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Spectacle Called LOVE

Spectacle Called LOVE

Copyright Lighting &Sound America September 2006 http://www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/LSA.html SPECTATCLE angerine Trees& meets in the psychedelic new spectacle called

By John Huntington

SSkkMaiireemalass de SPECTACLE/CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, P ART I

“I loved the show; it was like my able to work with Sir dreams!” said an exuberant audience and [his son] , and, member, mistaking me for a Cirque du therefore, would have access to The Soleil employee in the lobby after a Beatles’ masters. There was preview of LOVE , the new Cirque discussion about whether or not there production, which opened at the should be any live musicians, and I Mirage in in June. It’s a think everyone came to the conclusion “I good indicator that the latest that, because of our access into the permanent show from the prolific masters, it could be done with [just] French-Canadian troupe will likely be The Beatles.” yet another hit. Like KÀ , Cirque’s last permanent Creating the soundtrack show in Vegas, LOVE is very much a With everyone onboard, Giles Martin 21st-century production, one that began work on the soundtrack, using couldn’t really have existed until the original Beatles master tapes in a entertainment technology had matured specially secured room in the to this point. However, LOVE also legendary Studios. represents a return to Cirque’s People remember the pioneering traditional, nonlinear, abstract sounds of The Beatles, but they may approach, while simultaneously forget the technological limitations revealing another aspect of the imposed on the group and Sir George company’s style. Cirque’s trademark Martin, who were often recording on acrobatics, trampolines, and physical one- or two-track tapes; this meant feats are all here, of course, but, in that effects were consolidated and LOVE , these elements are integrated bounced down from one track to with more traditional dance numbers; another to get the heavily layered an incredible, immersive sound sounds for which The Beatles were experience; and stunning visuals. It’s known. “We were dealing with old different from what many Cirque recordings that might have everything regulars might expect, but they may be together on one track,” says Deans. pleasantly surprised, especially if However, for some songs, “they had they’re Beatles fans—and who is not? the old bounce recordings still available. So suddenly you can get a Beginning with sound better, wider approach.” With sound playing such a critical role The selection of songs and sounds in this show, Cirque turned once again that make up the 90-minute, intricately to veteran designer Jonathan Deans. detailed mashup of a soundtrack, was, For LOVE , he has created a according to Deans, “a collective groundbreaking design capable of decision made by director Dominic delivering immersive sound in a way Champagne, Sir George Martin, Giles Opposite: “.” few have ever experienced. Martin, the remaining Beatles, Yoko This page, top: “Characters.” This Deans has designed Cirque shows Ono, and [George page, bottom: “Strawberry Fields.” for nearly 15 years; by the opening Harrison’s widow]. They all had ideas night of LOVE, he had spent nearly and opinions, and the process was three years on this production alone. spearheaded by Dominic Champagne, “They approached me before the because, in the end, he had to make a director or any of the other designers production.” Giles Martin took the were hired,” he says, “and asked me song and soundtrack sequence, and to travel to England with [director of created 32-track Pro Tools sessions, creation] Gilles St. Croix to discuss mixed into a 5.1 monitoring format, to ideas, because many of the questions be used as a starting point for the from [The Beatles’ management mixing process in the LOVE theatre. company] Apple [Corps Ltd.] were The hard drives containing the about sound. We found that we were sessions were brought in and stored in

58 • September 2006 • Lighting &Sound America ALL PHOTOS, EXCEPT WHERE NOTED: TOMAS MUSCIONICO C2006 CIRQUE APPLE CREATION PARTNERSHIP. SPECTACLE/CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, PART I

