NEWS FOCUS: Portrait Of A Nation
and to work in realising the numerous visual Liverpool, London, Leeds and Inverness.
contributions as coherent presentation.
The magnificent Great Hall was utilised as SOUND...AND MORE LIGHTS
a theatre, dance and performance space by Having been involved in a variety of projects for
various cities throughout the twi-day event, Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool Culture
culminating in the two final day main show Company, Pro Audio Systems was asked to co-
performances (matinee and evening) which ordinate all sound requirements sound for this
involved all 18 cities. event. This involved the provision of 11 systems
Projections here were beamed on to a 60’ in total, with several small rooms in use, in
x 40’ portrait orientated screen, flown by Star addition to the Great and Small concert halls.
Events at 45°, with the lower end upstage and The initial brief indicated that the show’s
the front end out over the audience, making specification would be complex, with large
a dramatic multimedia canvas and focal point. numbers of performers involved. The diverse
Three overlaid Christie S20+ projectors rigged requirements coupled with fast changeovers
in portrait on a special platform at FOH, utilised instigated the choice of digital consoles for both
multi-point warp cards to ensure a correctly FOH and monitor duties: a Digidesign D-Show
overlaid sharp image. and D-Show Profile respectively.
Another additional two stacks of Barco G8 The Great Hall system used Meyer MSL-4
SLM projectors were positioned over-stage left loudspeakers along with 700-HP subwoofers.
and right in the galleries and used to project To help combat the hall’s highly reverberant
textures and organic images such as rain and acoustics, three sets of Meyer UPJ-1P delays
other effects on to the cast and props beneath. were provided at intervals down the room.
Video sources included multiple Catalyst FOH engineer Andy Meadows (pictured
media servers, programmed and operated opposite) assisted by system tech Rod Clarkson,
by Ian Galloway via a Hog II console, further used all 96 of the D-Show’s channels, including
playback from Doremi Hard Drives and five 32 channels of Sennheiser 3000 series wireless
cameras were also fed through the Catalyst systems and a wide range of instrument mics.
servers for manipulation. The monitor system consisted of 10 Martin
The cameras comprised two Sony DF50s Audio LE1200 wedge monitors alongside 18
operated from FOH with 70mmx long lenses, channels of Sennheiser IEM, mixed by Lionel
plus three Sony Robocams rigged around Miller on the D-Show Profile.
the screen frame overlooking the stage and The Small Concert Hall featured Meyer
audience, operated by Ray Gwilliams who was UPJ-1P and USW-1P subwoofers, driven via
also XL Video’s engineer. a Galileo processor. The console was a 32
All five cameras feeds could be automated channel Yamaha LS-9 and further Sennheiser
and manipulated in the Catalyst, and were also wireless systems were employed, along with
fed into a mix directed by Dick Straker using a microphones from AKG, Shure and Sennheiser.
Sony DFS700 switcher. Numerous small systems provided for
The final route for all the projections were breakout rooms throughout the venue used
via XL Video’s Barco Encore presentation system mixers by Midas and Soundcraft, further Meyer
programmed and operated by Jonathon Bond, loudspeakers including UPJ-1P and MM-4s and
providing final sizing, picture in picture and PAS’ own systems, driven by Lab.gruppen amps.
fine tuning of the images, all at the projector’s Andy Liddle’s brief was to light the Great
native resolution of 1400 x 1050. Hall show being as discreet as possible with the
A wide variety of video content featured in location of the sources. He also lit the Concert
the show, including custom designs from Azaz Hall and 12 of the breakout areas around St.
and Potra, animations, POVs and a series of George’s plus the columns outside its imposing
performance supporting visuals made by all the frontage for the evenings. All the kit was again
respective cities. supplied by Adlib Lighting, co-ordinated by Pete
Show lighting was designed and operated by Abraham.
Andy Liddle and supplied by locally-based Adlib Ben Johnstone came up with an ingenious
Lighting. XL Video also supplied projection, idea in the Great Hall consisting of five custom
playback, screens and a wide assortment of AV fitted wooden boxes a side that were concealed
equipment to many of the exhibition areas. in the elevated balconies running down the
For the hi tech ‘Radio Norwich’ broadcast room’s sides. Moving lights were placed on
station exhibition area, they supplied playback, these, angled upwards at 40°, so their heads
projection and multiple LCD monitors. just peeped over stone balustrade handrails
For Canterbury, a 16’ x 9’ projection screen with the units ostensibly hidden from view.
served by Barco CLM projectors allowed the Liddle specified 20 Martin Professional MAC
public to interact with the Facebook pages of 250 Washes, 10 MAC 700 Profiles and 10 MAC
four Canterbury Giants, located in the main 700 Washes, 12 1.2kW fresnels and 12 ETC
entrance of the Liverpool Heritage Centre in the Source Four 15°-30° zooms for the Great Hall,
basement of St. George’s Hall. all run off an Avolites Pearl Expert console.
In the Concert Hall, above the main hall, Lights in the Concert Hall consisted of eight
XL Video provided video and PowerPoint MAC 550s and assorted conventionals including
playback as well as projectors and screens for Source Fours and PARs.
performances involving a large audience of TPi
schoolchildren watching animations made by Photography by Dan Potra & David Morrell
TPi MARCH 09 • 21
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