What Is Projection Mapping And How Using It Can Make Your Next Event Unforgettable
Experts in the event and video production industries know what to expect this year and beyond – more engaging, exciting, and entertaining visual experiences. These events are typically designed with high-quality video marketing, interactive features, and opportunities for “Instagrammable” moments. One event trend that intersects all these trends is projection mapping.
Projection mapping is an innovative and creative video technique where video or images are mapped, overlapped, and projected onto any surface. Essentially, this video projection technique transforms ordinary surfaces into extraordinary visuals!
This unique video production design brings dimension to an event of any size and creates an unforgettable experience for your attendees.
In this article, we’re going to discuss what projection mapping is, explore the creative ways it can be used at events, and show you several examples of ways we have used this visual tool for success with our clients. Let’s get started!
What is Projection Mapping?
Projection mapping is a form of video technology that allows a video production team to project video and images onto physical surfaces. Projection mapping gives you a way to create eye-catching, three-dimensional interactive visuals. It’s an innovative way to bring events to life using projected images and videos onto various types of objects.
How Does Project Mapping Work?
Projection mapping is a type of projection technology used to turn objects into a display surface for video projection. Using specialized software, it allows experienced video production professionals to precisely map any video or image onto almost any type of object or surface regardless of its shape or size. The result is a stunning, eye-catching effect!
Projection mapping allows you to project images or videos onto walls, floors, ceilings, stages, buildings, cubes, balls – virtually anything. From projecting images onto fabric drapes, columns, or walls in an indoor stage setting to transforming outdoor spaces with vibrant colors and patterns – the possibilities are endless.
The Benefits of Using Projection Mapping
With projection mapping, event planners can create visually attractive displays in their venue without wasting valuable floor space or spending too much money on props and other decorations. You can incorporate fully mapped videos as part of your event planning process, which gives you more flexibility when it comes to creating a unique experience for your guests.
Utilizing projection mapping, you can create an experience that will leave your guests in awe. It can be used in various imaginative ways to make your events, conferences, or concerts extraordinary!
Create an Immersive Experience
Through this visual tool, you can take your visual displays one step further by creating stunning 3D effects that transport guests from reality into virtual reality. Whether through textured surfaces or projected videos onto real objects on a stage – using these effects takes the whole quality of your event up a notch.
When you plan for projection mapping at your event, you want to use your event space to create an experience where your attendee feels connected to what’s happening. No need to put on those silly goggles! With high-resolution projection, your eyes alone help your imagination run wild with the vivid visuals in front of you.
To add to the visually appealing experience, you can even design your event to trigger all senses. When creating your videos, add audio that supports the message, find scents that you can bring into your venue that relate to your story, and rent an event space that is comfortable yet exciting and complements the visual display.
Any Surface Can Become Your Screen
Your venue is your canvas. Any surface can be used as your screen for your projection mapping display, and there is very little limitation. In the design process, your creative video production producer will advise you on how to utilize your space and create a video that will look great on all of the surfaces you want to use.
Visually speaking, you can bring your audience’s attention anywhere in the room. Take full advantage of your surface areas and create a projection mapping display to enhance the theme or message of your event.
Create a “WOW” Factor
Another great way of using projection mapping is by adding interactive features during presentations or speeches at events. Instead of using traditional PowerPoint slides or static images projected on screens behind speakers, why not use this technology to better engage the audience? Through interactive content mapped onto physical spaces like walls, presenters can now offer unique experiences that go beyond words alone.
Get creative in your space and add some pizzazz to your projection mapping display! We encourage you to use a combination of stage pieces and lighting displays with your projection mapping to create the most significant impact on your audience.
During your event, an attendee can take a picture or video clip of your impressive visual display. That will likely be shared on social media, sent in text messages, in email blasts, and played over and over. Reach your maximum audience by creating the “WOW” factor with your projection mapping experience.
UC Davis
In early 2018, our video production team was approached by UC Davis to develop an animated video to promote their “Big Ideas” campaign and also to create a video message from their Chancellor, Gary S. May. We first spent time strategizing as a creative team to achieve their event and video goals to determine what message they wanted to showcase in this project.
They had one very specific vision: to project the videos we created onto the side of a beautiful Straloch Barn on campus. For that, projection mapping was an incredible option!
Our total production design included two LED screens, a 4×8 stage for live acoustic performances, a full audio/sound engineering setup, 600 feet of LED bistro lighting, and two 30K high-resolution projectors for the custom projection mapping display on the barn itself. The show was an experience to remember for all in attendance!
GreatAmerica
Wired Production Group has been working with GreatAmerica to produce its annual awards events over the last decade. In 2017, we provided a projection mapping experience for attendees at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. When GreatAmerica began to plan its 25th-anniversary celebration to align with the awards ceremony, the team wanted to design an experience that would engage and entertain its audience.
We provided creative services and designed a projection mapping display for the theater space with various-sized inflatable spheres. The video elements that were projected on these spheres ranged from names and titles of executives, headshots of award winners, statistics and other video clips to highlight the messaging of GreatAmerica.
Palmer College of Chiropractic
In 2021, Palmer College of Chiropractic approached us with a bold idea to curate a memorable event experience for their upcoming 125th anniversary and campaign launch. After a year of preparation, we told their story through an incredible visual experience. Our team transformed the RiverCenter in Davenport, IA, by combining six 12k projectors to create a projection mapping display on a 135’ wide surface. This visual event experience complemented our other audio, video, lighting, and staging services.
During this engaging event experience, Palmer College of Chiropractic announced the largest fundraising campaign in its history and a $2.5 million gift from two Palmer graduates. You can learn more about the alumni drive.
Projection Mapping Can Be A Great Addition To Your Next Event
Projection mapping can be a great way to create an immersive and interactive experience for your guests, allowing you to bring any venue or presentation alive with colorful visuals.
It’s an exciting and creative way to add a unique element to any event. With the right team to help you, projection mapping can be used in various ways to captivate your audience and makes for an unforgettable experience.
Contact Wired Production Group and we can help you create a unique and memorable event with our projection mapping solutions. Our experienced team will ensure your vision comes to life in an impactful way that captivates audiences.