Marquee speakers and screens

[Jupton24]

Ive got 2 quotes from 2 diffrent audio companies but they differ quite massivly in terms of spec and I am after advice on which one to go for.

Were doing a event outside under a marquee that is 15m x 36m ish seating 1000 people with the stage in the gable end  and having a couple of kid choirs and a kid rock band along with predominantly a lecturn mic as its a speech day. 

One company has come in with 4 q7 and 4 q subs with 2 7k rear projectors either side of the stageing area.

Whilst the other has come in with 6 y7p flown via kader clamps, 4 b6s and 4 60" tvs spanned down the side of the marquee. 

Im just wondering what is the best one to opt for as one company said tvs don't work in marquees but im just worried about how will eveyone see the projectors either side of the stage. 

Thanks 

 

[Dave m]

years since I was involved in projection and marquees but...

we used to do overflow video to a marquee in July and the company added blackout material to the marquee.

A nylon based liner was added, which restricted airflow and made it far too hot to sit for long.

I'd go for a video wall or strings of repeater monitors

 

[timsabre]

Assuming this is an event during daylight, and this is a standard clearspan marquee without blackout lining, I'd definitely go for multiple TV's.  RP projector contrast will be rubbish with a 7K projector - if they tent the rear of the screens to make a projection "tunnel" it'll be slightly better but I would still go for the TV's. If the marquee is blacked out or it's night time then it's a different story.

 

Also not sure you were asking about sound but the flown speakers will give better sound distribution without blasting the people at the front, than ground stack, in my opinion.

[ImagineerTom]

Projection in a marquee (unless it's a black-out marquee and 99% of them aren't) will be a washout, literally. 

With the back row of seats potentially 30+ meters from the stage then unless the screens either side of the stage are double the height of the performers they won't be providing any meaningful improvement in view for the bulk of the audience, repeater screens are a much better choice but even then consideration should be given to what they are being used for; the screen size and quantity will be very different for IMAG than for relaying a text heavy powerpoint or for simply displaying branding/graphics.

 

Also side note - 15x36m containing a stage and backstage (that's immediately reduced the FOH space to 15x30m) is very optimistic for 1000 people seated. A proper regulation compliant grandstand system at maximum density has a rule of thumb of 1.5 people per m2 (this allows for not just the space of the people but also the required gangways and clearances) so you'd be getting a capacity of closer to 700 in a structure that size.

[Jupton24]

Thanks for this... Yeah I agree 1000 is the absolute max number of seats I think there is also a plan to seat most of the younger kids on the floor cross legged...

36 minutes ago, ImagineerTom said:

Also side note - 15x36m containing a stage and backstage (that's immediately reduced the FOH space to 15x30m) is very optimistic for 1000 people seated. A proper regulation compliant grandstand system at maximum density has a rule of thumb of 1.5 people per m2 (this allows for not just the space of the people but also the required gangways and clearances) so you'd be getting a capacity of closer to 700 in a structure that size.

 

[kerry davies]

Read what Tom said again. Even without a stage or aisles or 3 metre clearances around fire exits you aren't going to get 1,000 seated audience in 540 sq metres..... safely. 

I am sitting here right now watching my freebie 48" TV across the 10 foot wide lounge with the curtains closed. I can't see it because of the sun and I know projections just don't result in visible images in bright sunlight in a marquee. If they think just pointing a camera at a stage full of kids will result in anything but frutration they should think again.

Sound is probably best done by a conference sound company used to spoken word and delays. I think hanging clusters is unnecessary and overall my best advice is K.I.S.S. keep it to basics otherwise the budget will run away. You already need a bigger tent if it will fit and a bigger site if it won't. Oh, and thinking they can sit several dozen kids on the floor is just asking for trouble. 

These people do have stuff like insurance, first aid, fire safety and sanitation sorted I trust?

[sunray]

1 hour ago, kerry davies said:

Read what Tom said again. Even without a stage or aisles or 3 metre clearances around fire exits you aren't going to get 1,000 seated audience in 540 sq metres..... safely. 

I am sitting here right now watching my freebie 48" TV across the 10 foot wide lounge with the curtains closed. I can't see it because of the sun and I know projections just don't result in visible images in bright sunlight in a marquee. If they think just pointing a camera at a stage full of kids will result in anything but frutration they should think again.

Sound is probably best done by a conference sound company used to spoken word and delays. I think hanging clusters is unnecessary and overall my best advice is K.I.S.S. keep it to basics otherwise the budget will run away. You already need a bigger tent if it will fit and a bigger site if it won't. Oh, and thinking they can sit several dozen kids on the floor is just asking for trouble. 

These people do have stuff like insurance, first aid, fire safety and sanitation sorted I trust?

Our 10 x 15m (10 x 19 including stage) church hall is limited to 125 theatre style (I'm guessing mainly due to fire exits) which would multiply up to something like 450.

I've known 160 in the hall and it felt rammed solid, that would multiply up to 570. Admitted ly the larger space accomodates better due to the Aisle spacing etc but attempting 1000 just feels so far out of kilter without looking at rules and regs.

 

Thinking back to my school hall at 40 x 60ft (~240m2) we tightly squeezed 600 youngsters in and it really was tight with a 6ft aisle and pretty much no other space and minimal leg space, that's 2.5 to the m2.

 

Who came up with 1000????

Edited May 24, 2022 by sunray

[Junior8]

If you take Tom's allowance for the stage and assume 15x30 m that gives a working area of 450 m2. Using the yellow book recommendations at their loosest that might give a seating capacity of 450 but using the 1.5 m2 suggested in Section 5.20 Table C which I have always used personally when working out marquee load factors as it allows for everything else  that capacity would be closer to 300 at worst. For me you might get 500-600 with good planning and proper stewarding if all went well but 1000 - no way.

Video-wise unless the marquee is blacked out properly the sun will win. 

[kerry davies]

As a nosey parker I PM'd James who replied;

Quote

 Yes it was a success in the end. The school changed its mind at the last min for a marquee ( I know typical school business looks at the budget then says we cant aford it anymore) so we had it out in the open and hired in a screen trailer with a gennie onboard. We copuled that with 2 y10p and 4 y7p and 4 b6 units. Then hired in a ton of cable and cameras

All's well that ends, as my Dad used to say.