Christie HD10K-M projectors, AutoStack and Twist capture Native American tradition on stage at Tillicum Village for a graphic cultural experience.
Christie is bringing the past to life at Tillicum Village, a Native American cultural experience, with holographic images powered by two Christie HD10K-M Series three-chip DLP projectors. Using built-in Christie AutoStack and Christie Twist, the projectors cast holographic images onto a Musion screen of a storyteller interacting with live actors and drummers throughout the performance on stage, helping capture unique tribal traditions. Located on Blake Island in Puget Sound, Washington, Tillicum Village and its Long House Theater present the history, tradition and culture of the Coast Salish tribes located along the state’s western border.
The 50-year-old, 450-person wooden theater – complete with dirt stage and 18-year-old soundtrack – needed a complete makeover that included the installation of a new Christie projection system.
According to Maureen Black, marketing director at Tillicum Village, “The theater is magical because of its age and rustic setting, but we needed to bring it up to modern standards. Part of this meant revamping the entire live performance to better showcase the traditions and culture of the Salish community in a way that is more relevant to today’s more tech-savvy generation. We wanted to bring the vibrant and ever-changing nature of native culture to life on stage, and technology would help us do that – but the show had to remain authentic.”
Integration partner Tempest Technologies chose Christie HD digital projectors as part of its 3D hologram system to deliver Tillicum Village’s vision.
“Tillicum Village really wanted to get that ‘wow’ factor in there, rather than just have people performing. When they decided they wanted 3D holographic technology, we didn’t hesitate to steer them toward Christie and its Christie Twist technology,” said Bart Black, audiovisual technology consultant, Tempest Technologies.
“The only way we could achieve the right contrast and align the images perfectly was to utilize Christie Twist. It allowed us to adjust where the images hit on the bounce surface to create a perfect, seamless image. Another important aspect was the tech operators having an easy mechanism to realign the images before each show. With one button, Christie AutoStack allows them to realign everything in 90 seconds without calling a projectionist to the island.”
Christie AutoStack is a camera-based solution and intuitive user interface that achieves accurate blending of multiple projectors. Used in conjunction with the Christie Twist warping and blending solution, AutoStack supports various screen sizes and aspect ratios, utilizing screen points for quick geometric calibration. In addition, it supports horizontal and vertical blending, with a live camera preview to aid in quick setup.
“The Christie HD projectors have become part of the magic. Audiences often want to know why the storyteller won’t come out and take a bow after the show! That’s how real he seems on stage,” said Kevin Clark, CEO of Tillicum Village. “By blending the live actors with holographic technology, we get better, richer performances, with great quality and consistency. And the technology allows us to easily update and modify the projected content.”
“The technology we used before was out of focus and dark and the images weren’t aligned. Tillicum Village is not only excited to promote the venue, but to stand behind the Christie product line,” Black concluded. “There hasn’t been one service call since the show started, and during high season it runs twice a day, seven days a week – we are extremely pleased.”