Grand Opening Of Palm Island & The Atlantis Resort

Back to the 2010 Live Design Excellence Awards page

On November 20, 2008, the world welcomed the Atlantis, rising on the crescent of the newest member of the world’s most exclusive icons club, Palm Island in Dubai. It was a grand opening party unlike any the world had ever seen.

Creddible Productions was selected by Jerry Inzerillo of the Kerzner Organization to create and produce this record-setting illumination event. It was the world’s largest HD video projection in 5.1 surround-sound ever produced.

The idea for the illumination storyline, “The Search for Atlantis,” was developed across three countries: Dubai, France, and the United States.

Starting in January 2008, after meeting for a site survey and research in Dubai, producer/director Edd Griles of New York worked closely with France-based VLS, video artist Marie-Jeanne Gauthe, and Dubai-based technical director Simon Ransom. The result was an incredible 20-minute production of video illumination integrated with the largest fireworks display ever produced by Phil Grucci, who lit up the whole of Palm Island.

The hotel is 27 stories high at its peak, and over 600’ wide. The hotel’s façade served as the “screen” for the projection sequence. The total square footage was 236,160sq-ft. (That’s 250m x 8 m = 22,000sqm.)

While conducting an early test, we discovered that the sliding glass doors were all made with protective glass, which caused them to become black squares on each balcony. We had to cover each with 3M protective coating, similar to what’s used in bus-wrap advertising.

A guest list of over 2,000 of the world’s biggest celebrity names and movers and shakers were invited to a Colin Cowie-produced dinner on a deck built over the beach. Kylie Minogue performed as the hotel was bathed in light by Syncrolite.

The story of the lost city of Atlantis has been told for ages, but this time, it was finally resolved. With the finale showing the hotel rising from the sea, onto itself, Atlantis lives again as the centerpiece of Palm Island.

To tell this story, the character of the Goddess of Atlantis, daughter of Atlas, was used to help put all the pieces together. She shows us how Atlantis was destroyed and takes us on a tour of Arabia and Dubai before introducing us to other structural icons erected over history’s timeline. Finally she helps bring Atlantis back to life and makes a live appearance. VLS provided the projectors, the technical expertise, and the manpower, and the event used a total of 32 high-powered video projectors.

Production & Design Team
Producer/creative director: Edd Griles (Creddible Productions)
Producer: Chip Rachlin (Creddible Productions)
Video content design/art direction: Marie-Jeanne Gauthe (Lightmotif)
Technical director: Simon Ransom (The Ransoms)
Projection design: Richard DeMeglio (VLS)
Production manager: Guillaume Milza (VLS)
Video production: Ivo Kovacs, Giovanni Bourgeois, Zsolt Bordos
Fireworks: Phil Grucci of Grucci Fireworks
Lighting designer: Jeff Smith (Syncrolite)
Lighting programmer: Cory FitzGerald (Syncrolite)
Audio sound design/mix: Joe Mendelson (Gramercy Post)
Audio playback: Andy Jackson (Delta Sound)
Stage designer: Damon Drescher (Angel City Designs)
Line producer: JB Miller (Empire Entertainment)
Executive producers: Jerry Inzerillo (Kerzner) and Colin Cowie (CCL)

Equipment
22 Christie Digital 25K Projector
4 Christie Digital 20K Projector
6 Christie Digital 15K Projector
32 Syncrolite XL10
14 Syncrolite SXB-5/2
8 Syncrolite SXB-5/2 HP
18 Syncrolite SXB-B5/3
16 SyncroliteMX3000
3 Universes of DMX, sent out on
3 Wireless Solution W-DMX Transmitters
7 Receivers
1 MA Lighting grandMA
1 MA Lighting grandMA light