Research & Development

To help aid project development I have created a mood board on Padlet, which I can use to document any useful videos or images relating to my project. As I will be challenging myself by experimenting with new software, I will mostly likely have to rely on Youtube tutorials to help learn the basics and solve any problems when they arise.

Over the upcoming weeks I will be adding to the mood board, so that I have all of my useful resources together in one place.

Link to Padlet board: https://padlet.com/grifh004/4hget1kyt5z4

After discussing my project with one of my tutors, I was made aware of some of the problems that could arise with my initial idea. Firstly, if I was going to be projection mapping onto the house directly I would need to look at hiring a powerful projector which could cost a great deal of money. In addition, I would also have the issue of possible bad weather conditions and how I would ensure the safety of both myself and the electrical equipment. Moreover, as I would be projecting from outside the house, I would need to think about the health and safety of others and how I would tackle insurance.

In order to appease these growing concerns, I decided to alter my original idea slightly and look at scaling down my project. As an alternative, I decided that I would projection map from inside my private property onto the front bay window, to create a fun and entertaining window display. By doing this, I am able to focus my attention to the development and narrative of the content which I will create. Using a combination of motion graphics, animation and music, I will create some short sequences to play on loop for passers by outside to enjoy. At this moment in time I am looking more towards 2D animation however, I will nonetheless experiment a little with 3D animation to assess whether or not I think this would be better suited for my project.

After further consideration, I decided that I wanted to take on a project that would really test my skills and challenge myself to try something new. As mentioned before, when looking through several creative crowdsourcing sites I noticed the increasing demand for use of new technologies. Looking at my original idea of creating a music video that experimented with projection mapping, I started to think how I could expand upon this to justify the need for my project. Although having the skills to master projection mapping is still rather impressive on its own, I wanted to think of how I could make use of my project to meet a particular public demand. After sharing some of my initial ideas to one of my peers, I was informed of Lincoln’s West End Lights event on 8th December 2017, where residents light up their homes for passers by and the local community to enjoy.

 

As I researched into the event I knew almost immediately that I wanted to take part and use the opportunity to test my skills. Thinking in terms of target audience and who will attend the event, I am aiming to create something that is exciting and appealing to the families, especially the young children who will be fascinated by the technology. At the moment, I am leaning towards creating a short Christmas themed animation to project.

Alternatively, I will focus on creating lots of interesting visuals, again all Christmas inspired to mark the occasion. With this, I intend to do a great deal of research to help aid design decisions, from the overall artistic style to the c0lour palettes I will use. Moreover, I will have to ensure that I am fully confident using the software and that I know exactly what I am doing, so that I can set everything up on the day of the event.

 

When looking for ideas and inspiration for my project, I decided to look at some of the ways projection mapping is currently being used across a variety of different sectors. Moreover, having a good understanding of this will allow me to find more innovative ways of bringing projection to any future projects.

Retail

With the rise of interactivity, it appears that most retailers are looking for more innovative and engaging ways to engage with their target audience and stand out from competitors. Nowadays, we are beginning to see the formation of the ‘immersive store’, as big brands are utilising their stores to provide consumers with the immersive experiences they’re craving (Reality Interactive, 2017). By incorporating the use of  modern technology into these untraditional forms of interactivity, brands are thus able to better form a personal connection to their audiences.

Below are just a few of the many brands that have already made use of this technology in their marketing campaigns.

At the beginning of the year, athletic giant Nike opened a brand new 55,000 square foot shop in Soho, London, which experimented with digital technology and live installation work to allow customers to experience the full effects of their products (Retail Interactive, 2017).  With a 400- square foot football court and simulated treadmills for testing shoes, the concept lay heavily on a more personal and futuristic form of shopping (Retail Interactive, 2017). Although for my project I will be projecting across the entire window and not onto any still objects or models, learning the basic skills of projection mapping over the course of the semester could allow me to move on the larger scale and more ambitious projects in the future.

