UK - XL Video supplied full live video production for the 'Fame City' Woolworth's Kids First Ball, staged in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in London's Park Lane. Presented by Ruby Wax, the event featured live performances by Gareth Gates and Girls Aloud. XL was working for Productionism, headed by Attila Keskin, who created a Fame City TV environment as part of the themeing.

Equipment supplied included four NEC XT5000 projectors, beaming onto two 16ft x 9ft screens either side of the stage. Integrated into the set (designed by Attila Keskin) were 12 portrait orientation 50" plasma screens. The live four-camera system - including Super Giant Jimmy Jib - was directed by Chris Keating and recorded both TX and ISO.

Pre-recorded playback footage was stored on three Doremi hard drives, and a computer generated voting and bidding system was also integrated into the event, for keypad competitions and an auction. The 12 plasmas were individually fed from 12 Blade MPEG players, matrix switched and automated via a Dataton control system. A further six plasma screens were flown from trussing in the pre-show reception and after-show party room. Keating was joined by engineer John Steel, projectionist John Edwards, plasmas and utility technician Carl Martin, MPEG programmer Quintin Willison, and camera jib operator Gary Tepper. Other cameras were operated by Saria Ofogba, Darren Montague, and Mark Davies. The software generation was handled by 'video scientist' Richard Turner, and the event was project managed for XL Video by Malcolm Mellows.

(Lee Baldock)


Latest Issue. . .