The UK tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express is the country’s first touring theatre production to feature 3D film, thanks to a stereoscopic video projection system supplied by London based 3D specialists Inition.

The ‘Duality’ projection system – installed and maintained by Inition - recreates the high speed skate races that made the original London show one of the capital’s most successful musicals of all time.

The new tour builds on the achievements of the 2003/4 US Troika Tour - but adds even more edge of the seat 3D sequences and jaw dropping special effects.

The projection system was initially used during the US tour to replicate the famous audience-encircling race sequences as it was impractical to build vast sets in each venue. Instead the producers turned to cutting edge 3D technology – full colour, high-definition 3D back projection, using a specially developed high-brightness Duality rig.

Now the same projection system is heading to the UK for a new tour opening in Manchester on November 1st and stretching from Bristol to Edinburgh. Inition is again providing technical support and expert know-how to integrate the system into the UK production.

It marks the debut of 3D graphics on the British stage. Although 3D projection has featured in themed entertainment installations, this is the first time it has gone on the road in the UK. "The key elements," says Inition Technical Director James Gant, "are our 3DVidBox movie playback system and our Duality stereoscopic projection system, consisting of four 7700 lumen UXGA projectors."

3D film projection has been around almost since the invention of movies, but until recently digital projection systems have lacked the resolution and brightness to create sufficiently large scale 3D images for use in theatres.

Starlight Express road show featuring digital 3D-projection by Inition

The specifications of the playback system were demanding - two frame-synchronised UXGA (1600 x 1200) video channels at 30fps, along with 8 channels of audio. Inition worked with German firm Iridas to customise their Digital Cinema Playback System (DCPS) for Stereoscopic replay. The 3DVidBox HD playback systems are very compact, based on OpenGL accelerated, rack mounted PCs.

One of the most important demands of the system was achieving adequate brightness for the 30-foot screen. Inition’s most powerful Duality projection system to date consists of four UXGA 7700-lumen projectors, two for each channel (or eye), offering a bright, crisp image at this scale. Rear projection was a must to avoid building a front of house projection tower. This meant that, because of space limitations in certain theatres on the tour, super wide-angle lenses were used allowing a throw distance of under 25 feet.
The stereoscopic effect is created by polarising filters on the lenses and providing the audience with polarising 3D glasses. The video footage is projected through these filters onto a special, 30 ft wide non-depolarising screen.

The makers of the 3D film, Principal Large Format, introduced Lloyd-Webber's Really Useful Group team to Inition during their work on the IMAX production of Bugs!, narrated by Judi Dench.

Principal shot the race sequences using dual HD cameras and Inition provided a full-scale screening of the completed HD films for Andrew Lloyd Webber in the IMAX cinema at Waterloo in London.

“I don’t think the audience realized that they were about to witness the real world debut of this technology, but once the show began they responded. Their gasps and ‘oohs’ made all the hard work worthwhile,” says Inition creative director Andy Millns. “From my experience, this is a common reaction when people see modern 3D projection for the first time. They just can’t believe how good it is. A voice informs the audience that the race is about to begin and instructs them to put on their ‘safety goggles’. The audiences love it!”

“This is not just a first in theatre,” adds Inition MD Stuart Cupit, “it’s a sign of things to come.”

Notes for editors

Inition (www.inition.co.uk) was formed in 2001 by Stuart Cupit, James Gant, Chris Sutton and Andy Millns. The team has a passion for 3D graphics and provide a range of virtual reality (a.k.a. VizSim) and graphics products and services, including the recently launched Duality range of stereoscopic projection rigs,3DVidBox HD Stereoscopic replay systems, and the 3DVidRig – a low-cost stereoscopic filming rig – used by Inition themselves during their 3D shoots.

The new Starlight Express UK tour (www.starlightexpresstour.co.uk) opens in Manchester on the 1st November. Produced by the original West End creative team, it fuses state of the art technology, electrifying music, and all-new dazzling sets and costumes by John Napier.

CONTACT DETAILS

For press information email press@inition.co.uk

For further information contact James Gant / Andy Millns

Tel: +44 (0)20 7613 5004  

Email: james.gant@inition.co.uk / andy.millns@inition.co.uk

Inition ltd – 79 Leonard St, London EC2A 4QS - United Kingdom - Tel +44 (0)20 7613 5004 - Fax +44 (0)845 345 2737 - Email:inition@inition.co.uk