The overall project consisted of:
• 9,600 translation headsets, 30 translators into 15 languages
• 9,000 chairs
• 50 UK crew & 50 local crew
• (hotel ran out of tap beer & had to pallet in Sam Miguel!)
• 6 screens, 13 plasmas, webcasting & 5 record machines using 25 DV tapes
• 3000 meters of video / control cable
• 8 x 45ft lorries
• 160 speaker cabinets, 50 radio channels
• 200 moving lights + LX fixtures & 140 motor points
With a total event power draw of half a MegaWatt
Cue Media were again commissioned by Creative Realisation to provide video projection & camera production facilities for the Forever Living Products European Rally.
This is the highlight of the Aloe Vera direct selling companies calendar in Europe and attended by over 8,000 distributor delegates!
Last year’s rally in the fastest growing FLP country of Hungary hosted 12,500 delegates in Budapest’s Papp Laszlo arena (the Flying Saucer!) and the previous year in Stockholm’s impressive Globe arena for 8,500 distributors with 360 degree seating ‘up to the gods’ complete with a 4-sided Jumbotron LED screen.
The venue this year, was Malaga’s Palacio de Ferias y Congresos which had many challenges, apart from the obvious language difficulties which were ably overcome by our production ground handler. The venue had eight sets of 1msq concrete pillars throughout the hall, posing huge ‘line of site’ problems for the audience.
Whilst the main set design encompassed two large format 30’ screens which captured the first 3rd of the audience, four further 16ft wide relay screens were arranged, two at the sides & two ‘repeater’ screens in front of pillars. This meant that everyone in the audience had a clear view of the live action from at least one of the screens.
The images for the 30 foot screens were provided and backed-up with Christie’s DS+20K digital projectors whilst the 16 foot relay screens were handled by their smaller brothers, the Christie DS+8K.
With an audience of this size, the awards recognitions alone meant hundreds of people backstage waiting for their big moment out front. As they were waiting, they also didn’t want to miss a thing so a 12 foot screen with a Christie L6 projector and relay plasmas were installed just for them!
You may have guessed by now from the projection specification that Cue Media are Christie Projection Partners!
The live action was relayed to the audience screens by six cameras, four Sony D50 camera channels, two on digital x70 long lenses, 1 on a Vinten Osprey Elite pedestal and the 4th on a 40ft jib ably mastered by Chris Hatcher getting those ‘money shots’. The 5th camera was PDP-150 work horse, kitted up with an RF link, doing all onstage special work such as bands & extreme close-ups and the 6th camera was a remote dome camera with 360 views which captured some lovely overhead stage shots and audience ‘spin’ shots.
All these channels plus pre-switched graphics feeds (from Mark Walker of Razor Communication Management), all at SDI level, were engineered and mixed by Cue Media’s Portable Production Unit based on Sony’s DFS700 vision mixer. Engineering was via a Hamlet waveform monitor and vector scope and a Panasonic state-of the-art 17” HD monitor.
With all this action and all these cameras to capture it, getting it ‘in the tin’ was crucial. To make sure a moment was not missed we provided four Sony DSR DVCAM decks, all switch abled from the transmission source to isolated record of individual sources backed up by a DVD record of the final mix to the screens .
Video play-back for a show of this size, of course plays a major part too. Therefore there was only one choice, Grass Valley’s Turbo digital media player, pre loaded before departing to Spain and ready to go.
An event like this is not just about the kit, it’s also about the people. When asked, Martin Clowes, our senior project manager for this event said.
“Cue Media’s philosophy has always been right kit & right crew every time”.
“If I was to lay claim to having any talent at all, it’s picking a fantastic crew! They all work together not only as a team but also working alongside other departments and most importantly of all, the client, blending in to be part of their team in pulling off a great show under sometimes challenging circumstances. Therefore, I’m very proud not only of Cue Media, our equipment and its people but ultimately, our ability to deliver”.
It easy to say how good we are so we thought we would conclude with a note from our client:
Hi Martin,
Well now that the dust has settled, I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks for an incredible job that you did on the Malaga event.
As you know, the client was delighted and I have had great comments from the country offices across Europe and testimonials from individuals alike – all pronouncing it a great success and a boost to their businesses.
I have also received a very nice letter from Aidan O’Hare from Forever HQ and wanted to pass on a couple of comments….
“I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for all your hard work and effort put in for this year’s Rally in Malaga.
It was truly one of our best to date!
I know how much hard work, dedication and sleepless nights go into making an event like this and it is appreciated.”
Thank you to you all once again.
Please pass on my thanks to Alex, Gary, Steve, Mark, Simon A, Simon R, Matt, Danny, John and all involved.
Looking forward to Wembley already!
Nick Woodward-Shaw
Creative Realisation Limited
