!! DON’T BE ALARMED !!
Everything is fine but wow was that a crazy summer and fall for me. With only a few of my VJ Guy shows speckled between constant work at my main contract doing projection installations for EMD Casa Loma (Toronto’s Castle).
“Is summer really over ?” Â Yeah long over Mr Vj. Not surprising it felt short since you worked more since spring than you have in the whole year previous. But don’t forget some of the special moments you had this spring and summer. You actually made something pretty cool remember ?
Oh Yeah 🙂 !!
I did make something cool. I actually completed a personal goal I set last winter.
The goal was to build a new type of VJ screen to project on. Combining pieces of cut modular shapes in an interesting arrangement of pattern and depth with embedded LED lighting that can be controlled in segments by DMX signal.
What came of this idea is this beautiful Solar Mandala that I created for a first performance at Solstice Gathering 2016, a private event I make installations for every year neat Collingwood Ontario .    
With the help of Vj friends and performing guests Vj User Zero and Vj BunBun from Montreal. They each helped me tweak the design and wire up the LED lights once I had cut and assembled it at the stage site with the help of another local Vj Mike Phobos Kitty. This is something I have been planning for over a year but it always takes a good team to make something great and I was so pleased with how it turned out and the friends I had to work on it with. It was a truly rewarding experience when we hoisted it up into it’s hanging position above our awesome Spore dance floor. The assembled mandala is 12 1/2 ” in diameter
There are 14, 3 channel DMX RGB LED light connections to a DMX light control board mounted on the back. LED light strips are attaches in sections around the main circle edge and under the forward triangles back lighting those shapes. The lights are positioned to enhance and not interfere with the intended projection surfaces.
The Mandala can come apart and shapes potentially be rearranged in another way with the LED lights easily replaceable as well. The modular screen design will be flexible and useful for years to come as I adapt it for various environments and hopefully to continue to build and enhance the parts and make new animations to fit it. (thanks to AD Photografe Andrija for these next two shots)
I was able to present the installation at two great little festivals born from my local music and arts community Solstice and Wild Summer . Solstice Gathering a week long conscious and exceptional community music and arts gathering of about 1000 members in Ontario. This year was my 14th year in a row at this unique volunteer run event . I traditionally participate by doing a video performance installation and invite other Vj to come and light it up. Spore is the name of our stage and the festival has two other magical music areas Hive and Root .
(Root stage with new roof and packed dancing deck)
Each stage is Unique featuring quality selections of underground dance music with excellent sound and special visual experience to enjoy as well as a beautiful trail filled forest and field filled with art installations workshops and interesting , friendly, fun people.
The decoration design at our stage was done by long time friend and fellow Om Solstice veteran creator member Tomasz Ciesla he also designed and led the build of the 3 mini pyramids in the area that serve as our performance booths.
The event comes together every year on Summer Solstice thanks to an amazing core group of people supported by the entire member base including DJs and artists. There are no spectators. The festival has a very free and safe chill vibe tied to one hell of a dance party. The amount of work that goes into this relatively small lower budget event is incredible and it makes for a wonderful experience year after year. There is nothing else like Solstice and I can’t even begin to go into detail why but it is where I have grown up as a Vj and made so many memories and is something I will always be really proud to be a part of creating. See our website here if you are looking for more info on Solstice Gathering http://solsticegathering.ca/
Now of the Terror I was mentioning … With a lot more sunshine 🙂
At the same time I was working on Solstice I was also starting on a major long term project for EMD show systems at Casa Loma Toronto . Around then I had just completed the installation and programming of the 8 screen presentation theater in the Pool room in the Casa basement. the conditions of which were definitely scary at times considering I was there working at all hours of the night by myself or with one person since it is full of tourists during the day. I also work on some special events and lead all the LED wall builds and there are many throughout the summer out doors and inside..  Visit the Casa Loma website. http://www.casaloma.ca/
But seriously we are talking about a real scary project here and that is Legends of Horror .
Legends we call it is a grand production of light sound and performance against the backdrop of fantastic sets built around the Casa Loma location. I took part as a technician and installation designer for all the projection installations and the other special technical effects throughout the experience.
I will make my own Legends post soon but I am happy that AV Stumpfl and Live Design Online (LDI) website decided to to a feature posting about our work I can share today.
LDI is a Major live event production technology and design conference held every year in the US and features the latest in high end even production showcases presentations and training .
http://livedesignonline.com/architainment/mapping-legends-horror-casa-loma#slide-0-field_images-173791
Here is a preview pic I shot. I have posted many to my facebook and instagram already ,, just too good to contain. https://www.instagram.com/scottvjguy/
See the official Legends of horror website here https://legendsofhorror.ca/
And more about the Mandala here https://www.facebook.com/VjGuy/
The Mandala and I did make it to a second festival and I have some nice shots to share of that but it will have to be for another posting as well.
Thanks for coming by
All the best from Toronto’s Castle and Vj Guy