Obscura Digital: Emergence at the Exploratorium


At nightfall on April 17th and 18th, 2013, Obscura Digital transforms San Francisco’s Pier 15 with a projection mapping extravaganza. We’ve seen a lot of projection mapping at Motionographer, but this one stands out because of its non-computer generated assets.

Obscura designed and fabricated ten replicas of the Exploratorium’s façade, ranging in size from large terrariums to microscope slides, to contain unique experiments involving fluid dynamics, microorganisms, particle interactions, living systems, crystallization, and growth in time lapse. Documented in ultra high-definition video, these compelling natural subjects are projection mapped back on the surface of the building, creating the illusion of being contained within its structure.


CREDITS

Obscura Digital: Garth Williams, Tim Digulla, Marc Melzer, Jennifer Spratt, Susan Ali, Matty Dowlen, Barry Threw, Ana Herruzo, Andrew Plourde, Gaston Albanell, Bryan Sullivan, Tom Sepe, Desmond Shea, Hoss Ward, Philip Briggs, Jim Ellis, Alexi Alexaieff, Josh Brott, George Rosenthal, Eric Schneider.
Special thanks to:
Dr. Karen Kalumuck, Exploratorium, biology consultation;
Ben Stokes, Mission Control, cinematography and designs;
Richard Weinberg, Ph.D., digital cinematography with optical microscopy;
David Caron, Ph.D. and Alyssa Gellene, USC Dornsife College;
Darren Kraemer & Saied Rezaei, Attodyne, Inc., microscopic laser milling;
FLIR Systems, thermal imaging infrared cameras