Show creation with M-III

M-III was developed for the most easiest and comfortable way to create a show within the shortest amount of time. To understand the fundamentals of M-III, here are some explanations.

Creating a show

A show consists of several frames (images), which are set on the time line with a linear and absolute time setting. It can be simply played or be manipulated and animated with various effects. The time line shows the absolute time starting at time zero to (in theory) infinite. Every second on the time line is divided into 25 frames. This results in 25 cues per second up to 1500 cues per minute. A show with a length of 4 minutes could possibly consist of 6.000 cues. Every cue can contain one or more frames. The number of frames per cue is dependent on the length of the cue, the content of the frame (how many points per frame) and the scan speed. A quick example:

Your frame (image) consists of 200 points, which is not much. Some frames can contain up to 5.000 points, which in contrary is very much. A normal frame should consist of about 500 to 1500 points. Just for our example we assume that our frame consists of 200 points. Our scan speed is set to 20.000 points per second. We now divide the number of points, which has been put out by our galvanometers (scan speed), with the number of points each frame contains. This way we get the repetition rate of our projection system. In our case:

20.000 points per second / 200 points = 100 frames per second.

The image we created is now going to be repeated 100 times per second.

Since we learned that the M-III time line can hold up to 25 cues per second, we divide our 100 frames by 25 cues:

100 frames per second / 25 cues per second = 4 frames per cue

Consequently each of our 25 cues holds 4 frames.

The more points a frame has got, the less it can be repeated within a cue.

Note:

A cue is an absolute moment on the time line, which is going to be repeated 25 times per second.

Frames are created with an adjustable start- and ending time on the time line. Each scene can consist of a different amount of frames. Starting with one frame only up to an unlimited amount of frames, which will be played on your laser projector after your start- and ending time. Many scenes can be attached to each other on the time line and played depending on the set time window, which you can see at the time line.

Scenes are mighty tools in M-III to realize your ideas onto the laser projector. You can do much more in a scene than just playing a frame or a frame list. Animate scenes, let them rotate, zoom or move, transform, or create a scene with scrolling text or simply give out the current time. It’s as easy as that!

On the main screen of the M-III you can see the current time, at which your show is played. This time line is 100% parallel to your music. If you have selected a music file, time line is going to show you the exact time of your song with 25 cues per second.

Scenes on the time line will be played at the exact time you set them to. Start- and ending time of each scene is freely adjustable and can be set to any time on the time line, even between different tracks. Simply drag the scenes with your mouse.

A whole show consists of many scenes, which again consists of single frames, moving text, current time or pauses. Many scenes are counted among a show. A good and optimally timed show can easily consist of many thousands of scenes within single cues. Sometimes less is more and sometimes a show lives through cues. This is not only depending on your taste, but also on your artistic intentions or on the used music genre. M-III contains a great amount of shows with different styles. Simply load a show and enjoy it while you watch the artist’s impressions. After you watched the show, go through the time line and look how the show has been created by means of the many different tools and effects. It may be a bit confusing at the beginning, but once you get a feeling for the M-III (which happens quite fast from experience), you will find many ideas and your shows are going to be created within a few clicks. You will be amazed how fast professional shows with breathtaking effects can be created with the M-III.