Log Media launches 4D projection service for broadcasters

Apr 03, 2012 No Comments by admin

Log Media CEO Paul Berrow, has revealed details of a new enterprise that will allow producers to create animated pseudo 3D sets and public campaigns thanks to a collaboration with Drive Productions.

MIPTV 3D news coverage bought to you in association with Presteigne Charter.

LOG MEDIA, who represent over 50 different producers and 100 hours + of stereoscopic content, teased the public about a new music concept in February saying “Because music is avant garde, viewers will expect that a new medium will explore all its attributes. It has to be something unique and interesting in 2D and it has to absolutely blow your socks off in 3D. We’ve has been working on it for over a year and I believe we have finally found it though we are waiting on technical tests to be sure.”

Berrow, who once managed Duran Duran, previewed it as “a hybrid of a lot of different ideas and techniques to make it unique but music in 3D is technically challenging so it will stand or fall on the technology. We know there will be a market for it.”

The project, launched at the 49th MIPTV market, projects live special effect animations against buildings and purpose built objects using a special 4D projection system. It has been created by Drive Technology who is being represented by Log Media on a worldwide basis. The partnership hopes broadcasters will use it to promote their programmes and create dynamic stages for shows like ‘X-Factor’ and ‘The Voice’.

The technology, already used by brand agencies and theatre shows, was first seen in a television context (in the UK) for the series finale of ‘The Graham Norton Show’ on March 17th when David Guetta’s live performance was projected on buildings in London using 4D projection.

Drive’s 4D projection mapping has been used by brands such as Bentley who used it to provide Bentley showroom visitors across the UK with a Tron-esque show which integrated a high-end light & laser show with 3D imagery and digital sound effects combined to create a four-dimensional sensory experience.

Bombay Sapphire also hired the company’s services to deploy 14 X 15K D3 projectors stacked in hides on towers placed 60m from the face of the Battersea Powerstation to project a huge 70m square projection of a Rubik’s cube as part of a high impact promotion.

This will be the first time 4D projection will be tailored specifically for broadcasters. Paul Berrow said “This is hot tech for the Industry in the right hands and could add a significant dynamic to existing long running shows in need of high impact enhancement as well as new shows seeking to achieve a unique and captivating aesthetic”.

What is 4D projection mapping?

"4D Projection" refers to mapped projections onto flat planes that give the impression of physical movement. For example, if a building was going to be used as the screen for the projection, it would be mapped in an animation programme like Maya and once the effects have been added, this is projected and aligned to the building from one or many projectors. An example of what the raw projected file looks like can be seen here – http://vimeo.com/10777250