The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) hired messaging architects at Dallas-based CorporateMagic to plan and execute a week-long series of events that would leave an indelible impression on the thousands gathered at Fort A.P. Hill, and across the globe.
"We didn't just want our 100th anniversary Jamboree to be bigger and better than the ones that preceded it," said Robert Mazzuca, chief scout executive of the BSA. "That would be easy. We wanted to remind boys and their parents around the world that scouting is fun, it's cool and it is the most direct path to future success and leadership, bar none."
CorporateMagic assembled a "dream team" of companies and individuals that spent more than a year mapping out the week's activities.
GoVision erected the tallest portable LED screen ever built, which towered over the main stage. At more than 60ft high and 18ft wide, the Brookings, S.D. built display from Daktronics was so massive that 26,000 gallons of water and 76,000 pounds of concrete were needed as ballast to keep the 100 LED panels from falling forward. GoVision constructed two additional 18' x 32' Daktronics HD-12 LED video walls on either side of the main screen.
"The LED units for the Jamboree were a monumental undertaking, even more complex than we've done for presidential inaugurations and the Final Four," said Chris Curtis, president & CEO of GoVision LP. "But this was a true labour of love, and we were honored to be a part of such a historic gathering."
Alford Media Services was recruited to manage all the audio and video needs of the three major productions staged during the week, which included performances by popular bands Honor Society and Switchfoot, appearances by Miss America Caress Cameron, Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe and US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and a videotaped message from President Barack Obama.
Six cameras captured the activity on the stage and throughout the audience, which was simulcast to hundreds of Scout facilities nationwide, and via Internet to viewers worldwide. Two light boards controlled 204 lights positioned on the stage and towers. The scrim covering the stage was illuminated by 54 LED strip lights.
"They say it takes an entire village to raise a child, and that was certainly true for our project," said Eric Hagstrom, technical director for Alford Media. "It took a village of technical professionals to pull this one off, and I'd like to thank our partners at Annapolis Mobile Power, Clair Brothers, Christie Lites, EventsBum, Event Tech and GoVision, because without them we never could have accomplished such extraordinary things."
Other highlights of the Jamboree Arena Shows included the largest theatrical fireworks display ever allowed on a military installation with over 4,500 shots; flyovers and aerial jump teams from all branches of the US military; parade horses; U.S. Army Strykers; a cast of 400 Scouts incorporated into the stage production; dozens of pre-produced video packages; and original music composed and produced by Stephen Dahlem and the talented artists at CorporateMagic.
Seven towers stretched for 395 feet across the stage, and the various structures were composed of 17,296 parts. Twenty miles of cable tied everything together. The arena spread out over 13 acres.
(Jim Evans)
