Sometimes, when we’re moping around the AtmosFX Developmental Dungeon really missing Halloween, trading what’s left of our Halloween candy (Necco Wafers and Mounds, basically), we start arguing about what types of digital decoration displays we think are totally underappreciated. Yes, it gets boring in the Developmental Dungeon sometimes.
Ideally, we are concerned about what is both underutilized AND is super-easy to deploy at your home. What often comes to mind is this – projecting in your doorway. And as a great example of how good it can look, we bring to you something that Justin Cannon, of Chubbuck, Idaho, sent us. It is crisp and clear – and because people don’t expect to see a decoration in the actual doorway, it really makes a visual impact.
In some ways, “doorway projection” doesn’t need much explanation – it’s what Justin did so effectively here. But there are things to look for – plus a few tricks – that can make projecting in doorways so realistic.
Perhaps this is obvious, but the most important thing about projecting in doorways is making sure that the digital decoration you will use displays its character in its entirety. (Meaning: down to their feet!) Many AtmosFX Digital Decorations have display modes that fit in this category. By comparison, window displays typically cut the character off somewhere between the knees and the waist.
There are two AtmosFX Digital Decorations that include a virtual door, so part of the effect is that the door appears to be opening and closing. One is what Justin used at his home – Trick ’r’ Treat Digital Decoration Collection. (The other is Night Stalkers.) As you can see from Justin’s video, the front door (and the messages written on it) is part of the digital decoration. It works incredibly well. Why? He gets such a crisp image because he stretches the projection material tight over the doorway, ensuring that there are no creases or seams showing. That helps further the illusion that you are seeing inside the house when you are actually seeing the digital decoration.
Projector placement is essential for any digital decoration – but especially for doorways. Justin was able to place his projector far enough away from the projection material so that his projection covers the entire doorway – that’s key. Also, anytime you can position the projector at a slight angle from your projection material (for example, from the side or the ceiling), it hides the light from the projector bulb and greatly helps enhance the effect. That said, doorways are really tricky because they often are adjacent to narrow or shallow hallways, where there simply is no room to position the projector at an angle. That appears to be the case at Justin’s home, because you can see the hot spot from his bulb. But because his display is so sharp and convincing, you barely notice it.
One last thing about doorway projection: Hollusion Projection Material also works well in doorways. The effect is a slightly different – when you use this material, you are able to see through the doorway and into the house. When using digital decorations that feature hovering ghosts like Ghostly Apparitions 2, it creates a convincing illusion that spirits have materialized in the house!
Great work, Justin! We love to see how, when well executed, a simple display can become so compelling! And for the rest of you, if you want more detail on setting up a display in your doorway – including a list of all the AtmosFX Digital Decorations that can be used in vertical spaces like doorways – click here.
Do you have a great doorway display that you’d like to share with this creative digital decorating community? Perhaps you have perfected a different type of display? Send it to us using this simple submission form, and you might be the next AtmosFAN of the Week!
