Large format projection specialists E\T\C UK projected onto the Shell Building for London's stunning New Year's Eve celebrations, working for show and event producers Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW).
The projections were part of “London Lights,” a pyrotechnic and lighting extravaganza designed to catch the spirit of London as the year rolled over and reinforce the city's bid for the 2012 Olympics. The event took place along the Thames, encompassing the South Bank between Jubilee and Westminster Bridges, including iconic landmarks like the London Eye and Big Ben.
E\T\C's Ross Ashton covered the full surface of the building with eight PIGI 6kW projectors to produce mega bright images. The projectors were sited 492' away on the edge of Jubilee Gardens in a curtain-sider truck in a four top/four bottom arrangement, complete with 15.75” lenses. Each machine produced a 164'×164' image, and these were overlaid for optimum brightness.
Artwork for over 120 slides was designed by JMW's Matt Leech, with E\T\C undertaking all the camera obscura work to do the perspective correction and fit them to the building. The images are designed to reflect the feel of contemporary London. The fast moving projections for the 10-minute display were programmed by Karen Monid using a PIGI OnlyCue system, and E\T\C's chief engineer was Andy Murrell.
“It was a great privilege to be working with JMW on this landmark event,” says Ashton. “Everyone combined imaginative energies and talents to create a unique work for a special moment in time.”