BIG SCREEN (24 x 80) – Video Production

[Bob Bonniol]

Ryan,

Propresenter is not bad software, but I find that when you dig into it, it’s not capable of presenting native pixel res (it scales a smaller output stream). If a Vista Montage has been specified, it’s evident that there are some high end matrixing, scaling, blending, windowing requirements that Pro-Presenter is going to struggle with (at least even in the sense of tactile interface).

But as I said, it’s a great product to get a LOT done on a smaller budget.

But after all the discussion of preserving native pixel res at the creation stage of this thread, it would be a shame to throw it away on the playback/scaling side.

IMHO…
Bob

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Dave Martin]

Thanks guys…I appreciate the input.

Bob…do you know a good place I can read up on the screen blending/multi-display process with After Effects and FCP?

I’ve got lots of experience in broadcast but not so much here and I’d like to get as prepared as I can…

Thanks again for your advice!

Dave Martin

– MacPro – MacBook Pro –

[Bob Bonniol]

Unfortunately there are not a lot of resources for info on this kind of gig… It’s a special little niche.

You are in a great place now, and I definitely advise performing a search in this forum for screen blending.

You might also search at the livedesignonline.com website for articles about or describing screen blending. I know I’ve written one or two over there, so you might just search for Bob Bonniol over there, and see what turns up.

You really nailed most of the basic rules in your description (avoiding black and white solids for instance).

In a really macro design sense remember this: Your composition is serving a scenic purpose. Seeing a screen like that is NOT like watching something on TV. It’s like being in the room with it. It’s got to support anything else that’s going on (Is it part of a trade show booth, or stage set, for instance ?)… It’s the loudest voice in the room visually, so you have to exercise discipline in how loud you get and what you say, so to speak… SLOW always looks freakin fabulous when you are LARGE… slow moves can have lots of grandeur… Fast can frequently inspire anxiety, excitement, or nausea. Use cautiously. Where as in doing broadcast or even corporate communications type video, I would avoid wipes in transitions (like the plague), I find them to be big, pleasing, and architectural when you use them on a screen that big.

Using After Effects 3D capabilities can have a huge payoff on a screen like this. It suggests depth and space that will feel very real. Using layers at varying z depths in After Effects, Using light layers in After Effects to light layers as if they were actual objects on the stage. Using small, slooooooow shifting camera moves across scenic content layers in AE can be a big win.

This is all big broad stroke advice… Forgive me if any of it seems rudimentary.

Bob

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Dave Martin]

Hello Bob!

Your big broad stroke advice is most welcome…thank you! I’ve clipped your comments and put them in the production notes already.

I did a search on screen blending and Bob Bonniol and ended up reading till 4 am last night. You are everywhere! I enjoyed the blog and I’m going to try and sign up for your gig in Vegas this year. Thanks so much for your guidance…

Oh yah…and I look forward to using some wipes! 😎

Dave Martin

– MacPro – MacBook Pro –

[Nicholas Rivero]

Bob,

Renewed Vision produces two seperate programs: ProPresenter and ProVideo Player. ProPresenter is their lyric/presentation software which does support native pixel resolutions. The current version, 3.2.5 I believe, supports whatever output resolution you tell it. You can then tell the program to scale/stretch to fit or preserve aspect ratio to your desired output resolution. The software defaultly support up to 800×600 but with an extended resolution module, which I am using, you can set your ouput to whatever you choose. In this case, you could set ProPresenter to do a 3500×1050 output which could be scaled or split out to a Matrox Triple Head2Go perhaps (I am sitting in front of ProPresenter and just easily set it to that resolution).
ProVideo Player, on the other hand, you can easily do this 3 screen video wall; it is a dedicated video playback engine. You run a node version for each projector and then a master to control it and it can do the playback of of this 3500×1050 content easily just as I am. We have a wall of 3x 1280×720 projectors each connected to a Mac Mini each playing back custom created 720 content. You can find some information about ProVideo Player here: https://www.renewedvision.com/pvp.php

//nick

//nick

[Nicholas Rivero]

Bob,

Renewed Vision produces two seperate programs: ProPresenter and ProVideo Player. ProPresenter is their lyric/presentation software which does support native pixel resolutions. The current version, 3.2.5 I believe, supports whatever output resolution you tell it. You can then tell the program to scale/stretch to fit or preserve aspect ratio to your desired output resolution. The software defaultly support up to 800×600 but with an extended resolution module, which I am using, you can set your ouput to whatever you choose. In this case, you could set ProPresenter to do a 3500×1050 output which could be scaled or split out to a Matrox Triple Head2Go perhaps (I am sitting in front of ProPresenter and just easily set it to that resolution).
ProVideo Player, on the other hand, you can easily do this 3 screen video wall; it is a dedicated video playback engine. You run a node version for each projector and then a master to control it and it can do the playback of of this 3500×1050 content easily just as I am. We have a wall of 3x 1280×720 projectors each connected to a Mac Mini each playing back custom created 720 content. You can find some information about ProVideo Player here: https://www.renewedvision.com/pvp.php

//nick

//nick

[Bob Bonniol]

My experience with Pro Presenter is that yes, it will allow itself to be set to a native pixel resolution, But it doesn’t support multiple layer playback at the scale a Media server like Hippo, pandoras, Watchout or Wings will. It doesn’t have (therefore) layer interaction modes (i.e. the full range, additive, multiply, darken, soft light, etc, etc). I couldn’t figure out how to get it to do a CUED blend change on blend areas (I like to adjust cue to cue based on luminance, color, and content.) It doesn’t have built in encoding, I don’t know it to have the ability to map it’s control parameters to midi control surfaces, I also don’t think it’s controllable via a DMX network (very desirable these days in uniting lighting and video control). It also doesn’t seem to be able to take SMPTE TC, or to have a really flexible timeline type interface.

I don’t mean this to be a slam. ProPresenter is a GREAT product for a market that is wringing a bunch of value from the dollar. The application in faith based presentations is often a little different than big retail brand experience and trade show stuff. ProPresenter functions really well in it’s market, but there are so many more layers of functionality that usually need to be present in a top level AV installation (some of which I outlined above). I just can’t recommend it in this thread for this kind of gig being discussed. But that in no way means I don’t think ProPresenter rocks. SOmetimes you need a screw driver. Some times you need an impact wrench.

Best,
Bob

MODE Studios
http://www.modestudios.com
Contributing Editor, Entertainment Design Magazine
Art of the Edit Forum Leader
Live & Stage Event Forum Leader
HD Forum Leader

[Nicholas Rivero]

Bob,

ProPresenter is not meant to be a media server by any means; it is presentation software.

Though again, as for their video engine software, ProVideo Player, it does have MIDI support and DMX is in the works. For doing simple multiscreen video playback, as it seems this thread was inquring of, PVP can do multiples of screens realtively easy and very cost effecitve in comparison to any Catalyst, Maxedia, Hippo, Wings, Watchout, or the Pandoras out there.

https://www.renewedvision.com/pvp.php

//nick