Creative Technology were asked by lead creative agency M-is, to supply a turnkey audio visual solution for this international event, providing over 17 tonnes of equipment from CT's London office and utilising a variety of equipment and resources from its Dubai operation.
Creative Technology provided the events with a wide array of equipment ranging from cameras, vision mixing and a high resolution replay system to LED screens and high powered projectors. One of the events leading up to the main Son et Lumière, was an evening with Sting, where CT supplied a four camera, vision mixing and engineering package for image re-enforcement to the race tracks permanently installed LED screen.
For the evening of the Dubai World Cup and the Son et Lumière, guests were met on arrival by four small, 3m x 2.3m, LED screens as the back drop to the performance stages. These displayed pre-recorded content to give the guests a taster for the evening's entertainment ahead.
Inside the track CT also supplied a 10m x 5m LED screen and support structure for relaying the broadcast signal to the guests staying in the Meydan Hotel.
One of the many logistical challenges that M-is faced for the Son et Lumière was that the racing had to be viewable around the track at all times. M-is creative solution was to create automated projection sails that could be raised and lowered to fit in with the race schedule. This was an engineering task on a major scale. The race track is over 1km from side to side and because the projection screens had to supplement the 100m wide track side screen at times throughout the event, these screens could not be small. Therefore 15 25m x 14m portrait screens were constructed (by Starhire group).
After carefully researching the various projection options and full scale testing in the UK, CT opted for doubled Barco XLM HD30's in a portrait orientation, providing full redundancy and simplifying line up issues created by larger numbers of more readily available projectors.
Working closely with the creative team at M-is, Watchout 4 was chosen as the system for replay and content management for the projection screens and track LED.
Scott Burges, CT's business development director and project manager for this event comments, "In addition to providing the equipment and crew for this event, a significant challenge in its own right, CT also handled all of the logistics and support services such as freight, accommodation and local labour. We are seeing requirements for full turnkey solutions becoming increasingly commonplace particularly on larger projects in the more challenging areas of the globe. CT's long term experience and unique network of offices allows us to take major projects such as this in our stride."
(Jim Evans)
