The Phantom of the Opera (Burj Khalifa LED Show)

ROLE: Motion Designer, Logo Re-design (localization)
TOOLS: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator

The Goal

I had the opportunity to design the LED show for The Phantom of the Opera to promote its run at the Dubai Opera. The goal was to create a visual experience that worked on the world’s tallest “screen.”

The Technical Challenge

Designing for the Burj Khalifa isn’t like a normal screen. I had to use a plugin to ensure the animation mapped correctly to the building’s unique LED structure.

Verticality: I had to rethink the layout for a “screen” that is extremely tall and narrow.
Viewing Distance: The graphics needed to be bold enough to be seen from the ground and from kilometers away.

Logo Localization & Design

One of my main tasks was redesigning and localizing the logo.

• I adapted the Arabic typography to match the iconic “Phantom” style.
• I carefully balanced the famous Mask and Rose symbols so they remained clear even when scaled to the size of a skyscraper.

 

approved arabic logo design I created

Video Adaptation & Branding

 

Instead of creating from scratch, I focused on high-quality editing and professional integration:

Footage Editing: I edited the provided promotional video, selecting and timing the best parts to fit the building’s scale.
Sponsor Integration: I added and animated the logos for key sponsors like du, ensuring they were clearly visible and followed brand guidelines.

Phantom of the Opera trailer video in 16:9 ratio, which I edited for Dubai Opera

Final Design:

mockup of the complete audio-visual show I created

Given that the lower-middle section of the Burj Khalifa is the most visible and stable area, I positioned the main video content there. The narrow structure of the building meant I had to carefully adjust the video to ensure the primary subject remained clearly visible throughout.

Global Recognition

It was an honor to see this project gain international attention. The design was featured by major outlets like Playbill, helping create a huge buzz for the Dubai Opera opening.

various publications showcasing the audio-visual show