When I get a call for a possible laser show, the first question I ask is whether the show will be indoors or outdoors? And if the answer is outdoors, I look for buildings in the area that can be used for laser projection.
Why? Because the appropriate building provides a very effective screen for laser graphics. In addition, laser shows on buildings can offer great opportunities to craft a performance that is unique to that venue, one that will stand apart from any other laser show. Often, buildings are beloved by the local community, and seeing the laser show projected onto such an icon can make an instant connection with the audience.
Buildings as Laser Screens
Laser shows use graphics projection to display words and logos, and to provide choreographed animations that tell stories. Just like a movie theater, an ideal projection screen is a flat white rectangular surface, and many buildings offer this. Here is a great laser screen on the Lutcher Theater in Orange, Texas:
Using a building for a laser screen can show off lasers to their best advantage. Lasers can project gigantic pictures, much bigger than a lot of people realize. If the building is large, it’s possible to produce an astounding amount of WOW just from the impressive size of the laser graphics projected on the building.
Another good example is the show we provided for Panola College’s 75th Anniversary in Carthage, Texas. They asked for the laser show to feature their Student Center, and what I found there was not just one perfect laser screen structure, but three in a row! Facing them was a large park-like area that served as a natural gathering spot for the audience.
Taller Buildings
A similar approach – but with a much larger footprint – was the show that we performed for Nebraska’s 150th Anniversary Celebration, where the entire Nebraska State Capitol in downtown Lincoln was used as the surface for laser graphics. The Nebraska Capitol stands head and shoulders above the surrounding landscape, and is visible from ten miles away as one approaches Lincoln.
The main building supplied a screen that was 300 feet tall! The Capitol design includes a lower horizontal “wing” extending out from each side of the central structure, which proved ideal for projecting scrolling text. In this particular show [performance?], I portrayed forty six] historical highlights of Nebraska’s 150 years; the illustrative laser graphics on the center, combined with descriptive text on each wing, proved quite compelling. Although it would have been possible for us to go even taller with the lasers, there were nesting falcons under the top of the building which we wanted to avoid.
Another example featuring a skyscraper is the show that I designed for the ANICO Tower in Galveston, Texas. I created a loop of moving text and “eye candy” that was visible from a considerable distance, and each half hour projected a holiday laser show choreographed to music. I worked with a local internet radio station to play back the music so that anyone watching could “tune in” and hear the accompanying music for the laser show.
Are there Challenging Buildings for Lasers?
Yes, there are! But I like to call these buildings opportunities! An example of a more challenging building to project on is the Keller, Texas Town Hall. I was able to use the central element as an excellent laser screen, and even position parts of the laser graphics to use the inner structure of the building, like the “Santa DJ” in the picture, standing behind the pediment over the front door.
Another example is the North Richland Hills, Texas City Hall, a round building. This fascinating structure has numerous vertical struts; the lasers must work with these struts. I created special laser “projection zones” in order to fit images inside the struts and directly on the building. And I also outlined the struts!
Can Lasers Wrap Around Buildings?
If the audience can move around the building, it’s possible to use lasers to give a “wrap around” effect. A good example of this was for a couple celebrating their 40th Anniversary, who wanted a laser projection upon their two story home. I located lasers to project upon the walls and roof of the house. This gave a great “3D” effect; during the show, the audience walked around the house to see the different views.
Creating a Connection to the Community
One of the things that I enjoy about projecting laser shows upon buildings is that the ones selected are often of a great vintage, older than anyone in the community, and a source of pride for the local people. They are still in use as people go about their daily business and, in some ways, may be taken for granted.
Projecting lasers upon the building gives everyone an opportunity to step back and look at it with “new eyes”, and appreciate more than ever its architectural details and inherent beauty . This experience can reinvigorate the community’s pride in the structure and reconnect them to their local history!
Do Architectural Details Get in the Way?
Introducing “laser mapping“…
This is an opportunity – lasers can pull out architectural details that may be missed by a viewer. When I begin working on the details of a building, the fun begins!
I use lasers to accentuate each inspiring item of the building, saving them in files for later programming. I next create outlines of the entire building, aiming for several different styles. Then I look for the inner embellishments, and connect different elements to bring together in unexpected patterns and movement.
This process of bringing out the details of a building is called “laser mapping” – actually working to match the lasers to the lines and characteristics of the building. I even create patterns that fill in the spaces between windows and details as part of the laser mapping process, using “negative space.” Laser mapping is worthy of another entire article, which you can read here.