This ran the length of Bow Street, forming an extensive red carpet area traversed by the guest list as they arrived and entered the ROH for the event. The red carpet area was designed by Lucy Smail of West Design & Production. The structures were used to support lighting and sound equipment and scenic MiTrix video elements, and by the time it was finished and dressed, most traces of the supporting metalwork were completely concealed.
The 10 structures consisted of three different types: Type 1 - of which there were four - featured 4.5m rear legs and 5.5m front legs, incorporating a Keder rail for attaching the roofing panels, a set of transparent plastic skins with a white BAFTA head in the middle.
The four Type 2 structures were each 5m long by 6m wide, with 4m legs at the back and 5m legs at the front. The two Type 3s were the longest at 6 by 4m bays long, with 4m back and 5m front legs. All structures were 6m deep.
The final type 1 structures were used as the entrance and exit to the red carpet. Slightly taller, these imposing structures were designed to impress the grandeur of the occasion on the arriving guests.
All structures were built out of Thomas 30.5cm SuperTruss and ballasted against the wind utilising 60 tonnes of lead weights, which proved a neat solution for keeping the tower leg footprints small, and also dealing with the uneven slope of Bow Street as it winds down the hill.
Jay Call and his 18 crew worked in two teams doing 10-hour shifts to make it happen, and in close conjunction with West Design & Production's two site/production managers Andy Cheeseman and Dikka Jones.
"There was enormous pressure and some very long days," comments Jay Call. "But we had a strong crew and a great working relationship with West Design & Production, so it all went very smoothly."
BAFTA Winners included Atonement, the movie adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel which won Best Film and Best Production Design and British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who won Best Actor for his performance in There Will Be Blood.
(Jim Evans)
