DUBAI, December 17th, 2021 — Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai have been able to see the awe-inspiring nightly Christmas shows at Al Wasl Plaza since Saturday, December 11th. The projections on the dome are turning the location into a festive show with magnificent sights and popular seasonal tunes. The exhibitions bring the spirit of the season to life with everything from snowflakes to snowmen, Christmas trees to enormous toys.
But how did this enchantment come to be? Richard Lindsay, Creative Director – Artists in Motion, was in charge of the project to assist develop one of Expo 2020’s most important events yet. Creating shows for the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface was difficult and necessitated creative solutions.
“With a 360-degree canvas the composition needs to be seamless,” Lindsay explained. “You don’t have the luxury of a frame to work within. With projection, it behaves differently to how you see on a computer screen – the source of the creation. You need to be very aware of how color and contrast behave through a light source output.
“Al Wasl is not a typical dome projection surface. It is actually a very ornate structure that is very present. You need to create within its physical presence and not treat it like a seamless canvas. Bringing the structure to life is part of its charm. So, we need to perfectly map our content to the structure in order to bring this out.
“It’s not a typical screen canvas where cuts and short edit burst work well. Composition needs to evolve from one to the other. There is a physical presence with the dome, so the magic is in the transformation. You can’t do that through simple edits.”
Lindsay said the Christmas shows were inspired by the many different people who visit Expo 2020 and were created around the concepts of ‘Magic’ and ‘Nostalgia’. “We bring to life the magical icons of Christmas for the Christmas child in all of us. From dancing toys that come to life, to snowman fights and cheeky elves – all choreographed to a soundtrack filled with nostalgia. It’s one giant present that keeps on giving. There may even be a sighting of Santa himself!”
The shows are also unique, because Al Wasl itself is one of a kind. Lindsay says understanding how the audience interacts with the dome and its surroundings is crucial. “Al Wasl is more than just a big projection canvas, it also has an incredibly powerful 27.1 surround sound system, a super impressive lighting array and a clever central stage. When you create for all of these components, you create an experience that only Al Wasl can deliver.
“We had both the challenge and luxury of working this all out with no reference. We created a virtual Al Wasl in which we learnt our lessons ahead of Al Wasl coming to life.”
To read our blog on Textile seminar at Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, click here.
