Ten years ago, a YouTube video of Witching Hour Decoration Collection changed everything for AtmosFAN Eric S. of Samsula, Florida. What started as curiosity about projecting onto a shower curtain eventually led him through the complex world of projection mapping – and ultimately to discovering how new technology is making it simpler than ever.
“I was strictly a Christmas decorator for years and somehow I saw a YouTube video of Witching Hour projected through someone’s front door,“ Eric tells us. “I was sold.” He quickly assembled his first setup with an AtmosFX DVD, a Craigslist projector and a Walmart shower curtain.
That first Halloween was both a revelation and a logistical challenge, Eric recalls with amusement. “My wife is like: ‘How are we supposed to answer the front door when the kids come to get candy?’” he tells us. “Needless to say, I sat out front that year and handed out candy. It was so worth it, everyone that stopped by that year was so impressed and would just stand there to watch the clip play out.”
A few years later, Eric’s fascination deepened when he witnessed a projection mapping display on Cinderella’s Castle at Disney World. “My mind was spinning,” he recalls. “I have to try this.”
That was the Fourth of July. By Halloween, he had created his first whole-house projection mapping display, which became a neighborhood sensation. Eric recalls that it was featured on local Facebook pages, and neighbors were lining up to watch the 10-minute shows.
The Illumibot creates a digital mask of your house, which makes it easy to project onto its unique contours.
But success came at a cost. At first, Eric enjoyed creating custom projection mapping content, even as it took countless hours and required the use of his high-end gaming laptop, as well as spendy programs like After Effects and DaVinci Resolve. “It slowly became less and less fun,” he recalls. Eventually, Eric stepped away from projection mapping entirely – it just wasn’t worth the time and expense.
The breakthrough came recently when Eric discovered Illumibot, an AI-powered projection mapping tool that revolutionized the entire process. Through Illumibot, Eric was able to transform his home into a jack-o’-lantern wonderland using AtmosFX Decorations he already owned – among others, Jack-O’-Lantern Jamboree Decoration Collection.
We think it looks great. But what makes Eric’s current display remarkable isn’t just the visual impact – it’s how accessible the technology has become. “The Illumibot combined with AtmosFX Decorations is by far the easiest and most cost effective way to project on your house to date,” Eric explains. “It’s as easy as making an avatar on your iPhone or adding a gif to a text message.”
The Illumibot process begins with simply photographing your house from the projector’s position. The software automatically creates a digital mask of the home’s architecture, eliminating the need for high-powered computers and complex software. Users can then generate different visual themes using simple text prompts, with the AI creating multiple options to choose from – all from a smartphone.
“You don’t have to be sitting outside with your projector. You can create countless facades of your home from your couch,” Eric notes. “Your ideas become reality, and it’s all done in minutes and ready to display on your home.”
For Eric, this technological evolution represents the democratization of projection mapping. “I have done projection mapping for years,” he says. “This product is truly the easiest method I have ever used to decorate your home in a spectacular fashion for any holiday.”
Who doesn’t love that? Eric’s journey from frustrated complexity back to joyful creativity illustrates how the right technology can remove barriers rather than create them.
In the coming months, you’ll be able to see what else Eric comes up with this Halloween by following his Facebook page, Itty Bitty Acres Samsula. You’ll also see him active on Facebook’s AtmosFX Decorating Community – a great place to share ideas with AtmosFX decorators from around the world.
Have you experimented with projection mapping or other advanced display techniques? We want to see your innovations! Send your photos and videos using this simple online form and you might become the next AtmosFAN of the Week. You’ll earn points for use in the AtmosFX online store just for submitting, and if you’re selected, you’ll win a free decoration collection!
