Stage One was asked to provide six giant tracking front projection screens, each a different shape and size, with the largest 14m high by 10m wide. They also provided two 20m long back wall screens, a further screen that lifted and another that folded down. All of these screens overlapped to form a collectively massive tracking projection surface.
"These were the biggest screens that I have ever seen in over 25 years in the industry and once in place they formed an awesome sight," said Steve Dolan, project director, Stage One.
"They were so large that we needed to give special consideration to both the materials and the construction method in order to ensure that they would be of a practical weight for tracking, although in the end each screen still weighed approximately 1,000kg's."
Using Qmotion, Stage One's in house motion control system, each screen was capable of moving independently and at its own speed, offering the creative director, Daniele Zambelli, full flexibility.
In total the Company provided 12 axes of control, hydraulics and stock positional winch control systems to control the screens. In addition to the tracking screens Stage One was responsible for providing a lectern that was stored below the stage and raised via a Qmotion controlled scissor lift. The lectern was used for speeches as well as containing the trigger for the screens to pull back and reveal the university campus through a huge PVC window.
(Jim Evans)
