BUDGET: Between 5 crore INR and 10.99 crore INR (USD672,000 to USD1.35 million)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Fountain show that takes viewers on an adventurous interstellar journey to an alien planet.
The show’s story is set in the distant future, where Earth has depleted all its energy resources and now stands on the brink of an energy crisis. This is when Astronaut Vickram steps in. Joined by his long-time ally and assistant bot Nandi, Vickram launches into space in search of a mysterious Infinite Energy Device called the Soma Chakra. A whirlwind of action, adventure, and spectacle awaits.
Garudyaan is situated at a large Open air theatre in Science City, Ahmedabad. The show boasts of a unique setup that combines 3D Projection Mapping with programmed musical fountains, integrated lasers, powerful Moving Head lights, blazing pyrotechnics and Hi-resolution Projectors working in tandem with clockwork precision to build a spectacular audio-visual experience. Additionally, audiences waiting for the gates of the show to open are treated to a pre-show queue experience, where, through posters and AV panels, they learn about the backstory of our characters.
The show was inaugurated on 03/11/2023 by the Honorable Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, as part of a grand opening ceremony.
WHAT DID THE CLIENT WANT TO ACHIEVE?
Our client, Cube Construction Engineering Ltd. (CCEL), approached us with a project based on the musical fountain setup that they were responsible for building.
The project objective was to design a captivating 25-30 minute show centered around space science and space travel for this newly upgraded integrated fountain system at Science City, Ahmedabad. Furthermore, the show had to convey a message about preserving the balance of our ecosystem in the face of globally increasing energy consumption.
The client wanted the story to be entertaining for viewers of all ages. It was also important for the show to be immersive across mediums and be a truly engaging live experience.
SCOPE OF WORK YOUR COMPANY WAS INVOLVED IN
Our Company, Knownsense Studios, was responsible for conceiving the storyline, writing the screenplay, and directing the integrated show. All elements of the Pre-production and production of the Audiovisual content, including casting actors, deciding costumes, and shooting, fell under our purview.
The background music was composed by our longtime collaborator and Musician Nimit Kapadia.
The final song, “Kadam Badha,” was written by us and composed by Prathmesh Bhatt of Creative Boxx. It was recorded live at Yashraj Studios, Mumbai.
We were also responsible for programming and integrating the on-site lasers with the content, as well as for the space and content design of the Pre-show area (Queue Experience).
WHAT KEY CHALLENGES WERE FACED?
Our Key challenges were:
1. The task before us was to use this vast and versatile range of components – from the staggeringly high Central Jet to 3 powerful laser beams to the exploding fireballs – to tell an entertaining story that would connect with audiences across all age groups.
The process started with conceiving a basic 3-act story structure, creating characters and drafting a screenplay. Creating a detailed storyboard that visually integrated all the myriad elements of the show – from the actors to the VFX to the live onsite elements – was the logical next step.
What followed this Pre-production phase was a unique production cycle that involved creating and animating 3D assets, casting and shooting actors in live action, and simultaneously programming the on-site components. This meant that all the moving parts had to be completely in sync with each other in order to produce a coherent story-based show at the end.
2. Since the setup is one-of-its-kind, we had to figure out what kind of content would work best and what wouldn’t. Further, because the construction of the fountain area and the installation of the components ran parallel to the process of making the show, we had no way of testing any of our shots or scenes live while we were making the show.
HOW WERE THOSE CHALLENGES RESOLVED?
Fortunately for us, we managed to create a 3D environment that was an exact replica of what the show would be like when the setup was complete. We used this environment to test various things, such as the projector throw and the interaction of various elements, like fountains and lights.
Ultimately, this solution helped us visualize what the final show would look like from a viewer’s perspective and helped us greatly in making key decisions during production.
In addition, when the full setup was finally installed on site, our client helped us thoroughly test and program all the on-site equipment. In collaboration with the client’s team, we meticulously programmed all the components one by one according to the flow and story of the show.
HOW HAS YOUR WORK HELPED THE CLIENT?
Since opening its doors to the public, “Garudyaan—Space Mission | Fountain Show” has slowly garnered a sizeable audience among the visitors of Science City, Ahmedabad.
The Open-Air Theatre that houses the show is situated right next to the Robotics Gallery inside Science City. Since the Museum galleries close down in the evening, this show helped Science City retain Visitors beyond the normal Museum hours. Besides, the show helped bring an additional aspect of entertainment and amusement to the otherwise education—and infotainment-based Science City Campus.
Both our clients, CCEL and Gujarat Science City Council, appreciated this fact and were very happy with the visitor footfall for the show.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF ABOUT THE PROJECT?
Since the show was conceived by us from scratch, we created the storyline, characters, and backstory. Further, because it was a fully in-house production, we made the storyboards, concept art, and 3D environments and shot and animated everything.
To add to this, we designed even the queue experience, where the characters’ backstories are revealed.
Having made the entire show as one complete package, all by ourselves, was indeed a moment of pride for Knownsense Studios.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
VIDEO:
