THE

CONTENTS

PREFACE
P.7

STORY
P.8

PROGRESSION
P.10

STUDENTS
P.36

BEHIND THE SCENES

P.40

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
P.46

PROJ ECT I ON MA PPI N G

Valletta

M C AST

CHRI ST MAS
2014

PREFACE
SA N TAS WOR KS HOP

The Institute of Art and Design boasts of synergies

established with the industrial sector and a number
of local and foreign institutions. The building of
networks and relationships with industry provide
opportunities for students to work to realistic briefs,
but also allow them to promote themselves and their
work for better exposure and prospective employment.

GR A PHI C DESI GN
BA

Throughout this academic year, students following

the Graphic Design and Interactive Media Degree are
once again challenged to design , develop and produce
an architectural projection that will be exhibited on the
Presidents Palace Facade during the Christmas and New
Year festivities. This live case is one of the several ongoing collaborations with the Valletta 2018 Foundation.

IN T ER AC TI V E M EDI A
BA

The Institutes administration firmly believes in exposing

students to a multitude of experiences and opportunities
within and outside the campus. Such events augment
entrepreneurial and organizational skills but also provide
real - life working environments.

- Mr. Stephen Vella -

The Valletta 2018 Foundation is once again happy to

work together with the staff, lecturers and students at the
MCAST Institute of Art & Design on the production
of this years 3D architectural mapping projection on
the faade of the Palace at St Georges Square, Valletta.
The light and sound show has quickly become one of
the highlights of celebrations during Christmas and New
Years Eve in our capital city. Preparations for the hosting
of the title of European Capital of Culture in Malta in
2018 focus on the need to invest in capacity building
through hands-on experience such as that provided
by life-case studies of which the architectural mapping
project is an important one. In the coming years Valletta
2018 will further support young professionals in their
career paths and the achievement of their projects in a
local and international dimension.

- Mr. Karsten Xuereb -

~6~

~7~

M C AST

PROJ ECT I ON MA PPI N G

Valletta

CHRI ST MAS
2014

M C AST

I N T R O

SA N TAS WOR KS HOP

SANTAS WORKSHOP
welcome to santas workshop

The moment she mixed those chemicals together, they

reacted violently. The goo from the explosion covered
everything in sight and then; despite the mess, something
wonderful happened.

For the first few moments the turn of events were both
baffling and exciting. The toys wanted to play and the elves
looked on dumbfounded. But very quickly everything
started spiraling out of control. The toys wanted out.
They became near violent in their quest for fun and started
breaking things, toying with the machinery, hitting every
button they could find. In moments the workshop was
in chaos and the elves could do little beyond look on
helplessly.
Nobody saw or heard him coming, but the moment the
elves were about to give up hope was the moment Santa
showed up. The disaster he found at the workshop angered
him. But Santa loves the elves and their creations far too
much to truly stay mad at them. So Santa took a moment to
learn what had happened, and then quickly brought things
back under control. He gathered the toys up into his bag;
and before they could come up with any more ideas, took
off again to start his exciting journey around the world.

~8~

GRA PHI C D ES IGN

BA

This story starts off on Christmas Eve. Its a normal

working day for the elves at the workshop. Production is
good and everything is running smoothly until Clara brings
out her latest chemical experiment. Its fun. Its flashy.
A little science wont hurt anyone and shes this close to
creating something new. It cant wait for after Christmas.
But what she didnt realise in her excitement, was just how
powerful a combination she was creating.

Just like that, the toys came to life. Where everything was
still before, now all the wonderful creations had begun
moving all by themselves. Clara had accidentally brought
all the toys to life.

I N TER ACTI VE MEDI A

BA

Were going to guess that youve never visited. Very few

have. But you have heard of it, havent you? Each and
every one of you reading this; you know it exists. Santas
Workshop is a place of magic and fun. Its where all the
elves live there are only seven of them, in case you were
wondering and where all the letters addressed to Santa
go. Here is where all the Christmas toys are made, and
sometimes; its also the place where one science experiment
goes terribly wrong.

