3D Holograms

Three-dimensional holograms have moved from science fiction into practical application. This technology creates images that appear to float in mid-air, providing a way to present products, logos, or even people as volumetric objects within a space rather than flat images on a screen.

What is a 3D Hologram?

A 3D hologram, in the context of events, is a projected image that appears to exist in three-dimensional space. Unlike traditional projection onto walls or screens, holographic projection uses a specialized, nearly invisible mesh suspended in the air. When projection systems—either laser or video-based—direct content onto this mesh, the result is an image that appears to float, viewable from multiple angles.

The effect is striking because it breaks from our expectations of how projected images work. Instead of looking at a flat surface, viewers encounter what appears to be a luminous object occupying real space in the room. This isn’t projection into “thin air” in the strictest sense—there is a physical screen involved—but the screen’s near-invisibility when inactive creates a convincing illusion of content suspended in space.

How a 3D hologram works

The system relies on a suspended hologram screen made from specialized fabric. This material remains nearly invisible until activated by projection, at which point it catches and displays the projected content. The viewing experience is genuinely 360 degrees—audiences can walk around the installation and see the image from any angle, experiencing it as a spatial object rather than a flat picture.

There’s one important caveat: text-based content can only be read from one direction, otherwise it appears backwards. For all other content types, the full circular viewing experience holds.
We handle the content creation process, working with clients to develop holographic material from their existing assets—whether that’s logos, product imagery, video footage, or other media. The systems can run continuously for extended periods, from hours to days or even weeks, making them viable for both temporary events and longer installations.

Use Cases

Product launches benefit from the dimensionality holograms provide. A new device can appear to materialize in the center of a presentation space, rotating to show all angles. For trade shows, the technology creates a focal point in crowded exhibition halls—something that commands attention through its spatial presence.

Corporate presentations gain new possibilities when data visualizations or diagrams can float in space, allowing presenters to reference them as physical objects. Retail environments use holographic displays to showcase internal components or animate assembly processes in ways that static displays cannot match.

For architectural work, the potential is direct: buildings and design proposals can be displayed at scale, rotating in space, with clients able to walk around to understand form and massing from different viewpoints.

Technical Considerations

Installing holographic projection requires planning around rigging and scale. The hologram screen must be suspended, which means we need attachment points. In venues with existing rigging infrastructure, we use those. For outdoor installations, trees or building walls can serve as mounting points. When existing structures aren’t available, we bring in custom frameworks, though this adds complexity to the setup.

The screen presents a practical challenge. While nearly invisible when inactive, it becomes visible under bright stage lighting. The preferred approach is to hoist the screen while house lights are dimmed, then maintain lower lighting levels during the projection. Some clients accept the visible screen as part of the installation, but bright stage lights shining directly on it are generally problematic.
Scale depends on venue conditions and structural requirements. The sweet spot sits around 3 meters by 5 meters—large enough for impact while remaining manageable in most venues. Installations can range from 1 meter up to 10 or 20 meters, but anything beyond the 3×5 meter range requires increasingly involved custom structural solutions.

Wind is a consideration for outdoor work. The suspended fabric can stretch under high wind conditions, though moderate wind is generally workable. Each outdoor site needs assessment.
Audio integration is often used to reinforce the holographic content, adding another sensory dimension, though it’s not strictly necessary. The decision depends on the specific application and environment.

Laser-Based 3D Holograms

Laser hologram systems use high-powered, full-color laser projections to create images with exceptional clarity. The visual character is linear—outlines, text, company logos, and vector graphics rendered in sharp, bright light. When combined with atmospheric effects like haze or controlled smoke, the laser beams become visible as they travel through space, creating the piercing quality of light you’d associate with classic science fiction holograms.

Laser systems excel at graphic precision. Text remains crisp and readable from distance, logos maintain clean edges, and the overall aesthetic is unmistakably high-tech. The limitation is that this technology works with outlines and line work only. Solid color fills and photorealistic imagery aren’t possible—you’re working with edges and boundaries rather than surfaces.
For bold graphic statements, corporate branding, or applications where abstraction and clarity serve the content, laser holograms deliver strong visual impact.

Video-Based 3D Holograms

Video hologram systems project photorealistic imagery onto the suspended screen through 3D Projection Mapping. This technology handles recorded humans, detailed products, or any content requiring realistic representation. The effect is less about futuristic aesthetics and more about realistic imagery suspended in space.

Production requirements are more involved. To achieve clean results with human subjects or organic forms, content typically needs to be recorded against green screens, with backgrounds removed in post-production. This can add weeks to the timeline, particularly for custom content. We work with clients through this process, developing holographic content from their existing materials and guiding production to ensure optimal results.

The tradeoff is versatility. A person can appear to present from within the hologram. Products can be shown with their actual textures, colors, and surface qualities intact. Complex processes can be animated with photographic detail. When realism and detail matter more than graphic impact, video holograms provide capabilities that laser systems can’t match.

Choosing the Right Approach

The decision between laser and video systems should be driven by the project’s requirements. Laser works well with graphic text and logos. Laser holograms can be combined with our laser light shows with stunning results. Video suits scenarios where photorealism and detail are essential.

Holographic projection works when content needs to exist as a spatial object rather than a flat image, when a space requires a focal point beyond conventional display methods. The technology is established and scalable—the question is whether it serves the specific needs of your project.