Ampco Flashlight & Pixel Light unite for Eurovision
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The combination of Ampco Flashlight’s international experience and local Pixel Light’s professional knowledge proved a winning team for one of the most demanding and popular live TV shows in the world, with a live TV audience of over 200 million.
Dennis van der Haagen, CCO/COO Ampco Flashlight Rental comments, “For years we have been the supplier of motion systems through our CyberMotion technology. The experience we have with this production and our international acclaimed status as a full-service company convinced us that we should apply for the lighting and rigging package as well. We are very happy to join forces with Pixel Light, a well-known Portuguese company that extends our technical and local knowledge.”
Tiago Correia, CEO Pixel Light, adds: “Cooperating with Ampco Flashlight offers clear advantages for both parties and gave us a unique opportunity: working for one of the world’s most spectacular and demanding TV productions in our very own city. A wonderful challenge that we confidently took up.”
ESC2018 will take place in the Altice Arena in Lisbon, originally built for the 1998 EXPO. Shaped after a ship’s hull, it presents a beautiful reference to Portugal’s rich naval history. For ESC this naval history is being emphasised by Florian Wieder’s stage design, influenced by the armillary sphere featured on the Portuguese flag.
Dennis continues: “Salvador Sobral’s victory was widely considered as a victory of music over sheer show effects. His plea to go back to real music has been heard, resulting in a more modest use of video and special effects, and a bigger role for the artists’ vocal performance, shaping the ESC into a music festival again, which makes us feel perfectly at home. “
Jerry Appelt, lighting designer, ESC 2018 comments, “For the first time in a long while, we’re not using video screen technology on Eurovision, so we’re putting more resources into lighting and staging, and handing over a large task to our suppliers [Ampco Flashlight/Pixel Light] with over 2300 moving lights. We’re looking forward to some great new and creative results.”
Marco de Koff, CEO CyberMotion, notes, “We have been working with the Eurovision Song Contest since Riga 2003 supplying our CyberMotion systems. The technical developments have been huge since then, and we are very happy that we are a part of the technical team once again.”
(Jim Evans)
