The Tree of Life Awakens

[hpyhnt 1000]

Warning - I'm about to complain about this... sort of.

I have to say that I'm starting to get a little bit of projection mapping fatigue.

When they first started doing the show on the castle, it felt like they played up the unique features of the castle a lot more. They played with the idea of the castle becoming an animated object. Over time, more and more, a lot of that seems to have gotten replaced with the castle becoming an oddly shaped 3D screen to throw video on. They still do some of the moving or changing stuff but not nearly as much.

Elements of this show look really interesting to me with the lighting in the leaves above and other subtle stuff but then they just start using the trunk as a movie screen which is disappointing to me. I was hopeful the show would be a little more abstract visually and would tie in more to the tree structure, itself. They could have highlighted the animal carvings and made them come to life, similar to some of the effects they do on the castle.

It feels like a lost opportunity to me but maybe the distance for most viewers and the architecture of the tree itself would have made what I'm thinking of impractical.

I hear you on this, and agree, especially regarding the castle projection shows. But we've just seen a small snippet (hopefully) of the ToL Awakenings so there could be other shows that focus more on the details of the tree.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Looks awesome, but the first deer scene is a little strange. The deer is running and the background is moving, then the deer stops and turns around while the background keeps moving with the deer stopped . Not big , but I would think they would have caught that before it went out into the web..

 

[ford91exploder]

Well, the'll be doing a Jungle Book show while they figure out the Rivers of Light problem so they'll have enough attraction capacity to do this. Of course, if you look over in that thread, people are loosing their minds over it.

It's like Disney can't win for loosing but I guess they've brought it on themselves. People have a point about temporary things at Disney outlasting most modern marriages.

Temporary Structures - You mean like portable classrooms at schools which outlast permanent school buildings or the 'Quonset Huts' which were installed on military bases in WW II as 'Temporary Barracks' and are still in use today. Or for Disney examples the BAH.

 

[MrPromey]

Temporary Structures - You mean like portable classrooms at schools which outlast permanent school buildings or the 'Quonset Huts' which were installed on military bases in WW II as 'Temporary Barracks' and are still in use today. Or for Disney examples the BAH.

Not sure where you were meaning this to go.

Were you arguing against my point about people seeming irrationally upset over them doing something practicle that would allow them to start the night stuff now or were you agreeing with me on how temporary stuff sometimes ends up not being temporary with what Disney does?

 

[MrPromey]

I heard that is a plan... that there will be multiple short "shows" on the tree. Some will be subtle and have the carvings move, some will be larger scale. Can't wait to see if it really happens.

I hope so. I know projection mapping is a complex thing but when they do stuff like this, it seems like it diminishes the "magic" by making it appear like they're just pointing a projector at a wall to show a video. It seems like because it works, people don't think about how screwed up it would look if that's how they tried to do it and therefore miss that they're seeing something really cool.

That's just my opinion, though. Maybe I'm more hung up with showcasing the technical accomplishment than focusing on the effect.

 

[MrPromey]

I hear you on this, and agree, especially regarding the castle projection shows. But we've just seen a small snippet (hopefully) of the ToL Awakenings so there could be other shows that focus more on the details of the tree.

Excellent point! Really hope you're right. We'll be standing there like fools blocking traffic somewhere in the park watching it, regardless though.

 

[raven]

Digital mapping technology is starting to over-used anymore. I realize it's a neat effect but once you've seen it a few times the wow factor starts to wear off. Just my opinion.

 

[MrPromey]

...but, it really work best as a support technology for bigger, more jaw dropping effects like fireworks or fountains.

Great point!

 

[djkidkaz]

Agree with Raven.

Does anyone know how many times a night this will happen? Once an hour? Every 15 minutes?

 

[wdwmagic]

Agree with Raven.

Does anyone know how many times a night this will happen? Once an hour? Every 15 minutes?

I don't know exactly, but fairly frequently. Multiple times per hour.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Music is great, images are stunning! My only problem is this, for the most part takes place from the base of the tree up until it branches out. I realize you can't map projections on the branches with nothing solid behind it but maybe more lighting at the top? It's a small complaint but was wondering if the viewing area may be a problem since its restricted towards the bottom. Anyone?