~9~

M C AST

PROJ ECT I ON MA PPI N G

Valletta

CH RIST MAS
2014

SA N TAS WOR KS HOP

THE MAKING OF
Introduction

It is a long road to Valletta 2018 but gratefully also an

exciting one. Our path had to lead us to the concept
of the city as a backdrop for war. True. But it also led
us to the concept of love; love of life and of beauty.

I N TER ACTI VE MEDI A

BA

Students following this path had to bond together in

order to work as a production team; searching for mutual
respect tempered with humour and fostering a belief in
the potential of their medium to entertain and inspire
whilst also eliciting curiosity in the observers. We were to
do this by creating the Projection Mapping on the facade
of the Grandmasters Palace; naturally the main focus
of the Valletta 2018 Christmas celebrations in Valletta.

The first step in the process consisted of a survey given out

online by our tutors to the whole class so as to facilitate the
recognition of the individuals strengths and capabilities.
It was the easiest route to identifying natural groupings
for each department and helped greatly in shortening the
selection process leading to the best possible outcome for
the project. Furthermore, it also served as a key factor
in providing long-term benefits for the participants who
might be inspired to specialize in different areas in future
careers as they experimented with the different aspects of
the work involved.

~ 10 ~

GR AP HI C D ES IG N
BA

Once the groups had been formed it was now up to

each of them to generate further ideas and creative
concepts for the projection mapping taking place on the
Grandmasters Palace. Each group had to prepare an
original presentation with their ideas on digital storyboards
to be adjudicated by both our lecturers and the members
of the Valletta 2018 committee. The final decision to
choose the theme of love and war was the next milestone
towards our target and as we awaited results, each team
pinned their hopes on their presentation being the winner.

~ 11 ~

C H RIST MAS
2014

PR OJ ECTI ON MA PPI N G
Valletta

M C AST

THE BACKBONE

SA N TAS WOR KS HOP

After some intense deliberation between the lecturers

and the Valletta 2018 committee the Santas Workshop
concept was chosen. It was the concept that offered the
most diversity and room for personalisation and so it was,
on average, agreed to be a good choice.

MCAST gives everyone a chance, but not everyone necessarily makes it unless they work for it.

IN T ER AC TI V E M EDI A
BA

GR A PHI C DESI GN
BA

PJ ATTARD

The winning concept depicts an exciting Christmas spirit,

aimed to appeal to people of all ages and walks of life.
Santas Workshop features Santa Claus himself, his elves,
as well as the toys they are preparing to distribute to all the
lucky children in the world. Yet, there is a twist in the tale as
one elf s ill-timed scientific experiment goes terribly wrong
and the toys accidentally come to life and then proceed to
create chaos in the workshop. The aim, after all, is to add
fun and laughter to this important spiritual event we all
anticipate annually.

So what had to happen behind the scenes to produce the

finished project? This is where the strength of the survey
came into good use. Now new groupings were formed
according to the skills identified during the survey. We all
left our presentation team behind and banded together
into departments covering everything from production, to
concept art, to 2D and 3D art, photography, publication,
and even media and social media. It was now the role of all
the members in the course to take part in this all-inclusive
exercise and to put in their best effort in creating mood
and entertainment within an aesthetic framework whilst
also establishing our credibility and proficiency as final year
degree students at MCAST.

~ 12 ~

~ 13 ~

C H RIST MAS
2014

PR OJ ECTI ON MA PPI N G
Valletta

PROJ ECT I ON MA PPI N G

Valletta

CHRI ST MAS
2014

M C AST

SA N TAS WOR KS HOP

I N TER ACTI VE MEDI A
BA

GR A PHI C DESI GN
BA

SA N TAS WORKSHOP

M C AST

IN T ER AC TI V E M EDI A
BA

GRA PHI C D ES IG N
BA

~ 14 ~

~ 15 ~