I worked on a project for Burton Snowboards last fall (if I remember correctly) where we filmmed their sponsored athletes for “Free Format” projection through a Turn Key Solution by Vizoo. It’s a really remarkable effect with simple principals. I hadn’t really thought too much about it lately - until I caught this review of a Diesel Fashion Show that utilzes the technology - merging fashion, video, design and cg.


Simply Brilliant.

Diesel Jeans was one of the first examples I was shown of Vizoo’s Free Format Projection before working on the Burton shoot last fall. You have to take a look at this video.
Also here is their Free Format in Use Showreel.

Vizoo has designed several different holographic like exposition styles.

This stuff is great and somewhat simple as I mentioned before.

The Idiot’s guide to how it works:

The subject is shot on a black background and lit with sharp and even edgelights. In post the background is further darkened by increasing contrast and getting the black spots to 0% black. The projection system does not project 0% black, so anything that is not to be projected must be at 0% black. It is in this way that you avoid having a box around your footage as it would be if projected in a similar manner.

The image is rear projected - from ground level - through a mirror at a 45º angle onto a thin almost invisible black fabric. The 45º angle prevents light transmission from making it to the viewer after the projection makes contact with the fabric screen.

Screens are often placed in between real objects to create a further sense of depth and realism. These are often used as in store displays at night. I have dreamt up a ton of alternative uses for them myself.

There’s a little more to this whole thing tech-wise but the basic principals are here.

The cost of a one day exposition and installation of Free Format (according to the pamphlet from Vizoo) - 20,000 euro not including the 10,000 euro for the HD or 35mm production of the video assets. Though the Burton stuff I worked on was 16mm shot on an old Arri S.