IMAGINATION PROJECT | THEATROGRAPH

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CREATIVE DIRECTION & SET DESIGN

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 Client: UK Foreign Office

Photography: Ted Humble Smith

 

Commissioned by the UK Foreign Office’s Great for Imagination campaign to artistically interpret key British patents throughout history, celebrating the UK’s legacy of innovation through striking visual storytelling.

This project spanned 2017, and involved a close collaboration with photographer Ted Humble Smith to research and reimagine each patent as meticulously crafted imagery.

 

Artistic Focus: The Theatrograph

 

For this piece, we highlighted the Theatrograph, patented by Robert Paul in 1896 as Britain’s first commercial 35mm projector. Paul’s invention, incorporating the Maltese Cross mechanism, set the standard for European projectors and marked a significant leap in cinematic technology, bringing motion pictures into mainstream entertainment.

 

Our interpretation of the Theatrograph focused on capturing the vintage mechanics and the magic of early cinema. Using only practical effects in-camera, we aimed to recreate the interplay of light and movement that defined the era. This visual homage was part of a global exhibition tour, celebrating the UK’s history of scientific and artistic innovation, and was also featured on the BBC One Show.

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