How VANDAL and City of Sydney lit up Sydney Harbour with Innovative AI + Human Dance Fusion creating a spectacular New Year’s Eve 2024
The City of Sydney partnered with creative studio VANDAL to deliver an extraordinary visual spectacle for this year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. Spanning five hours of mesmerising projected content on the pylons of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, the programme culminated in a fully choreographed 12-minute sequence at midnight, synchronised with fireworks and lighting.
At the heart of this ambitious display was a groundbreaking fusion of human artistic performance and cutting-edge generative AI motion, marking a world-first on this scale.
“The Woman of the Water” was the centrepiece of the midnight sequence – a shape-shifting being who embodies the spirit of the waters around Sydney Harbour itself. Choreographed to a musical score by Luna Pan, the Woman of the Water transitioned seamlessly from coral to kelp, through various sea creatures, and into water itself. Her hypnotic dance, projected onto the towering pylons, created an immersive visual narrative that celebrated the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world.
Says Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO: “Sydney sets the benchmark for New Year’s celebrations, and our creative teams outdid themselves yet again this year with an unforgettable event.
“I know I’m a bit biased and I tend to say this every year, but this was well and truly our best New Year’s Eve ever. Thousands of people flocked to the harbour and millions tuned in around the world to see Sydney’s breathtaking fireworks displays and ring in the new year with a kaleidoscope of colour, music and stunning pylon projections.”
The motion-art sequences were conceived and crafted by VANDAL using an innovative process and workflow. A live performance by a human dancer was captured in a studio, with their movements becoming the foundation for the generative AI workflow. This custom AI system integrated photographic imagery of oceanic plants, marine creatures, and water textures to reimagine the dancer’s form as a half-human, half-oceanic entity.
Chris Scott, creative director at VANDAL, described the project as a bold leap forward in visual storytelling: “It was always our ambition with this project to create a fusion of human physical expression with generative motion art, so to have the vision come to life so spectacularly is a great moment for our team. We hope this project continues to illustrate Gen AI as a tool for exploring new creative pathways.”
Says Alice Robinson, producer, choreographer and dancer on the project: “To blend the art of dance with innovative animation technology has been fascinating and very creatively liberating. Choreographing human movement that will literally influence the animated output is something that really hasn’t been seen at this scale, globally.
Adds Nicholas Tsaoucis, generative engineer at VANDAL: “This year, we’ve advanced our AI pipeline by seamlessly integrating physical artwork, photographic textures, and human movement into the generative process. This has enabled us to develop a more dynamic and human-integrated workflow.”
With millions watching around the globe, this ambitious collaboration between VANDAL and the City of Sydney cements New Year’s Eve at Sydney Harbour as one of the most exciting and innovative celebrations on the planet.
Image credits: Morris McLennan, Keith Morris, City of Sydney and VANDAL