Modulo Pi, a provider of media server solutions with a user-friendly design, has shared details of its contribution to the reopening ceremony for the iconic French landmark, Notre-Dame de Paris.
On 7 December 2024, a celebration marking the reopening of the UNESCO World Heritage site was broadcast across the world and included spectacular projections that illuminated the cathedral’s exterior.
The evening culminated in a performance by DJ and producer Michaël Canitrot, with a light and sound show driven by 30 Panasonic projectors and Modulo Pi’s cutting-edge Modulo Kinetic media server.
International audience
After five years of painstaking restoration, Notre-Dame has been returned to its former grandeur following the fire in April 2019 that ravaged the cathedral’s roof and framework.
The reopening ceremony celebrated this remarkable achievement and was attended by the President of the French Republic, international heads of state, patrons, and prominent guests from across the world.
Video mapping, created by AV Extended and Alabama Média, brought the cathedral’s magnificent Gothic façade to life during the event. The 43-metre-wide façade and its colossal 69-metre-high spires were illuminated by 30 Panasonic PT-RQ35K projectors. With a guaranteed minimum output of 400 lux, the projection system was designed to provide the best possible brightness for broadcast and film.
The Modulo Kinetic media server solution from Modulo Pi was chosen to power the mapping and content distribution. Three Kinetic V-Nodes servers, each with six outputs, and a Kinetic Designer workstation were part of the configuration.
Clément Hahusseau, video operator at AV Extended responsible for the mapping, says: “Modulo Kinetic is an essential tool in our daily workflow. From the initial projection study to final execution, the system ensures a seamless and dependable workflow.”
A backup Modulo Kinetic workstation and V-Node server were included in the installation for seamless broadcasting.
“The setup allowed us to have redundancy at every level, which was essential for this historic mapping,” adds Hahusseau.
Precise mapping for complex surfaces
The AV Extended teams constructed a precise model of Notre-Dame’s west façade using a LiDAR scan and mesh from the cathedral’s reconstruction project. The model was converted into multiple variations, allowing the image studios to create unique content for projection onto the landmark building during the reopening ceremony. The closing spectacular from AV Extended was accompanied by ceremonial sequences from Superbien and a prime-time show created by Cosmo AV.
AV Extended used the Modulo Kinetic’s X-Map feature from Modulo Pi to coordinate video mapping content with Notre-Dame’s façade. This 2D warping tool makes it easier to create mappings, even on intricate projection surfaces.
The X-Map functionality allows users to create multiple layers for the mapped object. Individually warping these layers allows for exact modifications and seamless integration. AV Extended collaborated with Alabama Média to design and fine-tune 285 X-Maps for the Notre-Dame de Paris video mapping project. In addition, Modulo Kinetic’s compositing tools enabled the team to adjust the rendering for some media on-site. This rigorous approach resulted in high-precision projections for the event, which was broadcast internationally.
Hahusseau says: “Using Modulo Kinetic provided us with enhanced flexibility for the mapping with X-Maps distributed across multiple V-Node servers.”
The symbolic three knocks on the cathedral doors and ripple effects across the façade, signifying the reconstruction of the historic building, were among the ceremony’s many poignant moments. In addition, a gigantic “MERCI” was projected in honour of the 650 firefighters who stepped in to save Notre-Dame from the catastrophic fire five years ago.
A spectacular performance by Canitrot with a light and sound piece by artist Jérémie Bellot closed the ceremony. Canitrot and Bellot are collaborators on the Monumental Tour, a unique concept that combines electronic music, heritage, and digital art.
The performance included six tableaux which examined themes of universality, transcendence, and resilience and transformed Notre-Dame’s celebrated architecture into a masterpiece of illumination.
Last month, Modulo Pi revealed how its media servers are powering the mesmerising audiovisual experiences in the new Aquascope water park at Futuroscope in France.
