2023 Wrapped: DCi’s Top Event Highlights From This Year
H
ave you ever gasped at a mesmerizing video projection on a building at an amusement park or a music festival and wondered: What’s the secret sauce behind the magic? Well, this marketing tool is called video mapping — and it’s one of the fastest-rising trends in the event world. The optical illusion involves turning the facade of any structure into a display surface for video projection.
Combined with lights, music, on-theme decor, and sometimes even fireworks, it can help create a feast for the senses that leave a big impression on your guests. In short, the possibilities for video mapping are endless, and at DCi, we love using this projection technique to create immersive experiences for our clients — whether it’s for a creative product launch or an awe-inspiring art installation. Curious to hear how we do it? Here are a few ways to make the most of video mapping at your next event.
1. Find Your Perfect Canvas
With lots of creativity and skill, video mapping can turn a blank wall into a magical world. The first step? Nailing down the location and the theme. Next? Crafting a three-dimensional model of the target surface and adjusting the visual content to fit. For a long-time client, for example, DCi experts transformed the central courtyard of a historic building into an Alice in Wonderland-themed universe.
For a Southwest-themed event in Arizona, DCi used video mapping as an extension of the natural beauty of the venue’s desert location. Projected onto a mission-style backdrop, the stunning projection highlighted the distinctive features of the region, including soaring birds and rambling brush, and extended the sightline of the event guests. When the sun set, the imagery shifted to reveal a starry desert sky.
2. Lean Into Storytelling
While the location and venue dictate the flow and structure of the event, your storytelling plays a huge role in keeping your audience engaged from the minute they walk through the door. Incorporating a visual narrative into event planning can elevate the entire experience — and leave a lasting impression on your attendees.
At the aforementioned Wonderland-inspired event, guests were able to roam around and explore more than 15 themed rooms, each with its own unique decor, food and beverages, and entertainment that tied into the whimsical theme. For another event in Texas, DCi used video mapping to turn the interior of a barn into an old-timey saloon. A multitude of interiors rotated throughout the night, teleporting guests to the Old West to imagine life as gunslingers, cowboys, saloon girls, and card players.
3. Weave in Sound and Light
Video mapping is an exceptionally effective marketing tool — especially when combined with other design elements like light and color. Clever lighting can help set the mood, enhance the decor, and add more drama to the atmosphere. Not to mention, it can also draw attention to key moments throughout the evening, like a special announcement or performance.
Another way to take video mapping to the next level? By combining sight with sound. Pairing your visuals with the right audio can really elevate your event, creating a cohesive and fully immersive experience for your guests. For example, pairing music (or a voiceover) with key scene changes in your video can evoke emotion, build excitement, and deliver a strong message.
4. Partner With An Expert
Bringing a video-mapping idea to life is a complicated, multi-step process that involves more than your usual event-planning skills. That’s why it’s important to hire the right people for the job. At DCi, we partner with experienced vendors who have the expertise to bring large-scale and creatively complex projects to life.
Our event-planning experts work with a team of professionals who have years-long experience in utilizing specialized software to accurately map your desired video content on a three-dimensional structure. They also have the technology needed — from projectors to speakers — to produce high-quality results that captivate audiences throughout your event.
We hope that these ideas have inspired you to plan your next event with us. If so, reach out to our team to get the ball rolling.
