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Topic: Water screens

Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-28-2000 12:34 AM

Has anybody had any experience with the water spray screens being used in some outdoor event type shows? I just saw these on tv, and can't believe that the first I hear of them is on a "How'd They Do That?" show.

The program showed a nozzle that created a fan spray of water, and the projector beam was focused on that. It looked a lot more cool than I thought it would.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-28-2000 01:34 AM

My wife and I saw extensive use of those at Disney World's FANTASMIC show (it's in Disney/MGM Studios). They are cool, but I kind of thought they distracted from the live-action. Then again, we had lousy seats.

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 11-28-2000 06:30 AM

Sea World in Orlando also used a water spray "screen" for part of its' fireworks show. I recall the projector was aimed TOWARD the audience, with the image formed on the translucent water mist. Gave kind of a 3D effect, as the image was not on a flat surface, but it was hard to maintain a sharp image, since there is no definite place to focus.

Could be a neat "gimmick" to try at a drive-in. Would be best to confine the mist to a distinct line to form the "screen".

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com

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Phil Connolly
Film Handler

Posts: 80
From: Derby, England
Registered: May 2000

posted 11-28-2000 08:16 AM

The production company I work for once did a car launch with a image projected on to a curtain of liquid nitrogen. Dropping liquid nitrogen through a narrow slit above the stage produces a very dense curtain of nitrogen vapour. Its much more dense than smoke and it dosent waft around.

I wasn't there to see it(before I joined) but they projected a short film of a car driving towards the camera and at the correct moment the real car drove through the curtain.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-28-2000 12:33 PM

Was looking in my Disney World book last night after I made my post.

The water screens at Fantasmic spray 1200 gallons per minute and are about 40 feet tall, by about 50' wide.

Like John said, the focus isn't too good, but you can see the action clearly which is the main thing anyway.

I would love to take a backstage tour of that show, but they don't offer one

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Ben Wales
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Southampton. England
Registered: Jul 99

posted 11-28-2000 03:16 PM

They also use two water screen projection at Futuroscope Park in western France.

They have a nightly show, sometimes twice daily in the summer called "Le Lac Aux Images", it is a mix of film and lasers working to music.

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Trevor Bailey
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 113
From: Woonsocket, RI
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-28-2000 05:20 PM

Disney also used to use the water screens for their nightly Illuminations show at Epcot (although no longer since they have the "Jumbotron" globe).
Although water screens will never give you a perfect image, I think they work perfectly for these types of shows. I would like to know who originally came up with the idea and/or who originally used it.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 11-28-2000 07:47 PM

Probably predates film. The original New York Metropolitans in the 1880's played at "St. George's Grounds" right on the shores of the harbour on Staten Island. Although early attempts at night baseball using water geysers illuminated by arc lamps failed, the "technology" was used for nightly shows of "illuminated geysers" and "water fireworks"!
Yes, they really did try to pump huge arcs of water beyond the outfield, lit with arc lamps, in the hopes of lighting the field! I don't know, not so dumb really, ever hear of fibre-optics? The "Mets" were in the American Association, then considered a major league.

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Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-29-2000 01:22 AM

I have seen these screens used in a couple of additional places to thoise listed above over the past few years.

Out in front of the Luxor in Las Vegas they project King Tut's mask ( the original not the villain from the 1960's Batman series!! )on to a water screen and this works really well.

In Sydney a couple of years back I saw lasers etc projecting on to a water screen in front of the the Imax theatre in Darling Habour.Not sure if they are still there.

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Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-29-2000 08:44 AM

I'm wondering if focus isn't as much a problem as the thickness of the spray giving an appearance of soft focus?

The long lenses these must use shouldn't have a tight focus range.

I like that nitrogen curtain idea. Spiffy!

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