PAUL LACROIX 

Creative Technology Director / Engineer / Media Artist

Categories:    My pick  Interactive installations  Projection Mapping  Other  All

May 2020: Parted - Body Tracking and Projection Mapping (Personal project)
Daisuke Hashimoto / Paul Lacroix / Yae Doi / Mari Katayama
Creative Technologist

  • Technical direction
  • Creation of a system (hardware & software) able to smoothly track the performer body and accurately project video animations fitting the body shape

    • After several years experimenting on body projection mapping, this collaboration between Daisuke Hashimoto, Yae Doi and me represents a new step in the field of body projection mapping. The video is starring the Japanese artist Mari Katayama.

    Besides the cutting-edge technical aspect, we tried to create a peculiar visual, strongly inspired by the Japanese painter Ito Jakuchu. We also question the relation between identity and technology, as well as the perception of beauty and taboo within our societies.
    Video
    May 2019: Markerless Face Projection Mapping on Bilal Hassani at Eurovision 2019
    French Delegation for the Eurovision / Takeru Shima (CG)
    Technical Director / Technology Developper

  • Technical direction
  • Customization of the markerless face projection system for live conditions

    • Eurovision Song Contest is a huge broadcasted live event followed by 200 million viewers. Part of the French delegation, I was in charge of the Face Projection Mapping. The system had to be installed on stage in only 40 seconds, so all calibrations and tests had to be completed before. I customized and optimized the system in order to increase its robustness for such a live event. The video is a little bit dark as the lighting technician forgot to switch on the backlights during the face projection, but the face tracking and projection mapping itself went well.
    Bilal Hassani / Eurovision 2019
    April 2019: The Lady in the Wood (Personal project)
    Paul Lacroix / Ryosuke Makita / Yae Doi
    Director / Technology developper

  • Direction, content creation
  • System development

    • Before this project, most of my facial projection mapping videos were shot in studio or at least in a location with easy access to electricity and light. The Lady in the Wood is an experiment aiming to evaluate the feasibility and robustness of using markerless face detection system in an uncontrolled environment. The video was shot in a small forest near Mont Fuji.
    Video
    October 2018: Interactive Bouldering Wall (Panasonic 100th anniversary)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Engineer / Consultant

  • Consultant for high-speed tracking system and its integration
  • Development of a customized library for tracking on the wall
    • March 2018: Kamiboku x Facial Mapping: Merci
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo / Recruit
    Technical Director / System Developper

  • Development of a Mobile Facial Projection Mapping System (hardware and software)
    • Merci (Official video)
    Merci (Behind the scenes)
    October 2017: Vincent van Gogh - Face Projection Mapping (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum)
    TECHNONET - http://www.technonet.co.jp / Van Gaban
    Director / Face Projection Mapping System Developer

  • Direction of the content creation
  • Markerless tracking customized hardware development
  • Developpement of a non-rigid markerless tracking and projection mapping software
    • Official video
    June 2017: EXISDANCE - Real-time tracking and projection mapping (Infocomm 2017 in Orlando)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / 3D Tracking Engineering

  • Use of the high-speed sensor/projector of Panasonic
  • Development of a custom 3D tracking approach for the upper body in live stage conditions
  • Integration into Unity3D
  • Use of my original synchronized media player for the background projectors
    • EXISDANCE at Infocomm 2017 (Official video)
    EXISDANCE at Infocomm 2017 (Behind the scenes)
    March 2017: Facial projection mapping for the Japanese promotion of Ghost in the Shell (Facial Hacking)
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / Facial Projection Mapping Technology

  • Original motion capture system customized for facial projection mapping (hardware and software)
  • Upgrade of the facial projection mapping software Live Mapper
    • More technical details on my blog http://paul-lacroix.tumblr.com
    September 2016: Facial projection mapping for the music video The Come Down
    Collaboration with Empara Mi and Hiroto Kuwahara / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
    Technical Director / Facial Projection Mapping Technology

  • Design of animated texture contents
  • Development of an original motion capture system customized for facial projection mapping (hardware and software)
  • Upgrade of the facial projection mapping software Live Mapper
  • Upgrade of the real-time reflective effect (mirror)
  • Creation of a new deep water effect
    • More technical details on my blog http://paul-lacroix.tumblr.com
    Empara Mi - The Come Down (Official video)
    Empara Mi - The Come Down (Behind the scenes)
    January 2016: High-Speed Projection Mapping at CES 2016 (Las Vegas)
    Panasonic / P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
  • Consultant for Body Projection Mapping
  • Development of interactive contents demonstrating the capabilities of the new Panasonic's High-Speed Projection Mapping system
    • April 2015: Real-time Full Body Tracking & Projection Mapping (Paris, France)
    Dalbin - http://www.dalbin.com
    Technical Director

    Creation of a full body tracking and projection mapping system
  • Calibration system
  • Body tracking
  • Video texture projection
    • December 2014: Real-time Face Tracking & Projection Mapping for SMAPxSMAP (FUJI-TV)
    Link: http://www.face-hacking.com
    OMOTE members / YKBX
    Technical Director / System Architect

    New features of the Face Projection system:
  • Dual face projection mapping
  • Real-time relighting
    • August 2014: OMOTE / Real-time Face Tracking & Projection Mapping
    Link: http://www.project-omote.com
    Collaboration with Nobumichi Asai and Hiroto Kuwahara
    Technical Director / System Creator

    Design & Development of the Real-time Face Tracking and Projection Mapping System:
  • Calibration system (projector and OptiTrack devices)
  • Original face tracking algorithm
  • Video texture projection
    • August 2013: Development of plugins for 3D Projection Mapping at Yokohama ORBI museum
    Link: http://orbiearth.com/jp
    SEGA
  • Design of the workflow for preparing contents
  • 3D Studio Max deformer plugin: alter the shape of 3D model of animals to fit a custom surface
  • After Effects plugin for easy preparation of the mapping contents
  • 3D Simulation software for preview
    • July 2013: Color correction system at Yokohama Dockyard Garden 3D Projection Mapping
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyst4YhSEgg
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo
  • Automatic color calibration of the wall for 8 projectors
  • Real-time color correction
    • November 2012: Consultant at Caretta Shiodome projection mapping
    Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP9JlLS0tQo
    Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
  • Design of the content workflow
  • Projection simulation
    • November 2011: Consultant at Seikei University 3D Projection Mapping
    Link: http://vimeo.com/33150921
    P.I.C.S. - http://www.pics.tokyo / Polygon Pictures Inc. - http://www.ppi.co.jp
    Technical supervisor / Software Developper

  • Technical Supervision
  • Creation of a After Effects plugin for wall color correction
    • Copyright (c) 2009-2021 Paul Lacroix