Projection Design

The Rite of Spring /  by Joseph Burke

Position
+ artwork creation, animation, projection system designer

Personnel
+ Choreographer: Ib Anderson
+ Producers: Ballet Arizona

Details
+ 2023
+ Phoenix, AZ

Folxtales /  by Joseph Burke

Position
+ lead animator and projection system designer

Personnel
+ Art Director: John Boesche
+ Animator: Erin Pleake
+ Illustrator: Priyankka Krishnan
+ Sound Designer: Daniel Massey
+ Scenic Designers: MFA & BFA Students
+ Producers: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Illinois Theatre, Krannert Center for The Performing Arts

Details
+ 2021
+ Urbana, IL

Shedding light on student work at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign’s theatre program was the premises for what would become Folxtales, an outdoor showcase of student actor and designer talents projected onto the 4200 square foot facade of the Krannert Center’s Foellinger Great Hall. 

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I was asked by the Art Director and Head of the Media Program, John Boesche, to collaborate on this project as the lead animator and projection system designer. Creating video content started with script selection written by faculty and staff from the university theatre program. Scripts were paired with Master of Fine Arts (MFA) acting students who worked with Script and Performance Coordinator, Aaron Munoz, to cultivate movement and emotion for each piece. Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts scenic design students developed the inspiration for the story visuals. We then utilized green screen techniques to capture each actor's action to composite them into the artwork. Working within the system's parameters, each student provided storyboards highlighting each environmental and scenic change. Provided with actor footage and detailed storyboards, John, myself, and animator Erin Pleake brainstormed and developed ways to bring these storyboards to life. We created the evocative imagery projected for this project using Adobe After Effects, Premier Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and the Red Giant Trapcode Suite.

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The projection system consisted of four Barco 30,000 lumen projectors, each utilizing their new periscope style lens designed for a wide coverage angle at a very short distance to the surface. This setup allowed us to use standard scaffolding constructed over the stairways of the atrium and arrange the projectors in an optimal way for mapping imagery on the wall and ceiling. The video content was driven by Dataton's WATCHOUT, utilizing four separate HD feeds to blend and converge the projectors.

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This project's overall goal was to emphasize and highlight the incredible work students achieve at the University of Illinois theatre program. Through the collaboration and expertise of professionals within the industry, Illinois Theatre produced an immersive experience for the campus and community to showcase their students' work.

Newsies /  by Joseph Burke

Position
+ Projection Designer

Personnel
+ Director: Jim Corti
+ Associate Projection Designer: Erin Pleake
+ Scenic Designer: William Boles
+ Lighting Designer: Victoria Bain
+ Sound Designer: Adam Rosenthal
+ Costume Designers: Jordan Ross
+ Producers: Paramount Theatre

Details
+ 2019
+ Aurora, IL

HOPE: Part 2 of A Mexican Trilogy /  by Joseph Burke

Position
+ Projection & Lighting Designer

Personnel
+ Director: Cheryl Lynn Bruce & Ricardo Gutierrez
+ Assistant Lighting & Projection Designer: Erin Pleake
+ Scenic Designer: José Manuel Diaz
+ Sound Designer: Giselle Castro
+ Costume Designers: Sanja Manakowski
+ Producers: Teatro Vista Theatre

Details
+ 2019
+ Chicago, IL

August Rush: the musical /  by Joseph Burke

Pre-Broadway & World Premiere

projection design

Director: John Doyle
Paramount Theatre
Aurora, IL

The world premiere and pre-broadway run of Glen Berger and Mark Mancina's August Rush follows an 11-year-old orphan, Evan Taylor, on a musical journey to find his birth parents. Navigating his way through the streets of New York, he finds himself captivated by Wizard, a hostile vagrant who teaches and coerces runaway children to be street musicians. Within Wizard's collective, Evan receives his street name, August Rush. Through a strange turn of events, Evan's parents are selected to perform at a concert in Central Park. Little do they know, this performance is the masterpiece of prodigy composer August Rush. 

An eruption of imagery to express a young boy's mind was the projection design's foundation. The apex of the visual narrative was August's Rhapsody, where music and imagery collided into an explosion of aural and visual euphoria.

