Projection Design: Getting Started

Make it Sparkle Video with Price Johnston
Professional Projection Designer

Director’s Notes

In this segment, Price discusses

  • Consider what surface you want, and how to project onto that surface. Then you can decide on what gear to use.

  • Learn how to troubleshoot, as gear often doesn't run smoothly right away.

  • Find a projector that provides enough lumens at the distance you want. Then finding a laptop that will run your software.

  • Learn how to convert a video to send it at a long distance.

  • Don’t get lost in the logistics. Get the projector and the computer. Don't forget the surface. The other stuff will start to work itself out.

About Price Johnston

Price Johnston’s career in design has spanned theatre, dance, and opera in both the U.S. and abroad. With work in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Moscow, Athens (Greece), London, Atlanta, St. Petersburg (Russia), and Denver, he has designed over 180 productions. His credits include: the world premiere of Jomandi Productions’ Lavender Lizards Lilac Landmines: Layla’s Dream by Tony nominated playwright Ntozake Shange (14th Street Playhouse, Atlanta, Ga. and the 2004 National Black Theatre Festival), the Off-Broadway production of Two Rooms (Trilogy Theatre, New York), Guys and Dolls (2000 British Tour), and the world premieres of Huckleberry Finn: The Musical, and A Southern Christmas Carol (Cotton Hall Theatre), written by award-winning playwright/director Rob Lauer. Other design credits include American Buffalo, Oh What a Lovely War, Assassins, The World Goes Round, and Never Enough, choreographed by Shapiro and Smith (Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.), Company, Art, The Complete History of America Abridged (Greenshoe Theatre Company), Swamp Gravy: Down at the Depot “Georgia’s Official Folk Life Play” (Cotton Hall Theatre), Clue: The Musical, The Miracle Worker, Lighting Director for Bates Dance Festival (Lewiston, Maine), Sabrina Fair, Hamlet (1990 American College Theatre Festival Nominee), Janis Brenner’s Lost/Found/Lost (Isadora Duncan International Dance Festival – Kransnoyarsk, Russia), The 2008 Jeff Award-Winning Production of 1776 (Chopin Theatre – Chicago), Passiones (Athenaeum Theatre – Chicago), Lighting/Sound/Video supervisor for the international touring dance company David Dorfman Dance: Underground, The Pee-Wee Herman Show (Club Nokia Theatre, Los Angeles), A Midsummer Nights Dream (Moscow Cosmos Theatre/St. Petersburg Music Hall, Russia), and the Chicago premiere of I Sing! (Chicago Playwright Theatre). Price has also served as Production Manager for Live Design International (LDI), the LDI Conference – LDInstitute and Live Design Broadway Training and Masters Classes (Lighting, Concert Sound and Projection Design). His recent work includes the 2015 Drama Desk Award Nominated - Best Projection Design - Donogoo (The Mint Theatre, Off-Broadway - New York), Young Frankenstein The Musical (Union Colony Civic Center Theatre - Greeley, Colo.), the World Premieres of Eh Joe and Beckett’s Women (2015 Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival - Enniskillen, Ireland) and The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway (Stephen Sondheim Theatre - New York). Price holds a M.F.A in Lighting Design from the University of Florida, and a Bachelors Degree in Theatrical Design from Colorado Mesa University. He is a member of USITT and the iDMAA.

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Sound Design of Little Shop of Horrors

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Day in the Life of a Touring Actor