Pro-Light-News |
Pro-Light-News
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Martin Danmark A/S, Danish-based Martin Professional's
local subsidiary, and Eurovision 2001 producers TV station Danmarks Radio
(DR) promised a Eurovision Song Contest that was bigger and better than
ever. Quite a promise for an event whose computer-controlled lighting rigs
are already among the largest in the entertainment industry. That promise
was fulfilled Saturday evening for the 46th Eurovision at Denmark's national
stadium, Parken, with one of the largest automated lighting rigs ever assembled
for a single show anywhere in the world.
Danish lighting rental company SeeLite, who recently took over Martin Danmark's rental division, supplied all lighting for Eurovision 2001 (subhired through rental company ProCon of Germany). The package included nearly 900 automated, computer-controlled fixtures including over 700 of Martin's MAC luminaries. The massive rig also included over 1000 conventional luminaries. (4.2 million watts of electricity were needed to operate all the lights.) The Eurovision Song Contest has featured Martin lighting the past several years, including in Israel in 1999 and Sweden in 2000. In comparison, last year's Eurovision show in Stockholm incorporated over 300 computer-controlled fixtures. Set-up began a full two weeks before the event, a hectic yet well-organized conclusion to a full year of planning. DR Executive Producer Jorgen Ramskov stated, "Martin was an obvious partner for us, and Martin and Seelite have been working absolutely great together. Lars Nissen has done a great job with the lighting design and had some great ideas for the show." Ramskov's vision was to reinvent and modernize the show, a trend he says that started at last year's show in Stockholm. "We wanted to produce the energy that you find in a rock show while keeping in mind that it is a TV production. We basically wanted to move away from the VIP atmosphere and turn it into more of a party where everyone can participate." Mission accomplished An energized audience of 38,000 (easily the largest ever for a Eurovision
show) nearly blew the stadium's new 140-meter long roof off as home country
favorites Rollo & King came on stage as the show's final act followed
by world famous pop band Aqua. The contest was won by Estonia in a tight
race with the Danish performers.
Equipment List: 399 MAC 600
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