The LX65 provides 6500 ANSI lumens brightness from a dual-lamp light engine for bright, realistic images. New 3D digital video processing produces sharp video images from analogue and digital sources, 90% brightness uniformity and an 1100:1 contrast ratio. The Fast Lens Change (FLC) mount is a robust lens mount system designed for no-fuss lens changes and easy set-up, while its ease of use and roadworthy build also made it ideal for Scottish Opera.
Offering the choice of projecting the full 6500 ANSI lumens, or 3250 ANSI lumens to extend the lamp life, Scottish Opera is running it at full brightness. The LX65 was rigged and assembled straight out of the box, with Scottish Opera's technical crew building a hanging cradle and shutter. The projector is used with a combination of short-throw zoom and fixed short-throw lens to front-project material specially shot and edited for Scottish Opera, and stored on two DVDs during two touring productions, Wagner's Götterdämmerung and Mozart's The Magic Flute.
Both productions have enjoyed sell-out tours. The theatre sizes can be as large as 5,000 capacity, while the full-stage projection backdrop spans a width of up to 13.5m. The Magic Flute utilizes an 8m wide screen for the dramatic fire and water sequence (with a smaller screen for one of the other sequences, where mapping techniques are used). Scottish Opera's lighting manager, Ian Irving, explained that Götterdämmerung had prompted the upgrade to a 6500 ANSI lumen device, in view of the fact that projection from the circle front would be onto a matt black set. In this production projection is used as an impact effect, lasting around a minute and a half. "We managed to adjust the focus and lens to achieve the perfect image," said Irving.
For The Magic Flute, Scottish Opera project from the lighting bridge at a steep angle, giving them the opportunity to use Christie's lens shift and key-stoning facilities to sharpen the multiple image. "This comprises a 'security camera' sequence and a montage of still images building up to the big sequence - the trial by fire and water," said Irving. "This is delivered straight onto the front projection screen." And because the sidewalls are silver mirrored, Scottish Opera is able to increase the drama with an expanded image. Scottish Opera has made some adjustments of its own. In order to achieve true black they have mounted a scroller across the front of the lens in the form of a black wrap, which scrolls on cue.
"This is our first venture into multimedia, and we are most impressed," said Irving. "We have a fairly large multimedia project coming up via our educational department, and this has given us confidence to invest further into projection." Cameron Presentations hire manager, Campbell MacLeod, who managed the sale, said: "The efficiency and flexibility of Christie, and in particular Phil Lord, has impressed both ourselves and Scottish Opera."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
