Castle of Light
Edinburgh Castle
‘Castle of Light’ – a mesmerising 90-minute journey of light, sound and wonder showcasing the history, geology and mythology of Edinburgh Castle. The event was the first of its kind to be set within the historic walls and conjured a spectacle that excited, entertained and enlightened audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Double Take Projections partnered with several local designers and production companies to create an after-hours tour of Edinburgh Castle combining castle projections, lighting, sound and other installations. The five week-long-event, which ran over the festive period, had to be suitable for all ages and captivate locals and visitors alike.
Following a number of creative meetings with the consortium to discuss site plans and content creation, Double Take Projections extensively photographed the Edinburgh Castle grounds and stitched together the resulting images to create high-resolution templates for each site. Where necessary, we created 3D scale models and textures in Cinema 4D, allowing for more control and a variety in content creation.
Double Take Projections were excited to have the opportunity to project onto Edinburgh’s most famous façade – the Castle Esplanade – which can be viewed from across the city. Featuring a specially commissioned audio track from Niteworks, ‘Castle of Light’ began with a mesmerising and magical array of lighting and projections designed by our in-house design team. Following extensive research, the opening show featured colourful and abstract visuals which referenced Castle Rock’s early inhabitants. Our time-lapse photographer filmed visuals to transport viewers through some of Scotland’s most idyllic scenery. Our image of the castle esplanade projection was used by local and national press to promote the event.
After passing through the portcullis, featuring a lion character inspired by Scotland’s royal flag, the audience arrived through the medieval passageway at a rock face situated in the heart of the castle grounds. Double Take Projections explored the castle rock’s history through the ages from its geological beginnings to violent sieges and everything in between. The projection-mapped installation at this site doubled up as a virtual time machine. Blurring the lines between projections and the physical world; the content was paired with pyrotechnics and external lighting to create a truly immersive experience for viewers. A powerful blue laser beamed across the length of the city and could be seen from miles around.
The public was immersed in a 270-degree castle projection spectacle as they moved onto Edinburgh’s oldest building, St Margret’s Chapel, which is one of the city’s most precious architectural jewels. As well as digitally texturing the 12th-century building in vivid stained-glass visuals relating to the building’s Christian origins, it was also re-imagined as a mystical jewel box.
Crown Square was an opportunity to create a memorable and exciting installation that left guests in a state of euphoria. The pinnacle of the show saw the building ‘breakaway’ to reveal filmed footage of a variety of dance groups; showcasing local talent and celebrating Edinburgh’s rich and diverse multicultural heritage. Viewers were immersed in a sound and light extravaganza, with concert-style stage lighting, projections and an uplifting commissioned track from Niteworks.
The event achieved great success; selling over 35,000 tickets over the five-week runout. Both the client and audiences were delighted with the projection trail. Social media posts mentioned the quality and variety of lighting installations compared to other options in the seasonal calendar. The event was promoted and picked up in both local and national press with thousands of images shared on social media.
“Our remit for the event was that we wanted it to be completely unique and bespoke to the castle. We wanted it to be relevant and fun, rather than historical and dull. The team has more than done that – it looks amazing.” - Audrey Jones, Head of New Business & Film at Historic Environment Scotland
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Client: Historic Environment Scotland
Location: Edinburgh Castle
Date: 14th November 2019 – 22nd December 2019
Project Partners: War Productions, NL Productions, Andy McGregor Design
Soundtrack: Niteworks
Projector Spec: 2 x PT-RZ31K 31,000 Lumen Laser Projectors,
Location: Edinburgh Castle
Date: 14th November 2019 – 22nd December 2019
Project Partners: War Productions, NL Productions, Andy McGregor Design
Soundtrack: Niteworks
Projector Spec: 2 x PT-RZ31K 31,000 Lumen Laser Projectors,
8 x PT-RZ21K 21,000 Lumen Laser Projectors, 2 x PT-RZ12K 12,000 Lumen Laser Projectors,
4 x PT-RZ970K 10,000 Lumen Laser Projectors
