Professional Lighting & Production - Spring 2017 | Page 21

big wall shoot in portrait mode and used mirrors to change the orientation from the more typical landscape setting .
Perrier adds that the choice of laser phosphor lenses for the Christie units was key to compensate for the distance between the projectors and their corresponding display surfaces in some instances , and also for uniform operation and maintenance across all of the units .
“ In the end , between the projectors and lenses and getting the features we needed at
access at any time should the need arise . Tektonik proved to be quite popular during its inaugural season in 2016 , so much so that XYZ has been engaged once again to create a nightly outdoor show for the upcoming 2017 season . The historic video will be projection-mapped onto the exterior of the Géoparc de Percé .
“ Having not known much about the geology of the region when we started this , now , we all kind of feel like experts ,” says Larue with a laugh . He reflects on what he and his firm feel is a job

" You get an interesting feeling going into that space ; it makes you feel like you ' re somewhere else entirely ." the lowest possible price , Christie had all of the solutions we needed for this project ,” says Perrier .

The budgetary and personnel considerations also influenced Blancan ’ s work . “ We had to decide against moving lights because , if something fails , they likely wouldn ’ t have the budget or resources to get it fixed ,” Larue says .
Subsequently , much of Blancan ’ s design is built on Chauvet ’ s COLORado Solos and the Elation ELAR products . While the rich lighting effects contribute significantly to the overall experience , the fixtures also serve some utilitarian purposes . “ With the single-chip projectors , we relied on the lighting to blend out the edges , and I really like the wash and colours we get from the COLORados ,” the LD explains .
Fitting with the vintage ‘ 20s aesthetic , there are also a lot of warm large-filament bulbs on dimmers strewn throughout the site .
Ultimately , Blancan was looking to balance a bold , exciting , and theatrical aesthetic with the type of background ambiance best suited to supporting the projections . “ It was about creating exciting looks , but trying to keep them in the background and not taking up the entire room ,” he offers . “ Of course , we also have to take into consideration that there are a lot of children and families going through , so we need to keep everyone safe and comfortable .”
Going back to the subject of the onsite staff ’ s control and management of the experience , Perrier says the goal was to make it as simple and straightforward as possible . “ For this installation , the operation is manual ,” he notes . “ We don ’ t have an automated master schedule as we ’ ve done for other installations , but that was their choice .”
The show uses the Medialon platform with a custom-designed interface so park staff can simply push a single button to run the entire attraction for the day . The staff also has easy access to all of the equipment , though XYZ staff can also access the system remotely from their offices ( or anywhere else ).
“ The technical training was mostly about operating the interface ,” Perrier explains . “ And then we went through all of the equipment positions and the basic maintenance for each piece .” XYZ also provides a custom user manual for each and every installation and even has an incoming 24 / 7 IP webcam feed from Tektonik that they can well done , highlighting the immersive aspect of the experience .
“ You get an interesting feeling going into that space ; it makes you feel like you ’ re somewhere else entirely ,” he shares . “ People have said they feel like they ’ re in a boat or in an industrial area . The way everyone ’ s free to walk through with no linear direction really helps with the realism of the environment .”
Of course , when your attraction is surrounded by two dozen world-renowned geosites , realism and engagement is paramount , and that ’ s what ’ s on offer with Tektonik .
Some of the rocks may not be real , but the thrills certainly are .
Andrew King is the Editor-in-Chief of Professional Lighting & Production .
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