NOTE: For an optimum viewing experience, please click on the images to view.
Research into the process of 3-D projection mapping:
http://videomapping.tumblr.com/http://de-war.de/eurekacarpark.html
In order to understand the possibilities and limitations (at this moment of time), I feel that it is incredibly important to research the process of 3-D projection mapping. This research will help allow me to understand what I could use to reach an optimum level of quality for the lighting show and it's efficiency in relation to production and costs.
The projection target I will be using is the wall of St George's Building, and is a flat, arbitrary surface. Therefore, I have to make sure that the projector will be positioned well enough to stop distortion from different viewing angles.
An example of how an image can be distorted from a certain viewing angle, yet perfect from another viewing angle is artist Axel Peemoeller's paintings in the Eureka Car Park, Melbourne.
Whilst researching, I discovered that by rendering the 3-D model of St George's Building from the same viewpoint as a projector would see, the image should fit to the projected surface, rather than distort.
Fortunately, I am projecting onto just one wall surface, rather than having two walls, as this would complicate matters a little more because this would require two render passes.
Finding a suitable building on the NUCA campus:
I decided to walk around the NUCA campus, in order to establish which building has the most interesting architectural features, yet wasn't located in a place that could cause difficulties for crowds gathering (e.g. near a busy road.)
After looking closely at the Media Lab, Duke Street Building and Gunton's Building, St George's Building interested me most, due to it's various amount of different-sized windows, it's location, it's intricacy in architectural features and also because it overlooks the River Wensum. I feel that this building would work well with a 3-D projection mapping show because of these features, combined with it's large, long walls.
Below are some pictures I took of the building, in order to start 3-D modelling the building on Maya.
I decided that I should research the history and progression of visual effects, in order to establish popular effects in the media and what ones could be used in my sequence.
I watched a video on YouTube that showed different clips of visual effects (e.g. green screen chroma keying) that changed technology, the way movies were made and how they made a statement to society.
This research into the history of visual effects has helped me learn the possibilities of augmenting reality in my sequence and how it could advertise, emphasise and draw attention to certain features in a sequence.
I recognised a lot of visual effects in the clips through seeing the clips myself during my childhood/recently, and have learnt how to create various visual effects in Sony Vegas and Adobe After Effects, due to studying Media Studies for four years. How ever, I have decided to re-acquaint myself with tutorials on-line, in order to learn how to combine these effects with 3-d models/2-d photographs.
3-D projections that have been used:
Some examples of companies use of projections are below:
Notes about the above video: I believe that the artist's incorporation of the building's architectural structure with the visual effects fascinating. I particularly enjoyed how the artist used explosions and cracks as visual effects (coupled with strong use of sound effects), in order to add drama to the sequence e.g. 0:24-0:31 seconds. Also, the opening of the building (0:46 seconds) added a real sense of 3-D elements to the sequence and I realised that this effect could be used in my own projection. For example, the building could be opened and could show what's inside of the building.
Notes about the above video: The first thing that struck me about this video was the time-lapse at the start of the video, showing the building from early evening to night. I found this personalised the video, as it allowed the audience to gain an insight into the work being done in order to set up the projectors. This video highlighted the artist's use of combining sound effects and music to the lighting of the projection. For instance, fast-pitch sound effects would fit to lighting that flashed quickly to the beat e.g. 0:30 seconds. Also, another effect that stood out well to me in this video, was the way that the building's columns augmented and changed their structure to the music. I feel that this effect could work really well in my sequence, if the building I select has columns, barriers, slabs, etc.
Notes about the video: I loved the artist's use of lighting within this video, and I feel it could work really well in my own projection sequence alongside architectural features such as columns, windows, tiling/slabs on walls or on the floor. I feel the lighting that followed a specific path to highlight the outline of the shoe (0:26-0:40 seconds) worked well in emphasising certain features on the shoe that might be unique selling points of the shoe e.g. the Nike brand logo adds status to the wearer. Therefore, I feel this effect works well in advertising the product incredibly well
