FRAY Studio And Disguise Power Cinematic Projections

Olivia Dean's sold-out The Art of Loving arena tour is redefining how live cameras are used in concerts, swapping conventional side-mounted IMAG displays for a live projection set-up that casts cinematic camera images directly onto the show’s scenic drapes.

Conceived by FRAY Studio alongside production and lighting designers 1826 Studio, and driven by Disguise GX 3 media servers, the approach turns the soft, fabric-led set into an enveloping canvas. Rather than screens flanking the stage, live feeds are projected across large, curved drapes behind and around the band, keeping the audience’s gaze centred on the performance while preserving the show’s intimacy for fans in every seat.

"The aim was to integrate cameras seamlessly with the rest of the set, create beautiful grading, and ensure each audience member could experience the energy on stage, no matter their seat," said Daniel Richardson, Designer at 1826 Studio.

At the core sit three Disguise GX 3 media servers supplied by Solotech, which FRAY Studio use to ingest camera signals, run real-time grading via Notch blocks, and orchestrate projection mapping onto complex surfaces. The rig deploys six projectors on the upstage drape and two Front of House units on the downstage drape, with Disguise’s Designer software handling mapping, blending and output-feed warping to ensure alignment over curved and pleated fabrics from venue to venue.

Bespoke LUTs and Notch-driven workflows give each song a distinct cinematic grade, allowing the live pictures to evolve with the music while remaining cohesive with the tour’s soft, organic set aesthetic.

The show also weaves in choreographed live-camera sequences between Olivia Dean and her backing vocalists. Multiple inputs are routed through Disguise to create precisely timed compositions during key harmonies, spotlighting the connection between Dean and her band and drawing subtle on-stage interactions closer for the entire arena.

"The most rewarding part of the project was working collaboratively across all departments to create a visually beautiful show," said Kira O'Brien, Video Designer at FRAY Studio. "By choreographing moments with the camera director and lighting designer, we ensured the emotion and energy on stage was captured and reflected in the projection in real time."

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