Projections

[EthelMae]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 4:24pm

Not really complaining because I like them in CURIOUS INCIDENT... but why does so many shows these days rely on projections? So many wonderful artists like Boris Aronson, Tony Walton, Tony Straiges, Oliver Smith and Jo Mielziner designed breathtaking sets. I hate to think what they would have come up with if they all had projections at their disposal.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 4:29pm

It's just using technology available to help assist telling the story. Not to mention that they are more cost effective in the long run. Had these been available in the past, I'm sure they would have been used by many designers too. The problem occurs when they are used merely for effect rather than in assisting in telling the story. There have been many good uses of projections as there have been bad ones. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 4:38pm

I agree with both of you. I think many shows nowadays are using completely gratuitous projections. Even when the projections assists in the storytelling, the shows could still be done without them, and it would be a lot less distracting and anachronistic in feel. Gentleman's Guide, Les Mis, Finding Neverland, Honeymoon in Vegas, Doctor Zhivago all had gratuitous projections. However, I've seen some shows recently where the projections work really well, such as Curious Incident, Grounded and Found. In those cases, the projections were essential to the story-telling, and they all took place in modern day. 

Updated On: 4/27/15 at 04:38 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 4:42pm

I would love to see some old shows of the 60's redone with modern projections. Imagine High Spirits with ghostly images or Superman with really great projection effects.

Can anyone else think of other shows that would have been aided by todays projection effects?

 

[Alan Henry]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 5:01pm

Honestly, I quite like the projections and how they are done in the Les Mis revival. They are Victor Hugo's own paintings adapted as projections and I think it works rather well.

Frankly, I find it less gratuitous than a turn table. Now there's something that doesn't add to how the story is told (in my opinion - I know many people quite like it.)

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 5:03pm

The projections in Les Miz did help the show immensely and much preferred it to the turntable.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 9:54pm

"So many wonderful artists like Boris Aronson, Tony Walton, Tony Straiges, Oliver Smith and Jo Mielziner designed breathtaking sets. I hate to think what they would have come up with if they all had projections at their disposal."

I think they generally would have embraced the technology in spades.

Look at Mielziner's original DEATH OF A SALESMAN. He used over-painted scrims to create the effect of projections before the technology existed.

Boris Aronson was famous for creating paint elevations for PACIFIC OVERTURES by exploiting the new technology in 1975 of the color xerox machine.

Tony Straiges actually DID use projections for his chromalume designs in SUNDAY..., and projections appeared in subtle ways all over his designs for INTO THE WOODS.

Tony Walton has never stopped reinventing his design aesthetic with the advent of every new technology that arrives.

(Perhaps from that list only the late great Oliver Smith would have groused and pouted and stuck to the old painted backing techniques he developed for dance theater in the early 1940's without any concern for new technologies.)

I agree that we seem to be in an age of over-reliance on projections to mask design flaws in show after show. But when a CURIOUS INCIDENT... or AN AMERICAN IN PARIS comes to town, where great design can bring to life such ravishing images with such rich imagination, I don't begrudge the new projection technologies that others may stumble over.

 

Updated On: 4/27/15 at 09:54 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 11:18pm

I'll take 100 bad productions with projections if that means we occasionally get 1 Sunday in the Park With George revival that does it right.

[Tag]

Posted: 4/27/15 at 11:49pm

^But it paled in comparison to the original production's design.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 12:03am

I also liked Sunday with the projections better...

I'd be curious to see another production with the style of projections as The Woman in White... I know some of the reviews called them  nausea-inducing, but they were very high quality when compared to Gentleman's Guide or Jersey Boys, etc.

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 12:07am

I'd love to see a Tony category for projection design, but we can't even keep one for sound design. Sad really. 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 7:14am

If Bob Crowley wins for his AAIP set design (as he should), no doubt he will acknowledge that an enormous share of that award goes to 59 Productions who was responsible for the projection design (as well as to his brilliant lighting designer, Natasha Katz).

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 7:33am

Some work great in shows and others don't (guys and dolls). Not all are good but not all are bad.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 12:26pm

I thought the projections in newsies were used well.

[acekatherineplumber2]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 12:35pm

I agree. I thought the projections in Newsies definitely added to the show and didn't detract at all.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 12:54pm

Sorry to threadjack but how does the turntable NOT help the story? It's an epic story and keeps the show moving and also gives the audience a sense of movement as the characters hop from location to location. It's a brilliant design element. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 3:36pm

"If Bob Crowley wins for his AAIP set design (as he should), no doubt he will acknowledge that an enormous share of that award goes to 59 Productions who was responsible for the projection design (as well as to his brilliant lighting designer, Natasha Katz)."

 If An American in Paris wins then Bob Crowley won't have to acknowledge the work of 59 Productions since they are already sharing the nomination and would share the win if they get it.

[philly03]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 4:03pm

I really liked the projections in Bonnie & Clyde as well... The real-life news paper clippings and photographs/mugshots were pretty cool.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/28/15 at 11:12pm

Agreed