Xite Labs - making of the 50-foot Projection Mapped Falcon

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Falconry is a tradition in Saudi Arabia practiced with passion and joy. So much so that UNESCO has declared falconry a living cultural heritage. No portrayal of the Saudi Kingdom could be considered authentic without showcasing its historical significance. The symbolism of the falcon was extremely important, so it had to be represented in a truly imaginative way. To fulfill the vision, a massive carbon-fiber, projection-mapped Falcon was designed and created at Xite Labs. An essential character in the story line, the falcon was controlled by 24 performers, and functioned as a giant puppet (like the Lion King). With a 50 foot wingspan, it made an awe-inspiring impression. Utilizing a Blacktrax system, the falcon system was outfitted with 50+ stringers (Infrared beacons) and 20 IR cameras, allowing it to be tracked and projection-mapped in real time with ultra-precision. Multiple projectors painted the bird with beautiful, real-time content as it soared on a majestic journey across the massive city walls. The falcon’s exact position on stage was then relayed back to a Disguise GX2 media server. On the Disguise server, UV mapped, pre-produced animation content played out to multiple projectors on the falcon, in perfect sync with the projection mapping on the walls of Diryah.

The original falcon model was produced by Greg Russell and Miguel Monteagudo, and then handed off to Xite Labs’ Matt Guertin who masterminded the trellis structure of the bird, the puppet pole functionality, the wing rotation mechanism, BlackTrax stringer installation and more. All fabrication was completed in the Xite Labs workshop, where costumers wrapped the giant bird in lycra that ultimately acted as the projection surface. The finished design incorporated thousands of interlinks parts, and weighed roughly 420 pounds. Fun Fact: a special perch had to be produced for the bird to provide a nesting place when it was not in rehearsals.

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