What is Backstage?

Last updated 7 July 2026

Backstage is a professional real-time media server by Brainsalt, designed for multi-projector AV installations, dome theatres, LED walls, and live events. It runs on Brainsalt B-Series hardware and handles uncompressed video playback, projection mapping, show control, and external device integration — all from a single application.

Core Concepts

Before you set up your first project, it helps to understand how Backstage thinks about the world.

Surfaces

A Surface is a virtual representation of a physical screen, dome, or projection target in your installation. Backstage works in 3D space — you describe the shape and position of each screen, and it handles the geometry. Surface types include flat displays, cylinders, domes, cubes, discs, and imported 3D models.

Displays

A Display represents a direct-view screen such as an LED wall or monitor. Unlike a projection Surface — which needs a Projector aimed at it — a Display shows its content directly and is routed straight to a GPU output.

Projectors

A Projector represents a physical projector in your installation. You position it in 3D space and aim it at a projection Surface, matching its real field of view and lens shift, so Backstage can warp and blend the image correctly for that Surface.

Outputs

An Output is a physical connection — a GPU display port, an NDI stream, a recording, or an audio device. Outputs are separate from Surfaces. You define what content plays on a Surface, you point a Projector at it, and route it to an Output via the Video Routing window.

Assets

An Asset is any piece of media: a video file, image, image sequence, audio file, live capture input, NDI stream, or generated content. Assets are imported once and can be reused across any number of sequences.

Sequences

A Sequence is a timeline. It holds video and audio tracks, each targeting a specific Surface or audio mixer. You place Assets on Channels, set in/out points, and play them back via the Sequencer window.

Groups

A Group organises Surfaces, Outputs, and Sequences for rendering. Simple installations use a single main group. Multi-screen or clustered installations may use sub-groups.

Node Editor

The Node Editor is Backstage's visual programming environment. You connect Nodes with Links to build show logic — playlist control, timecode synchronisation, external control via OSC/UDP/TCP, DMX output, dynamic text rendering, and more. No coding required.

What Backstage is Not

  • It is not a video editor. Use your NLE to prepare content before importing.

  • It is not a DMX, light, or motion controller. That is what Conductor is for — Brainsalt's dedicated DMX, light, and motion control software. Backstage and Conductor are designed to work together and synchronise bidirectionally.

Next Step

Your First Project — put these concepts into practice with a step-by-step walkthrough