As part of the development in 2011 Mental Media were commissioned by the City of Newcastle to design, produce and install "a dramatic audio visual program which will interpret the excitement, colour, drama and noise which is inherent in the steelmaking process" to "enliven the exhibition, expand the visitors' experience and help to interpret the very large objects on display in the exhibition".
Mental Media proposed a major 'object theatre' production that provides visitors with a glimpse of the inside of a steelworks. It incorporates two giant objects that dominate the exhibition space - a former BHP steelmaking ladle and a 'Bottom Fill' Ingot Car, the container into which the molten steel is poured.
The gallery is designed as a multi-level theatre style space which allows many viewpoints for the visiting public. Located in an existing heritage rail shed the space has a dramatically high ceiling, gritty industrial finishes and a high level mezzanine structure which serves as the 'stage' for the production.
Running on the hour the show, titled Big Harry's Place uses sound, lighting, vision and mechanical effects to create a theatrical experience of a steel pour.
There are five major effects generators that have been used to simulate the steelworks -mechanical, sound, lighting, video and smoke. There are also a number of built set pieces that create the steel works environment.
A combination of LED screen technology, strobes, smoke machines and clever lighting effects were used to replicate steelmaking and transport you back to the old days of life working in the furnace.
The furnace mouth and chute is brought to life by a Martin Magnum 1800 smoke machine, three Martin Atomic 3000 strobes (replicating molten steel flowing in the chute), four Pro Shop Molefay Duet, two custom LED video displays and one electric spark generator.
Both the steel ladle (a museum object) and the faux ladle, which is a two thirds scale model of the real ladle that travels on a specially designed gantry crane, contain a JARAG 25 in their base. Each JARAG is pointing up out of the ladle to replicate the molten steel ripple effect bouncing off the roof. This was done by running a series of chases and effects through the JARAGs.
More Atomic strobes, Magnum 1800 smoke machines (plus Martin AF-1 fans) and Molefay Duets are also used. The ingot car holds four Molefay Duet fixtures.
The entire mezzanine concrete structure has been clad in faux steel girders and scenic painted to simulate the appearance of a real steelworks.
General lighting includes four Martin MAC350 Entour moving heads which do the main pick-ups, such as the buckets, from the front using colour and pattern.
Lighting design for the project was by Peter Neufeld with Mark Hammer programming the show. "Mental Media did a lot of the viewing work so that people could see things," commented Mark. "They were very good and I was really impressed by them."
The show was programmed on a MA Lighting grandMA, time-coded to the audio and downloaded to a replay unit.
(Jim Evans)
(photo: David Jellings/Mental Media)
