"The Showgirl" Holographic Performance

Presented at the Christian Louboutin exhibition, this was a "holographic" performance of Dita Von Teese wearing his shoes. Art Direction from Ali Mahdani, Film Production from Musion, Post Production from Square Zero and Technology from Musion. This is an element of the new projection/screen technology seen in various things like the Gorrilaz stage gig and Harry Potter land in Florida, especially from Musion, first developed by them! 

As the description explained, this is a high deff 3D holographic video projection system, allowing 3D life-size images to appear within a live stage setting. Apparently the technology derives from "Pepper's Ghost" which is an illusion technique used in Victorian theatre. The technique was named after John Henry Pepper and first demonstrated in the 1860s using a plate of glass and special lighting. It is made from then, metallised film across the front of the stage, at a 45% angle towards the audience. Recessed below the screen is a bright image supplied by an LED screen or powerful projector, and the reflected images appear on the screen.

This technique was very interesting and wonderful to watch. This is one of the more current froms of projection technology out there. The information here proves relevant and worth investigating further, such as Musion, and the original "Pepper Ghost" technology of the Victorians.

"The Dark Side of Love" Roundhouse Theatre

"The Dark Side of Love" is a contemporary promenade theatre production that uses Shakespeare's tragedies as inspiration to explore young love. For many of Shakespeare’s most tragic characters, love represents not an ascent into heavenly bliss, but a descent into hellish despair. It is an intense and atmospheric experience with stunning digital projections. The audience are encouraged to lose themselves in the action, whilst the characters lose themselves in the most extreme of emotions as they search for the light of love glimmering through the darkness. 


Devised in collaboration with teenagers from London and Brazil and directed by Companhia Bufomencanica artist Renato Rocha. The production repsonds to the World Shakespeare Festival's themes of international exchange and bringing professional artists to work young, emerging artists."


Description from the Roundhouse website and "The Dark Side of Love" programme.

As the description states, this experience (as it seemed more to be), was very interactive. We started off promenading around the edge of Roundhouses' basement room. The actors were stationed periodically round the circular walk, each performing their own mini 'piece' or monologue. Then everyone was literally taken by the arm and subtly directed into the center of the space through these little archways. We were between two large cloth sheets which were being projected onto from the other side. Suddenly they were taken down, and this is when the real show starts. The actors were paired in each of the archways and interacting with each other. Although we, as the audience, weren't required to do anything, we were still in a very intimate position with what was happening. We were ushered to different parts of the space and were able to watch the development of the performance, as a whole, from all around us. Projections of faces underwater, and various other textures, were on the walls (the whole space still being circular), and sound and music, along with other lighting, was used to complete the atmospheric exploration of "young love." 


It was a really effective arrangement, which sometimes didn't quite make sense, and could be seen as too "conceptual", however you got into the swing of it a lot more towards the end, and, like in any of Shakespeare's plays anyway, you just had to "go with the flow". The ending also highlighted really strong performances from some of the actors. They actors used elements of Shakespeare's language, but the real effective part was their modern interpretation and relevance to a younger generation! The space was incredible, this gothic/ tomb vibe, and the lighting and projection techniques was definitely something to take on board. I especially liked the projection onto cloth and also projections they did onto the surface of cloudy water in buckets!! Very clever! The textures and materials worked well with the animated style of the actors and performance overall.


For more information visit: http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/the-dark-side-of-love

Schedule Breakdown

Click HERE for the link to the PDF of my guideline Schedule.


JULY 2ND - JULY 13TH
Projection experiments, software practice, lighting, moving & static.


JULY 16TH - JULY 27TH
Visit Gillian Wearing exhibition.
Define audience and marketing approach, interviewing theatres and trying to find more existing material for inspiration.


JULY 30TH - AUGUST 3RD
Create idea storyboards and visual mock ups for these ideas.


AUGUST 6TH - AUGUST 24TH
Film and produce rough versions of ideas, or at least create animatics, rough shorts.
Research further projection methods to make rough visuals better (if possible!).


AUGUST 27TH - AUGUST 31ST
Analyse idea visuals, evaluate the results of the production method and also their contextual effectiveness. Try and get feedback from seminars, tutorials etc.


SEPTEMBER 3RD - SEPTEMBER 7TH
Refine the final, most effective idea. Use the feedback gained to complete the final concept and layout.
Research any issues or production methods to help finalize this idea.


SEPTEMBER 10TH - SEPTEMBER 21ST
Start filming and producing content and visuals for the final idea.
Conduct any further secondary research necessary.


This is where the final concept and outcome should be solid, and the Summary and Report should start to be considered (alongside the presentations).


SEPTEMBER 22ND - SEPTEMBER 28TH
Prepare for presentations.


OCTOBER 6TH - OCTOBER 14TH (AND BEYOND)
Continue creating visuals and content for the final FINAL outcome. Filming, editing, any tweeks or changes necessary.


OCTOBER 15TH - OCTOBER 26TH
Finish writing up the Summaries and Reports, and design them into a professional, attractive book related to your project direction. 
Research which printers to go to, cheapest, quickest etc.


OCTOBER 27TH - NOVEMBER 6TH
Get books printed ASAP, gather together other materials for hand-in. Put final outcome piece on CD and memory stick, online etc etc!!!!!!

UNIT THREE - Details & Objectives

HAND-IN ONE: Resolution
A finished visual piece which is the final result of your project!


HAND-IN TWO: Research Summary
A visual document summarising all the practical/ visual tests, experiments, and research that was done throughout the project's development. The same as a Visual Research Summary done previously. This has to be designed and edited to a professional, swish standard that suits the subject matter of the project.


HAND-IN THREE: Report
A 5,000 - 7,000 detailed written review on the project. Much like the Major Project Proposal, with the Research Question, field of study, methodology etc, but written and analysed as a completed project. Three printed hard copies and a high-res PDF must be made for hand-in. Main text will involve:


- Foundations for the Major Project.
- Research Question.
- Definition of the Field of Study.
- Description of the approach to the Field of Study (Context in design theory & practice).
- Development of a Research Methodology (based on the Research Question).
- Testing & exploration of visual ideas.
- Study on relation to wider cultural/ social/ technological issues.
- Applying ideas and theories to the outcome.
- Critical reflection and evaluation of outcome and original objectives.


HAND-IN FOUR: Original Work-in-Progress
PDFs, Sketchbooks, visuals, videos, tests, contextual research support material, digital or physical etc etc.