Trenell was asked to create a lighting and video design by the show's technical producers Production North. He worked closely with the show directors Annabel Hayden and Stacey Haynes.
When it came to visual control, "It was a completely logical choice as I know the system so well," he says. It's a large investment for an LD to make in consoles, but Trenell thinks it's one of his best moves ever, as he can always use his system of choice. This makes a big difference to how fast he can programme a show and consequently to how adventurous and imaginative he can be with the design.
The X-Factor Live lighting rig consists of five trusses. Rigged mostly with Martin Moving Lights but on the floor are also 12 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 300s.
Trenell's brief was to keep the rig as simple as possible due to the extremely gruelling schedule, with 57 shows in eight weeks including matinees and evenings, sometimes on the get in days. He also has to give each performer a series of unique and distinctive looks and deal with a host of musical genres from heavy rock to ballads and everything in between.
The grandMA2 is running nine universes of DMX - six for the lighting and three for the media servers. The second one is a backup, and the grandMA2 light is being used as a technical desk at side stage. Trenell programmed the show with Jonathan Rouse using an additional grandMA2 full-size brought in for the production rehearsal period in Liverpool Arena, which also featured technical support from MA UK's Callum Howie.
The lighting rig is being supplied by Bandit Lites UK, with sound from Wigwam and video screens and camera PPU from XL Video UK.
(Jim Evans)
