Method for creating and storing a theatrical design and apparatus for implementing same

• US 5,331,359 A
• Filed: 11/24/1992
• Issued: 07/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Didier Leclercq
• Original Assignee: Didier Leclercq
• Inventors: Leclercq, Didier
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dowling, William C.
• Application Number:
  US07/949,873
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 353/21, 353/22, 353/28, 353/44, 353/62, 353/97, 353/121, 353/122, 354/77, 354/78, 354/76, 354/296, 352/89, 352/87, 352/138
• US Class Current: 353/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/54 with projector
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/00 Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor devices for changing pictures G03B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066

Abstract

The method comprises taking a negative picture of a stage and any objects, scenery, characters or other props thereon, recording and storing said negative, creating, recording and storing complementary and/or additional theatrical effects to be superimposed on the original effects resulting from the recording of the first negative, and producing carrier plates intended for projection and comprising the data corresponding to said recordings. An apparatus for implementing the method essentially comprises a first, optical assembly (18) acting both as a photographing apparatus and as a projection apparatus, a second, recording/storing apparatus (13-14), and a third, projection plate-creating assembly (17).

Claims

1. Method for creating and storing a theatrical design adapted to produce scenic effects characterized in that it consists in

forming at least one image of a stage optionally with scenery, props and persons thereon, adapted to produce first scenic effects,

causing said image to appear on a screen,

preparing on the screen a drawn image obtained with computer assistance producing scenic effects complementary and/or supplementary to the image of the stage,

storing said drawn image and

producing support plates to project the complementary and/or supplementary scenic effects and comprising data respective to the stored drawn image.

2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that, after the support plates are produced, the complementary and/or supplementary scenic effects are projected onto the stage.

3. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the contour of said drawn image is transferred to a glass plate to be projected and initially covered with an opaque coating adapted to be cut away to expose areas through which light is to be allowed to pass.

4. Apparatus for creating and storing a theatrical design adapted to produce scenic effects characterized in that it comprises:

means for forming at least one image of a stage optionally with scenery, props and persons thereon adapted to produce first scenic effects,

a screen for displaying the image of a stage,

a computer-assisted drawing device adapted to prepare a drawn image for producing on the display screen scenic effects complementary and/or supplementary to the image of the stage,

means for storing the drawn image, and

means for producing support plates to project the complementary and/or supplementary scenic effects on the basis of data respective to the stored drawn image.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that:

the means for forming an image of a stage comprise an optical first system (18) constituting image capture apparatus,

the storage means comprise a storage second system (13-14), and

the plate support production means comprise a projection plate production third system (17),

said storage system comprising at least one video screen (8) and at least one computer (13-14) associated with the computer-assisted drawing device.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that said optical system is also used as projection apparatus.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 characterized in that the optical system (18) comprises a video camera (6) and projection apparatus (1-3-20-21-22-23).

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that the plate production system is of a known type comprising a station for cutting out an opaque material coating film on glass (109) and a station for exposing the cut out areas (106).