See the photo for the metal objects that the FFCs run thru. What are these, and do we need to utilize these for our projector? We have found the 40pin FFC extensions, but needed to know when we "relocate" the control board off the back of the LCD do we need to utilize the metalic objects?

Those are iron ferrites. They're used to minimize electromagnetic induction across lines. Include them in your design if you can, but they aren't absolutely necessary unless you're getting a lot of noise in your display.

As far as relocating your controller, it's more a matter of preference. Look over others PLOG's to find an orientation you like best.