As demonstrated with the above example from Vans, projection mapping onto large 3D surfaces or objects can result in some rather impressive and memorable work. Compared to a traditional print logo or design, we are more likely to remember something that we see when it is presented to us in this way. I particularly like the effect of applying projection mapping to 3D models, especially when creating projects for installation work or art events. In the future, I could look at collaborating with a Fine Arts student, to work together and create a project like those demonstrated at Lincoln’s Frequency Festival.

 

Live Theatre/ Concerts/ Performances

Another use of projection mapping that I found especially interesting, was its use in live performances and theatre. When consolidating my ideas and deciding on a final project, I did look at building sets and backgrounds for a live theatre performance. Moreover, I decided to get in contact with Chameleon 53, a graduate theatre company formed in February 2017, to see if they would consider use this type of technology in their future projects. Although they were well into their first performance, Distant Sky, which they previewed at the Waterside Shopping Centre, the company were keen to meet to discuss collaborating on their next project. In addition, they asked to meet with me in December to discuss the type of content that they would need and what I could offer them. This means that over the course of this semester, I will focus on acquiring the basic skills and knowledge of projection mapping, so that I can extend upon this and feel more confident when it comes to creating content and projecting for a live event.

 

Bibliography

Reality Interactive (2017) How big brands are creating immersive retail experiences. United States of America: Reality Interactive. Available from http://realityi.com/2017/01/11/how-big-brands-are-creating-immersive-retail-experiences/ [Accessed 29th September 2017]

 

In order to gain some inspiration for my project I began by taking a look at some creative crowdsourcing sites such as those listed above, to get a sense of what kind of projects and briefs companies may be looking for. After browsing through several sites I noted that there appears to be an increasing demand for use of new technologies such as Augmented and Virtual Reality. Moreover, many companies were challenging creative practitioners to come up with a concept for a short film or promotional video advertising their brand or product. From this I started thinking what I wanted to create for my own project and how I would make use of such technologies.

 

Idea No.1 – Projecting Mapping Music Video

As I am particularly interested in post production and VFX, my initial idea was to create a music video for a upcoming band with an accompanying promotional campaign. To test my skills further I wanted to experiment with projection mapping, creating some interesting animations and textures to project onto the musicians’ faces. I would then combine this footage with live recordings on the band performing, as well as b-roll footage filmed around the local area.

Looking at Taylor Swift’s Blank Space music video, I especially like the experimental shots of smoke covering her face as the shot transitions into the next. I think the overall style of the video perfectly reflects the song and would likewise love to recreate something similar for a very different song and narrative.

Idea No. 2 – LGBT Project

Alternatively, when looking through a list of past briefs on Talenthouse I came across one calling for artwork that celebrated the LGBT community. Looking at the submissions I felt very inspired and started thinking what if I could create some kind of product that similarly raised awareness of equality. If I was to focus on the LGBT community then perhaps I could focus on creating something would gain as much attention as possible. Whatever product I would make, I decided that using an event such as Pride would give me a strong foundation to work upon and showcase the finish product.

Although Lincoln Pride has just recently passed, if I did decide to go down this project route I would have plenty of time to get my finish product ready in time for next year. If similarly I was to look at graphic design and artwork, then I would need to ensure what I create is unique from existing work. Alternatively, I could consider creating a music video or short film in support of the LGBT community.

Idea No. 3 – ‘Backpack Buddy’

For my final idea I did consider creating an app and accompanying website targeted specifically at students and young adults taking a gap year to travel. Essentially the app would connect people with others looking to travel around the same places at the same time. Users could create a profile and input the places they wish to visit and the dates they are available from, so the app can match them with suitable pairings. The app could work in partnership with specific travel agencies, allowing users to easily book travel arrangements and store all of the details in one place. After researching briefly into existing travel apps I believe that there is definitely a gap in the market for something like this.

Using Adobe XD I could create a prototype app to demonstrate how the app would look and function. Additionally, using Adobe After Effects I could look at creating a short promotional video to advertise the app. With this project I would be testing a range of skills from branding, app and web design to motion graphics.