The Olivier Awards are a glittering celebration of the very best of British Theatre, recognising actors and productions alike for stunning performances across a range of genres.
For the 3rd consecutive year, XL Video sponsored the Award for Best Set Design (won by Bunny Christie and Finn Ross for ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’) as well as supplying video equipment for the awards ceremony.
At London’s Royal Opera House, XL supplied the centre-stage LED screen, built from Pixled FX-11, 12 tiles wide by 7 tiles high, which linked up with the ITV broadcast feed and displayed live camera relay, VT clips and nomination packages.
The main screen was matched on either side by two dynamic portrait orientated screens measuring 5 x 6 tiles and 5 x 8 tiles respectively, which showed nominee logos, special guest awards and Olivier logos.
Content for the side LED screens was fed by XL’s Catalyst media servers (main and ‘hot’ backup) programmed and operated by Dan Bond with the main screen fully operated by the ITV Broadcast team.
XL Video also supplied scenic LED for the band risers in the form of Barco MiStrips. These were controlled via an additional dedicated main and backup lighting Catalyst unit, triggered from a grandMA2 console supplied by White Light.
For the presenters, Sheridan Smith and Hugh Bonneville, XL supplied a 65” Panasonic plasma screen for autocue, supported by several more plasma screens providing relay feeds to the press office, winners’ area and Royal Box.
All of XL’s LED at the Opera House was managed by Graham Vinall, Jolyon Oliver, Rob Smith, Steve “Spooky” Parkinson and Dan Bond, led by Project Manager Ed Cooper.
In addition to the Opera House ceremony, XL supplied video for the live outside broadcast site in Covent Garden Piazza.
During the ceremony the broadcast feed cut to the Piazza for the announcement of the special BBC Radio 2 Audience Award – to Billy Elliot The Musical – and for a one-off performance from the cast of ‘Loserville’.
In Covent Garden two 4 tile by 3 tile IMAG screens, formed from Lighthouse R7, showed a live relay of the ITV feed. Prior to the show XL’s Catalyst media server, running via a Roland V-800HD mixing desk, supplied the screens with footage of the Olivier Awards’ nominees interspersed with advertising from the Society of London Theatre.
XL’s screens and Catalyst in Covent Garden were managed by Ed Goddard, Catalyst Programmer Ingi Bekk and LED technicians Jan Van Geet and Gary Burchett.
Ed Cooper comments: “To be a part of the Laurence Olivier Awards is a great honour. It is fantastic to see colleagues in the industry and projects we have worked on receiving recognition. It is always tricky managing the two sites whilst fitting in around the busy Royal Opera House repertory schedule, but with a hard working crew and great teamwork, the ceremony was a huge success.”
Photo Credits: Florian Baeumler, Pamela Raith Photography and Jonathon Hordle, Rex Features
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