GDCOMM 2009 ShowBlog

Saw this in switzerland in 2000 but not working...
great idea and ripe for digital conversion so hands off! (for show?)
subject filmed via a polished reflective cone and projected back into the middle of a circular projection space, 1 projection fires in a 360 band of light, in digital use any source material could be bent to fit or mapped? see circular film cell shape below.




Swissorama Camera. Image by Damian Amstutz. Copyright Swiss Museum of Transport.






Further info and text/photos below link to www.in70mm.com

On July 2nd 1984 Swissorama, a new 360° projection system opened at the Swiss Museum of Transport and Communication in Lucerne. After over a decade of research and experimentation Ernst A. Heiniger finally presented the world’s first large format seamless 360° film within a special theatre to the public.

An audience of 400 people could experience feature "Impressions of Switzerland" free of distortion as a moving panorama on the seamless circular screen, 5m high and 60m in length. The theatre had no seats and was about 20m in diameter. Shows were held every hour and no extra admission was charged. Up to 1991 Swissorama was very popular among museum visitors, then attendance figures started to decrease constantly. By the end of March 2000 the theater was temporarily closed due to high maintenance costs and technical problems. Growing competition within the museum after the opening of an IMAX theatre with its changing program reduced public interest furthermore. After the last „farewell“ shows, held on the 9th and 10th of March 2002, the Swissorama was removed and replaced by another exhibit.


Swissorama Theatre. Image by Damian Amstutz. Copyright Swiss Museum of Transport.

Another similar system called the Cinetarium..
(pics from here)
..in this system a reflective ball is used.








possible to have projections standing upright?




or perhaps project into some sort of white tent structure like buckminster fuller dymaxion home structures..