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LightPool: UK’s first permanent projection mapped show

The Blackpool Illuminations is home to the first permanent projection mapped show in the UK, scheduled to run for the full two months/66 day Illuminations period each year from now on. LightPool is a collaboration between London-based Ross Ashton and The Projection Studio who storyboarded and created the content, and Edinburgh based War Productions who’s Alistair Young produced the technical design and supplied the hardware and control.

LightPool has been developed in conjunction with Blackpool Illuminations, the Arts Department of Blackpool Council and arts organisation Left Coast, and projects onto the base of Blackpool’s famous 158 metre high tower.

Ashton and sound artist Karen Monid were given a set of parameters to start developing the stories and content which included Blackpool’s history. They were able to interpret these as they wanted to produce the two 10 minute shows.

The projection system creates an image measuring 83 metres wide by 17 metres high, fed by 14 x Panasonic PT-DW17K2 projectors - the latest Mark 2 units delivered by Panasonic in time for the installation although it was initially specified using the Mark 1 versions.

These are set up in a 7:1 double stacked portrait array. Watchout was specified for control, they are using the latest Version 6. To eliminate shadows from the street furniture, they have had to apply a serious amount of masking when programming the Watchout.

All the warping, blending and stacking has been done manually. The projectors are mounted on the side of a specially modified artic trailer which can be driven in to place, secured for the evening and then removed later when the shows end.

The technical team from Blackpool Illuminations was headed by Richard Ryan with Richard Williams overseeing the installation. Greg McLenahan of World Wide Lighting who works closely with Blackpool Council and the Illuminations teams, was instrumental in integrating the permanent Tower and semi-permanent Esplanade Illuminations lighting - including around 200 million pixels of LED - in with the LightPool projection show when it is running.

www.theprojectionstudio.com

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