops and motion graphics [Germany] |
| Pikwizard Large range of royalty free and premium photos and videos |
| Pixabay Free Images |
| Rocketstock After Effects templates and elements [USA] |
| Showfootage Video loops and clips [Germany] |
| Unsplash Excellent freely available photos |
| Videvo Free Stock Video Footage |
Suppliers |
| AED Group |
| AV Lamps [UK] |
| Full Compass Supplier [UK ] |
| Gear Source Europe Secondhand / Used Equipment [Kent, UK] |
| Stage Electrics Lighting & Sound Equipment Sales [UK] |
| Thomann [Germany, Europe] |
| Warwick Corporate Events [Devon, UK] |
Video Resources |
| Apple Firewire |
Video Mapping |
| The Macula |
| The Macula: Prague Astronomical Clock 600th Anniversary |
Keywords: Video for theatre, video in theatre, video on stage,