Translucent screen / Opaque when no light behind

[BAAL]

Hi there,

For our new project I want to "create" a separated space on stage that is sometimes seen and sometimes not.The idea is something like the plot in the link below.

I would like to behave it as glass, but be able to do som mapping on top of it.1. When I lit the space behind it, I would like the audience to see through the screen2. When there is no light behind it, I woud like the screen to be as opaque as possible (like windows when outside is dark and inside is lit).3. I would like being able to do some mapping on the screen.

I tried 1 and 2 with reflective foil. As expected, it works quite well for 1 and 2, but it completely failed at 3. Even though I did not try too hard. Maybe with a stronlens shift I would be better.I've seen Holo-Gauze and PepperScrim, both are probably too translucent, but I could try with conventional Gauze before purchasing any of these quite expensive screens.A quite interesting project I came across in this same forum was this one https://www.wilkiebranson.com/promo (but it is not really what I'm looking for).

 

I would really appreciate any hints, ideas or tricks to accomplish that.

Translucent screen

 

Edited May 22, 2019 by BAAL

[James Remo]

Metronomy (the band) used switchable privacy glass on their keyboard stands, that changed from frosted to clear with the application of power. This could be used to reveal action behind the glass or to project on the frosted surface. Not cheap and not very tour-able, but might fit your bill otherwise

 

Can be seen in this video, near the end

[BAAL]

Metronomy (the band) used switchable privacy glass on their keyboard stands, that changed from frosted to clear with the application of power. This could be used to reveal action behind the glass or to project on the frosted surface. Not cheap and not very tour-able, but might fit your bill otherwise

 

Can be seen in this video, near the end

 

Thanks James,I had seen this power opaqued glass several years ago (actually I was almost a child). As you said it is probably too expensive and not very tourable (even less taking into account that we're living on an island and need to take a plane/boat for every gig abroad). Nevertheless I'll try to check out. Maybe our guesses are wrong and it is something like light plexiglas and not that expensive.

[BristolHugo]

Happy to talk through some options if you have time for a call today:

 

0117 977 2377

 

Hugo

 

Holotronica