The projection design team created original artwork representing August's adolescent life and musical adventure. The imagery crafted for this moment was grounded in the musical organization, the circle of fifths. This motif embodied August's vision of the Rhapsody through animated musical notes written on the staff lines and ending in a colorful montage of propaganda posters showcasing the performance of his Rhapsody. Incorporated into the production was 3d tracking scenery, which created atmospheric motion, portraying different locations along August's journey. Image and video content were projected onto these panels, allowing the play's world to transform while the panels were moving.

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The Rhapsody


An eruption of imagery to express the mind of a young boy was the foundation of the projection design. The apex of the visual narrative was August’s Rhapsody where music and imagery collided into an explosion of aural and visual euphoria.

The Total Bent /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Lili-Anne Brown
Haven Theatre
Chicago, IL

The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-time /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Jonathan Berry
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Chicago, IL

Street:
neighborhood investigation


Original illustration and animation of Christopher's neighborhood.

Reading letters


As Christopher reads his mother's letters we imaging his mind sorting out the works and information. Supported visually with scripted works floating in his memory.

a Singularity


Christopher explains in great detail about a blackhole.

Swindon Station


Christopher, on the search for his mother, finds himself at Swindon Station. Overwhelmed by all of the noise and commotion he panics.

Annie /  by Joseph Burke

projection and lighting design

Director: Jeff Duke
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Grand Lake, CO

A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder /  by Joseph Burke

projection and lighting design

Director: Michael Querio
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Grand Lake, CO

The Full Monty /  by Joseph Burke

projection and lighting design

Director: Jeff Duke
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Grand Lake, CO

Women Laughing Along With Salad /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Devon de’Mayo
Theater Wit!
Chicago, IL

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Kanye West, Power


A music video, of sorts, supporting Tori's out-of-body experience as she invisions her power over Guy, her inappropriate boy friend.

The Dance of The Seven Lettuces

Cendrillon /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Susan O’Brien
North Park University

Paddle To The Sea /  by Joseph Burke

projection and lighting design

Director: Leslie Danzig
Third Coast Percussion
Chicago, IL

Mary Poppins /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Michael Bobbitt
Childrens Theatre of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC

Opening Clouds and Clock


This video showcases the end of the opening sequence to Mary Poppins. Taking the audience on a visual journey through the cloudy skies of London transitioning into the ever-looming count down of time.

Catherdral Birds


This video showcases the Cathedral scene. Enhancing the stage movement and musical climax with the flight of birds.

Magic Swirl


This video showcases the Poppin's magic of the Children's imagination. Utilizing swirling particle effects to highten the moment.

West Side Story /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Jeff Duke
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Grand Lake, CO

Mamma Mia /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Jeff Duke
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
Grand Lake, CO

Cinderella the Remix /  by Joseph Burke

projection design

Director: Coya Paz Brownrigg
The Theatre School at DePaul University
Chicago, IL

Pre-show “attention” video


In collaborated with the Director and Sound Designer we set out to develop an attention-grabbing introduction video to engage the audience in, what typically is, the pre-show announcement. We wanted to start the video off with a video stinger, grabbing the attention of the audience. This stinger not only introdced one of the main characters of the story, J Prince, but also helped develop the backstory of Hip-Hop Hollywood. Following the stinger, is a bold and stylized approach to safety and regulatory information.


Featuring actor:
Nosakhere Cash-O'Bannon

Opening Video


This video was created as the opening imagery montage that sets us in the style and environment of the play. It was important to the design team that this video revolved around Cinderella's passion, incorporating images that are evocative of her persona.

 

Videoography Example


This video was used as part of a TV channel segment that Cinderella uses as a decoy to dissapear during J Prince's JAM. This was recorded live in The Theatre School's library.


Featuring actor:
Nosakhere Cash-O'Bannon.
 

Videoography Example


This video was used as part of a TV channel segment that Cinderella uses as a decoy to dissapear during J Prince's JAM. This was recorded live on green screen and composited with the background in post-production.


Featuring actor:
Mariana Castro Florez.