Skydive Dubai wanted to create an event that would reflect skydiving and the city of Dubai. Something unique that would overwhelm the public in the sensational world of skydiving. The objective was to create a memorable opening ceremony that the guests would remember forever.
Dubai history and traditional symbols guided BlackOut Design to create a powerful and immersive multimedia show in which the public discovered infinite spaces. The scenography and the main themes of the show were chosen in order to reach the objectives of the client; represent skydiving and the city of Dubai in a 20 minute presentation.
The creative vision of the event was a 360 scenographic experience, where video projection took the first role. The audience was seated inside a silo of 60m in diameter and 13m in height with a semitransparent roof surface. Video was projected on every surface, from wall to roof. Pyrotechnics were used to create a tridimensional depth behind the semitransparent roof during the ceremony. Aerial acrobats were flying everywhere over the audience as there were no traditional stages. All acrobats where hung on a huge automation system on steel cables over the transparent roof. The acrobats were used to strengthen the 360 video experience and not the other way around. . An impressive fountain installation occupied the center spot of the silo, built in the underground of the temporary structure to allow artists to exit from the pool to the silo environment. An outstanding amount of high output lasers created a virtual scene that filled the entire space with laser beams. A full surround sound system made the experience more immersive. Lighting was installed on different levels and positions to achieve good lighting effects. Around 200 lamps of every kind; LED, moving lights, conventional lights and strobe lights were used to create the different moods.
It was important for BlackOut Design to create a true 360 multimedia experience for the 3000 spectators in the silo, to engage them in the story, to make them a part of it.
As the venue was covered by projection screens on the entire wall and roof there was no space for direct lighting. BlackOut had to develop different ways to use a well calculated intensity of mesh to assure that the projection can be seen well while also giving light the opportunity to pass through. A good mix of follow spots and lighting moods made the event possible and immersed the audience into a unique experience.
The 360 concept demanded many innovations between different mediums. BlackOut Design came up with every solution and created an experience like never before.
DUBAI INTERNATIONAL PARACHUTING CHAMPIONSHIP 2014 from BlackOut design on Vimeo.
Equipment List:
Lighting:
2x MAligthing GrandMa fullsize
6x MAligthing NSP
72x ETC leko S4 750w
18x ClayPaky AlphaProfile 1500
24x ClayPaky Sharpie
36x Martin MAC Viper Profile
18x Martin MAC 2000 Wash
36x SGM P-5
48x Chauvet COLORado Batten 72 Tour
24x Studio due city color
12x Reel EFX DF-50
12x Look solution Orca
12x Look solution Viper
12x Robert Juliat Cyrano
Sound:
24x V-Dosc
24x SB218
32x DV-Dosc
12x Kiva
1x Digidesign V Show
Laser:
6x RGB 20w
20x bounce mirrors
Video:
54x Panasonic PT-DZ21K
3x Coolux Quad Server
4x Watchout Production
Fountain:
16x Water straight jet 13 m DMX control
16x Water Foam jet 10m DMX control
4x turnpike DMX control
Design Team:
Immersive experience design by blackoutdesign.ca
Creative director- Hubert Gagnon
Director - Alexandre Fecteau
Video programmer- Thomas Lamoureux
Artisitc coordinator- Elizabeth Cordeau Rancourt
2D and 3D designer-Sebastien Lavoie, Joey Booth, Martin Paré, Catherine Guérin , Olivier B. Blanchette, Maxime Petitclerc and Céline Arnaudeau
Technical director- Marie-Joëlle Fiset
Ligthing director - Elliot Gaudreau
Sound designer-Jonathan Trudeau
Sound assistant- François Côté
Follow spot caller- Danny Savoie
Acrobatic designer – Marc Gauthier
Acrobatic/Technical rigger- Meric Messahli
Stage manager - Michel Farley
Videographer - André Bendahan and Jonathan Brisebois