Awesome video and tech using High Speed Tracking and High Speed (1000fps) Projection Mapping by WOW. Includes Making-Of video.

Making Of

 

Author Notes

INORI (prayer) 
High-Speed Face-Tracking And High Speed (1000fps) Projection Mapping.

This project is achieved as collaborative work between AYABAMBI,TOKYO, Ishikawa Watanabe Lab, The University of Tokyo and WOW, responding the call for collaboration by Nobumichi Asai (WOW).

Staff

Nobumichi Asai [Creative Director | Technical Director - WOW]
Shingo Abe [CG Director - WOW]
Atsushi Yoshimura [Programmer - WOW]
Ayaka Motoyoshi [Assistant Producer - WOW]

Eiji Tanigawa [Director | Editor - TOKYO]
Senzo Ueno [Director of Photography - TOKYO]
Toshiyuki Takei / Shinya Masuda [Producer - TOKYO]
Minami Chiwaki / Yuma Yoshimura / Kohei Takayama [Production Manager - TOKYO]
Suzuko Ohgaki [Making Director - TOKYO]

Aya Sato [Choreographer]
AyaBambi [Cast]
Oi-chan[Management]

Shootings

Tomorio Takahashi [Gaffer]
Hisashi Morikawa / Mie Inaba / Akihiko Imai [Light Assistant]
Takashi Ideguchi [Camera 1st Assistant]
Shibuya Hiromi / Fujii Ryosuke [Camera 2nd Assistant]
Setsu Fukushima / Ryosuke Taniguchi [Music - Ongakushitsu Inc.]
Yosuke Nagao [Music Composer]

Yasuo Fukuda [Colorist]
Ryota Abe [Online Editor]
Mizuki Kawano [Mixer - TAIYO KIKAKU co.,ltd]

Special Thanks

Yoshihiro Watanabe [Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory,University of Tokyo]
Masatoshi Ishikawa [Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory,University of Tokyo]
Tomoaki Teshima [Exvision]

TOKYO ELECTRON DEVICE LIMITED
Takeshi Yuasa / Kiwamu Sumino / Hiroshi Watase /Toru Yamashita 
Atsuko Kushima / Tomoaki Kiguchi

nobumichiasai.com

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The director, Tanigawa (TOKYO) made a proposal for the theme of “Life.” First, the soundtrack was composed according along the theme. The creative director, WOW’s Technical Director, Asai and the CG Director, Abe was inspired by the music and then made face mapping work. Aya Sato designed choreography. The crew of TOKYO, which Tanigawa directs, completed the project by making the video work.

The music brought Asai the image of “the radioactive.” The destructive force of the radioactive could cause “death,” “suffering,” and “sorrow.” And “prayers” could overcome them. These subjects infuse AYABAMBI’s powerful performance. Their performance crushes and conquer black tears, skulls and the Heart Sutra. We built up the concept during the production and Abe designed animation for face mapping.

There was a big challenge in technical aspects. We realized the new mapping system that allows us to follow intense performances by using the latest 1,000 fps projector, DynaFlash(*1) and a super speed sensor. It is very new and it had not been done before. Projected images become part of their skin and they transform their faces.

At the beginning of our development, there was an issue, AYABAMBI would loose freedom of performances if we accelerated the tracking speed. Asai, Yoshimura (WOW), Lecturer Watanabe and Teshima (EXVISION) explored how we could keep the tracking speed securing the freedom of performances, taking three months of trial and error to reduce a few milliseconds. And we finally developed this system(*2).

AYABAMBI is a dance unit who is internationally acclaimed working with Madonna and high fashion brands. TOKYO is an international award winning video production and famous for videos and commercial films employing technologies. Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory, the University of Tokyo focuses on the study of the innovative computer vision. This was an exciting opportunity that these talents met WOW, which has amazed the world with tech art like face mapping and VFX.

*1 “DynaFlash” is developed jointly by Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory, the University of Tokyo and is commercialized by Tokyo Electron Device Limited.

*2 For tracking hands, we use the dynamic projection mapping technology developed by Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory, the University of Tokyo. For tracking faces, we use the face mapping technology developed by the visual design studio, WOW inc.

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