Broadcast News
21/05/2014
XL Video Provides Full Video Production For 'Reflektor' World Tour
XL Video is again providing full video production – including projection, LED screens, media server control and full camera / PPU package – to the critically acclaimed Arcade Fire 'Reflektor' world tour, for which set and visuals have been carefully sculpted by Show Designer Richard Stembridge.
The band are well known for their penchant for the experimental, the off-beat and for embracing creative challenges. Stembridge worked on the last tour, 'The Suburbs' in 2011 as Video Designer and has now taken on the role of show designer with great enthusiasm.
With up to 12 people onstage at times, one of the briefs from the Canadian indie rock / art band was that the performance area was clean and sharp, and the visuals reflected the dancier and more carnivalesque direction of the album. The 'reflektor' theme was prominent from the start and evolved from the initial low profile warm-up shows in the latter half of 2013.
Stembridge wanted an expedient but versatile lighting rig for the tour, and started thinking about how his set and video surfaces could be developed to also reflect light in the process becoming secondary lightsources. That all the video surfaces should be truly multi-purpose and look interesting and relevant even when no footage is playing is one of his trademarks, together with using the medium subtly, intelligently and judiciously throughout the set. Less is more!
He started investigating the possibilities of using a mirrored video screen at the back of the stage that would reflect light when not in use, and then jump to life as a screen when video was running.
During the warm-ups he hit on the solution for this, which was to cover XL’s Pixled F-11 LED tiles which they are using on tour - with mirrored Mylar polyester film material. It’s a simple idea that works fabulously!
A total of 120 x F-11 LED tiles are used to create two rectangular screens with mirrored fascias, and these are flown in an out throughout the show via a Kinesys automation system. They can go all the way out to the roof so they are completely invisible.
A total of nine Barco HDF W26K projectors are on the tour, three of which beam on to an impressive 60 foot wide by 30 foot tall video back-wall made from Frazzle, a metallic sheen fabric etched by half circle slits that track across the entire surface from Rose Brand. This is behind the mirrored screens, and both takes light and projects it beautifully.
The other six Barcos are used to feed the IMAG screens – which are also integral to the overall stage aesthetics. Their intricate hexagonal lines are based on the Arcade Fire logo and made up from four individual interlinked mini-hexagons ... resembling a honeycomb!
This involves the side screens as part of the bigger design picture forming a harmonious bond with the stage, and – as you would expect - he wanted something completely different from conventional rectangular IMAG screens!
Mapping each side as four individual hexagonal zones enables the creation of different and more exciting pictures and the possibility of using it as one large surface area, four separate ones or any other combination thereof, hence the need for three projectors per side.
The show's playback content is run from four Catalyst v4 media servers which are triggered from a Road Hog Full Boar console operated by Stembridge at FOH. He runs the Hog very much as a live console with multiple layers of video at his fingertips on the faders, all of which helps mould the organic visual picture as the set unfolds.
Alongside him on the riser is Chris Bushell, whom he asked on-board as Lighting Designer. The two have collaborated closely on evolving both elements of the show, together with Video Director Charles Woods who is directing the camera mix.
The camera package comprises five of XL's Sony HXC-100 operated and two Sony BRC H700 robo-cams.
The operated cameras are positioned two at FOH with long lenses, two in the pit on track-and-dolly and also pneumatic pedestals, specified to provide the dynamic range of movement that Stembridge wanted.
With so many people onstage, there is an entire upstage riser with musicians, and he wanted the cameras to be able to get high enough to get good clear shots of these areas.
The final operated camera is a hand-held onstage, and the two robo cams are clamped to the upstage riser to cover the percussion and keyboard areas.
Woods cuts the cameras backstage using a Blackmagic 2M/E Switcher.
He does a full live cut for the IMAG screens and also sends four auxiliary camera feeds to Stembridge’s Catalysts, so the latter can make use of these to do his own camera cut to the onstage screens.
At the FOH position, a hydraulic lift forms the B-Stage, and Stembridge can utilize the pit cameras on their pedestals to capture the action on that while Woods' IMAG mix continues uninterrupted to the side screens.
The playback content is a classic fluid Stembridge mix of abstracted and slightly obtuse materials, designed in particular to work well when woven in with live cameras – basically the complete antithesis of a music video!
Some of the content he made himself, some he commissioned out to various video artists he knows and one song’s worth was produced by Moment Factory from Montreal. Approximately 35% of the show features playback content.
www.xlvideo.com
The band are well known for their penchant for the experimental, the off-beat and for embracing creative challenges. Stembridge worked on the last tour, 'The Suburbs' in 2011 as Video Designer and has now taken on the role of show designer with great enthusiasm.
