BrightStar shows off giant calligraphy
Published: MEA
SAUDI ARABIA: A solution of Christie’s Roadie HD+35K and Roadster HD20K projectors was deployed at the recent International Book Fair in Jeddah by local event engineering and management company, BrightStar. The fair’s organiser, ACE Creative, approached BrightStar confident in its projection mapping abilities, having engaged with the company multiple times over the past 18 years.
A pavilion depicting a structural recreation of the Bab Makkah Gate, measuring 165m x 11.5m was constructed for the event and provided the canvas upon which the history of Arabian calligraphy was to be projected. Three Roadie HD+35K projectors and eight Roadster HD20K units were positioned at 15m intervals to display the projection, which included a 3D mapping segment. The formation saw the Roadie HD+35K projectors situated between four Roadster HD20Ks on each side.
The International Book Fair attracted over 440 publishers from 25 countries and was opened by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. BrightStar reportedly spent a significant amount of time storyboarding the show in advance, resulting in the onsite setup of the projection element being completed in a single day.
The high performance level of the Roadie combined with the reliability of Roadster is deemed key to the project’s success. ‘Christie was the only manufacturer that could provide projectors capable of achieving our desired result,’ explained BrightStar support engineer, Joel Limin. ‘We knew we could rely on the equipment to perform. We had hurdles to overcome, such as making sure we covered the entire structure despite shadows cast by the stage and the trusses that formed part of the structure. Blending the content together for such a huge ‘screen area’ drew on our previous experience and we created something completely unique.’