XL Video supplied 40 square metres of Barco i6XP and 28 touring frames of Barco MiPix for the final episode of Peter Kay's TV talent show spoof “Britain's Got The Pop Factor ... And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice”.
The project was managed for XL by Steve Greetham following the screen surfaces being specified for the show, recorded at Granada Studios in Manchester, by Phil Mercer. It was supplied via main lighting contractors, HSL, and co-ordinated from their side by Mike Oates. T
he screens formed an integral part of Simon Kimmell's set design, for which the brief was to recreate a ‘classically cliched' LE talent show look, complete with opening upstage centre screen for entrances and exits, and lots of video-driven LED elements.
The central screen comprised 14 panels wide by 6 high of Barco i6XP LED which split apart vertically and tracked on/off stage via a Kinesys automation system. It was flanked by 4 smaller screens – 2 a side – each measuring 5 panels wide and 6 high of i6XP.
The MiPix was used to create a central stage banner bordering the performance area at ceiling height, plus a 12 panel rear banner strip along the back of the bleacher seating, used for reverse camera shots.
Greetham explains, “They needed a well trusted high resolution screen to cover every eventuality, and the i6XP was a cost effective solution that produced exactly the right effects.” The MiPix also fitted perfectly into the equation, it's lower resolution making it clearly visibly different and definable from all the other visual mediums on the busy show.
The i6XP and MiPix surfaces were all fed by video content created and stored on a Catalyst media server, triggered by moving light and digital media programmer Svend Pedersen's WholeHog 3 lighting console. Lighting designer for the “Pop Factor” series was Tom Kinane, and XL supplied one of their top LED techs, Alain Demy, for the get in and set up in Manchester.
Steve Greetham says, “It was great to work with HSL on this project, and we're looking forward to future similar partnerships with them in this sector”.
XL has also supplied several X-Factor tours and television productions with video requirements.