Awesome window projection

[Holyhabanero]

I've gotta get this. It would look great in my window.

Hallowindow: http://www.hallowindow.com/

[throughthepatch]

This is pretty intense.
I wonder how you get such a solid projection in the window.

[samhayne]

this is amazing, thanks for sharing

[Spooky1]

Damn and I don't have any way to project anything like that.

[Revenant]

the 2006 one is pretty cool -- I remember seeing that one last year -- but the 07 one rocks!

[turtle2778]

THAT was really really cool. I loved it. I wonder if he plans on marketing them?? I'd sure be interested in it.

[Esmerelda]

I noticed it said DVD coming October 2008. Seems to get such a solid image you'd have to use either a huge screen directly in front of the window???? creating a hologram wouldn't give that good of a picture.

[Nightwing]

I gotta have it! I have been looking for something like this, not for a window, but for a space above our fireplace. I was thinking of setting a TV in the space, and putting a "picture frame" in front to close off the space so it would look like a picture hanging on the wall that comes alive. This would be perfect!

[NickG]

that's pretty slick.

[waldiddy]

It looks like he's inverting an image from a projector onto a screen (canvas?) stretched in front of his window. I'm not sure how else you'd acheive this effect. Looks pretty cool - very good animation.

I guess if you can work with a computer animation program, you could do something like this yourself. Maybe with Poser or Blender. That would be a fun project.

[Lilly]

wow that was cool...most interesting
I want it too

[Hauntiholik]

Me three!!! I MUST HAVE IT!

[HibLaGrande]

rear projection on a white bed sheet looks good, Ive done it with my projector. I've been looking for something like this for a while. Thanks for the post!

[berzerkmonkey]

Lawd a mighty, that is pretty darn cool.

As for the animation program, if I remember correctly from seeing the previews last year, Flash was used.

[HalloweenZombie]

That was something to behold! You can't walk by that without stopping.

[pyro]

that is kick @$$--my kids loved it ---my 7 yr old said "daddy you should do that"

[DeathTouch]

I like'em this. Somone buy me this. LOL : >

http://www.hallowindow.com/

[sparky]

WOW... I realy like that! I wonder how they did it? Can someone buy that for me too!!!!!?????

[corner haunt]

That is REALLY cool! That would look great in my living room window, a big huge picture window.

[DeathTouch]

I think they are using Flash video like what some websites use.

[Bloodhound]

I like this too. But instead of buying me the dvd. Somebody buy me the H.D. DVD Projector needed to play the thing.

[pyro]

ok i want it

[Spooky1]

How the hell do you project that on a window?

[Evil Eyes]

I have no idea how it works but I love it!

[turtle2778]

He is selling this. Im getting it for xmas. :D :D

[Hauntiholik]

How the hell do you project that on a window?

He projected it (using a video projector) onto a white sheet hanging in front of the window.

[Hauntiholik]

He is selling this. Im getting it for xmas. :D :D

Xmas? You're waiting until then? I'm getting the 2008 version when it's ready in early October. I'm sooooooo ready!

[robkjedi]

Those who signed up can preorder now - check your inbox. Order page available to the general public 09/24!

Mine is on its way!

[Bloodhound]

How the hell do you project that on a window?

Here is what Mark Gervais said about setting this up!

The set-up behind the window is just a white sheet that I clipped to the window frame. Then I rear projected a reversed video onto the sheet. The projector was running from my laptop that was playing the video file. I borrowed the projector since I don't actually own one.

Hallowindow (http://www.hallowindow.com/)

[Spookie]

I was on the mailing list ahead of time and ordered mine last night. Since I don't set up my yard until Halloween day, I was thinking, that Halloween week, each night up to and including Halloween running a different projection sequence. Our house is at a bend in the road and so everyone coming down the street faces our house and will see it. Should attract a lot of attention and expect will increase the ToTs that night. I know everyone will be talking about it. Just hope they notice the rest of my yard!!

BTW I've had a few email exchanges with Mark and he seems like a really nice, extremely talented guy. I love the style of his animations. His friend, Dewi, has added perfect background music to the DVD and really helped turn out a great product. I can't wait to see the full version.

[davy2]

nice! I already have the virtual santa, so had to order this one!

[Brad Green]

Mark Gervais is selling copies of this on his Hallowindow site for $30. He's been posting over on Halloweenforum for awhile now, and he has a post showing the setup he uses (rear projection onto a white sheet). I ordered one myself and was lucky enough to score a working projector on Ebay for under $100. This is gonna be fun!

