Welcome to the Mesmer website
Mesmer are a collaboration of video and projection designers, with over 20 years experience of integrating video media into performance
Primarily, we are video designers - creating films, animations and motion graphics for integration into theatre, opera and dance productions, fashion shows, art installations, concerts and live events. As part of this approach, Mesmer offer a full technical service, installing complete projection, playback and control systems for our designs. We also function as animators, editors, projectionists and technical consultants.
Current and Recent projects
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Der Ring Des Nibelungen - Mariinsky
Re-imagined version of the 'Kirov' Ring cycle under the direction of Alexander Zeldin. Conducted by Valerie Gergiev. Video Design by Sven Ortel. Opening July 2009 in St.Petersburg and London
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The Mountaintop
Just opened to great acclaim and proves how small can be beautiful in the theatre world. TimesOnline notes Dick Straker's brilliantly realised projection design.
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Medea/Medea
Ian Galloway works with Headlong Theatre and Dylan Tighe to create video for the Gate Theatre's production of Medea/Medea, the winner of 2009's New DIrections award.
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Serious Money
Carol Churchill's critical look at the stock market deregulation in 1987 makes a timely return to the Birmingham Rep. Direction: Jonathan Munby, Design: Paul Wills, Video Design: Finn Ross.
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Just Add Water
Just Add Water is a new dance piece by Shobana Jeyasingh that premiered at the Linbury featuring stage design and video animation by Dick Straker.
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The Guardians
HighTide production for the Halesworth festival. Directed by Natalie Abrahami and designed by takis with projection by Dick Straker.
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Nocturnal
Ian Galloway of Mesmer works with director Lyndsey Turner and animator Matt Walker to create a projected setting for the new play Nocturnal at the Gate Theatre, Notting Hill.
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Interiors
"Gorgeously languid atmosphere of sanctuary" surrounds an exploration of Maurice Maeterlinck's symbolist play interiors. Currently on tour. Video and Projection by Finn Ross.
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Hamlet
New York's Theatre For A New Audience's first staging of Shakepeare's most popular and controversal play. Directed by David Esbjonson. Designed by Antje Ellermann, lit by Marcus Dosh, sound and music by Jane Shawi.
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Swan Lake
Helgi Tomasson's spectacular new staging of Swan Lake at San Francisco Ballet. Features sets and costumes by Jonathan Fensom as well as Imagery and projections by Sven Ortel and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Opens February 21st 2009
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Marguerite
Video & Projection Design (Sven Ortel) for Boublil, Schoenberg and Legrand's new musical "Marguerite". After London's Haymarket Theatre this gorgeous production will premiere In Tokyo on February 13th. Directed by Jonathan Kent.
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Shun-Kin
"ghostly multi-layered projections" feature in this award-winning production. Returing to London and Tokyo 2010. Video and Projection deisgn by Finn Ross.
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Teatro Minimo/ Hinter Masken
A short new Opera by Anno Schreier, which has taken its inspiration from a short story by Haruki Murakami. Directed By Claudia Blersch. Opens January 25th
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Wishing Well
Wishing Well was a projection installation which streamed text messages onto the walls of a temporary prismatic structure over Christmas 08 and the New Year festivities.
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Hotel de Pekin
We created video imagery for the new opera 'Hôtel de Pékin', the first show to be staged at the new Muziekkwartier theatre in Enschede, Holland.
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All My Sons
Large scale HD scenic projection & video design for Simon McBurney's new production of Arthur Millers All My Sons on Broadway. Projection and Video design Finn Ross.
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Proper Clever
Ian Galloway of Mesmer designed video projections for this new play by Frank Cottrell-Boyce at the Liverpool Playhouse.
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Forgotten Peacock
Fashion performance created by Takis with projections designed by Dick Straker. A ten minute exploration of the male suit as a form of visual expression with sound by Gareth Fry.
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Tiefland
Matthias Hartmann's take on D'Albert's opera at the Opera House Zurich, Switzerland. Video Design by Sven Ortel for Mesmer. Now revived at Barcelona's prestigious Gran Teatre Del Liceu - The Barcelona Opera House. Opens October 2nd.
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Ali to Karim
Ali to Karim charts the history of the Ismaili Muslims from Mohammed to the current Aga Khan. The production made extensive narrative use of visual illustration and animations.
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Only The Brave
Video Design for a new musical. Only The Brave is based on the true story of the taking of "Pegasus Bridge". The design features bold stylised imagery inspired by 1940's propaganda posters.
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A Disappearing Number
World Tour of Complicite's acclaimed production. Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award 2008 for Best New Play, Evening Standard Award 2007 for Best Play, and Critics' Circle Theatre Award 2007 for Best New Play.
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Little Otik
Vanishing Point in association with National Theatre of Scotland adaptation for the stage of Jan Svankmajer cult film, Little Otik. Projection and Video design by Finn Ross. Touring May/June 08.
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Rushes
New piece for the Royal Ballet by Kim Brandstrup
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The Sea
Video Design for Jonathan Kent's 2nd production of his Haymarket Season.
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The Little Mermaid
Video and Projection Design (Sven Ortel) for Disney's major new musical, which opened on Broadway in January 2008. Orginal imagery was created and integrated into the stage design using innovative projection techniques
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National Theatre Digital Archive
Mesmer archive an example of each N.T. production on a 3 camera recording system. The archive is now viewable on a digital archive system which was designed by Mesmer at the new N.T. Studio.
News
Sven Ortel is going to create projections for a special 3 day event co-inciding with the mayor Kandinsky retropective opening at the Guggenheim Museum New York this autumn.
The Mountaintop opened this week to great reviews at Theatre503. See it now in it's original form ! Video by Dick Straker
Ian Galloway of Mesmer will be working with Dylan Tighe and Headlong on the devised piece, "Medea/Medea'. It opens in June at the Gate Theatre.
A new work by Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Co. has stage and video design by Dick Straker.
Guardians by Lucy Caldwell at The HighTide festival in Suffolk is featuring projection by Mr. Straker.
The New York Times thinks "this Hamlet is generally excellent" and even mentions the projections!
The radio version of complicite's A Disappearing Number featured a trailer by Sven Ortel. You can watch it here.
The September issue of the prestigous Livedesign magazine features a large article on our work on A Disappearing Number.
The West End Production of Marguerite has been featured in the September issue as well.
It's official: Rebecca will have a Broadway run. The popular musical features projection by mesmer's Sven Ortel.
Click to watch Finn Ross being interviewed by Colin Clark about the design process for Little Otik.
The National Theatre Digital Archive has opened at the NT Studio. Performances, recorded & edited by Mesmer can be browsed and viewed on a system designed by Mesmer.