The organizers located some used 35mm projection equipment (Simplex XL's, RCA soundheads, 4000 watt Xenex lamphouses with rectifyers and Crown amps). Since they have no experience in projection or exhibition, my first task was to go with the organizers to look at the equipment and explain what they were buying and what might be missing from having a full booth set-up. Once that was done and the equipment was purchased, I have been working with a very experienced projectionist and a sound technician to assemble and troubleshoot the equipment to make sure everything is working up to par.

Now that I've given you all the background on the project, here's the question:

The organizers have purchased a truck with an enclosed back end and plan to use it as a mobile projection booth. I have not seen the truck yet but I believe it is similar to a Ryder truck. They want to permanently install the projection/sound equipment in the
truck so that they can drive it back and forth to the temporary film venue each week.

How should we anchor the pedestals and sound rack in order to prevent damage to equipment during transportation? We will be using two projectors and doing 2,000 foot changeovers. Each projector will be mounted on a standard booth pedestal. Can we just bolt the pedestals down? If we do so, will vibrations from potholes and such damage the projectors and soundheads? The same question goes for the amplifyer. The sound rack we are installing will contain one Crown solid state amp for mono sound through two Altec A7's which will be placed under the screen when a film is presented. Should the amp be somehow padded? What about the xenon bulb? I'm guessing that the bulbs should not be left in the lamps when the truck is driven.

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Live concerts and stage shows also use them for mains power. The house electrician simply ties pigtails equipped with the connectors to the buses and he's done. The techs can connect to them at will.

I'd build the truck just like any other projection booth (except for extra mounting bolts and a padded container for lamps and flywheels). You might want to consider removing the platters from the tree during transport. I would imagine a good pot hole could send them flying.

Just remember that everything that we rely on gravity for will need to be bolted down!

Put a nice 200 amp, three phase distro-panel on the wall and throw the pigtails out the back when you arrive.

Everyone will jump on me for this one, but keep a couple of magna-coms handy for when the local police officer says that your truck is too close to a fire hydrant (after you have set up)!

This sounds like a really neat project. I'm sitting here designing a truck! (LOL) I actually starting this post about an hour ago!

Keep us posted on the progress.

Hmmmm...I see by your profile that Charleston now has a stadium seating theatre. I used to live in Cross Lanes (1984-1987) and used to go to the movies in downtown Charleston, Kanawha City, and at the Valley Drive-In at St. Albans (may it rest in peace). Which part of town is your theatre located in?

Take the "digital tour". The auditorium pictured is theatre one (formerly known as theatre "A").

You will need "pig-tails" for both ends of your AC connection, as well as the bolt on connectors for the bus bars at the source.