Digital Projection, a specialist in laser projectors, has announced that its products are being used as a core component of a new light and sound show in Northern India. Eight Digital Projection TITAN Laser 33000 4K-UHD projectors are used for the unique new guest experience which celebrates a historical national treasure.
The experience, which lasts approximately half an hour, utilises state-of-the-art projection mapping technology to retell the life of Lakshmi Bai, the twenty-two-year-old rani of Jhansi. The rani, better known as a queen, died in a fight with the British East India Company during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858.
Historical monument
PAN Intellecom Ltd, a system integrator, has created a 270°, 83m-wide canvas for the new projection show on the walls of Jhansi Fort. The hilltop monument was originally constructed in the 17th century, witnessing heavy fighting during the rebellion.
PAN Intellecom was also responsible for the show’s content for the show, using a combination of projection mapping, lasers, LED lights, lighting fixtures and a surround-sound system to recreate Bai’s determination during the Jhansi Fort siege.
Jhansi Smart City Limited CEO Avnish Rai says that the projections were required two months ahead of schedule to coincide with a visit by Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister: “We are extremely happy that the show was commissioned in record time.
“We hope that the state-of-the-art technologies, including laser projectors, used in the creation of this show will attract not just locals from the city but also attract tourists from around the country and abroad. We would like to congratulate PAN Intellecom for the wonderful job they have done.
“Along with all stakeholders, we worked day and night to achieve it. The outcome was spectacular, with applause coming in from all corners.”
Quality and value
Digital Projection was selected for the project as the result of a quality and cost-based system, with TITAN laser projectors offering the best combination of both. Harbir Singh, Intellecom director explains: “The 33,000-lumen TITAN Laser 33000 4K-UHD projector was used because of the large canvas and the high brightness requirements.
“As the audience sits close to the projected surface, 4K-UHD resolution was paramount to give a great viewing experience. Being a heritage fort, built hundreds of years back, the challenge was to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure and still deliver a show that could mesmerise the audience.”
For this installation, three TITAN Laser projectors have been stacked in the centre, with another two on the left and three on the right. The projectors have a long throw distance using Digital Projection’s 2.56–4.16:1 zoom lens.
“Digital Projection equipment is a perfect match for the rest of the AV system, which also includes a Xeon processor, Dataton WATCHOUT software for blending and light recording, a Medialon server as an overall show controller, and a surround-sound audio system featuring 12 Dual 12″ speakers and four Dual 15″ subwoofers,” says Sankalp Srivastava, AGM of projects for PAN Intellecom.
Providing key support
Digital Projection supported PAN Intellecom with the project, providing guidance on its projectors, lenses and positioning on-site, as well as during the installation and commissioning stages. “We had a very good experience in working with the team – they supported us on every aspect during the tendering stage, as well as the execution stage,” Srivastava adds.
Aman Arora, the technical-creative director for the project, comments on the challenges of the structure: “As a creative director, it’s like a dream come true to narrate the story of Rani Lakshmi Bai through a 270° architectural projection-mapping show, the first of its kind in the country.
“Digital Projection’s TITAN Laser 33000 4K-UHD projector’s true reproduction of colours made life easier for the content and creative team, who had a huge challenge to deliver uniform colours on a facade with stones that have lost their colour in an uneven fashion over a period of time.”
Head of the Delta Display Solution business unit for Delta India, Hemant Agarwal, is optimistic about the firm’s future in the region:
“Being associated with India’s largest projection-mapping sound-and-light show in a fort complex is indeed a matter of great pride for Digital Projection, but what’s even more joyful is to see a satisfied customer, mesmerised visitors and a proud Digital Projection partner – a great combination that ensures even greater successes for Digital Projection in India in the years to come.”
Earlier this year Digital Projection detailed its work on Deep Fakes: Art and its Double, an exhibition investigating emerging digital trends at EPFL Pavilions, Switzerland.
