Stunning video content for theatre and performances

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Video screens and projection open up endless possibilities to enhance your theatre shows, concerts and other performance productions.

I have over 20 years experience creating animated video content, and can work solo or in collaboration with production designers, scenic artists and lighting designers to create stunning video content which will enhance your production, increase production values and wow audiences.

Contact me to discuss your requirements.

Scenery

By using a projection or large video screen as a backdrop, it becomes possible to make imaginative transitions from one scene to another, and create scenery that would be difficult or impossible to create using traditional methods.

In the example below I was asked to create a street scene and the interior of a record store as an extension to the physical scenery that had been created for a cruise ship show. The visuals are played on a large LED screen at the back of the stage, and include animated elements such as a sunrise/sunset, moving clouds, rain and transitions between scenes.

Scenic visuals for Soul'd musical show on a Marella cruise ship.

Simulating Motion

By adding motion to a background scene, we can create the illusion that actors on the stage are in motion, whether that be flying through clouds, sailing on an ocean, or driving in a car for example.

In the first example below, created for a touring production of Alice In Wonderland, a video projection filling the rear of the stage creates the illusion that "Alice" is shrinking and then travelling under a doorway into a magical forest

Character shrinking illusion for Immersion Theatre's production of Alice In Wonderland

In this second example, the character – an inventor – creates a flying machine and flies through a forest and along a coastline before heading into space and around the moon:

Performance background visuals for Hannah Brownlow's aerial hoop act based around an inventor who makes a flying machine.

Abstract imagery

The example below demonstrates how I can create abstract animated compositions to fit a specific theme, timed to match the nuances of a piece of music. See also the Music Industry section of my website for lots more examples of my style

Performance background visuals for aerialist Dan De Lion's Chinese-themed aerial hoop act.

Interactive visuals and pyrotechnics

With careful rehearsal it's even possible to have real actors on stage seemingly 'interacting' with a video backdrop which can be a great way of achieving effects which would otherwise be impossible.

The example below demonstrates this at the beginning, and also features a wide range of pyrotechnic effects.

Performance background visuals for Cloud Aerial Arts' fire-themed group aerial hoop act, featuring Maria Stutt.

Animating actors

Perhaps you want to have an actor grow into a giant or dissolve into sand – I can film actors and manipulate the footage to achieve these effects which would be impossible by other means.

In this first example, part of the way through the performance a male performer drops down and is spinning on a rope before being turned to stone by 'Medusa'

Performance background visuals for aerialist Amber Kelsey-Woodward's Medusa-themed aerial silks act.

In this second example, a second performer appears on the backdrop, mirroring what the live performer is doing on the stage.
This is followed by the Demon Queen's flashbacks to her victims that she's spent the day torturing – this footage was giving a grungy texture and I played around with the speed of the footage to make it feel surreal.
(Please note this video contains adult content of a sexual nature – NSFW.)

Performance background visuals for Porcelain's hell-themed aerial straps act.

Atmospheric effects

I can create atmospheric effects such as bolts of lightning, snow, clouds, wind and rain. These could even be projected onto painted cloths. I can also add magical effects such as sparkling glitter and colour effects.

The example below also includes a scene inside the neural network of a brain, an example of the kind of unusual scenery that can be created with video.

Performance background visuals for aerialist Sarah Denise Cordery's 'Face Your Fears' dance trapeze act.

In all of the examples above, a full-stage backdrop projection was used, but video can also be used in other ways – for example you might have a set which includes a window, and rather than having a painted cloth behind the window, you could have a projection of an animated scene outside the window. An alternative to projection would be using LED screens, which could be built into scenery or props.

Please note that you will probably need a video technician to specify/install/operate video display and playback equipment in your production.

Contact me to discuss your requirements and I'll be happy to provide a quote.

Filming

I am equipped with a portable chroma-key studio setup comprising backdrops, lighting and camera equipment which can be used to film actors in 4K ultra-HD resolution for use in scenic elements or in promotional videos.

© Phil Bearman Creative Media Solutions 2025