Vickie Claiborne has presented Media Server methods in prior years at Stage Lighting Super Saturday.
Media servers have become a key part of modern stage and live event production, especially in shows that use LED walls, projection, or multiple screens for scenic video content. They act as specialized playback systems that store, process, and send video to your displays, while staying in sync with lighting, audio, and cues from the control booth.
This Stage Seminars session introduces how media servers fit into a production, from basic video terminology and common hardware to the typical workflow for setup, patching, programming, and operating a server from a lighting console via DMX. You also get a brief history of how this niche grew out of both lighting and video, and a look at current trends in server platforms, projection mapping, and the wider digital media industry.
The updated version of this topic adds more detail on alternative control methods beyond DMX, such as networked protocols and dedicated show controllers, along with practical guidance on content creation software, media management, and projection mapping workflows that make sense in school and small‑venue environments.
Selected resources:
- https://screenberry.com/solutions/live-events
- https://livevideoart.com/about/media-servers/
- https://www.lightjams.com/mediaServer.html
- https://www.modulo-pi.com/media-servers/modulo-player/
- http://www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/VideoMattersNov12.pdf
- https://www.heavym.net/media-server-for-projection-mapping-stunning-visuals-simplified/
- https://videomapping.store/projection-mapping-software-list/
- https://plsn.com/articles/video-digerati/lighting-console-and-media-server-convergence/
