Japanese pop band AAA embarked on their Way of Glory arena tour with disguise providing support for content mapping for a show packed with LED displays.
The design of Way of Glory featured moving LED screens powered by 3 Disguise 4x4pro’s. Screen automation was controlled by Kinesys, which input positional information into disguise.
“Some of the things we did in disguise included integrating IMAG/live camera into the content,” said Roy Chung, from Los Angeles-based content creator POSSIBLE. “For example, we created screen content that we’d deliver with a matte or transparent zones as well as additional reflection/lighting passes that could be layered on top. The live camera could then be integrated in-between those layers as elements built into the environment, instead of just being dropped on top of the content.”
Chung noted that the team: “used a combination of direct and parallel mapping so certain content could stick to the moving screens as they moved through a larger, parallel-mapped environment. We created a futuristic neon club environment for the song ‘S.O.L.,’ so the side screens had colourful shelves of liquor that slid through the club environment as the screens moved across the stage.”
He said disguise offered a number of advantages to the production: “Being able to unify automation data and previs it in the visualiser, along with the different blend modes and the ability to mix mappings were invaluable in allowing us to create unique experiences through the screen content,” noted Chung.
Toyokazu Fujisawa, the disguise operator from Hibino, explained that the disguise solution was key for the integration of Kinesys for screens automation and perspective mapping: “We took the screens’ positions data from the Kinesys system in real time and synchronised the screen movements and content. Perspective mapping made the look unique.”
He said disguise: “managed the content really clearly and smoothly, and that made my job easy as an engineer. disguise was also flexible with multiple key framing on the timeline and a variety of mapping options. Those functions made it possible to add new looks on the stage.”
Chung concluded: “we received a lot of support for Way of Glory from disguise, including the company’s UK staff speaking with the Japanese team to sort out the technical challenges of integrating disguise and Kinesys. Kevin Li from disguise APAC’s office also came to rehearsals to consult on some mapping issues and ensure that all of our concerns were addressed ahead of the first show.”
The director of Way of Glory was Hiroaki Ijitsu of Show Design, the video director Tatsuro Ogawa of Orange Collar and the Kinesys operator Satoru Yamada. Servers provided by Hibino and Orange Collar.