High End Systems (a new member of the Belgium-based Barco Group) fielded a total of 110 Axon media servers for the opening ceremony, helping to create the largest ever HD projection: in this instance, one clip covered a screen encircling the stadium, measuring 1,942ft (592m) long by 45ft (14m) high.
All effects were achieved in real time using the Axon media servers and projectors with 78 HES Orbital Heads. Four Wholehog 3 lighting consoles controlled the Axon media servers in the ceremonies, connected with 12 DP2000s. Another Wholehog 3 worked in the TV broadcast booth.
HES products created a number of non-stop visual effects in the show: from the projected visuals encircling a video ring around the top of the stadium to the projections on the Globe.
The creative team involved in the production included Olympics lighting designer Sha Xiao Lin; chief lighting programmer and digital lighting/video programmer Dennis Gardner and programming assistant Steve Kellaway; Scott Chmielewski of Digital Media Designs; Paul Collison handled the broadcast lighting and control system, and lighting director John Pappas at the International Broadcast Center in Beijing.
HES distributor Leifull in China purchased and installed the HES equipment into a massive media server room. HES sent five product specialists to help with set-up, with Zach Peletz from Austin serving as product support on the scene from May until the closing ceremonies, to be televised on 24 August.
(Lee Baldock)
