The 26-storey building - once the tallest in the UK - was covered by eight 6kW PIGI projectors that were sited 100m away on the edge of Queen's Walkway (the corresponding riverside path), housed in a curtain-sider truck. Six of the projectors, complete with double scrollers running vertically, produced the poppies, three targeted at the top half of the tower and three at the bottom.
The stunning red on turquoise background images were overlaid to maximize brightness, and were scrolled faster than last year to draw people's attention. The projection was clearly visible from anywhere along the South Bank with clear sightlines of the building. The other two projectors were used to produce the text line 'Your Best Way To Remember', the slogan of the 2004 Poppy Appeal, a fund-raising event to raise money for those affected by war.
The projectors were programmed by Sam McLaren and tech'd by Karen Monid. PIGI OnlyCue software was used for control. The installation process was completed in two days - a short period for the amount of kit involved, the environmental challenges and the precision line-up time needed to ensure the projections looked their best. The projections and other events staged along the river for the 2004 Poppy Appeal event were project managed for The Bank by Roger Oakley of Word of Mouth Productions.
Ross Ashton comments: "This is now the 4th Poppy Appeal in which we've been involved. Previous years have included projecting onto monuments such as Wellington Arch, and we're really proud to continue being part of such an important and relevant national event."
(Lee Baldock)
