Palladiscope is a one-of-a-kind, custom made viewing system designed to play architectural cinema. Created specifically for the Palladium, it consists of 12 projectors, customized software, and components that make visual experiences and projections possible. Just as CinemaScope was an enhanced way to view movies, projecting them at a larger size, Palladiscope takes that idea even further by moving beyond the screen and onto the physical architecture of the Palladium.
Experience the magic of "Eos: The First Dawn," a free celestial-themed projection at the Palladiscope. This show blends cinematography, projection mapping, and performance art, celebrating the beauty of nature and mythology. Inspired by the Palladium's Greek architecture, it explores themes from ancient mythology to the American Light and Space movement, using both classic and modern film techniques to create a nostalgic yet innovative experience.
The experience begins with Debussy’s "Clair de Lune," as clouds fill the sky, created with a custom-built cloud tank by Blockhouse Studios. The moon goddess Selene, performed by aerial artist Amy Oehlman, dances on a moon-shaped lyra, sprinkling stardust that forms constellations through hand-drawn animation.
As the scene transitions to a serene earthly perspective, ferns, a rippling pond, and water droplets transform into The Four Winds, children of Eos, who turn to stone as they sense the sunrise. This effect was achieved using a combination of green screen, digital drawing, and A.I. software.
The scene shifts with Grieg’s "Morning Mood," as wind dissolves the statues and triggers the Palladium to open, revealing Eos, the goddess of dawn, played by Anna Ndungu. Eos dances in a color-changing dress, summoning the sunrise, inspired by Loie Fuller’s projected light art. The final scene features Helios, the sun god, as acrobats dressed as phoenixes perform aerial stunts. Helios, played by Addison Rogers, brightens until he erupts into a burst of light, representing the cosmos' formation. The show concludes with golden fabric wrapping around the Palladium, bringing it back to reality.
"Eos: The First Dawn" combines traditional and modern cinema techniques to create a nostalgic yet innovative experience.
Imagine the Palladium as a giant illuminated ice sculpture. That was the first step in conjuring up the icy spectacular, Frost. How would it look? There is only one way to find out, make an actual scaled model of the palladium out of ice. To do this the team at Blockhouse Studios 3D printed a model of the palladium to cast a silicone mold, which was filled with water and frozen to create an ice sculpture of the palladium. Then the team began projecting on this ice model to gather ideas for the final aesthetic. In the end, the team was able to obtain a much more consistent look using translucent 3D printed models while retaining the natural light refractions that the real ice had. Once the initial concept was proven to work, it was time to create the content.
With the main visual concept in place, it was time to elaborate on the idea. And what better way to celebrate themes of winter than with an excerpt from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Snow Maiden Suite”. The song chosen, “Dance of the Tumblers” was the perfect choice because of its up-tempo frosty charm. But of course, this couldn’t just be an ordinary performance, it needed to embody the enchanting magic of wintertime. A performance that prompts the viewer to imagine all the elements of winter being whipped up into an icy frenzy and transforming into a winter symphony, conducted by none other than the father of winter himself, Jack Frost.
The Blockhouse team first filmed members of a small orchestra one at a time to composite them into the projection. Then the team began filming special effects. Much like previous productions Blockhouse has done, they heavily relied on classic cinematography techniques to achieve the chilly atmosphere that is pervasive throughout the show. The two main ingredients for this arctic ambiance are artificial snow and dry ice. In true Blockhouse fashion custom-made rigs needed to be assembled to control the movement of these organic components intricately and musically. In the case of the snow effects, a snow cannon was constructed to launch snow in bursts that corresponded to specific orchestral gestures. The falling snow effects are the result of a large snow sifter being struck with hammers at various intensities and speeds to correspond with specific sections of the score. A series of fans were then implanted to create the snow flurry effects during the more intense moments of the song. Fans were also a key component in the moving and swirling of the dry ice, which was essential in creating the proper contrast between the characters and their backgrounds. Additional special effects include the prism backgrounds which were created by filming light reflecting on broken CDs, water, and holographic vinyl. Another effect that helps elevate this show is the 3-dimensional crystalline structures that protrude from the model and help refract the projected light. These were created in 3D modeling software and 3D printed onto the physical ice model. From concept through completion, Blockhouse carefully handcrafted special effects and costumes, while giving careful consideration to color tones and lighting to create this delightful ice-themed extravaganza for the whole family.
The Towering Nutcracker -
On the half hour, the nutcracker's mouth will open and shut, causing the snow to fall away from the façade, and then it will start over again. This magical backdrop adds to the Christkindlmarkt and the Ice at Carter Green experience.
The Fourth of July -
A patriotic Palladiscope display for Carmel just in time for Independence Day! This show displays famous monuments across the United States from The Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, and Martin Luther King. It ends with a fireworks display, and giant sparklers sparkling across the buildings facade. In between showings it lights up with iconic Red, White, and Blue lighting.
