Video mapping and pyrotechnics by Celesta.
Video mapping projects images cut to the volumes of a façade. We survey the building, write the images and, when the project calls for it, set the pyrotechnic display to the same running order. The same Celesta team runs the project from site survey to the last image.
- Bois-Colombes, Puteaux, Saint-Lô
- Images and shooting in a single direction
- A detailed quote within 48 hours
How video mapping works
A standard projection places a rectangular image on a wall. Video mapping starts from the building, its cornices, windows and setbacks, then cuts the image so that it fits these volumes exactly.
From survey to alignment
We survey the façade, build its model, write on it, then adjust on site until the line falls in the right place.
- The survey. Calibrated photographs and measurements of the building, taken from the exact location where the spotlights will be installed.
- The model. A three-dimensional reconstruction of the façade, on which the image is cut out cornice by cornice.
- Writing. The story, the music and the rhythms, designed for this building.
- The set-up. Two nights on site to fine-tune the projection down to the millimetre, before the first performance.
Our latest video mappings
Town hall, a century-old town hall, an urban launch: for each, we wrote the images from the survey of the façade.
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A multimedia show for the Le Havre tramway
View the project: A multimedia show for the Le Havre tramwayA rebuilt city and a new tramway Rebuilt after the war according to Auguste Perret’s plans, Le Havre has renewed…
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Video mapping for Bois-Colombes’ 125th anniversary
View the project: Video mapping for Bois-Colombes’ 125th anniversary125 years of a town’s history For its 125th anniversary, Bois-Colombes chose video mapping to retrace, through images, the key…
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A giant mapping display from Puteaux Town Hall
View the project: A giant mapping display from Puteaux Town HallA façade suited to mapping Puteaux Town Hall, with its orderly architecture and striking vertical lines, lends itself well to…
Image and fireworks written by the same team
We produce both the image and the fireworks, which lets us write them together from the first sketch.
From image to fireworks
In Saint-Lô, for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day, the façade told the story of the destroyed town while the sky took over at the exact moment the image faded. We had calculated this handover at the writing stage.
- We choose the heights. A firework set too high goes beyond the viewer’s field of vision; too low, it lights up the façade and washes out the projection.
- We match the colours. The colours of the fireworks are set together with those of the image.
- One running order. Our F4-T2 pyrotechnicians are employees and follow the same running order as the video team.
Lead times for a video mapping
We survey the building at night, have the model approved before writing begins, and on-site alignment ties up our equipment for several evenings before the show. When the project includes pyrotechnics, the administrative lead time for the display is added.
3 to 6 months
a comfortable space in which to take notes, write and produce work
1 month
the management floor as soon as a gunshot is heard in the footage
2 nights
set-up work on the façade before the first performance
48 hours
the time it takes us to reply
You’re speaking to those who adjust the spotlights
We produce our images ourselves. The company is based in Aigremont, in the Yvelines, with a second site in Normandy, and its technical teams are employees. The quote therefore commits the people who will actually be up on the platform.
Four commitments set out in the quote
Here is what we write into the quote.
- The agreed amount is the amount paid. Application, transport and installation are included from the first version.
- The insurance certificate is sent out with the quote, without your legal department having to request it.
- No outsourcing of mapping, lighting or pyrotechnics: Celesta’s five disciplines are all handled in-house.
- Public performance dates are provided on request, so that you can come and see a show before signing up.
How much does it cost? a video mapping show
For a local authority preparing its budget, here are our ballpark figures. The ranges below apply to a full evening, images and operation included.
The three levels applied
Expect to pay between 2,500 and 5,000 euros for a town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, between 5,000 and 20,000 euros for a medium-sized town or a local authority group, and between 20,000 and 50,000 euros for a large city. A drone light show starts at 10,000 euros.
Price factors
The area to be illuminated and, consequently, the light output required; the distance between the projectors and the façade; the duration of the programme; and the proportion of images created specifically for the venue rather than taken from an existing archive.
Included in the quoted amount
Location scouting, overnight stays on site, the transport of equipment from our depots and the necessary permits for the shoot are all included in the quoted price. A request to amend the script whilst production is underway will not result in a re-quotation.
Mapping with the other disciplines
A mapping can stand on its own, or be written with the other disciplines, all of which we handle in-house.
Pyrotechnic show
The pre-programmed fireworks display, timed to the schedule, was carried out by F4-T2 pyrotechnicians employed by Celesta.
Special effects
Cold sparks, controlled flames and mist, to extend the visual effect onto the floor and into the interior.
Sound and light show
Architectural lighting and sound design, when the narrative has to last a full hour.
Multimedia production
An artistic vision that brings all disciplines together to serve a single narrative.
Light drones
The aerial display, which requires a flight permit to be submitted forty-five days in advance.
Send a photo of your façade
All we need is a photograph of the building, the proposed date and your available budget. Within 48 hours, you will receive a statement of intent and a cost estimate, with no obligation.
- Aigremont and Normandy
- More than 1,000 shows produced
- We’ll get back to you within 48 hours
Your questions about video mapping
What is architectural video mapping?
It is a video projection cut to the real volumes of a building. Unlike a standard projection, the image does not sit on the façade: it follows its cornices, openings and setbacks, so that the architecture seems to transform. We work from a survey of the building.
How much does a video mapping show cost?
A town of fewer than 5,000 inhabitants falls between 2,500 and 5,000 euros, a medium-sized town or inter-municipal body between 5,000 and 20,000 euros, a large city between 20,000 and 50,000 euros. The surface to cover, the projection distance and the share of images created for the venue account for most of the difference. We quote an all-inclusive amount, transport and site surveys included.
On which buildings can projections be shown?
A town hall, a church, a theatre, a listed monument, an industrial hall or a contemporary building are all suitable, on two conditions: enough distance to set up the projectors, and a façade whose colour does not absorb light. We settle this point at the site survey, before any commitment.
Can video mapping be combined with a fireworks display?
Yes. We write the two together. The firing heights are chosen so as not to leave the spectator’s frame, and the colours of the fireworks are set together with those of the image. In Saint-Lô, for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day, the sky took over at the exact moment the façade went dark.
How long should I allow for this?
Allowing three to six months before the date gives us time to erect the set, have the model approved and produce the footage without rushing. Two nights of on-site set-up are still required before the first performance. If the project involves a fireworks display, allow at least one month for administrative authorisations, and forty-five days for a drone flight.
Do you need a licence for video mapping?
The projection itself does not fall under pyrotechnic regulations. It does, however, require the consent of the building’s owner or manager and, for a gathering on the public highway, a municipal order. As soon as a fireworks display accompanies the images, the pyrotechnic regime applies: category F4 or more than thirty-five kilograms of active material under decree no. 2010-455 of 4 May 2010, with a declarant and a certified operator. We prepare this application for you.