This project "started" in 2017 when I donated 12, 43 year old, 4 inch by 5 inch, B&W negatives to the Toronto Archives, thumbnails pictured above. 

I took the photos in 1974 with a 4x5 camera on a tripod, on the peak of the roof of the Church of the Holy Trinity, in downtown Toronto. The church was surrounded by the antithesis of heritage, destruction and demolition, aka urban renewal. Demolition of the church was approved by the city, to make way for the Eatons Centre. It was David and Goliath, wherein the church parishioners was David and Goliath is a mega corp Cadillac Fairview. The fact the church is still standing today is the happy ending to the story in my photos.

Toronto Archives was kind enough to share their 600dpi scans of the 4X5 negatives, resulting in very high res, 7K to 9K,  images. 

Out of curiousity, I dropped the scans, many with my fingertips in the shot, into Photoshop photo-merge and in a few moments had an almost perfectly blended panoramic image, about 13K by 3K, also pictured above.  

I wasn't able to view my image in 360°, until I uploaded the "equirectangular" panoramic image, pictured above, to two curated websites for 360° photos: roundme.com and 360cities.com. 

It was only after blending the image in 2017 that I noticed a woman watching me from one of the windows. Bringing attention to her presence, her body language, gives the photo a human touch it otherwise lacks, hence the title "The Woman In The Window".

My photo caused a minor sensation, mostly amongst people who think 360° photography was invented yesterday. That may be, but taking overlapping photos of everything surrounding a camera on a stationary tripod is as old as cameras, even though 360° presentations were inconceivable, except in carnival show cycloramas. 

At least one media art critic wondered if mine was the first 360° photo taken in Canada, or the world. This motivated me to do some research, with two goals:

1. Look for sets of photos in archives that I could blend into equirectangular images for 360° projections. So far I have 6 original blends, including my own photo.

2. Look for others who have created 360°  images out of archival photos. They are few & far between. The most spectacular examples are five 360° images created by 360°cities founder Jeffrey Martin called "Hiroshima After the Atomic Bomb", blended from 8" by 10' negatives of everything surrounding five cameras on tripods, taken by US Army photographers a few months after the bomb. 

I've learned mine was not the first 360° photo taken in Canada or Toronto. Oddly enough, the oldest 360° sets of photos of everything surrounding a camera on a tripod that I could find was right here in the Toronto Archives, taken in Toronto in 1856.

Then, I looked for a 360° video projection system to exhibit my photos. The only supplier in Canada was a British subsidiary in Toronto called Igloo.  The cost renting an Igloo system for $15K/day was the reality that left me no option except build my own. To that end, in 2020, I turned to Charles St. Video for help, thinking other media artists might be interested.

None of this self funded progress would've been possible without the generous support of CSV over the last couple of years, especially my main contact, Greg Woodbury. 

This started as a CSV Maker Space project in 2020. It has been a part time, mostly weekend endeavor, as the cylinder was being designed, built and tested. In 2021 CSV extended artist in residence privileges to me, along with a generous credit on the rental of projectors, related equipment and the space required for testing purposes. 

Adding the 360° VPC to the inventory of mobile equipment available to members of CSV and TSV was part of the plan from the start.

360° Video Projection Cylinder Test Notes 

Date: January 16, 2020, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Charles Street Video gallery at TMAC

Test by: Ilze (Kavi) Briede & Bill Perry

Objective:

To test the feasibility of building a 360° VPC that is portable, easy to store, assemble and affordable to artists and art organizations.

Thanks to Charles St. Maker Space Program and Kavi's projection mapping skills, we simulated a 16” ft diameter, 50 ft circumference, 360° video projection screen with 4 overhead projectors, by using two projectors and 1/4 of the curved screen, 45°, 8’ high, 12.5’ wide. If the two projectors could be in focus across the curve and blended at the edges, it would mean that CSV's set of 4 Optoma 1080HDR video projectors could fill and be blended across 360°.

The answer was yes.

We paused our research, while we tried to find a way to finance a metal (erector set type) video projection cylinder (VPC). Est. weight: about 500 lbs. Est cost: about $6K.

