E/T/C Paris supplied Christie video projectors, an Onlyview control system, an extensive video camera package, and a digital outside broadcast van for the recent Unighted event, staged at the Stade de France stadium in Paris.
Hosted by France’s legendary club promoter, Cathy Guetta, the event “unighted” five of the world’s best known DJs: David Guetta, Carl Cox, Tiësto, Martin Solveig, and Joachim Garraud in a swirling, high energy multimedia mix of aesthetics and emotions attended by 45,000 enthusiastic party people!
E/T/C Paris was asked onboard by long-time collaborators Skertzò, who were chosen to create the show’s scenic elements and image design. In addition to the video projection and Onlyview system, E/T/C provided equipment and crew for all the image capturing and relaying elements of the show.
A total of 23 cameras were used: 5 broadcast (including 1 for aerial shots), 2 wireless handhelds, a wireless Steadicam, 4 remotes, and 11 mini-cams. Footage was fed to the OB truck for processing and transmission back to the various projection, plasma and LED screens distributed around the venue.
The stadium’s playing field was transformed into a huge dance floor for the occasion. Right in the center of the action was the impressive DJ/VJ booth, a nearly 20-foot (6 meter) high by 42-foot (13 meter) wide 2-tiered revolving structure wrapped in Barco OLite LED tiles. E/T/C rigged 8 of the mini-cams around the platform to record the DJs and the clubbers surrounding them.
Three additional mini-cams were mounted inside the helicopter in which Cathy Guetta made her spectacular entrance. Once the helicopter had touched down outside the stadium, a handheld unit followed her as she sashayed her way along the hot pink carpet leading into the stadium.
Above the DJ booth a 49-foot (15 meter) wide heart was suspended from the stadium roof, onto which 4 Christie Roadie 25K projectors installed in the stands beamed video sequences and animations throughout the night.
Twenty custom designed palm trees, built from special trussing, were dotted around the dance floor and strung with various lighting fixtures and LED elements provided by Procon. E/T/C’s remote cameras were installed in four of the trees, capturing footage of the public below.
In each of the 4 corners of the dance floor was a 6.5-foot (2 meter) OLite-clad cubic podium, on which dancers, fire-eaters, acrobats, aerialists and other performers entertained guests as they grooved the night away.
The Stade de France’s two daylight LED screens along with a network of 30 plasma screens positioned around the venue were utilized for relaying live and recorded camera footage from the event, plus other visuals, messaging, and advertising.
The broadcast and handheld cameras were strategically positioned around the stadium and a studio was set up where the DJs were interviewed as they finished their sets, along with other VIPs who attended the event.
The system was programmed and operated for E/T/C Paris by Nicolas Manichon and used for several functions, including the programming and playback of video images onto the heart. Live and recorded footage taken from the cameras on the DJ podium was transmitted via another Onlyview server to a Barco Encore Video Processor for playback onto the OLite scenic elements.
To ensure the best transmission quality possible for all signal feeds to, from, and between the various equipment, E/T/C used fiber optic cable, of which an impressive 5km was run throughout the venue.
E/T/C’s crew of 60 technicians, cameramen, programmers, and engineers was chiefed by Jean-Pierre Meunier. E/T/C’s project manager, Yves Tarrit comments, “The event was a great technical challenge with the diversity of the equipment and coordination of its installation with the other contractors. It also gave us the rare opportunity to bring together and demonstrate three of E/T/C’s areas of expertise—large format projection, multimedia control, and broadcast technology.”