Slovakia’s top lighting designer Martin Kubanka used Robe moving lights and REDBlinders at the core of his design for the live TV show that selected the country’s 2009 Eurovision Song Contest entry.
This was staged in Studio 4 of the Slovakian Television HQ in Bratislava and broadcast live on STV1, breaking new ground in terms of presentation and spectacle.
The basic visual concept hatched between Kubanka and set designer Marek Hollý was to create a 360 degree arena style show in the studio, which included an area for 300 dancing fans to the side of the live audience seating stands. This set up produced many lighting challenges, and the aim was to bring depth, dimension and dynamics to the space with lighting and video, fulfilling the dual functionality of looking equally as good on TV and live.
LED walls were positioned around the space, and to mirror these with moving lights, Kubanka needed very bright lightsources, which is one of the reasons he chose Robe.
All lighting and LED technology used on the show was supplied by top Slovakian rental house, Q-99. The rig contained 22 Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs, 18 ColorWash 1200E ATs, 24 ColorSpot 575E AT and 8 REDBlinder 196s.
These were positioned on the stage and rigged in the studio roof above the audience and fans. Some of the ColorSpot 575E ATs were integrated into the set behind the stage. To the sides of the dancing fans, ColorWash 1200E ATs were used as ‘contra lights’ and for high-impact light-wall effects behind those camera shots.
Kubanka made extensive use of all the features and effects offered by the assorted Robe units, which gave him infinite variety to cover a wide range of musical styles and genres, making each contestant’s set look unique. The fast strobe facility was particularly effective for the up-tempo songs and the winners announcement.
“In my opinion Robe is quite simply the best choice of moving light currently available” says Kubanka, who is certainly very faithful to the brand, and uses Robe on all his major shows. “With brightness and versatility, Robe provides exactly the right tools for me, and the reliability is incredible no matter how hard the units are worked.”
Q-99 also supplied a wide selection of other lighting fixtures including searchlights and effects, plus 4 different types of LED surface for the event.
All lighting was controlled via a grandMA full size console programmed and operated by Michael Schmidt, with a grandMA light running the video operated by Thomas Leckŷ.
Winners Nela Pocisková and Kamil Mikulćík will represent Slovakia in the final in Moscow on 16th May.
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