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This Cruelty-Free German Circus Uses Awesome Holograms Instead of Live Animal Performers

3 min read

Inspiring People
This Cruelty-Free German Circus Uses Awesome Holograms Instead of Live Animal Performers
Source: Facebook/CircusRoncalli

Circus Roncalli’s 3D holographic show preserves the tradition of animal acts while eliminating all concerns of animal rights and welfare.

German Circus Fights Wildlife Abuse by Replacing Animals With 3D Holograms

Circus Roncalli founder Bernhard Paul spent over $500,000 of his personal finances to perfect this modern, humane approach to a classic spectacle.

The German circus decided to take a stance against wildlife abuse by replacing real animals with 3D holograms.

Founded in 1976, the traveling circus has been a popular attraction in Germany for decades. In the early days, founders Bernhard Paul and André Heller didn’t think twice about using real animals as part of the show. However times have changed, and Bernhard Paul was keen to change with them.

With a personal investment of over $500,000 (€444,050/£400,000), Paul worked on perfecting a modern approach to animal appreciation that does away with live animals in his shows. 

The impressive visual effects are achieved by using 11 different projectors across the room so the entire audience can see the same representation from all angles.

The holographic images are not only expensive and technologically impressive, but enormous in scale. 

The Circus Roncalli stage upon which these shows take place is 105ft/32m wide and 16ft/4.9m deep, allowing the digital elephants to stomp around at ease with plenty of room to roam.

Circus Roncalli’s agency partnered with companies Bluebox and Optoma in order to achieve the stunning effects.

Currently, the projection shows involve horses, elephants, and goldfish. The circus’ decision to distance itself from the problematic practice of keeping wild animals captive has resulted in a tide of praise for the circus on social media.

Source: AllThatsInteresting

Oversized horses gallop around the ring Source: Facebook/CircusRoncalli
The sheer size of the projections is enough to scare all but the bravest of circus-goers.
Intimidating The sheer size of the projections is enough to scare all but the bravest of circus-goers. Source: Facebook/CircusRoncalli
With the audience seated below the projections, the animals seem even larger.
Looking up at giants With the audience seated below the projections, the animals seem even larger. Source: Facebook/CircusRoncalli
At one point a gigantic goldfish appears and swims around as if in a bowl.
Goldfish At one point a gigantic goldfish appears and swims around as if in a bowl. Source: YouTube/OptomeaEMEA
??‍♂️ Source: YouTube/OptomaEMEA
So what’s happening here is... virtual curtains are being projected onto invisible curtains because...
Virtual curtains… So what’s happening here is… virtual curtains are being projected onto invisible curtains because… Source: YouTube/OptomaEMEA
The polar bear show at Circus Roncalli is really only people dressed as polar bears.
Pretend polar bears in keeping with Roncalli’s non-cruelty policy The polar bear show at Circus Roncalli is really only people dressed as polar bears. Source: YouTube/OptomaEMEA
Optoma impresses audiences with a holographic circus Circus Roncalli is a German circus founded in 1976. Bluebox successfully installed 11x ZU850 Optoma models and 11x BX-CTA03 lenses to create a truly amazing circus holographic experience. Source: YouTube/OptomaEMEA
Make an Impact

5 Ways You Can Help End the Use of Animals in Circuses

The use of animals as entertainment in the circus is cruel and unnecessary and should be stopped immediately. If you agree with this and want to take positive action to help end the use of animals in circuses, here are five ways you can do that.