Puca Festival | The Story of Samhain

Our Creative Services and Live Events teams collaborated, leveraging their expertise in content creation and audio-visual production to oversee every aspect of the project—from the initial concept to the final delivery.

Entrusted by Fáilte Ireland, we managed the entire process, developing engaging and historically accurate content that was projected onto the castle walls using advanced projection technology.

The Creative Production

Samhain holds a significant place in Irish mythology and is recognised as the origin of Halloween traditions celebrated across the globe. Our task was to transform this deeply spiritual and historical narrative into a visually compelling experience.

Samhain marks the time when the veil between the physical world and the “Otherworld” is believed to thin, allowing spirits and mystical creatures to interact with the living. Accurately showcasing the cultural significance of these ancient Celtic beliefs while captivating a young audience required meticulous research to complete and skilled craftmanship to produce.

Our Approach.

Showcasing the significance of Samhain required a deep dive into Irish mythology. Our team worked closely with scriptwriters to ensure that the characters and narratives were represented with authenticity. From the festival’s mystical origins to figures like Púca, Boann, and the Morrigan, we meticulously examined and researched every detail to honour tradition while still captivating the audience.

The creative production of the project involved collaborating with a diverse range of trusted industry partners, including costume designers, film crew, actors, illustrators, animators and sound designers. We developed a comprehensive plan to coordinate the production process, ensuring that every element of the content aligned with the story of Samhain. 

Project Execution.

Given the scale and significance of the project, we placed a strong emphasis on pre-production, meticulously planning each step in the process. Our multi-disciplinary project team handling everything from green screen filming to VFX, allowing us to adapt seamlessly to any challenges that arose thanks to an expert and experienced knowledge base. 

The live-action content was filmed at Kite Studios in Co.Wicklow , utilising their state-of-the-art green screen studio facilities. Under the keen eye of director of John Corcoran, actors brought to life key characters from the story of Samhain, ensuring their performances matched the spirit and tone of the historical narrative. These live performances were later blended with detailed animations and VFX to create an engaging visual journey.  

During the post-production phase, our team crafted detailed visual effects and motion graphics processing the green screen footage to merge the live action performances with animated environments and visual effects. Every frame was designed to immerse the audience fully in the mythical world of Samhain. 

Bespoke sound design was undertaken by our in-house Creative audio department, working in collaboration with Ancient Music Ireland to create a unique and authentic musical soundtrack that enhanced the original dialogue recordings. Great care and consideration were taken to try and stay true to the style of music and instrumentation of the period, and we enhance this by adding in original sound effect design to aid the narrative of the story.  

The Live Projection

At Trim Castle, our goal was to reimagine a national landmark as a canvas for storytelling. Using large-scale projection and precise mapping, we transformed the castle’s historic walls into a shared visual experience that connected past and present through light, sound, and imagination.

The Technology

Every decision was driven by a single purpose, to make the audience feel part of the story. To achieve this, we designed a projection system powerful enough to illuminate the vast stone surfaces while maintaining clarity and depth. Christie 35K and Panasonic 21K laser projectors worked together to deliver bold, detailed imagery that celebrated the castle’s architecture rather than competing with it.

Disguise media servers gave us the creative freedom to treat the entire structure as one canvas. Real-time control and synchronisation ensured that each projection aligned perfectly, no matter the angle or distance. Custom-built towers, positioned strategically around the site, enabled complete coverage without disrupting the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Sound design played an equally important role in deepening the audience connection. Using a combination of line-array and point-source systems, we created an immersive, multi-channel mix that enveloped the space in spatial audio. Every note and sound effect guided emotion, supporting the narrative.