[SML] Scrim for contrast enhancement?

[Joe]

I am designing for a band, where we want to use either video projection or laser animation upstage of the performers.  The stage will not have a lot of light on it, and I will be doing a lot of back or side lighting on the performers.  We will also be using a fair amount of aerial lasers over the audience's head. But, I also want the upstage area to look relatively dark.  The stage is 25' deep, and I am allowing 5' upstage of that for projecting onto the screen.  How about a little ASCII art? (I haven't seen that used in a while).  This is a view from the side.


                    Black
                    Scrim     Screen
                      :         |
                      :     /   |
                      :    /    |
            __________:   /___  |
           |  Stage   | []
Audience   |__________| Projector


We do expect to avoid hitting the scrim directly with any light. And aside from video or laser animation, I will occasionally hit the screen with other lighting and effects. I am inspired by the use of a sheer cloth over the front of CRT computer monitors for CAD stations in the 80', to reduce reflections and help contrast.  If I use some scrim material (fairly fine weave to avoid Moiré effect) , that will cut some of the ambient light going in, and cut it again as it reflects. Whereas the scrim will only cut the brightness of the image once.
Another benefit, is if I go with a rear-screen projection system that doesn't span the entire stage.  Then the scrim can span the entire width of the stage, and help to unify the entire upstage curtain.  This will hopefully hide the presence of the rear-projection screen.
Has anyone else tried this sort of set-up?  I am trying to figure out how opaque the scrim should be.

-Joe
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