With up to 12 people onstage at times, one of the briefs from the Canadian indie rock / art band was that the performance area was clean and sharp, and the visuals reflected the dancier and more carnivalesque direction of the album. The 'reflektor' theme was prominent from the start and evolved from the initial low profile warm-up shows in the latter half of 2013.
Stembridge wanted an expedient but versatile lighting rig for the tour, and started thinking about how his set and video surfaces could be developed to also reflect light in the process becoming secondary lightsources. That all the video surfaces should be truly multi-purpose and look interesting and relevant even when no footage is playing is one of his trademarks, together with using the medium subtly, intelligently and judiciously throughout the set. Less is more!
He started investigating the possibilities of using a mirrored video screen at the back of the stage that would reflect light when not in use, and then jump to life as a screen when video was running.
During the warm-ups he hit on the solution for this, which was to cover XL’s Pixled F-11 LED tiles which they are using on tour - with mirrored Mylar polyester film material. It’s a simple idea that works fabulously!
A total of 120 x F-11 LED tiles are used to create two rectangular screens with mirrored fascias, and these are flown in an out throughout the show via a Kinesys automation system. They can go all the way out to the roof so they are completely invisible.
A total of nine Barco HDF W26K projectors are on the tour, three of which beam on to an impressive 60 foot wide by 30 foot tall video back-wall made from Frazzle, a metallic sheen fabric etched by half circle slits that track across the entire surface from Rose Brand. This is behind the mirrored screens, and both takes light and projects it beautifully.
The other six Barcos are used to feed the IMAG screens – which are also integral to the overall stage aesthetics. Their intricate hexagonal lines are based on the Arcade Fire logo and made up from four individual interlinked mini-hexagons ... resembling a honeycomb!
This involves the side screens as part of the bigger design picture forming a harmonious bond with the stage, and – as you would expect - he wanted something completely different from conventional rectangular IMAG screens!
Mapping each side as four individual hexagonal zones enables the creation of different and more exciting pictures and the possibility of using it as one large surface area, four separate ones or any other combination thereof, hence the need for three projectors per side.
The show's playback content is run from four Catalyst v4 media servers which are triggered from a Road Hog Full Boar console operated by Stembridge at FOH. He runs the Hog very much as a live console with multiple layers of video at his fingertips on the faders, all of which helps mould the organic visual picture as the set unfolds.
Alongside him on the riser is Chris Bushell, whom he asked on-board as Lighting Designer. The two have collaborated closely on evolving both elements of the show, together with Video Director Charles Woods who is directing the camera mix.
The camera package comprises five of XL's Sony HXC-100 operated and two Sony BRC H700 robo-cams.
The operated cameras are positioned two at FOH with long lenses, two in the pit on track-and-dolly and also pneumatic pedestals, specified to provide the dynamic range of movement that Stembridge wanted.
With so many people onstage, there is an entire upstage riser with musicians, and he wanted the cameras to be able to get high enough to get good clear shots of these areas.
The final operated camera is a hand-held onstage, and the two robo cams are clamped to the upstage riser to cover the percussion and keyboard areas.
Woods cuts the cameras backstage using a Blackmagic 2M/E Switcher.
He does a full live cut for the IMAG screens and also sends four auxiliary camera feeds to Stembridge’s Catalysts, so the latter can make use of these to do his own camera cut to the onstage screens.
At the FOH position, a hydraulic lift forms the B-Stage, and Stembridge can utilize the pit cameras on their pedestals to capture the action on that while Woods' IMAG mix continues uninterrupted to the side screens.
The playback content is a classic fluid Stembridge mix of abstracted and slightly obtuse materials, designed in particular to work well when woven in with live cameras – basically the complete antithesis of a music video!
Some of the content he made himself, some he commissioned out to various video artists he knows and one song’s worth was produced by Moment Factory from Montreal. Approximately 35% of the show features playback content.
www.xlvideo.com
Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.
