1988 ILDA Awards
Inaugural year of the ILDA
Awards
Presented at the 1988 ILDA meeting in Stone Mountain, Georgia
Hosted by Stone Mountain Lasers
From The Laserist magazine, Spring 1989 issue
In the past 15 years, laser display has become a viable option for those interested in merging art and technology to form a visual stimulus. The next decade promises to bring about even greater advancements in this medium that originated 20 years ago, but which is only just gaining acceptance in industries like advertising, entertainment and art.
Permanent laser display installations and viewing facilities are scattered around the country and are expensive to operate. Shows are usually not documented for art purposes, and public awareness about lasers is still limited. But now a group of dedicated laser professionals are making progress to establish the medium's credibility. This past fall, ILDA presented the First Annual Awards for Outstanding Laser Display. Laser professionals from all over the world gathered at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia to view the winning entries.
Sixty-eight entries from 11 companies competed for awards in 18 categories ranging from Static Images and Sequenced Show Pieces to such applications as Atmospheric, Architectural and Technological.
Walter Gundy, president of Image Engineering, Corp. and coordinator of the event said that in addition to recognizing and encouraging creative achievement, this year's Laser Display Awards will "hopefully challenge and stimulate others to get involved." Further, he added that ILDA-sponsored events such as this, will "build morale for individual companies as well as for the industry as whole."
Two laser projectors were provided for the ceremony, allowing
attendees of the awards ceremony to be treated to a laser presentation of some
of the winning entries. Other winning entries were presented on slide or video.
THE JUDGING PANEL
The Judging Panel represented artistic, practical, and technical interests. Entries were judged according to: creative application of the medium, professional application of laser display, entertainment value, and unique application of laser technology.
- John Whitney, Sr., a computer graphics pioneer who conducted some of the first experimental, computerized film sequences, represented artistic interests. Whitney, is considered as the "father of computer graphics and visual music coordination."
-
Larry Majorana, a technical engineer at Pasadena's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a laser system designer.
-
Jim Feldman, a theatrical and club lighting designer, works with lasers and other special effect lighting at the Palace in Los Angeles.
Entries were viewed on VHS or 35mm slides to allow more equality in presentation. Whitney was disappointed in the video and slide transmission, however, feeling the electric quality of the lasers was lost. The means to document the technology adequately is still two to four years away, he explained. High Definition Television (HDTV) a hotly debated but inevitable new television standard, will allow the laser operator to record transmissions in vivid, life-like resolution and color.
Whitney was also concerned that technical sophistication was lacking in some of the entries, but felt this was due partially because of the newness of the medium and the lack of communication. "The creative process was like reinventing the wheel," he described. He suggested an International Center for Laser Display be established so artists and technicians could share up-to-date knowledge.
Laser Media's Creative Director, John Goss, was responsible for organizing the judging of the competition. Overall, he was pleased with the results. "The panel leaned towards compositions that were unique and experimental, awarding prizes to entries they felt were outstanding examples in each category," he explained.
1988 ARTISTIC AWARDS
Single X-Y Head: Static - 5 second Graphic
1st: "Growing Plant", Laser Media
2nd: "Explosion", Laser Media
3rd: "Mermaid", Laser Media
Honorable Mention: "Mexican National Emblem", Mundo Audiovisual
Single X-Y Head: 5-30 second Graphic
Best: "Ice Skater", Laser Media
Honorable Mention: "Chevrolet Logo", Image Engineering
Honorable Mention: "Grid Hand", Laser Media
Single X-Y Head: Sequenced Show Piece
Best: "The Conversation", Laser Fantasy
Honorable Mention: "Hodori", Image Engineering
Multiple X-Y Head: Static - 5 second Graphic
Best: "Fast Scan Logos", Laser Fantasy
Multiple X-Y Head: 5-30 second Graphic
1st: "Sexy Robot", Laser Media
2nd: "Floating Fiddle", Laser Media
3rd: "Peach Time Lapse", Laser Media
Multiple X-Y Head: 30-60 second Graphic
Best: "Devil Playing Fiddle", Laser Media
Multiple X-Y Head: Sequenced Show Piece
Best (tie): "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades", Laser Media
Best (tie): "Walk Like An Egyptian", Laser Media
Honorable Mention: "Georgia on My Mind", Stone Mountain Laser
Beam Sculpture
1st: "Seoul Olympics Beam Matrix", Image Engineering
2nd: Laser Spectacles [no title given]
3rd: Laser Spectacles [no title given]
Honorable Mention: Science Faction [no title given]
Atmospheric Effects
Best: "Downtown Miami Beam Matrix", Laser Productions (LaserNet)
Advertisement
Best: "Reebok lets U.B.U.", Image Engineering
AV Show/Corporate Theatre
Best: "Trade Show Booth", Audio Visual Imagineering
Technological Application
Honorable Mention: "Laser Pipeline", Science Faction
Architectural Application
1st: "Boston Clock Tower Renovation Celebration", Image Engineering
2nd: Science Faction [no title given]
Entertainment Application
Best: "Live performance collaboration with dancer/juggler/performance artist Michael Moschen and high-wire artist Phillippe Petit", Science Faction
Multi-Media Application
Honorable Mention: "Xerox Office System Presentation", Audio Visual Imagineering
New Effect
Honorable Mention: "Wasalandia Amusement Park (Finland) 3D Laser Theater", Laser Media
Miscellaneous: Music Video
Best: "Herbie Hancock", Laser Images
Miscellaneous: Interactive Pre-Programmed Theme Graphics
Best: "Light Play Boards; using keyboards to bring up pre-programmed effects", Laser Media
Miscellaneous: Action Film Effect
Most outrageous application: "Using 'Laser Dream Machine' software in an erotic adult film", California Technical Associates
