Christie Digital Systems Japan (Christie) in co-operation with NHK Enterprises Ltd., WOW and Sigma A&V and Rental Corporation, played a key role in creating Sunday's NHK documentary broadcast - "See Everything That Makes Tokyo Sky Tree Special!" - in advance of the Tokyo Sky Tree's official public opening on May 22, 2012.
Christie's expertise in 'projection mapping' was leveraged during the shooting of the documentary to deploy and operate 27 Christie Roadie HD+35K projectors, the world's brightest and best DLP projectors, to project images created by NHK onto a 4,500 square-meter area on the East Tower, over a distance of up to 130 meters. Set on the rooftop of the eighth floor of the Tokyo Sky Town shopping mall, each projector is capable of 35,000 lumens output.
"As a professional-use projector manufacturer, it is an honor to provide technical cooperation for projection mapping in a locale that is as large in scale and as topical as the Tokyo Sky Tree," said Mamoru Hanzawa, general manager, Christie Digital Systems Japan. "Projection mapping allows large numbers of people to share the excitement of seeing an image projection that, although far larger in scale than conventional uses, requires no screen setup and takedown, and does not interfere with the building or other object on which it is projected."
Eye-Pleasing Projection Mapping Now Within Reach
Christie projectors have the reputation for image quality, reliability and brightness that artists, designers and rental stagers count on for their displays and events, and the firm is pleased to be the projector manufacturer of choice that helps create many spectacular displays, including those used in "See Everything That Makes Tokyo Sky Tree Special!"
Primitive forms of projection mapping have been around for more than a decade. Originally, projection mapping was used to project static images onto buildings and exterior structures using slide-projector setups and film to create lighting effects. Mapping to these surfaces was difficult since the designers were required to use technology that used camera obscura-type manipulations. The light sources were often not bright enough, so the result images could not been seen very well.
To eliminate these problems, Christie developed advanced technologies that help enable today's complex and stunning mapping displays to be created. Technologies like Christie Twist and Christie AutoStack allow the projected images to be warped and edge-blended into irregular shapes and surfaces, as well as enable the set up and maintenance to be accomplished more accurately and quickly using cameras, projectors and software.
For advertising, events and ceremonies, projection mapping continues to be an engaging way of transforming buildings and facades in order to attract and excite people. As more displays emerge for advertising and entertainment, more and more people are deciding to use this type of environmental modification for weddings, ballrooms and corporate events. It's the imagination and creativity of people working with the capabilities of today's digital projectors that is helping to make projection mapping displays go mainstream.
"Projection mapping goes further than just providing content for television programs and for displays at events. It is a projection method with enormous and yet to be fully realized potential," said Mamoru Hanzawa, general manager, Christie Digital Systems Japan.
"Furthermore, in the age of the personal computer, the smart phone, and the tablet, where each individual has come to enjoy watching still and moving images on his or her small device alone, visual experiences able to be shared by large numbers of people at once are, I believe, of great significance and value.
"As a leading manufacturing company of professional-use projectors, Christie wishes to contribute to the future of such shared visual experiences made possible by the use of projectors," Hanzawa continued.
"Projectors are used not only in the entertainment sector, such as with image projection of this type here and movies, and the like. They are also used in a wide range of other fields such as pharmaceuticals, medicine, and for academic and technical research. It will be greatly satisfying if the application of projectors in this project can serve to show as many people as possible the enormous possibilities they have for image projection in general."
About Christie
Christie Digital Systems USA, Inc. is a global visual technologies company and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ushio, Inc., Japan, (JP:6925). Consistently setting the standards by being the first to market some of the world's most advanced projectors and complete system displays, Christie is recognized as one of the most innovative visual technology companies in the world. From retail displays to Hollywood, mission critical command centers to classrooms and training simulators, Christie display solutions and projectors capture the attention of audiences around the world with dynamic and stunning images. Visit www.christiedigital.com.
