53: Dealing with Finicky After Effects 3D Function

     I wasted most of my week trying to get my After Effects Project set up to produce a better high definition version of this low res test  picture I did in the fall as a demo:

    When I finally got the Key picture of the facade the whole Architectural mapping would be based on, I started cutting it up and  putting every single part of it on a separate layer in Photoshop:

  I ended up with about 250 layers: 5 rows of 11 "brick drawers", 26 or so columns, bases, thick and thin tops, thick and thin lintels, 8 light cans, 6 niches, window panes, doors, sidewalk, awning, planters, trash can, etc...
  To that will be added 20 or 30 "objects". 
  All those layers will have to be imported SEPARATELY into After Effects. I tried to import the Photoshop file, and it "kinda worked" at first. I renamed them without the long Imported Titles. 
  In order to animate all of those Architectural Components in 3D and spin them in space realistically, each "drawer" and column front face needs to be Precomposed with a back, 2 sides, a top and a bottom. The final 280 or so "precompositions" will be animated in the timeline.
  I did my best, but then later down the line, shadows just would not render properly. I wasted days trying to make it work, and finally gave up.
  So I just rebuilt the picture from scratch using only the elements needed, making sure asI added elements that the shadows worked, and will deliver it in time for publication in UAB Magazine next week...  It is getting close:

Post 52: Testing the dome

   We almost got rained out again last night, and the structure was a little wet, but we proceeded nonetheless with the test, hung the projector from the top of the dome on the bracket mounted on the threaded rod. I used a grid distorted at the top  into a 1920 x 1080 near circle as a test pattern:

  The results were terrible. The image almost covered the  dome in height, but was sort of pie shape and very narrow on the width, with tremendous distortions and light fall off top to bottom:

  So much for my Bourke Paper based vertical projection concept. Christophe had a problem to deal with on the phone, so things dragged on, and Randy had to leave rather disappointed. 
   Finally, after taking down the projector, Christophe tried HIS more simple concept of placing the mirror in the center of the floor and projecting horizontally, and that actually worked beautifully. The image was in focus all over (a little soft for a still image because of the large area covered, but Christophe could see individual pixels, and moving video should look sharp enough), most of the half dome was covered, there was no light fall off, and distortion was very limited:

   Even the architectural image looked beautiful, with the ceiling edges almost straight and square:

    We were pretty excited. There are some adjustments left to be made for sure (squashing the image about 10% vertically, and adjusting the curvature of the sides to fit the half dome exactly), but I am totally confident now it can work. We could build a 6 ft platform in the center of the big 44 ft PTTR dome to put the half sphere mirror with two projectors on it. The VJ's and computer station could go underneath.

  My 20 ft half dome looks bright enough with one 5K projector, so the whole 44 ft dome would require (5K x 4) x 2 = 40K . So two Barko 20K would be required(or two new 1920 x 1200 Panasonic 20K's that just came out and are half as big and heavy, and require half as much power as the standard Christie and Barko): 

                 Panasonic 20K Spec Sheet

          
  The only difficulty may be to get a continuous seamless image where the two projections blend, though I think this may be a built in feature of the software for those projectors . A black background would make it easier of course: 

Post 51:Projection on water

  Tony and I both did some research on the subject today and came up with some interesting videos. Particularly exciting is that Nissan car promotion projected on a 120 ft spray of water:
     The 2013 Nissan Altima 3D Water Projection - Behind the Scenes
  Also interesting is this Ukrainian one done for a party:
Kozyrnaya Picnic Party, Kiev, June 13, 2009. The jewel of the party was a stunning show featuring a hologram, 26 m x 15 m size, suddenly emerging above the still waters of the lake to the surprise of party guests.
   All I can say is whaoooo, they know how to throw a party in Ukraine!
  Another impressive projection on water by Palnoise.org:
    Water Screen Projection @ Ibiza
  I also found the video for the Lyon pictures I posted yesterday:
 3D projection on fountain at 2011 Festival of Lights in Lyon, France

Post 50: Brainstorming session with Christophe and Liesa

  Christophe is temporarily back in town, and came this afternoon to help me make an adjustable bracket to hang the projector from the top of the test half dome my godchild Charles built out of 1" PVC pipe just outside the door in my back patio:

The top plywood assembling plate is attached to the door frame for stability:

 We are going to attach the 1/4 sphere surveillance mirror to it, and hang a threaded rod from the center to mount the projector vertically using this 3 way adjustable aluminum bracket I designed and that Christophe helped me make( I am still stuck in a wheelchair):

It rained, we ran out of time, and we had to postpone the test till Tuesday.

  I asked him if he would be interested in taking on a "Point of Light", for example lighting up Spencer Hall, and he is. So that's great, and I am happy to have him on board.

  Liesa Cole came by with her partner and computer whiz Tony Rodio to talk about about doing their own "Point of light", possibly in 3D. We all brainstormed like crazy over dinner, and they seemed actually more intrigued with the idea of a projection on water mist:

  We had a really good brainstorming session with her, as she kept spewing new ideas... We are thinking of possibly spraying the water down from an arch lined with soaker hoses instead of up from a pool. It just now occurs to me writing this that we could also possibly make an arch above a shallow pool (black plastic tarp over a 2 x 4 frame) with several black PVC pipes pricked with lots of tiny needle holes (using a hot needle) shooting down at slightly different angles. It should create a pretty nice wall of mist to project on, would be cheap to make, and more stable if there is a breeze. We could rent a big electric pump to recirculate the water.

  Whatever Liesa and Tony decide to do, I think I've got them on board too.