Hiring a Laser Show Company
Information provided by
www.laserfx.com
Many people are dazzled by the beauty
and excitement of laser shows. The word
laser itself conjures up visions ranging
from high technology entertainment to
“death rays”. This mystique can be a
useful tool in promoting special events,
or to make an event memorable.
Types of events
Laser shows can be used for many
different types of events where impact
and unusual visual effects are desired.
In these pages we are providing
information for those planning to use a
laser show as part of a one-time or
limited run event - permanent
installations are not covered although
some of the information given may be
applicable to an installation situation.
The most common types of events where
you can see laser shows are:
Large scale public and civic events such
as national holiday celebrations or
festivals
Laser and fireworks spectaculars
Grand openings and other store
promotions
Awards ceremonies
Corporate Theater (in-house corporate
meetings, promotions, product
announcements and internal company
events)
Trade shows
Laser Billboards
Traditional theater, musicals, opera,
ballet, magic shows and rock concerts
Dances and raves
Birthday parties, bat/bar mitzvah
parties and wedding receptions
Depending on the type of event,
different styles of laser shows and
different configurations of laser system
will be required. For large scale public
events and outdoor shows, high power
lasers systems are required. For indoor
events, lower power systems can be used.
For a Corporate Theater, Trade Show or
Laser Billboard, the emphasis might be
on graphics while other types of shows,
particularly dance and party events, may
use more beam effects.
Should you be using lasers?
While laser has a certain mystique and
can be exciting to watch, it should be
used with your production objectives in
mind. A laser system is a low bandwidth
information presentation medium (unlike
video) thus the message to be presented
needs to be simplified into a series of
bold images. Unlike video, laser beams
are intrinsically three dimensional and
can "reach out" from the stage, over and
through the audience to add impact.
If you are considering a situation where
you could use a laser system or video
projection, it is important that you
recognize the strengths and weakness of
the two types of displays:
Video systems are capable of real-time
displays of live subjects, full motion
at 25 or 30 frames per second, shaded
color filled areas, and the images are
relatively simple to produce. Modern
laser systems are capable of simulating
some of these effects but with limited
size and bandwidth images.
Video images are limited to monitors,
video walls, or large screen projection.
They suffer from limited resolution. No
matter how large you make the projected
image (and the current limit appears to
be about 6 X 9 meters [20 X 30 ft]), it
has limited resolution as you are making
the same 525 or 625 lines of information
larger. Laser images can be scaled to
very large sizes without degrading the
resolution.
Video projection requires a flat surface
for the image to be in focus. Laser
graphics are in focus all the way along
the path and can be projected onto
irregular surfaces without loosing
focus.
Lasers are capable of large, bright,
colorful displays of outline images but
with a more limited information content
than video projections.
The colors in laser displays are pure
and more saturated than in any other
medium. Speckle adds a unique effect not
possible in other displays.
The contrast ratio (difference between
light and dark parts of the image) is
extremely high with lasers causing the
image to appear to "float" away from the
surface onto which it is projected. This
illusion can be enhanced by using 3D
laser images.
Laser beam displays have a unique three
dimensional aspect that is not possible
with other types of displays.
Laser systems can also project large and
colorful abstract and optical effects
that are impossible to duplicate with
other projected displays.
In small-scale applications where
detailed information must be presented,
video is the clear choice. In large
scale applications where pure colors,
bright images, and limited information
must be conveyed in a spectacular
manner, laser displays are the clear
choice. It is also possible to combine
video images with laser graphics for
added effect or to exploit the strengths
of both of the imaging mediums.
Before you hire
Before you start looking for a laser
company, it is best that you have some
idea as to how you plan to use the
laser. The laser show could be used as
the main focus of the event or it may be
used as a special effect. For example,
the laser show would be the main focus
of the event when celebrating a civic
holiday if it is presented after some
brief remarks by civic leaders.
In a corporate trade show or laser
billboard application, the objective is
to convey a message or generate
product/brand awareness. This is best
done with graphics and animations that
are designed to get the viewer's
attention and "imprint" the message or
logo on the viewer. While this type of
laser show may be graphics intensive,
the content of the show may repeat in a
short cycle so as to get the attention
of an audience that are more "passers
by" than a group that has assembled
specifically to watch the laser show.
A laser show typically plays more of a
special effects role when used in a rock
concert or theatrical setting as the
main interest of the au
