Projector screen on rent: what size and what type?
Two simple rules will get the size right.
Rule one: viewing distance. The person farthest from the screen should sit no more than about six times the screen height away. So a screen that is 7.5 feet tall works for viewers up to about 45 feet back.
Rule two: screen height off the floor. The bottom of the screen should sit at least four feet off the ground. If it sits lower, everyone past row three sees the back of someone’s head instead of your content.
Common rental screen sizes:
| Screen | Format | Good for |
|---|
| 6 by 8 tripod | 4:3 | Under 40 people, small rooms |
| 7.5 by 10 fast fold | 4:3 | 50 to 100 people |
| 7.5 by 13 fast fold | 16:9 | 100 to 200 people, standard for video |
| 9 by 16 fast fold | 16:9 | 200 to 400 people |
| 12 by 21 fast fold | 16:9 | Large ballrooms and general sessions |
Front projection vs rear projection. Front projection puts the projector in the room, which means a light path guests can walk through and a shadow risk. Rear projection puts the projector behind the screen, which looks cleaner and keeps the stage clear, but it needs floor space behind the screen. If your venue has the room, rear projection almost always looks better.
Dress kit and skirt. A screen with a black dress kit and a floor skirt looks finished. A bare screen frame on a bare tripod looks like a classroom. It usually costs very little to add.
Renting a projector and screen for hire together
Renting a projector and screen for hire as one package is almost always cheaper and safer than renting them separately from two places. You get one company matching the lens to the throw distance, the aspect ratio to the content, and the brightness to the room, and one company responsible if the image does not look right.
A standard projector and screen package should include the projector, the correct lens, the screen with a dress kit, a stand or rigging, an HDMI or SDI run long enough to reach your laptop position, a switcher if you have more than one source, and a confidence monitor if someone is presenting with their back to the screen.
Ask for the cable run length before the day. The single most common problem at events is a laptop that ends up 60 feet from a projector with a 25-foot cable.
Event lighting rental in Los Angeles
Event lighting rental covers everything from simple uplighting around a room to full dance floor production. Here is what each piece actually does.
Uplighting. LED fixtures placed on the floor along the walls, aimed up. They change the color of the entire room, and they are the highest impact per dollar in event lighting. Wireless battery units run 8 to 10 hours and need no cable runs, which matters in venues that will not let you tape cable across walkways. Most rooms need 12 to 24 units.
Wash lighting. Broad, even light over the dance floor, the head table, or a stage. This is what makes photos and video look good. Without it, your photographer is shooting into darkness and using flash all night.
Pin spots. Narrow beams aimed at centerpieces, the cake, or the head table. Small detail, big difference in photos.
Moving heads. Motorized fixtures that pan, tilt, and change color and pattern. This is dance floor energy. They need a controller and someone running them, or a program set in advance.
Monogram or gobo projection. Your names, a date, or a logo projected on a wall or dance floor. Needs a clean surface and enough throw distance.
Haze. A light haze makes beams visible in the air. Check with the venue first. Many Los Angeles venues have smoke detectors that will trip, and some require a fire watch. Ask before you assume.
String and bistro lighting. For outdoor and tented events. Needs rigging points and a power plan.
