Screenberry powers "Oceanic Refractions" sensorial experience at CTM x transmediale

FrameWorks, a multimedia system designer and integrator from Ireland, relied on Screenberry to create an unparalleled, 360-degree environment for the "Oceanic Refractions" multi-sensory experience. Housed within the historic dome room of the Silent Green event venue in Berlin, this installation immersed audiences in the urgent issue of climate change and its impact on the Oceania community.

"Oceanic Refractions" presented a moving narrative woven through the testimonies of Oceania natives, accompanied by the sounds of their natural habitats—from the bustling life of reefs to the serene rustle of mangroves. This auditory journey was enriched with 360 videography, kinetic seating that mimicked the ocean's movement, and olfactory effects which transported visitors to the shorelines of Fiji, Kiribati, and the Duke of York Islands in Papua New Guinea.

At the core of the multimedia setup was a single Screenberry media server, responsible for video playback on two 360-degree cylindrical screens stacked one on top of the other, as well as an octagon-shaped dome. The use of this single server for projection calibration and managing playback across all three screens helped to simplify the setup and ensured a seamless extension of the immersive environment from floor to ceiling.

To output visuals onto two circular panoramas, each 10 meters in diameter and 3 meters high, Screenberry aligned 8 x Panasonic PT-RZ970 projectors utilizing a combination of automatic and manual calibration. To map the 10-meter domed ceiling, the media server auto-calibrated an array of 8 x Panasonic PT-DZ780 projectors. To route 16 signals from a single media server, 4 x Datapath Fx4 multi-display controllers were used.

The hyper-detailed soundscape was a critical component of the exhibition, adding extra depth to the narrative. The installation featured an 11-channel audio system, orchestrated by Screenberry via Dante.

“Oceanic Refractions” was co-produced by the CTM Festival and Transmediale with funding from the Hauptstadtkulturfonds (German Capital Culture Fonds), Creative Australia, and with support from the European Commission. The installation ran from January 26 to February 4, 2024.