[Scottzilla]

Sheets would work but you usually get a pretty wicket hot spot with them. For a few extra bucks you can get material that is actually made for rear-projection. I've had good luck with it and it diffuses the hot spot pretty nicely.

example:
http://pnta.com/searchresult.aspx?categoryid=856

[Spookie]

As shown in Mark's diagram the projector is pulled quite a ways back from the window/sheet area so if you are talking "hot" spot as being heat related, I don't think that's an issue if you use his method.

[Texan78]

What do you do if you don't have windows like that though. I would love to have that but the only window I have like that you can not see due to the front porch being enclosed.

All the other windows facing the front are single windows.

[Brad Green]

Mine are also small, single windows, so I plan to project onto a sheet mounted on my wooden privacy fence that's behind my cemetery layout. I've also seen people using both sheets and clear poly for rear projection set ups in their garage with really nice results.

[Scottzilla]

Heh. By "hot spot" I didn't actually mean heat. Try shining a flashlight at a piece of cloth and looking at it from the opposite side. The cloth lights up nice and even because of the way it refracts the light through the threads, but there is a really bright spot where you see the actual flashlight through the cloth. This is a big problem with rear-projection (there is a bright spot where the projector is). I like that material I linked to because it cuts way down on the hot spot.

Another solution is to shoot the projector at an angle that prevents the projector from being directly behind the screen from the observer's point of view. You'll probably only want to do this if you have keystone correction on your projector.

[Fiend4Halloween]

It does look really cool, but $30 for only 12 minutes of play, kind of a bummer.

[Texan78]

Hmmmm I think I might have an idea for it, but I wonder if it would work on black plastic?

[Dark Lord]

It does look really cool, but $30 for only 12 minutes of play, kind of a bummer.

These were done in short segments as ToTer's can watch the whole thing & move on,there are 2 plus extras. The animation & SFX are worth it,even for 12 min. If it was longer ToTers would just walk off,this way all can enjoy it without having to hang out,candy is still the name of the game for them.

[beelce]

That is really cool...I do want to use it some how

[Hauntiholik]

It does look really cool, but $30 for only 12 minutes of play, kind of a bummer.

How so? There are other videos for projection available for less time and almost twice the price.

You're also paying for someone's time and talent, not something from China.

[Texan78]

Yea you don't want anything really long anyways. The chances someone is going to see the whole thing through is slim. As mentioned they will watch it and move on if they even stay. The only person that will know it is short is you.

Also with the amount of time it takes to put this together I think it is a very reasonable on price. It could easily be more and I have see others that are shorter in length and cost more and they don't even have SFX.

I am just wondering if this would look good if front projected on black plastic. If so I have the perfect place for it.

[Spookie]

Heh. By "hot spot" I didn't actually mean heat. Try shining a flashlight at a piece of cloth and looking at it from the opposite side. The cloth lights up nice and even because of the way it refracts the light through the threads, but there is a really bright spot where you see the actual flashlight through the cloth. This is a big problem with rear-projection (there is a bright spot where the projector is). I like that material I linked to because it cuts way down on the hot spot.

Another solution is to shoot the projector at an angle that prevents the projector from being directly behind the screen from the observer's point of view. You'll probably only want to do this if you have keystone correction on your projector.



Thanks for the info Scottzilla. I'm sure I've seen it in the past (really noticeable when you were a kid and rear projecting hand puppet shapes on a sheet using a flashlight!). I bookmarked the site you listed earlier in this thread. I'm going to try a sheet this year to keep my initial costs down (bought lots of props and decorations this year), and will see how it goes. Since it's a DVD that I will use for many years, I may update later. Thanks for the link.


As for someone's comment about the cost of the DVD. Personally I think the quality and style of Mark's images are well worth the money. I think Dewi's music sounds great too. This is done by people in the graphics and music industry, not by some kid on a computer. Also included in the cost is professional disc duplication and printed CD jackets and postage. I know and appreciate quality when I see it.

I do expect people will stop and watch as they are coming down the street in their cars, walking by on the sidewalk or getting their mail (the group mailbox is near the front of our house) and will stay there watching it until it repeats maybe. I don't think anyone is expecting a drive-in movie experience. Nor do I want them all camped out in front of my house for hours!

[Spookie]

Received my DVD in today's mail! Looks great on my widescreen. I just love it. My husband and I have been watching it trying to decide what scenario to show on Halloween night, and if we are able to get the projector from his work for additional days earlier in the week, what to show as a teaser the other nights. The colors look great. The red is very vivid on our set. Should look great from the first floor down at street level.

Our windows inside are inset about 3-4 inches with no molding so I've been contemplating building a quick box frame that will fit inside the window. It will then give me something to staple the sheet onto for a taut fit.

