Video Installation

Sober Industries

Sober Industries are a creative production company that specialise in developing and creating creative concepts and projects. They have worked with many different clients which includes the likes of MTV, Disney Channel, Converse and many other notable brands. They often create models that they then project on to. There are many different projections they have created that range from a wide variety of genres. The majority of their work has a similar style to it. Most projects are 3D models created from wood and metal which then have colours and images projected on to them. The models are extremely detailed and have many different layers projected on to them.

Image from: http://www.sober-industries.com/portfolio/projection-mapping-gundam-s-5083r/

This is one of there projection mapping projects that they created for the Amsterdam Dance Event. The models are of characters from the show Gundam. Similar to this project, they also created a formula 1 race car.

These images show the different stages of the race car projection. The first image shows the car without anything projected on to it, it is just the model. The second image has blue and white projected onto the different areas of the car and the final image shows how the colours have changed. There are multiple different colours projected on to it now and different patterns.


The intentions of Sober Industries work is all for commercial purposes. They create most of their work for other companies and organisations to help promote them. This limits their creativity as they cannot choose what model they want to create however they can choose how they design their project. The industry had stated

"we use technology in a creative way to trigger the participants emotions and to stimulate curiosity and create engagement"

This statement shows that they try to interact with viewers through their work. It is important to them as well as their client that viewers stop and take a second look at their work. Sober Industries treat their work like art and have a vision behind each piece. They see their work as more than just promotional pieces. Some of their work has been created for their own promotional purposes and allows them to really express themselves.

They are a big industry and have a variety of technology at their disposal. As well as projection mapping they also use laser cutting technology to cut out the significant shapes for their models. made from wood. Another piece of technology they use is LED lights. The majority of their work involves flashing lights and bright colours and using LED lights helps to give that luminous look to their models.

Their work differs from a lot of other companies and artists. One big factor that makes their work unique is the use of models. They project their pieces on to wooden and metal models whereas a lot of artists will go for a more simpler option like a flat screen. Using models is a lot more time consuming as there is the process of creating the model to be carried out and projecting video on to each difference surface which puts other companies off doing it. By using models you are creating a much more attractive and 3D piece which will probably interest a wider audience. A company such as Urban Projections would differ from Sober industries as they use existing architecture and objects as their models. They use things such as houses and cars to project on to. The advantage of using Sober industries method would be you have more freedom as you are creating your own model whereas Urban Projections method is much more cost effective as you don't have to pay for the materials.

I personally admire the work of Sober industries. The complex technique used pays off and creates really interesting pieces of work. I think their work is unique to them and you would be able to tell there work apart from other companies. I believe this is the reason many big names hire there services as they are recognised as a good brand and would therefore look positive on the employing company. A negative that has come up with their work is it is all quite similar. This is thought of because almost all their projects are a model with different colours projected on to it. A lot of critics believe that they are not a diverse company. I feel that this is not such a negative as they are creating what their client wants. Their clients know what their work looks like and only goes to them because they want something of the same. I believe they are doing what they know looks best and is most effective for sales.

Urban Projections 
Urban projections are a digital production company who create many forms of digital artwork. They are most recognised for their work using projection mapping. Most of their work is collaborating with DJ's, festivals and directors to provide a more satisfying visual experience for their customers and audiences. A lot of their projection mapping is done on architecture and to music, this is why their work is ideal for DJ's. The images they project generally transform to the beat provided in the background and by using these projections at live events, they add a unique look which audiences tend to enjoy more than the usual flashing lights and smoke. Some of their more notable clients are the BBC, Vodafone and Vauxhall.

Image from: http://www.mynameisrebecca.com/269005/4005796/projects/freefall-festival-mapped-dj-booth

This collage of images shows a piece they did for a DJ set. They projected on to multiple surfaces that made up the DJ set and projected different colours and shapes on to it. Another project of theirs was for Vauxhall. They projected colours and animal prints on to the car to help promote their new range of 'Adam' vehicles.

A lot of Urban Projections work is done for commercial purposes as they have to make money to run their company however some of there work is done to carry a message. They carried out one project called 'Bloom' This project was carried out to celebrate the Paralympics and the Diversity of the town the project was commissioned in. They allowed members of the public to provide images that would then be projected on to a building. This shows that they are not all about making money and instead want to bring people together by publically video bombing their work.

https://vimeo.com/49514987

This link leads to the Bloom project on Vimeo.

Urban Projections save a lot of money compared to other companies as they do a lot of video bombing. This means they do not have to pay for materials. Also If they are doing commercial work then the company generally send them the materials they need. For example, Vauxhall provided them with the car. They use projectors to map onto buildings and structures. The size of the structure will change the amount of projectors they need to use. The bigger it is the larger the area that needs covering and therefore more projectors are needed. There is no other equipment necessary for them besides the projectors which show how simple it can be to pull off such big projects.

Urban Projections vary from other companies because a lot of their personal projects involve video bombing. This is when the group project video and images on to public structures and property. Most other companies will have their own studio, materials and models like Sober Industries do. I admire the work of Urban Projections because by video bombing they are really getting their work out to the people for free. The public are generally involved in some way with some of there work and they don't have to buy a ticket to an event just to see it. The work would instead be projected on to a large building for everyone to see. It is also a good idea for anyone thinking of starting out as a projection mapper. It is much more cost effective and a good way to get noticed.