Guidelines to Achieve a Professional Visual Presentation

Presentations can be difficult at the best time when there’s a lot riding on the result, so the very last thing you want to be troubling about is the audio visual element. In this article I will present some basic guidelines that will help you set the room layout so you can achieve the best quality projection from your presentation.

General Guide-Lines

Viewing

* For optimum viewing, the audience should be seated within:
* +30 degrees of a line perpendicular to the screen’s centre.
* They should be seated no closer then twice the image height.

Note: (If this is not possible perhaps consider multiple viewing options for the audience).

Type of Content

* Entertainment – The last row should be no further than eight times the image height.
* Corporate – The last row should be to six times the image height.
* Critical Applications – The last row should be four times the image height

Setting the Screen

To avoid obstruction of viewing he bottom of the screen should be approximately four feet above the floor. If the seats is staggered, or if the floor is raked you can adjust this in an appropriate way. Try to avoid setting the screen to high. The ergonomics associated with snug viewing indicate no spectator should have to revolve their head more than +30 degrees from straight ahead, or tilt their head not more than 25degrees from horizontal.

Seating

The planning of the seats is important so viewers can gain full sight of the projection. Frequently the staggered seating arrangement is best suited for most situations. Overall they must be in rows, with a minimum unobstructed horizontal clearance between plumb lines from the front of an unoccupied seat to the back of the seat in front. This clearance may alter, but is typically 16 inches ( 400mm ). Aisles must be provided so that there are less than seven seats between any one seat and an aisle. The entry and exit doors must be take under consideration when planning the layout of the seats. The layout needs to designed to:

* Allow for easy of enter into the room
* Allow for quick exit in the event of an emergency
* The row contains no more than 100 seats;
* Each doorway serves no more than three rows.
* Aisles must terminate in a cross-aisle.

Front or Rear Projection?

There are a range of factors that will determine whether front or rear projections are most fitted for your displays.

Front Projection

* Front Projection can generally provide a wider viewing-angle than rear projection. It requires: Controlled lighting (ambient light must be kept off the screen to eliminate a reduction in contrast ratio).
* Requires either a projection room at the rear of the theatre, or a platform or mount for the projector(s) out in the theatre. Note that this latter is a potential noise source.
* The projection geometry must be carefully worked out to get the best compromise between image keystoning and blockage of the light path by the audience.
* Must be accessible for maintenance. A projection booth must be dust free (positive pressure preferred), and have adequate ventilation.

Rear Projection

• Rear Projection Generally has a narrower viewing-angle than front projection – better for long, narrow rooms.
• Available in flexible & rigid materials. A rigid screen is more expensive than a front projection screen, and has size restrictions.
• Rear projection room must be dust free, and have adequate ventilation.
• Requires space behind the screen. Mirrors may be used to reduce the required depth. Must be accessible for maintenance.

To decide whether front or rear projection will reinforce your presentation, ask yourself ‘What kind of presentation do iwant to give’ and “What is the point of the display’. If as an example the show is “canned” you can consider either front or rear projection. If a live talker is interacting with the presentation, rear projection is best so the spokesperson can interact with the photographs without being in the projector’s light path. In addition, the higher allowable room illumination allows for note-taking, etc.

Screen Width

Establish your minimum screen height based primarily on the distance to your farthest spectator and your ceiling height. This figure could be adjusted based on the application ( e.g. : an entertainment application will require abigger than minimum size screen for impact ).

ADA Requirements

Where required agreements will need to be made for guests who require wheelchair access, and / or who have visible or hearing impairments The accessibility and size of these spaces is outlined as :

A minimum number of aisle seats will be required to have either no aisle-side armrest or an aisle-side armrest that folds up. Certain extra signage may be required. Your sound system will require the addition of a hearing-assisted system. Your emergency systems may require the addition of strobe signals or visual messaging systems. Your video and other visual display systems may require captioning.

Miscellaneous Considerations

Equipment location

Is crucial to avoid any damage. This is generally, but not necessarily, found at the projector ( s ). This equipment may include projection controllers, a show controller, video kit, and audio hardware.

Adequate power supply

do not forget to provide satisfactory electric power for this hardware and the projector ( s ). Do not forget to permit conduit for speaker cables, control signals, for example. For boardrooms and meeting rooms you may also wish to provide accessible sources ( such as VCR’s and DVD players ).

Aesthetics or Theme

* Does it require the loudspeakers and other equipment be concealed?
* How is the presentation started?
* Automatically,
* Audience-demand,
* Host-demand, and live presenter (may require random-access control or other interactivity).

Whether your presentation is for the manager or for an enormous concern, taking a minute to plan how you want to deliver the data can make a significant difference to your audience. So take a minute a review what you are wanting to say, how you would like to say it and how is the best way for your audience to receive it. It might make the difference between wining that new job or losing it.

For more information about Audiovisual Equipment Hire or Jukebox Hire in Mandurah and stage hire services Rockingham, visit the Peel AV website today.

Article by John Black