[davy2]

For screen material for my virtual window santa, I just used the thick painters plastic dropcloth from Home Depot..it's not transparent plastic, but the thicker "frosted" type...hung it on the existing window curtain rod with curtain rings, and used tape gun tape to stretch it on each side and bottom of window...I know, low tech, but it works PERFECTLY...I'll probably do the same for Hallowindow..projector sits about 7 feet back from window...

[Bloodhound]

I recieved my Hallowindow today and let me say this: completly worth it. Mark has tried to make this as versitile as he could. For example this dvd has reverse picture play as well as regular picture play with four extras The Eye, Jack-o'-lantern, Spiders, and Ghosts. Not to mention Hallowindow 1 and 2. I think it was worth the $30 I spent. I forgot to mention this part. Mark has even included a manuel on the dvd so that anyone can set this up.

[robkjedi]

Got it - LOVE IT!!!

[kciaccio]

I should be getting mine today in the mail. Can't wait to open it. Sounds like a quality piece of work!

[robkjedi]

Got mine! Ripped the video files and am sequencing light-o-rama shows to them. I place my bigscreen TV in the window and show videos with my light show. Good to mix this in with the music videos. Doing it this way, I get to use all the animations!

[Bloodhound]

Got mine! Ripped the video files and am sequencing light-o-rama shows to them. I place my bigscreen TV in the window and show videos with my light show. Good to mix this in with the music videos. Doing it this way, I get to use all the animations!

I hope you video this. I would love to see it!

[HibLaGrande]

I just wanted to say that I got my Hallowindows DVD today. it is Sooooo Cool! I can't wait to use it!. Mark really did a great job guys.

[Spookie]

Be sure to locate the two hidden Easter Eggs. One starts with dripping blood and is the Hallowindow Zero video and the other one features the translucent ghosts all in red and with a red background. Both are nice additions to use.

[victor-eyd]

First of all, there are some who are considering using the frosted white shower curtain as a rear projection. Don't! This hotspots really badly and no amount of keystoning tilting, or using mirrors is gonna make the projector's centerlight diffuse enough to be unnoticeable.

Instead, use the white curtains. It goes for slightly over $2 at your local walmart and is excellent for this application. The sheets can be trimmed and at 70x72 you can easily fillout a one car garage opening with using 2 packs.

Here's how I did mine. I live in a fairly seculed part of town so I don't get any TOT's. Instead I host a halloween party for my friends and neighbors. This year I wanted to project something different so I bought a couple of packs of the white shower curtain. and trimmed out strips to fit over my bay and backyard doors. Clear white tape adhers them to the window. I then mounted projectors from the outside and pointed towards the windows and fed a speaker from the dvd player (which is outside) into the room.

This is the end result
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd107/victor-eyd/Halloween/100_6154.jpg

YouTube- halloween hallwindow video

YouTube- halloween skull video

Victor

[davy2]

I'm really hoping the rain lets up here, as 1/2 that DVD is the excellent sound effects, and I've got some wireless speakers all ready to go...

As far as projection material, this year I tried transparent contact paper for cabinet shelves (it's not transparent, actually, but frosted)
I got it at HD
...it works REALLY well, and peels right off the window when you're done...;)

[Spookie]

Had sprinkles here during the ToTing hours, so didn't put out the speakers. Shame because the sound really adds a lot to the coolness of the product. Bummed that it was so nice all of October until now. Better not rain next year!

Hallowindows was a huge success in my neighborhood. Had tons of compliments from the kids and parents alike. Tons. One father who I hadn't met before came up with his daughter to say that they lived four houses away and for the last few nights they've been watching our window (which I alternated each day) from his daughters bedroom window. Really enjoyed it. Said she was facinated by the spiders the other night.

Since it was expected to rain I scaled back and went to Plan B which was mainly rely on window decorations and a few outdoor light things that could tolerate the rain. Hallowindows really saved the day for me.

Funny story. My husband was talking to a fellow co-worker about what each of their families were doing in the way of decorating this year and my husband said that we were going to use Hallowindows. Turns out the guy also bought a copy and was going to use it too. I figure he probably posts on some of the same boards I do. Have to find out more from hubby about him next week. Curious what he chose to show.

[Moon Dog]

Just saw this thread... I'll have to get one for next year!

[HibLaGrande]

Just wanted to say that Hallowindows was a big hit this year. I used the white shower curtain from wally world and it worked great. If you have access to a projector... this is a Hiblagrande approved must buy!

[Spookie]

This is the best money spent for Halloween based on ToT and parents reactions. Had everybody stopping by and congregating outside watching. Had a neighbor tell me his daughter didn't want to go to bed because she wanted to keep watching the spiders come down my windows. Lots of compliments Halloween night, and in the Monday and Tuesday since by neighbors who saw me outside.