Film Screening Tech Notes

Setting up your Video Equipment

The following comes from Mark again. One day he wrote an email describing how to set up the video equipment. Even though he had given us a mini-work -shop on how to set it up, it was good as a refresher course to have it written down. See, Mark is the main guy when it comes to the video projector, setting up and taking down. When we arrive in the venue we have about 20 minutes to set up. He does the video equipment while I take care of the tea juice, snacks and cookies table. Plus the table that has the free literature, various petitions and campaigns and videos and books for sale.

2 Plus the table that has the email address sign-up sheet and the money for when people start coming in to buy their tickets (we really don’t have tickets or a punch or put splotches of ink on their wrist). They put their money in a basket and I sit idly by watching, giving change, talking, answering questions... and that’s it.

Remember, it’s not just purchasing a video projector. It’s having the amplifier, the DVD/VHS VCR, the speakers and wires and table. Also, in venues that don’t have screens, Mark built one using a canvas painter’s cloth (around $25, 10 x 12 foot). The screen is stapled to a 2x4 that has been ripped in half. When rolled up it requires a 6" pvc pipe (which was very expensive). You prob-ably should attach the drop cloth to something smaller (like screws into a piece of 1" pipe) so when rolled up it can fit into a 4" pvc pipe (much cheaper). For transporting the screen, you can attach the pvc pipe to the top of your car and drive off to the sunset to your next venue.

<<The VP hooks up like a stereo. RCA plugs go from the output of the VCR/ DVD (connections are labeled). Observe the color codes (red and white are sound, yellow is the video). Sound goes into the amplifier (I usually use the VCR connection but you can use any, as long as it agrees with what you have it set on in the front (CD, phono, VCR, etc.). The video goes to the video projec -tor. Speaker wires go from speakers to the amplifier at the speaker connections (spring loaded). Once all connections are made, turn on the power for each item. The VCR and amplifier turn on with buttons on the front, the projector with the colored button on the remote. After a minute or so the projector will put out some light so you can see how big the screen size is. It can be adjusted a bit with the zoom on the side but the major adjustment is made by moving the projector to or from the screen. Typically the VP is approximately 25 feet away from the screen in order to project a 10 foot wide image. The tilt of the screen is made by pressing the “keystone” button on the remote and then either the up or down arrow. Once you are set you can turn off the projector for the time being by pressing the colored button (twice). When you restart, the tilt and zoom will return to the previous settings.

You can do a speaker check by choosing “DVD” on the front of the VCR/DVD player and inserting a CD. When it comes time to play the VHS tape, turn the projector back on (it takes about 30 seconds to be ready), stop the CD, choose VCR and insert the tape. You can do the focus (on the side of the projector) at this time. At the end, stop the tape and turn the projector off (again, press the colored button twice). DO NOT UNPLUG THE PROJECTOR until the fan has shut off (about 2 minutes)!!!>> Of course instructions come with your purchase of the video projector.