Pixera Delivers Precise 3D Projection Mapping At India's Republic Day Celebrations
Modern Stage Services used Pixera, AV Stumpfl's media server platform to execute the biggest
projection mapping project in Delhi, India
AV Stumpfl's PIXERA media server platform was on the front lines for Beating Retreat,
the military
ceremony at the heart of India's Republic Day celebrations, which this year transformed New Delhi
with a cutting-edge projection-mapping experience synchronised with a drone display.
Marking the formal end of Republic Day, Beating Retreat 2023 featured a 3D anamorphic projection
mapped onto the facade of New Delhi's Secretariat Buildings. It was the first time a show of its
kind had been projected onto the imposing buildings, which are central to Lutyens's Delhi, the
historic capital district also home to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace.
The ceremony also included a drone show, featuring 3,500 drones, in sync with the projection
mapping, as well as military parades and performances of Indian classical music by the bands of the
armed forces and state police.
"This is the biggest projection-mapping project to date in India, as well as the first event in
India where projection mapping and a drone show were in sync," confirms Pratik Wadhwa, CEO of
Delhi-based Modern Stage Services, which won the tender for the projection mapping. The show,
he
explains, celebrated both the past 75 years of Indian history and the present and future development
of the country.
To ensure the stability and reliability crucial to delivering the demanding 14-minute show, which
took place during what Wadhwa describes as "one of the most prestigious events that happens in
India", Modern Stage Services turned to AV Stumpfl's multi-award-winning media server platform,
PIXERA.
"We have been using PIXERA for all our projects since 2021," he says, "and we are very satisfied
with the stability of the software. Features like 3D pre-visualisation, live input preview and
dynamic soft edge make the job much easier for us."
The 14-minute Republic Day Beating Retreat consisted of a huge fleet of audiovisual and lighting
equipment, such as Christie's 20k-lumen laser projectors, 40W RGB laser projectors, LED PAR lights,
and moving heads
Fourteen PIXERA systems, including one PIXERA Director licence, bolstered a Beating Retreat set-up
that included 61 x Christie 20k-lumen laser projectors, a further eight 40W RGB laser
projectors,
and lighting comprising 96 x moving heads and 180 x LED PAR lights.
The PIXERA software also helped to solve many of the logistical challenges posed by the show,
including the positioning of the projectors and the synchronisation of the content with timecode,
continues Wadhwa. "This is a televised show with a live audience, so the projectors couldn't be
placed directly in front of the buildings," he explains. "Using PIXERA's 3D visualiser, we solved
our projector positions during the planning stage."
Wadhwa is additionally full of praise for AV Stumpfl's Florian Eder and Horst Damoser,
who "have
always been supportive for all our projects", he says, and with whom the Modern Stage Services team
had "detailed discussions about the project during the planning stage".
Beating Retreat 2023 took place from 27th to 29th January on Vijay Chowk, New Delhi. The projection
show, which was performed on the 27th and 28th (for friends and family, and media, respectively),
was scripted and directed by Atul Tiwari, while the content was created by Knownsense
Studios. The
ceremony was attended by India's President, Droupadi Murmu, and Prime Minister, Narendra
Modi, as
well as Csaba Korosi, President of the United Nations General Assembly.