Projection mapping
Projection mapping is when a surface which is usually irregularly shaped is used for a video projection. These objects could be industrial landscapes, like buildings or small indoor objects. Everyday projectors are used, but instead of projecting onto a flat or white surface light is mapped onto any other surface. Projection mapping is known more formally as 'the display of an image on a non-flat or non-white surface' (Projection Mapping Central, 2016)
The first company i'm going to talk about is called 'Projection Artworks'. This company have created projections for many big name brands, including; BT, Calvin Klein, Coca Cola, Disney, Google, H&M and many more. The company work outdoors and indoors, here are some examples of projections they've created.
There's a video on YouTube of projection mapping on a Nike shoe. This was done and sold to Nike. I believe Nike have seen this video and thought that the projection mapping was a great idea and wanted to do it more and get even bigger. Therefore, they have got in touch with 'projection Artworks' and asked for some projection mapping for a new advert. They ended up making an advert by projection mapping onto batter-sea power station. Below is the video.
In this video they use a number of different colour and patterns on the building. They use these because the shoes that they sell can come in a range of colours and patterns. They also use different colours and patterns because they want to advertise to the public that they have a range of trainers/ shoes that are made for that certain persons personalty. For example, there's part of the video where the building has black and white stripes on like a zebra, then there's different coloured stripes for people who want to be different and individual. They are advertising how many different ranges of trainers they sell. At one point in the video they project colour onto the building and make it look like it is coming towards us when we are watching it. Another part of the video has loads of little coloured squares and makes the building look like its a block of offices or flats with loads of windows. The music they have used in this video represent whats happening on the building. For example, when the music goes louder, the projection gets larger in colour or movement.
Another company is Urban Projections. It is ran by someone called 'Rebecca Smith' who is a multimedia experimentalist. She produced a piece of work called VERTEX, here is the video link.
https://vimeo.com/105169398
In this video, she films two people playing music in a box whilst she projects colours and patterns onto the walls. She has used the patterns and colours to represent the sound of the music. Sort of like if you used water speakers, and when the music is playing, the water represents how loud the music is. In this projection, the colours and patterns represent how loud the music is. The thing that is good about this is you can still see the people who are playing the music inside the box. making the whole overall look, interesting. On the website, she says that the production has been made as a live performance in which the audio and visual elements intertwine to create a mesmerising experience. She has made this video and done this projection to show a different element and way of doing projection mapping. The projection and performance is done within a gauze cube and the audio-reactive visual elements mix with the manipulated footage, to form mind bending depth and perspective. When she says this, she explaining to us that she has used a range of different camera shots and angles to make the production look even more interesting ad to he the people who are watching, mesmerising. This projection is currently touring unusual spaces in the UK and Europe. (URBAN PROJECTIONS | Projection Artist | Visuals | Projection Mapping, 2016)
The projection Studio
This company are specialist in 3D mapping and slide projection. They produce projections to map onto the sides of buildings, interesting spaces and structures. The company has been seen world wide, showing at events such as; Projections onto Parliament in 2014, Durham 2013, the mayor of London's NYE celebrations and loads more. From their website i found out from their brief, they only had 24 hours notice, they delivered a full projection design to enable a giant image of he BandAid30 music video to be projected onto the houses of Parliament in Westminster. This was the first time a full motion video has been projected onto this landmark building. They received a call on the Friday Afternoon from Des Shaw at the Event Production Company Ten Alps, who received final clearance from Bob Geldof, on all the permissions to make the high-profile event happening on the Sunday evening in front of the worlds press. Ross Ashton said 'we were called at 11:30 on Friday, and by 13:00 on Saturday we had started the install'. They say that they required incredible teamwork and get in done is the time frame. I can't find a video of this certain project so here is a video of some projection mapping they have produced. (Theprojectionstudio.com, 2016)
https://vimeo.com/146759804
In they're videos, it shows us exactly how much work they put into the work they products. They produce large projections all over the world and are well known. They're productions are often to do with special occasions, so things like the British flag are projected this means there's not really much you can say about they're projections. They again use different colours and patterns on buildings but they are often to do with the occasion they are working for. All of their projections represent something they are made for a reason.
Light Harvest Studio
This studio is found in New York. The studio created a number of different things like animation, entertainment etc. Here is a link to their demo reel https://vimeo.com/121000391 They produced a piece of work on the Manhattan bridge and said 'we set out to create a one of a kind public art experience, a projection mapping installation for multiple surfaces and multiple dimensions'. The artwork spread over the heads of people walking under the bridge. Here is the video link. https://vimeo.com/32756536 They wanted to give the people of Manhattan a full 3D perspective of the creativity. The people physically walked into the story. They created a face and a hand in the stripes of the projection, to make it look like there was a man stuck inside of the bridge. They also did this to keep the people intrigued in the projection. You can see in the video how the people have surprised faces like they're interested in what's happening. They then made it look like there was people floating around in on the bridge, which means you always had something to look at, there's constantly something happening. (Light Harvest Studio - Projection Mapping New York, 2016)
Bibliography
Projectionartworks.com. (2016). Projection Artworks / home. [online] Available at: http://www.projectionartworks.com/ [Accessed 18 Oct. 2016].
URBAN PROJECTIONS | Projection Artist | Visuals | Projection Mapping. (2016). URBAN PROJECTIONS | Projection Artist | Visuals | Projection Mapping. [online] Available at: http://www.urbanprojections.com/ [Accessed 18 Oct. 2016].
Theprojectionstudio.com. (2016). Builiding & Outdoor Projection | 3D Video Mapping | large format slide | - The Projection Studio Projects page. [online] Available at: http://www.theprojectionstudio.com/projects/ [Accessed 18 Oct. 2016].
Light Harvest Studio - Projection Mapping New York. (2016). Light Harvest Studio - Projection Mapping New York. [online] Available at: http://www.projectionmappingnewyork.com/portfolio [Accessed 21 Oct. 2016].
Projection Mapping Central. (2016). What is projection mapping? - Projection Mapping Central. [online] Available at: http://projection-mapping.org/whatis/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2016].