Process

The test 

There were four tests

Two used a single projector to assess the focusing a 2D image onto a curved screen from a distance of 7’ to 8’, a height of 8’ AND 10’. The focus on the curved screen was deemed acceptable.

Two tests used two projectors to test blending the images on the 1/4 screen, from a distance of 8’, a height of 8’ AND 10’. A seamless blend between the edges of images was acceptable

The biggest challenge during tests of the lattice frame was finding an empty space large enough to set it up.  On July 20, 2020 we were able to do tests over a weekend at the Holy Name Church on Danforth. 

This was the first time the lattice was stretched out into a circle. Pieces I thought were needed to make the frame stable were discarded. I underestimated the strength of the lattice. 

Once it is stretched into a circle, and all the bolts are tightened, it can be one free standing circle or two free standing arcs.

During CSV's relocation from TMAC to 76 Geary, I had to look elsewhere to set up the cylinder for testing and fine tuning. The Church of the Holy Trinity offered to rent one of their community rooms for a steeply discounted price.  But, by October of 2021, CSV was ready to let me use there space. 

While CSV was still moving, in I was able to set up the cylinder for a short time, in the back, complete with screen. This was the first setup of the complete frame and screens. 

More good news for portability. Instead of tubes I've rolled each screen onto an 8' piece of wood trim and made cloth bags for each one. The photo on the left is the complete VPC, lattice and screen - very easy to carry.

They are attached to the stick with blue clips (with handles removed) and rolled up. Standing off the floor on the stick makes it easier for a single person to unroll and attach the screen to the lattice. I'm also hoping the roll will press out some of the creases.

This reduces the storage footprint of the whole VPC to smaller than I expected, without the storage box. Two lattices, two screens on a pole and a bag of bits and pieces = 2 sq ft?

I also purchased 10" X 100" of cheap, thin plastic. This allows me to cover the floor while handling the 30 ft screens.  

As for the smoothness of the screen, I've attached a photo, and inline, showing the current smoothness.  This is 30' ft of screen.

After setting up, I fidgitted with the tension between clips and took this photo. This is sufficient for practice. With a second person to help, I believe it could be much smoother. 

Now, when I arrive on Saturday mornings at 7, I can set up the above (180°) before 8. That would allow a few hours to resume testing two projectors with MadMapper, etc. Using the entire 360° cylinder would require a duplicate Macbook Pro, which you have. The whole screen would only be set up for demos or exhibitions.

HERE is the link you asked for regarding MappingMatter.com. I'm not sure it can render the interior of CSV. It uses .obj 3D files, normally of the exterior of a building. I'm not sure about interiors. When it comes to digitally mapping the interior of CSV, floor to ceiling, I don't know enough about it to say if Mapping Matter is your best choice.

Mapping Matter provides monthly licenses. I asked and they renewed my trial membership. Mapping Matter comes out of Montreal. There might be an advantage to that.

To the left is a 16 second timelapse of Saturday's 70 minute setup of 1/2 the larger 18' diameter screen and two ceiling mounted projectors. 

Above, is a photo of 1/2 of my 360° test photo on 1/2 the 360° screen, crudely mapped and blended, using MadMapper. 

This is progress, but, I'm going to need 5 projectors for any cylinder with a diameter greater than 15 ft. The only way to a bigger circumference is shorter throw projectors.

Projector Bulbs

It is hard to notice in the above photo but there is an obvious difference in the brightness between the two projectors. Dr. Google says it is because of differences in the ages of the bulbs.

Projector Mounts

Are the current 4-point projector mounts for each suitable for the Optoma 3-point scheme? The holes currently being used are are not for mounting. This may void any warranty you have left, they are only for the leveling nubs.

Ideally the mounts should swivel, tilt and lock into stable position. 

While we try to figure out the ceiling mounts, I'm going to try working with the projectors on the floor.

Here is a $60 mount

Here is a $40 mount

Here is all the Optoma mounts on Amazone

I'm still toying with the idea of mounting all four projectors on one plywood base, as illustrated below:

There is not another 360° Saturday until June. I can use the break to plan for share tech events in June called 360°. Saturdays