Ok that is so simple I feel stupid.
If the masks are cloth is there something like a wooden/metal dowel at the top and bottom of each mask to hold them straight or do they just ride against the screen to keep them flat, or are the masks solid?
I’m guessing you could also make a similar rig for the sides for 1.33:1 material. I watch lots of Anime most of which is 1.33:1.
I was originally going to try something more "solid" at first before I found the pulley idea. But then, with the way my VP150 is right under the screen, and a lack of height above the screen due to it being under duct work, something more "pliable" was needed.
I have two 10' tubes of 1/2" conduit. The stuff stays rigid enough for this application. I will cut them down to the correct sizes as well. Then I have a piece of black velvet cut to make the two "masks". One end was folded over and sewn to make a place for the metal conduit to go in to. The fabric will be adhered to the conduit to make it a nice secure, and ultra smooth fit. The bottom will have the fabric "hanging" from the conduit, and the top will have a wider strip of fabric with the top secured to the ceiling (to hide the pulleys and for the next reason) with the conduit end hanging down. This again will provide the straightest and smoothest edge where it matters most, along the screen image. I didn't quite depict that difference in the top with my diagram, but basically, the diagram would only need the cord, line, rope, whatever for the top mask to be drawn to the bottom of that mask where the conduit is.
My biggest thing to experiment with is how much "slack" will be in the top mask. I don't want it to start looping down too much.
I may just add something a little more rigid behind the top mask to hold it flat a little, but not all of the way up so that I won't be running into the ceiling with the rigid part. Another option would be to put metal conduit at both the tops and bottoms of both masks, and then just attach to the tops like I DO have in the diagram. Then it is still a flexible mask, but I can pull the top mask from its top, and still have a smooth surface on the bottom. Then I would just add some sort of small hanging "curtain" above the masks and screen to hide the pulley system. Heck, I could even probably just attach the line (rope, string, etc) directly to the top of the top mask without any additional horizontal support. As long as the pulleys were "pulling" it outward, it should stay pretty flat. I would have my daughter (who knows how to sew) put in some "button holes" so that the fabric doesn't tear.
Lots to work out, but it is very doable and should be great when it is done.... Even if it is a "poor man's" solution and not as sophisticated as the powered professional units ($2500 to get one from Carada to match my screen). Then again, my cost for this is currently less than $20 with the fabric, conduit, and pulleys. Now for the line....