27/09/2024
Ateliere Live Scoops Best Of Show Award At IBC 2024
Ateliere Creative Technologies has announced that Ateliere Live has won in the Best of Show award at IBC 2024 in the TVBEurope category. Ateliere Live
Ateliere Live Scoops Best Of Show Award At IBC 2024
Ateliere Creative Technologies has announced that Ateliere Live has won in the Best of Show award at IBC 2024 in the TVBEurope category. Ateliere Live
26/09/2024
Custom Consoles To Promote Full Range Of Technical Furniture At 2024 KitPlus Show
Custom Consoles is to promote its full range of technical furniture at the October 24th 2024 KitPlus Show in Manchester's MediaCity. Occupying centre
Custom Consoles To Promote Full Range Of Technical Furniture At 2024 KitPlus Show
Custom Consoles is to promote its full range of technical furniture at the October 24th 2024 KitPlus Show in Manchester's MediaCity. Occupying centre
01/02/2008
Camera Corps Debuts CCU-5 Camera Control Unit At Broadcast Live & Video Forum
Camera Corps (exhibiting on the Polecam stand (C62)) is showing its new CCU-5 camera control unit which allows easy remote operation of many makes and
Camera Corps Debuts CCU-5 Camera Control Unit At Broadcast Live & Video Forum
Camera Corps (exhibiting on the Polecam stand (C62)) is showing its new CCU-5 camera control unit which allows easy remote operation of many makes and
07/08/2002
XL Video supplies Oasis at Finsbury Park
XL Video supplied live video production equipment for the Oasis shows at Finsbury Park, to a specification from Cheese Film and Video. The Oasis video
XL Video supplies Oasis at Finsbury Park
XL Video supplied live video production equipment for the Oasis shows at Finsbury Park, to a specification from Cheese Film and Video. The Oasis video
16/03/2018
Video Clarity Preview - 2018 NAB Show
Video Clarity is to launch a range of products including the new RTM Manager, Venue Player IP, RTM IP and its ClearView 9.0 at the 2018 NAB Show. NEW
Video Clarity Preview - 2018 NAB Show
Video Clarity is to launch a range of products including the new RTM Manager, Venue Player IP, RTM IP and its ClearView 9.0 at the 2018 NAB Show. NEW
30/10/2012
Jigsaw24 - Working With The Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera: The Camera
Jigsaw24 - Working With The Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera: The Camera - Part 1 By Liz Sunter While we've not been shy about getting grabby with the
Jigsaw24 - Working With The Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera: The Camera
Jigsaw24 - Working With The Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera: The Camera - Part 1 By Liz Sunter While we've not been shy about getting grabby with the
05/07/2017
Writing A Video Brief
Writing a brief for your video is usually the first place to start when commissioning a video project. This can conjure up images of huge documents pa
Writing A Video Brief
Writing a brief for your video is usually the first place to start when commissioning a video project. This can conjure up images of huge documents pa
16/02/2005
ADS Tech launches Instant VideoMPX
ADS Tech a leader in consumer video editing solutions, has announced the launch of Instant VideoMPX, a new device which can be used with a Windows XP
ADS Tech launches Instant VideoMPX
ADS Tech a leader in consumer video editing solutions, has announced the launch of Instant VideoMPX, a new device which can be used with a Windows XP
06/09/2017
Latest Video Marketing Statistics
As small business owners, we all see the advancements digital marketing has made in the past decade and how effective it is at creating successful bus
Latest Video Marketing Statistics
As small business owners, we all see the advancements digital marketing has made in the past decade and how effective it is at creating successful bus
10/05/2017
Corporate Video Production Is Here To Stay
2016 saw video marketing reach new heights for marketers. 61% of businesses have used video compared to just 34% the year before. You may still have d
Corporate Video Production Is Here To Stay
2016 saw video marketing reach new heights for marketers. 61% of businesses have used video compared to just 34% the year before. You may still have d
26/07/2021
Apantac Introduces New PTZ Camera
Apantac has launched a new PTZ camera with NDI® built-in. NDI has been integrated into its new 1080P PTZ camera to be recognisable as a source by othe
Apantac Introduces New PTZ Camera
Apantac has launched a new PTZ camera with NDI® built-in. NDI has been integrated into its new 1080P PTZ camera to be recognisable as a source by othe
17/10/2012
Hauppauge Launch HD Video Streamer
Hauppauge Digital, Inc has releaseed StreamEezTM, a high definition video streamer designed for organisations that want a simple to use, high quality
Hauppauge Launch HD Video Streamer
Hauppauge Digital, Inc has releaseed StreamEezTM, a high definition video streamer designed for organisations that want a simple to use, high quality
14/02/2013
Beamr Unveils Breakthrough Video Delivery Technology
Beamr,media compression and delivery experts behind the widely-acclaimed JPEGmini photo compression technology, has unveiled Beamr Video. This enables
Beamr Unveils Breakthrough Video Delivery Technology
Beamr,media compression and delivery experts behind the widely-acclaimed JPEGmini photo compression technology, has unveiled Beamr Video. This enables
13/03/2012
Vitec GTC Awards 2012 Nominees Announced
The Guild of Television Cameramen (GTC) has announced the shortlist for the Vitec GTC Awards 2012. The awards will be presented at the IET Austin Cour
Vitec GTC Awards 2012 Nominees Announced
The Guild of Television Cameramen (GTC) has announced the shortlist for the Vitec GTC Awards 2012. The awards will be presented at the IET Austin Cour
05/02/2009
HaiVision At NAB
HaiVision, a leading manufacturer of high-performance H.264 network video solutions for HD and SD, will be at NAB 2009 in Las Vegas. Products being de
HaiVision At NAB
HaiVision, a leading manufacturer of high-performance H.264 network video solutions for HD and SD, will be at NAB 2009 in Las Vegas. Products being de