The event was staged first in Plaza de Colón in Madrid between 28 February and 8 March, and then in Plaza de Cataluña in Barcelona from 16 to 23 March.
The show was held in a special geodesic dome. A true landmark in modern engineering, this igloo-like structure was designed and created by the US company Pacific Domes using a sophisticated negative pressure system that makes the metal structure vanish to create a 800 square metre screen.
Measuring 10.5m high and with a diameter of 21.7m, the dome covers a floor area of around 370sq.m. New Media has the exclusive rights to this system in Spain and is currently one of only four companies in Europe who have access to this type of infrastructure.
Inside the dome the company installed six Christie Roadster HD20K-J projectors (3-chip DLP, HD resolution, 18,000 lumens ANSI) to create 360° projections onto the screen, with over 12m pixels at 4K resolution, synchronised using a 7thSense Delta media server, Medialon and L-Acoustics 5.1 surround sound.
The six projectors were fixed on supports at 2m above the ground and at increments of 60°, edge-blended with Christie Twist.
Another three Christie projectors, in this case Christie HD14K-M (3-chip DLP, HD resolution, 13,500 lumens ANSI), were used for the 3D mapping on the new A3 Sportback model which was located on a revolving platform inside the dome.
The show opened in pitch darkness before an offstage voice announced the start-at which point the rings of the Audi logo were lit up one by one. Afterwards various flashes of light appeared using 3D mapping which were gradually connected together to create countless light cubes that formed the first complete image of the stage.
Later, fast-moving lines appeared from right to left, drawing the outline of the new Audi A3 Sportback. Next, the panel hiding the Audi A3 Sportback, and on which its silhouette was projected, was slowly withdrawn to reveal the real car. The idea was to transmit the sensation of the transformation from virtual to reality.
When the car was started, it revolved in a circle and turned to face the audience; the parking lights were turned on to create the idea of movement, in such a way that it seemed as if it were moving forward through an abstract world of lines, spirals and tunnels projected onto the stage.
Once the Audi A3 Sportback emerged from the tunnel, we found ourselves in the cities of Madrid and Barcelona, filmed in 360°, which were projected on the screen and reflected on the body of the car. The new Audi A3 Sportback was combined with pre-recorded images of the cities to give the sensation of driving around them.
The event also used two Christie MicroTiles videowalls, in 4x3 and 5x3 configurations, which showed the Audi A3 TV advert. In addition, a Christie LX1500 projector (3 LCD, XGA resolution, 15,000 lumens ANSI) was used for the projection on the outer surface of the dome.
(Jim Evans)
