Our Full Moon Circle screens have been used in a variety of ways at different events around the globe since their release in 2016. We have seen our clients order printed Full Moons to showcase a product or sponsored event and we’ve seen our clients utilize projection mapping to create beautifully projected images onto our circle screens. However, we’ve yet to see a client use both for the same show – until now.

Christopher and Justin Swader are New York-based, award winning scenic designers that reached out to Stretch Shapes with their vision for an upcoming project. With renders in hand and a vision in sight, the goal was for Stretch Shapes to print six Full Moon Circle Screens that would be the backdrop for Ajijaak on Turtle Island with IBEX Puppetry.

Both Christopher and Justin were kind enough to take part in this Portfolio, answering all of our questions with great detail.

How did the Full Moons work for you?

The design consists of a series of oversized Native American drums that can be activated with lighting and video projections to transport audiences to various locales and environments. There are five 6′ full moon screens and one 10′ full moon center screen. Two of the 6′ screens and the 10′ screen are ground-supported, and the rest of the screens are suspended on various planes to create depth. All of the screens were skinned with custom-printed material to resemble the texture of stretched cowhide drums.

How did you find Stretch Shapes?

Justin and I stumbled across Stretch Shapes online and were impressed in the quality and range of products it offered. The full moons seemed like the best option for suggesting the drums in terms of how lightweight and easy to assemble they would be.

Did the Full Moons meet your expectations?

The Full Moons absolutely met our expectations. The lighting designer and projection designer were able to infuse them with life and create some really stunning moments onstage.

What did you think of the setup? Was it easy to setup and strike?

Since the production is touring, the producers and creators wanted us to find a simple and creative way of presenting the story that did not require a complicated setup in each venue. The setup and strike was very efficient to manage, and the fact that it all compacts down into a small carry-able state allows for easy transport.

Will you be able to reuse the product?

The hope is that the full moons will have a long life as they tour with the show to various venues in the future. It was important that we found a product that would be durable enough to sustain a long run.