S+H ends 2017 on a high note
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S+H’s Terry Murtha comments: “It was great to be working again with many of our regular clients like Strictly and Children In Need, and also with some exciting new ones – it was the first time we have supplied anything to X-Factor, so we were delighted to be offered the opportunity”.
S+H again supplied starcloth for the main hub of the BBC’s 2017 Children in Need live telethon at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. The broadcast was directed by John L Spencer and was the culmination of an action-packed year of fundraising activities.
Production designer Alex Craig utilised 350sq.m of S+H animation cloth and 450sq.m of its RGB Starcloth product, which were an essential element of his eye-catching scenography.
Alex’s studio set was based around a huge main performance stage and catwalk, with several large-scale LED screens, each surrounded by an impressive four-layered pros arch. Dramatic curves and metallic finishes were used throughout the set, and giant flown spheres completed the design.
Alex comments, “As always, Terry did us a fantastic deal on the animation and star cloth and sent an amazing crew to Elstree to rig it all beautifully”.
S+H has supported the massively successful Strictly Come Dancing for the last decade.
This year, specified by BAFTA Award winning production designer Patrick Doherty, S+H products were supplied for the weekly episodes recorded at Elstree Studios as well as the Blackpool and Christmas specials. Patrick, known for this fresh and innovative approach, often uses drapes and ‘softs’ when building his visual pictures
For the weekly show, over 600 ft in total length of red velvet starcloth was supplied with a 25 ft. drop, together with around 3000 pea-lights in strings which were integrated into the set.
Terry Murtha commented, “It’s been great to be involved with Strictly for so long and to see the series develop over time and increase its amazing popularity. Although there are certain ‘givens’ each year in terms of look and style, there are also new, different and surprise elements which add to the fun.”
This year’s highly anticipated X Factor final was staged at London’s ExCeL centre and won by Rak-Su, a popular urban boy band from Watford.
Lighting designer Tim Routledge ordered an 800ft wide x 20 ft deep wrap of starcloth to cover three walls of the arena, which was sourced via the series’ lighting supplier Neg Earth for the two final shows.
Terry comments, “We’ve not been involved in X Factor before, so it was brilliant to receive the call from Neg Earth and enjoy seeing our kit used to great effect on the show.”
(Jim Evans)