 

[wdwgreek]

Speaking of projections, Broadway has moved to having projections everywhere, its cheaper then building individual set pieces and I hate it. The revival of Les MIS, the new Production of American in Paris, Gentleman's guide, the list goes on. There is some affinity in entertainment groups to projections they are make effects cheaper, make you able to do multiple scenes using the same set piece. Its overused and sometimes like in Les MIS sloppily used. Disney is still managing to use it tastefully.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I would not be surprised to see this be the run away guest satisfaction hit of all the stuff going into DAK this summer.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Warning - I'm about to complain about this... sort of.

I have to say that I'm starting to get a little bit of projection mapping fatigue.

When they first started doing the show on the castle, it felt like they played up the unique features of the castle a lot more. They played with the idea of the castle becoming an animated object. Over time, more and more, a lot of that seems to have gotten replaced with the castle becoming an oddly shaped 3D screen to throw video on. They still do some of the moving or changing stuff but not nearly as much.

Elements of this show look really interesting to me with the lighting in the leaves above and other subtle stuff but then they just start using the trunk as a movie screen which is disappointing to me. I was hopeful the show would be a little more abstract visually and would tie in more to the tree structure, itself. They could have highlighted the animal carvings and made them come to life, similar to some of the effects they do on the castle.

It feels like a lost opportunity to me but maybe the distance for most viewers and the architecture of the tree itself would have made what I'm thinking of impractical.

I was actually thinking that the Tree of Life projector show would be really cool but I just watched the preview on YouTube and, granted, it may be more spectacular in person, much like the Grand Canyon, it didn't do much for me. It was basically using the tree as a screen.

I, too, really liked the "castle comes alive" elements that they used to do but, you're right... It's basically turned into a huge 3D screen over time.

At the same time, I took a gander at the RoL show. Maybe I'm just in a grumpy mood but that one didn't do much for me, either. I was kind of looking forward to it but, after watching it (and again, it may be better in person) I was thinking, "Oh, it's Fantasmic! but with nature."

I saw the World of Color about 6 months back and thought that was pretty cool.

If I were going to AK anytime soon I'd check them both out but it's not like something that I think I'd bother with more than once.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Speaking of projections, Broadway has moved to having projections everywhere, its cheaper then building individual set pieces and I hate it. The revival of Les MIS, the new Production of American in Paris, Gentleman's guide, the list goes on. There is some affinity in entertainment groups to projections they are make effects cheaper, make you able to do multiple scenes using the same set piece. Its overused and sometimes like in Les MIS sloppily used. Disney is still managing to use it tastefully.

It seems like it could, if used properly, really add to a show. Like if wanted to have part of the set sort of "come alive" but it sucks that it's just a cost-cutting maneuver. That, to me, would more detract from the show.

 

[peter11435]

At the same time, I took a gander at the RoL show. Maybe I'm just in a grumpy mood but that one didn't do much for me, either. I was kind of looking forward to it but, after watching it (and again, it may be better in person) I was thinking, "Oh, it's Fantasmic! but with nature.".

Remember you only saw a few minutes of what will be a 22 minute show. And the part you did see only involved a few of the show elements that will eventually be on the water. And even those were not being fully utilized yet.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Remember you only saw a few minutes of what will be a 22 minute show. And the part you did see only involved a few of the show elements that will eventually be on the water. And even those were not being fully utilized yet.

You're very much correct. It's really just my initial thought on it. I hope it's like seeing pics of the Grand Canyon vs being there. If you've ever been, then you get that... I remember before I went not getting that.

We'll see how it turns out, though.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Remember you only saw a few minutes of what will be a 22 minute show. And the part you did see only involved a few of the show elements that will eventually be on the water. And even those were not being fully utilized yet.

This.

Plus, you can tell there are lighting and projection effects wrapping around the lagoon that we can't see due to the static camera. And there's surely details that are being missed by the camera lens. We also know there are going to be additional barges (the animals, big lotus, storyteller boat) and that all of these things are supposed to be moving in synch in/out/around the lagoon. And who knows what other music, dancers, or theatrical elements are planned.

I look at that media preview more as a showcase of some of the effects we can expect to see rather than a 4 minute snippet of the actual show.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

That music tops Spectromagic for me, yes I said it. I absolutely love it as well as the setting and the way the have the projections on the tree. I actually think awakening has better music then rivers of light but still to soon to tell.

 

[fractal]

I have a feeling that over the next couple years AK is going to be moving up on people's list of favorite park.

Thanks for sharing.