Designing all visual departments - stage, video and television, effects lighting (design and operating) and co-ordinating the OB and camera technology - for this spectacular experience was the team from Cologne based visual design and creative practice mo2, led by Manfred 'Ollie' Olma.
They used 200 Robe lighting fixtures - 180 Pointes, 20 x BMFL Blades and around 1500 other fixtures to help achieve a remarkable event. There were also some Robe PATT 2013s included from the Ehrlich Brothers standard touring package, all of which was incorporated into the stage set up for this show.
It was the first ever magic show to play a football arena and was certified immediately afterwards as an official World Record for the "most viewers at a magic show" by Guinness World Records in recognition of the 38,503 fans who packed into the venue to make it an amazing evening.
The performance was recorded for DVD and broadcast - a package of 19 x 4K cameras and six GoPros was also undertaken by mo2 - so when it came to lighting, there were many challenges.
The 180 Pointes were rigged over the stage and around the auditorium and used to light the stage, infield and audience.
The 20 x BMFL Blades were used for key-lighting on the main stage and the B-Stage. The shutters were perfect for precise focusing of the light exactly where it needed to be.
Other challenges for lighting included dealing with the changing levels of natural light flooding in as the show started in daylight and progressed through dusk to full darkness, ensuring a continuity for the cameras.
mo2's project manager was Matthias Allhoff. The lighting programmer / operator was Marcus Kromer, who is also LD for the ongoing Ehrlich Brothers Magic - Experience Dreams tour. Lighting equipment for the stadium show was supplied by the Pool Group.
Programmer / operator for the TV lighting elements was Tobias Reinartz. The media server operator was Moritz Herdt and the video content designer was Saskia Olma. Max Brokbals provided additional support and assistance at FOH, and the gaffer was Tobias Hann.
(Jim Evans)
