ABBA recently made the world news with their new tour. Not in the first place because the band, all well into their 70s, would perform again after years, but mainly because they would do this as holograms. In reality, the band members' movements were pre-recorded and later shown on giant screens. The show had a budget of 175 million euros. Far from feasible for 99% of all musicians.
But are there any cheaper alternatives?
1. Transparent holographic projection screen
The operation is similar to that of a normal projection. You project your visuals with a beamer on the screen, but you get a great 3D effect due to the transparency of the screen. For example, you can project an avatar that can act as a background dancer. This technology produces very cool effects and you can purchase a transparent projection screen online for little money.
An earlier show by Thunderboom Records failed miserably due to poor stage lighting coordinations. The disadvantage of this technology is that it must be completely dark, especially when you use a normal beamer. So make sure that no lights are pointed at the screen while projecting. Otherwise, the hologram will not be clearly visible.
2. Pepper's Ghost
This is a technology that was invented as far back as the 19th century but is still widely used in concerts or by illusionists. You place a glass or plexiglass screen at an angle of 45 degrees. Place an object or a reflective foil behind the screen and use a beamer to project onto the screen from the side. This creates a holographic effect where the virtual object seems to appear next to the real environment. So for this illusion you only need a glass or plexiglass plate and a beamer. This video explains how to make it yourself.
3. Smartphone cone
This option is best seen as a gimmick and requires some tinkering. This is also a Pepper's Ghost illusion but applied in a different way. Especially if you want to offer this to your audience. With this technique you can make small-scale holograms that you can project via your smartphone. By placing a plastic funnel on your smartphone
In this way you can, for example, have an avatar dance along to the music. This video explains in 2 minutes how to assemble this yourself.