Spectra Plus from Stockholm Sweden, Eurovision's technical production co-ordinators for the last five years approached Robe about being a partner in the show which is renowned for its ambitious visual aesthetics. The show is also marking its landmark 50th anniversary.
Spectra's Ola Melzig and Jan Erik Jansson and National Television of Ukraine's director of International Relations, Pavlo Grytsak, initially approached Robe's Josef Valchar and Harry von den Stemmen at PLASA 2004.
Extensive testing of the suggested Robe fixtures were undertaken in Sweden, in conjunction with Robe's Swedish distributor Bellalite after which it was concluded that the right fixtures had been selected for Per Sundin's elaborate lighting design. They were impressed with the brightness and easy programming of the ColorSpot and Wash 1200s, and the standard range of gobos in the ColorSpot.
Melzig then went to Kiev to reccie the venue - the Palace of Sport - and to finalize the creative concepts and operational logistics with NTU. The production period runs from 20 April to 25 May, the highlight of which is the final. This takes place in front of a studio audience of 8000 and will be watched worldwide by over 200 million TV viewers. For the first time ever, the Song Contest is being beamed live to the USA.
Robe then sought rental and production companies prepared to invest in a large amount of fixtures at this specific time and prepared to make them available for use on the Eurovision event.
From the UK, Blackburn-based HSL Productions purchased 200 fixtures and the balance will be supplied from Germany, in a deal negotiated by Robe's business development manager Ingo Dombrowski via German distributor, LMP Lichttechnik GmbH.
Robe's Harry von den Stemmen says, "We've been waiting for an opportunity like this to show the level to which we have taken our products in terms of design and quality. The Eurovision Song Contest will be another step in a run of high profile TV productions that have successfully used the ColorSpot and ColorWash 1200 AT. Designers love these fixtures and The Song Contest is the jewel in the current crown."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
