Setting Up a Projector Safely

Follow your projector's manual for model-specific steps. These general steps apply to most theatre setups.

Placement and mounting

Use a mount rated for the projector's weight, and the projector's own mounting points. Secure the projector with a safety cable when it's hung overhead.
Have a qualified person (such as your technical director or a rigging professional) hang projectors over people. Don't improvise mounts or hang a projector from lighting hardware that isn't rated for it.
Leave clearance around the vents and keep the projector away from haze and fog sources where possible.
Set the projector to the right orientation: front/rear and ceiling/floor (often called "projection mode" in the menu).

Plug into a dedicated circuit where possible, not shared with dimmers.
Run your video signal (HDMI or HDBaseT, depending on your setup) and test it before final focus. See Connecting a computer to your projector.

Power on and let a laser projector warm up for a few minutes.
Position the image with lens shift first, then zoom, then focus.
Use keystone or geometry correction only for what lens shift can't fix. See Projector image alignment.

Test your actual show content with stage lights on, and check for actor shadows from the house and from the wings.

Renting? Model-specific guides for rental projectors are in the Broadway Media Stage Projectors help center.