lightmotiv.analog: analogue projections from theNightLab

theNightLab (tnl), a company placed in Bielefeld, Germany, provides the lightmotiv.analog projector for big screens with a diameter up to 30 meters.

(06/2003)

This basic technique isn't really new and reminds immediately on the psychodelic oil-effect disks from the sixty's and seventy's, but the lightmotiv.analog projector has more features. Two effects are used. At one side slide motives can be projected, on the other side you can achieve psychodelic effects with the open petri-dish. The combination of these two effects is very a delightful in a general view.

Technical Concept
The basis is a purely analogue concept. That means a steering of the projector via DMX for functions like focus, shutter, dimmer and similar known features is not designated. The projection surface will be directed by the place of the projector. The focussing happens manually. A distance of 2 meters to the projection surface will result in a diameter of 1 meter. By a distance of 20 meters you will get a diameter of 10 meters. The projector consists of aluminium in a dimension of 30x28x93 cm and has a weight to 20 kg. In the lower tract of the projector is a splash water- and dust-protected box and an Osram HMI 575 W illuminant inclusive a reflector, optics and a UV-Filter.

You can dim the Illuminant manually for a few percent, overall the projector provides an Output of ca. 6000 ANSI-Lumen. The light Ray goes through a roundly glassplane on which the logo can be placed. Directly above that, the petri-dish will be placed on a ring which is rotating into both directions. The logo is static, while the second level is movable in different velocities. The motives can get a physical radius size up to 17 cm thereby you can use conventional dia as well as a good foil for the overhead projector. Last one is a cheaper alternative, which is a flexibility on an event and is producible with the help of a Laptop and a printer. Due to bleaching out it's not appropiate for long term use.

Now you can fill in the basic liquids like a alcohol-, oil-, or waterbased mixtures into the petri-dish. In these basic mixtures you can add different substances like food coloring, or colours from the art market. Due to chemical reactions always new coloured forms rise up in the petri-dish, which will never be reproducable. In addition to the physical and chemical effects there is a agitator, which can be put into the dish and rotate it into both directions with different velocities. Until now the lightmotiv.analog projector is only availible for leasehold. That's an advantage, because tnl has the right substances and colours for the effects.

References
Basically it's a very interesting concept, which sets the main focus on to the artisitc thought, and not on reproducable technology. For sure the domains are the DJ- and VJ-Scene, but until now also the Wellness-sector, Promotions (Porsche Cayenne Presentation at the Porsche- Centre in Paderborn; Davidoff in Amsterdam) and events (Expo 2000, Boot 2003 Düsseldorf) are part of the satisfied customers from theNightLab.

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