BOOM, Belgium – d3 Technologies has named FACE, Foundation for Audio-Visual Commerce & Engineering, as its new reseller in the Benelux (Belgium-The Netherlands-Luxembourg) region. FACE recently supplied a 3D mapping project in Bokrijk, Belgium (pictured here) with d3 gear. The company also hosted a d3 Open House earlier this month.
More details from d3 (www.d3technologies.com):
A full-service provider for the entertainment industry, FACE was formed in 2010 to supply audio, lighting and video hardware, software and services.
“d3 and FACE share a lot of the same values: We both believe in innovation through technology,” says Karel De Piere, CEO of FACE. “d3’s solutions are a great addition to our existing portfolio and fit right into our catalog of professional solutions. We are confident that both parties will benefit from this new partnership, and we look forward to working with d3. With our established sales and installation team we expect to create some fantastic visual events and projects based on the powerful d3 products.”
Sarah Cox, d3 Technologies’ Sales Manager EMEA, chimes in: “d3 is about the bigger picture, it’s not just about the physical black box that forms our media servers. The software is a key element, complimented by other industry tools that makes the entire d3 platform a solid solution. FACE truly understand this and they are exactly the partner we were looking for to develop and grow together. We’re very excited to see things moving forwards with them.”
FACE recently held a free, one-day d3 Open House in its offices on December 15 to introduce d3 to prospective customers in the region. Featuring d3 regional sales manager Sarah Cox and Peter Kirkup from d3 technical support plus FACE sales representative Fons de Vreede and FACE product specialist Geert Custers, the hands-on Open House showcased the d3 workflow. They took attendees through the entire process of programming a show; an interactive live mapping demonstration highlighted the features and creative possibilities offered by d3 media servers and software solutions.
“Our Open House was the perfect opportunity to discover the capabilities of d3 products,” says de Vreede. “While d3’s tools may be the driving force behind some of the most beautiful visual installations today, the products themselves are usually hidden from the public. The Open House gave people a chance to take a peek at how great these tools really are. And best of all, instead of just giving a presentation, we let participants get hands-on with the equipment.”
FACE has first-hand experience with d3’s ability to help create memorable events. The company recently supplied Painting with Light with a d3 4x2pro to drive 3D projection mapping on the facades of the historic city of Bokrijk, Belgium.
The project was commissioned by Aromazz NV and premiered on the Day of Entrepreneurs hosted by Unizo Limburg. Two Digital Projection Titan Quad 20,000 ANSI lumen projectors, provided by FACE, were positioned by the glass back wall of event venue Hangar 58 to they could illuminate the old city with bold colors and moving imagery – from black cats to climbing ivy – created by New Solid.
The entire content mapping was handled by a d3 4x2pro. “We took a 3D scan of the facades, which was converted into millions of individual points,” explains Custers. “Those single dots were then converted into a large UV map. The d3 software generated a projection specifically for the UV map so what came out of the projectors was an image that fit the buildings’ shapes exactly.”
