Follow-Me tracks Matthijs Gaat Door
- Details
Jeroen first used the Follow-Me 3D remote follow-spot and performer tracking solutions about three years ago for the ZappAwards, the Dutch kids television series awards show broadcast from De Vorstin concert hall in Hilversum. Since then, Chain has overseen the Follow-Me 3D SIX system installation into the Studio 11 event location in Almere. It is here that Jeroen has recently been working with Follow-Me again on Matthijs Gaat Door. This is a live broadcast TV chat show hosted by journalist Matthijs van Nieuwkerk with prominent public figures and live music optimally preformed in front of an audience in this 360° venue.
Matthijs Gaat Door first season began using traditional follow-spots but this limited the creative options. For the second season, VL2600 fixtures were used as manually operated follow-spots with the colour choice, gobos etc within the follow-spot. As soon as the restrictions lifted, during season two of Matthijs Gaat Door, the production noticed the need for increasing follow-spot coverage to the full 360° performance / studio space area. Thus, as Jeroen explains, Follow-Me 3D Six system was implemented for season three.
“For the third (and most recent) season I wanted a remote follow-spot solution that I could use all around the studio, without having to choose fixtures in advance as follow-spots. FM was the best option because we could add all 58 VL2600 Profile fixtures in our Follow-Me system without compromising any choices. That gave us unlimited flexibility and creativity in the use of follow-spots and/or effect spots.”
A total of 58 VariLite VL2600 Profiles are hung around the studio. Most of them are used as effect lighting around the sets. About 10 of the fixtures where in actual front lighting / follow-spot positions. All of the 2600’s where calibrated in Follow-Me, so the team could choose any fixture on any moment since the production is very varied in terms of positions of performers and camera directions. Every fixture was controlled by the Follow-Me control channels, which Jeroen merged into the original fixture type for the grandMA3 control desk.
“In that way the FM control channels where directly accessible from the fixture itself on the desk and that made programming different follow-spot positions during a cuelist for a performance very fast and easy,” says Jeroen.
