DIY Rear Projection Screen Approx $20, Cheap Homemade GREAT Picture!

Links and a cliff-notes description as to how to build these screens - all below! To see a full song-set from this band, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQZaYF6O7s Curtains Parts List: Here's the curtain I used for my big 9 footers: http://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-X-Wide-Shower-Curtain-Liner/dp/B003M6ANPG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358721403&sr=8-3&keywords=xwide+shower+curtain NOTE: the sizes are listed on this page. I chose the 108x72 so that I could get a full 9ft out of it. Anything smaller you should be able to find at WalMart, Target, etc. Black Duct tape... you can get anywhere - I bought mine at WalMart. Ditto the grommets. While you can build stands - I already had some from video work we do at church. I bought them here / these are the ones I have: http://www.skaeser.com/servlet/the-521/backdrop-stands%2Cphotographer-backdrop%2C-backdrop/Detail FYI - from my experience venders get new versions often, so... if that link doesn't work anymore, just buy what you need from their current selection: http://www.skaeser.com/servlet/Categories?category=BACKGROUND+SUPPORT+SYSTEMS HOW I BUILT THESE: #1 - I bought shower curtains that say "Frost" on them (not clear, not white - FROST). #2 - I bought several rolls of black duct tape. #3 - I bought a grommet kit from WalMart ($4 bucks & it had everything I needed to install grommets - except for a hammer!) #4 - I hung the shower curtain from the stand I had (you could use PVC pipe, wood, whatever you want to support it) and then I STEAMED it to get the wrinkles / folds out of the curtain. I used a hand steamer we had at church for getting wrinkles out of our green screen - bought it for $20 at Bed Bath & Beyond http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=17180746&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CL3G_ODI-LQCFe1xOgodA1kAHg THE KEY here is to steam the curtain, not burn it! The steam is HOT - if you get it too close to the curtain it will melt it. Keep your distance - probably 6-8 inches away, and keep the steamer moving / don't just have it blasting at one spot or you will melt / "shrink" a spot... skewing your screen! No good! FYI - I tried ironing these curtains. That was a train wreck! No matter how I tried it (with towels in-between - with WET towels in-between - at this temperature setting or that temperature setting... etc, etc!) it either melted the curtain, or severely shrunk it (skewing the shape of the curtain / screen). No good. #5 - I took the curtain down and placed it on 4 large tables (could do on the floor as well) we had at church (creating one LARGE surface for me to work on) and then, I measured out the screen size that I needed ONTO the curtain - and traced the lines / drew the lines using a straight edge (be careful here - or you'll end up with a screen that isn't square!). If you are no good at figuring out the dimensions (me either!) than you can do what I did and download an app to do the math for you! :-) Seriously, thats what I did and it worked well. As of this printing there were at least 10 on the app store (Mac) that were free. NOTE: If your shower curtain has grommets already across the top - you'll want to cut those off / make sure your measured screen space is "below" the top grommets. Also, some shower curtains come with magnets imbedded along the bottom. You'll want to make sure your measurements are above those. Don't want a magnet in the middle of your finished screen! :-) BOTTOM LINE - make sure the screen you are measuring out is BELOW the curtains grommets and ABOVE the preinstalled magnets. #6 - I cut the screen to size (with much fear and trepidation on the first one!) #7 - I taped the corners as described in the video, to hold the curtain in place - and then Duct taped one side. THEN (not described on the video!) I flipped the curtain / screen over and duct taped the side opposite of what I just taped. ie, I was duct taping BOTH SIDES of the screen - front and back, not just on one side! This is important as it not only helps the screen hold its shape / be taunt once hung - but it also provides a solid surface to grommet to. #8 - I installed grommets across the top of the screen. Nothing fancy here. I put one in both corners - then measured to the middle of the screen and put one there. I then measured the 1/2 way point between middle and each corner, and put another one there. Depending on your screen size... you just keep doing this, "halfing" the measurement and installing as many grommets as you want. When the top was sufficient, I installed one grommet in each of the bottom two corners. For my setup, this was sufficient. If you are wanting to build a full frame to go all the way around the screen... well, then you'll need grommets all the way around the screen. Just repeat what I did for the top, on all sides. #9 - The screen is complete. Hang it wherever you want it! :-) Contact me, Pastor Mark: http://www.imperfectchurch.com/#/find-us/contact-us