A fan-like, 8-meter-high sculpture formed of 12 golden frames served as an arresting focal point on our stage for the 2024 BAFTAs. The frames, each shaped in the profile of the iconic BAFTA mask, were arranged in a semi-circle at the back of The Royal Festival Hall’s elliptical stage, backdropped by sheer drapes and elegant vertical fins of light.

This understated but impactful design was informed by the zoetrope, an early drum-shaped animation device created by British mathematician William Horner in 1834 that creates the illusion of motion using a spinning sequence of pictures. Our sculpture not only honored the history of motion pictures but also celebrated the fundamental features of filmmaking – time progression, movement, lighting, and the art of illusion – that continue to captivate audiences worldwide.