Made of Stars
Immersive Projection Mapped Pyramid
Client
Turntable Theatre
Year
2022
Services
Projection Mapping, Animation, Consultation, Immersive Media
Sector
Immersive Theatre
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit inside a 30ft pyramid, projection mapped with awe-inspiring imagery and stories, taking you from the very edges of the universe, right back down to earth; all whilst exploring the lives of passionate and creative individuals? We wondered this too, until we teamed up with Turntable Theatre, among other artists, creatives and organisations to produce ‘Made of Stars’.
Made of Stars focuses on a community of global artists who have sought refuge in Liverpool:
Made by many and enjoyed by even more
Focal Studios illustrated and designed the animations to accompany stories told by refugees and creatives. We compiled the works-of-art, videography and incredibly moving dialogue and musical compositions into a coherent, audiovisual show that was projected onto the 30ft structure. It has toured Merseyside in a total of four impressive venues.
Inspiring films made by a collaboration of filmmakers telling stories about the aspirations of refugees within the community. Focal Studios confined these films to the structure and projected them on all 4 sides of the pyramid.
Hundreds of visitors have had the opportunity to experience Made of Stars throughout the tour, inspiring many with the hopes, dreams and wishes of the 14 refugee artists depicted across the pyramid.
Artist and architect, Noel Urbain, was one of the contributors whose work was showcased on the structure and admired by the audience for his ambition to construct a sustainable and eco-friendly home. This was projection mapped onto two sides of the pyramid, immersing the viewers in his story. The personal touch was added through the accompanying soundscape and narration, heard through individual wireless headsets worn by the audience throughout the journey.
Noel Urbain's vision of a sustainable home from the view of an artist and architect
Portraits of the contributors towered over the spectators within the pyramid
“Each collaborator’s story – be it inspiring, aspirational or challenging – is woven together from the depths of outer space to a mysterious radio tower in Southern America; from familiar Liverpool landmarks to the breathtaking creations of Afghan seamstresses”
As the show came to an end, audiences were left with breathtaking cinematic portraits of the contributors, captured by renowned photographer Nick Knight, that filled the entire pyramid. This provided a moment of reflection for many, who had just experienced an emotional journey full of art, music, and powerful stories.
The scale of the pyramid is often what blew audience members away, personifying the enormous achievements the involved artists have made in their lives, and for some, the hurdles they have encountered upon their journey. To effectively map the surface of the pyramid, Focal Studios used 8 powerful Viewsonic laser projectors (2 per side, edge blended) to create a seamless, immersive experience that drew audiences into the 25-minute journey, allowing them to experience it in their own way - whether standing, sitting, or lying down.
Rear-projected imagery enabled a seamless and engaging experience once within the pyramid, but also made for an impressive view from the outside.
A Collaborative Journey
Working closely alongside Turntable Theatre enabled us to build a robust and reproducible show that could tour wherever the pyramid landed next, regardless of the physical space and the communities that gathered within it. Furthermore, we approached the design of the show with flexibility in mind, allowing Turntable to experiment with their creative processes, encouraging opportunities to discover the best way to showcase artists’ work within a particular venue.
Where will the pyramid land next? Anywhere it fits! The serious answer, though, is that we are excited to see the future of the pyramid and Made of Stars after the enormous success of the debut shows, and are certain that it will continue to educate and inspire many more communities.
Our project partners
More than just a pyramid
The structural design of the pyramid itself presented a wide range of opportunities that Focal Studios could demonstrate in the design and implementation of the project. As well as each face of the pyramid being a giant triangle, the actual faces were made up of 9 smaller triangles itself, acting as ‘windows’ where content can be placed to bring the structure to life, and perhaps extend the structure past its already vast size. A particular example where this is incredibly effective is the use of an animated character, who is trying to escape the confines of the pyramid, representing the restrictions on freedom of speech in their home-country.
Bespoke, 3D designed animation to confine within the geometry of the pyramid.
As soon as we fly through the galaxy, back down to earth and enter the anatomy and DNA of a human-being, the purpose of Made of Stars is immediately accentuated: we are all made of the same substances from the universe. Similarly, guests were mesmerised by the sky that opened up above them, confining to the geometry and lines of the pyramid, again creating a ‘windowed’ view to the outside world; perhaps representing the same sky we all sit below in our daily lives, or the passing of clouds to show change over time. What we see doesn’t matter, because everyone has their own interpretation and their own way of seeing Made of Stars; that’s why Focal Studios were delighted to bring our experience in immersive technology and storytelling to create a personal experience that everyone can enjoy and share.