#POP2021 #PedalOnParliament #LightTheWay #TheTimeIsNow

As we posted previously, on Saturday the 24th of April, we are asking all of our Pedal on Parliament supporters around Scotland to join us in shining the light on active travel – one of the key answers to our climate crisis. 

If you’ve got the means, projectors and theatre lights can take your message wider and could be a way of getting local art groups or other creative people involved! There are options both for those wishing to stay at home, and for out in the wider world.

Indoor projections:

Project out your window or onto white printer paper, tissue paper or half-open blinds. It doesn’t need to be as technical as this, but this guide gives some useful pointers. 

Projection of 'thank you health heroes' on a window
Still: Luma Box

Go as lo-fi as you like!

Window projection using overhead projector
Photo: BEEF Bristol

Outdoor projections:

Projecting our key messages onto a landmark that easily identifies your local areas can be a strong action to take. You’ll need your project, a power source, and a laptop with your message to project. To transport it, why not hire a cargo bike and be sure to include that in your photos!

This could be something you could collaborate with local artists on. Here are a couple of examples of how you might try to do this – although you probably wouldn’t need them quite as high-tech!

The Projector Bike:

The Light Cycle:

Projector bike montage
Photo: Urban Projections
Projected fist image
Light Artist: Jack Wrigley

 

Theatre light ‘Bat Signal’

If you have access to powerful theatre lights you can send batman light signals out to the world with a cut out inserted. This video explains how.

Projection of 'Save Leith Walk' on a building
Photo: Save Leith Walk

 

Here is how to make an easy home DIY version (via Greenpeace International):

Whatever means you choose, don’t forget our key messages:

THIS MACHINE FIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE

and 

THE TIME IS NOW 

But, within that, the sky – and your imagination – is the only limit.

If you’re projecting onto a local landmark, then let us know where so we can add it to our map (once the action is over – we don’t want to spoil the surprise). And if you’re doing it outdoors, do be careful not to draw a crowd – get the image up, record it on video and in stills and then move on. 

Please share any footage and images with us – we’ll be doing a social media blitz all weekend and also putting together a short video of all the actions across Scotland, so make sure you have permission to share any images and are happy for us to use them in this and future campaigns – you can let us know your plans on press@pedalonparliament.org

You’ll also need to get word out to the local media. We’ll provide template releases you can use to tailor for your local media. If you know a friendly photojournalist you could even tip them off about the action in advance, which is a great way to get it into the local or even the national press. 

You’ll also want to share it all over social media with these hashtags: 

#POP2021 #PedalOnParliament #LightTheWay #TheTimeIsNow

Finally, as it’s the Holyrood elections on May 6th, please do share your images – and your concerns – with your local candidates to the Scottish Parliament so they know what matters to their local voters.

Shine a Light (part 4): Projections