Working with Qatar National Pavilion Committee, Paradigm & Partners and City Neon Bahrain, Eastbourne-based LM Productions created two breathtaking scenes within the Oman Pavilion. One is a virtual reality underwater landscape in the Arabian Sea where visitors feel they are walking through artificial coral reefs and interact with turtles, dolphins and fish swimming around them. The other shows daily life in an Omani kitchen. The back part of this scene is high quality video projection that merges into a real kitchen in a seamless continuation of the set. This gives the illusion of an Omani lady preparing food for the family.
The underwater installation shows the landmark project taking place in Qatari waters to restore ailing coral reefs lost to decades of aggressive coastal work and marine pollution. Since 2002 more than 1,000 artificial environment-friendly reefs have been created to encourage fish settlements and stimulate ecosystems that help coral growth.
The content for both scenes are projected by powerful Optoma ProScene EH7700 projectors. The marine environment is projected onto a semi-circular screen. This is blended by the Chameleon GB200 which ensured the black levels are consistent all the way around the curved projection. As the guests walk in front of the large curved screen they trigger different underwater scenes allowing the guests to interact with different marine life found in the waters off Oman.
The projection in the Middle Eastern kitchen is integrated into the kitchen’s back wall via a custom made seamless high gain projection screen and shows an Omani lady cooking and preparing typical Arabian food.
Stephen Harvey, Managing Director of LM Productions, said: “The EH7700 is a remarkably robust projector with an excellent picture quality and contrast. The image quality of the projector is as important to us as is its reliability. It will be operational at the Expo seven days a week for six months, so it was essential we choose a unit that is absolutely reliable.
“We use the Chameleon GB200 regularly for installations that need edge blending or projection mapping onto irregular shapes.”
Two smaller XGA projectors were also used in the Oman Pavilion. The lightweight DX345 projectors were used to project a beekeeper’s face and a fisherman’s face onto mannequins. English and Italian subtitles were shown on the screen next to the mannequins along with a high quality soundscape that brings the exhibits to life.
At the entrance to the Qatar Pavilion two short throw W316ST projectors were used to create virtual hostesses (a mother and child) greeting guests as they enter. Visitors can flick through a virtual holographic book thanks to another projection from the Full HD and lightweight DH1008. Finally, as the guests are guided through the pavilion, three different sized video globes explain how Qatar manages its food imports and food security via a projection from three short throw X306ST projectors.