The show was recorded by SABC and broadcast live to 80 of the 112 participating countries, and for the first time - to the US, to India for both Hindi and English channels and to China via CCTV4, reaching an estimated viewing audience of between 1 and 2 billion. It also had to look great for the 3,500 live audience who packed into the venue to watch the show.
The creative challenges included making it look lively and visually interesting whilst covering the vast stage area and 45m wide spherical set designed by Dewet Meyer. Dunn also contended with the additional pressure of creating a dynamically different look to the 2008 event which was also hosted by South Africa and was still fresh in everyone's minds. He undertook the task with enormous energy.
The set was based on African jewels, and was circled by two dramatic decorative rings, painted white to optimise the lighting. Other areas of the set were also covered in white and light grey PVC for the same reason.
Dunn specified 72 of Robe's new Robin 300 series fixtures - a mix of Spots, Washes and Beams, and 24 of the new ColorSpot 700E AT Beams, along with 72 Robe ColorSpot 2500E ATs and both ColorSpot and ColorWash 700E ATs.
All the overhead lights were rigged on six circular and ellipsoidal trusses hung over the stage, plus a myriad of curved and straight trusses all around the venue.
He also utilised 12 DigitalSpot 7000 DTs, all rigged on the same mid-stage truss, with which he built on the amazing effects he achieved with them for the 2008 show. They were loaded with special video content prepared by Gearhouse Media, and used for casting subtle and intricate animations onto the set and stage, adding to the whole vista of visual magic. The DigitalSpots produced a startling 3D effect when projected onto the back of the set and its support legs.
The Robe fixtures were delivered to Gearhouse South Africa, who supplied the full technical production package to Miss World 2009 - including lighting, sound, set, AV, LED screens, staging and media, rigging - via Robe's very proactive South African distributor DWR.
DWR also arranged for 50 Anolis Arc-Link 3s to be air freighted out at short notice, to internally light 50 x 300 mm balls, utilised to delineate the exterior of the set rings.
Dunn controlled all lighting on the rig via a fully networked grandMA full size console, which also ran an MA Media server storing the playback video content used in the DigitalSpots, and for the back LED screen onstage.
Miss Gibraltar, Kaiane Aldorino was crowned Miss World 2009, with Miss Mexico, Perla Beltran Acosta, and Miss South Africa, Tatum Keshwar, the second and third runners up respectively.
(Jim Evans)
