# Projecting images on a Mirror



## andreag

Hello all, i'm new here. I've been reading all post reguarding my question, but nothing good. I've been searching for someone who have been involved in the production of a mirror able to reflect videos from a projector source. I've heard about Holographic Sheets, but i've never used one and sincerely i didn't know what we are talkin about..Can someone here Help me?

THX all, and thumbs up for this great community


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## CrisCole

A mirror? I have no idea how that would be accomplished. Perhaps using a scrim would work just as well? I would never use mirror onstage. It'd be hell to work with....


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## andreag

CrisCole said:


> A mirror? I have no idea how that would be accomplished. Perhaps using a scrim would work just as well? I would never use mirror onstage. It'd be hell to work with....


 
Dear Cris, thanks for your answer. No, a scrim will not work well. The needing is about a mirror who can reflect as a normal mirror do, but with a special film (like Vikuity 3M or an Holographic Film) on it able to absorb the projector light. I've seen something like that before. Yes, it will be a hell to work with, but it will be a win. 

ps. Just to show what can be done whit a mirror on a stage 
YouTube - Inferno Showreel


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## museav

I'm still not clear on what you are trying to do. Any mirror will reflect a projected image, although first surface mirrors are recommended. And any material that 'absorbs' or does not reflect a projected image would do the same for any other visual image. There are all sorts of effects that can be achieved with different mirrors, scrims, translucent projection materials, projected live and pre-produced video and so on, but addressing any particular goal requires knowing the specifics of the situation and what you are trying to achieve.


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## andreag

museav said:


> I'm still not clear on what you are trying to do. Any mirror will reflect a projected image, although first surface mirrors are recommended. And any material that 'absorbs' or does not reflect a projected image would do the same for any other visual image. There are all sorts of effects that can be achieved with different mirrors, scrims, translucent projection materials, projected live and pre-produced video and so on, but addressing any particular goal requires knowing the specifics of the situation and what you are trying to achieve.


 
The final goal is like this Projection Screens Limited | Projectors Screens, Projection Screens, Rear Projection, Front projection, projection foils, projection films , but: i need to have a given shape, so i need something like a HOLOGRAPHIC FILM. Im not asking for reflecting a projected image/video. I'm italian, so my written english can be difficult to interpret, but I thought that I was clear on explain what i'm trying to achieve.


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## icewolf08

So it sounds like you need some kind of one-way glass whose rear surface would be suitable for rear projection. This, in theory, would allow the front to be reflective like a mirror, yet when you project from the rear the audience would see the image. I think no matter what this has to be a rear projection solution.


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## ruinexplorer

So, my understanding of what you want is something that is not square or rectangle like a traditional mirror. You want the surface to appear to be a mirror, but when projected on, you see the image as well as what is being projected. Maybe you only want a portion of the mirror to be able to have the image. Am I on track?

There are several manufacturers who make projection film that adheres to glass or acrylic (which you could cut to your given shape). Try here, here, or here. I think that your best bet would be to rear project on an one-way mirror with the film on it to show the image.


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## andreag

ruinexplorer said:


> So, my understanding of what you want is something that is not square or rectangle like a traditional mirror. You want the surface to appear to be a mirror, but when projected on, you see the image as well as what is being projected. Maybe you only want a portion of the mirror to be able to have the image. Am I on track?
> 
> There are several manufacturers who make projection film that adheres to glass or acrylic (which you could cut to your given shape). Try here, here, or here. I think that your best bet would be to rear project on an one-way mirror with the film on it to show the image.


 
Thanks. That's what i've been talkin about. I'll be workin on this next week, for now i think that i had a lot of information to start the project. The show is scheduled for June, but as soon that i start to create the scene i'll post some thought on this. Again, thanks to all for the support and ideas. Still being accepted new one's, if someone have.


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## dumaisaudio

So how did this turn out for you?

I'm looking to do something very similar. I'm doing a show that takes place in a dance studio, and there is a large mirror (probably 12' long by 8' high) along the back of the set, and I'll need to rear project an image or video onto that at the end of the show. Does anyone have experience with these materials that have been linked, and any thoughts on which ones are better? I don't have any experience with using these materials, but I need to start getting an idea of how they look and pricing info.


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## SHARYNF

dumaisaudio said:


> So how did this turn out for you?
> 
> I'm looking to do something very similar. I'm doing a show that takes place in a dance studio, and there is a large mirror (probably 12' long by 8' high) along the back of the set, and I'll need to rear project an image or video onto that at the end of the show. Does anyone have experience with these materials that have been linked, and any thoughts on which ones are better? I don't have any experience with using these materials, but I need to start getting an idea of how they look and pricing info.


 If it is an existing mirror it is going to be very difficult (impossible) to rear project on it as the mirror is likely attached to a wall, and is typically totally silvered over on the rear. If all you want it to be able to see an image in the mirror then you could look at projecting the image you want on a surface that will then be reflected in the mirror. but It will be tricky to get it to work since you probably cannot alter the angle of the mirror. you could experiment with an image and seeing if you can place it above the mirror at an angle that is reflected, and then use keystone correction on a projector to make the corrections

You could place something over the surface of the mirror but that will dramatically reduce the reflection ability since you only have (I think) the ability to front project.

Sharyn


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## museav

I think ruin's approach would be interesting to try, use a half-silvered mirror and with a diffusion surface on the back side. Keep the projector side dark and the front side lit during normal use, then drop the lights on the front side and hit the back with the projector for projection. I don't know how much loss would occur or how clear an image you could get, that would probably depend on a number of factors. It looks like the concept has been used for a number of applications:

YouTube - Rear projection on half-silvered mirror
YouTube - Interactive Mirror
YouTube - Interactive Magic Mirror
YouTube - Interactive Mirror

You might note in some of the videos that one potential factor with this concept is that dark areas in the projected image tend to remain viewed from the front side as a mirror rather than as dark areas. The same applies to off axis viewing, but a diffusion surface on the rear should help with that. Dropping the light level hitting the front of the mirror should reduce this effect, but the potential image contrast seems likely to be rather limited.

Now you just need to find an 8' high, 12' wide half-silvered mirror!


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