52 • September 2006 • Lighting &Sound America under high security. “We built systems he’s been playing back for the the vaults,” laughs Deans, “but I have last 30 years.’” never even seen the master drives.” The completed 32-track Pro Tools Studio people often have a difficult sessions were transferred to Magix time transitioning into live audio but, Sequoia using MADI over an optical fiber explains Deans, “both [Pro Tools mixer] cable. Using Sequoia, the soundtrack Paul [Hicks] and Giles were really good was chopped up into musical chunks with dealing with the learning curve of an useful for rehearsal and performance, and auditorium as opposed to a studio, and it these chunks where then loaded into was a huge transition. This was especially main and backup Tascam GigaStudio true for Giles—he had been in a 10 x 10' systems, which actually play back the monitoring suite for nearly two years, and audio files during shows. The GigaStudio, he went from that to a huge auditorium; in turn, is controlled by a Realtime Music that change is quite shocking.” The 5.1 Solutions Sinfonia system, which is mixes created by Martin at Abbey Road designed to enhance the sound of an were remixed in the theatre using the orchestra; it can follow a conductor’s second largest Pro Tools system in tempo and respond to constantly Nevada (only Celine Dion’s is bigger). changing musical nuance during live Typically, the team started with the 32 performance. tracks in Martin’s 5.1 mix, then took each One of the bigger challenges of the of the original tracks out of the 5.1 mix LOVE soundtrack is the fact that the and into the speaker system in the tempo and structure of The Beatles’ theatre. This process, according to music, with every nuance known in Deans, took about two hours per show excruciating detail by millions of fans, minute, making for 180 hours of mixing in cannot be varied, while the dangers the theatre. Deans says he enjoyed the inherent in the Cirque performance style sessions immensely: “We would work demand flexibility. The approach created from midnight until 5am, and they would by Deans and his team offers as much Opposite: “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite/I Want make the whole place secure—they flexibility as possible in some very novel You” features a daring display of acrobatics, as would lock it down because we were ways. One key to the flexibility is the does “A Day in the Life” soloing original Beatles tracks. We had so Sinfonia system, which is designed for Whiteley explains, “carries a similar much fun—it was the best.” live musical performance as an orchestral responsibility to the musical director on While the mixing sessions were enhancement system, capable of other Cirque shows. However, since all the certainly fun, they were not without supplementing live musicians in a tempo- music heard in LOVE comes from The stress, however. “Sir George Martin and and pitch-agile way, with a single Beatles, there is no live instrument played Giles Martin make this music,” explains musician performing any number of during the show.” Deans. “My job is to create how the orchestral parts. It can be conducted “During the show,” says Deans, “we will audience is going to listen to it. And there beat by beat, or used with preset tempos, never stop a song, unless someone is being was a huge weight on my shoulders, and it’s used in the pit on many Cirque squashed. But for rehearsal purposes, and because it was The Beatles’ music, and shows. On LOVE, however, Deans says, for the transitions in the show, we needed everybody has an idea of what The “We don’t use Sinfonia to change pitch or the flexibility to go now from the second Beatles’ music should sound like, or they tempo. For us, it’s just a sequencer to chorus, or from the first chorus, etc. So, know what it should sound like.” handle these massive sample files, and to between songs, there are links. Some are Important visitors also raised the stress be able to jump around in the show, built-in and some [in the case of level. “It’s very strange sitting in the should we need to in an emergency, or emergency] are for when it completely room,” adds Deans, “and Paul McCartney should we have to play an emergency stops and goes silent, and they make an has been arranged for a listening session. track if something happened.” announcement.” Seamlessly looping the And he says ‘OK, let’s go, let’s play ‘em’. “The rhythm/tempo of the music is pre-recorded soundtrack in musical ways There was much apprehension going on defined by Ringo, not by the sequence was a major challenge. “A ‘vamp’ can be there, because you have Sir George and tempo,” explains Gavin Whiteley, who programmed in Sinfonia,” explains Whiteley, Giles going, ‘God I hope he’s going to like performs the soundtrack each night. “We “that will jump to another part of the this one—he hasn’t heard this bit found Gavin,” explains Deans, and “he’s a sequence, at precisely the right time, to because it had been changed.’ And sound guy who happens to have a repeat a section or play a different section. there’s me going, ‘God I hope it’s how he Master’s in music on keyboard, so he’s a In the latest Sinfonia software, each vamp heard it, how he remembers it in whatever great match.” “In essence, my position,” can be activated or de-activated while the

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Above: Lighting, projection, and staging all The sound system [assistant/programmer] Leon [Rothenberg] blend in “Hey Jude.” The design of this massive, complex was doing that, because you can have sound system was driven by a desire to many people working simultaneously.” sequence is running—like switching the offer a unique experience. “There’s no “When I sit down and look at plans,” tracks after the train has left the station. If point in doing this,” explains Deans, “if you says Deans, “I’m imagining myself inside something happens that will require the can buy the CD, or the 5.1 mix, put it into the plans listening to music. ‘Okay, so I’m music to adapt, we will have little or no your home theatre, and have the same sitting there, how does it feel; am I in the advance warning. Sinfonia’s response time experience you can have audibly in the range of that speaker?’ It’s a virtual design is lightning-fast.” theatre. The same is true if you film it—it’s inside my head, as I’m going through this. These loops can offer unique not the same as being there. And one thing Surround was easy, because it’s in the experiences for Beatles fanatics in the we know is that Cirque really cares about round, and I also had balconies to deal audience. “All possible loops have been their sound—they care about all aspects of with and so on. But the big problem was approved by Giles Martin and Sir George their project—not just the visual.” the main system. When you’re in 360° and Martin in advance,” Whiteley explains, The 32 outputs from the you have video projectors firing across “ensuring that even when the music has to Sinfonia/GigaStudio playback system from one side of the auditorium to the adapt to the action on stage, it has the head into what would have formerly been other, and projection screens coming in seal of approval of the show’s musical known as an LCS System, but is now and cutting the room into half and into directors. On the night of the gala opening, called the Meyer Sound “LCS Series.” This quarters—and you’re working with with all the [surviving] Beatles and their Matrix 3-based system has 88 inputs, 64 Cirque—the grid is so high because you families sitting together, we needed to internal busses, and over 280 outputs. have aerial performers. So, as soon as you extend the music at the end of ‘For The Deans says that the flexibility and multi- start splitting everything wide enough to Benefit of Mr. Kite’ because of a delay in user access offered by the Meyer LCS give you left/right coverage at that height, the automation system. This music is Series was critical to the success of the you’re actually feeding the other sections based on ‘I Want You (She's So Heavy).’ show. For a production this complex, “you of the auditorium. It was really, really Instead of looping the music again, we couldn’t drag a [conventional] board complicated.” The system is so complex, played out an extra 90 seconds of ‘I Want around or be talking [to the operator] on it’s difficult to describe. When questioned You’ that we had transferred from The the walkie-talkie. Thank heaven, with the in a press conference, Deans says the Beatles’ master tapes, but is normally not [LCS] Cue Console, we can walk around best way to describe it would be as a 25.5 used in the show, and not available on any and make changes from our laptops. We system. “In a minimum layout, it’s 25.5,” commercial recording. So the entire cast could go to any seat and deal with any he adds, “because it’s layered and it’s and audience that night—including the loudspeaker dealing with that area, and different [from 5.1].” surviving Beatles—heard what amounts to adjust it at any time—even during the In the end, the 280 outputs from the an unreleased ‘bonus track’ through console drive 6),341 loudspeakers. No, previews. I was doing that and Jonathan Dean’s sound system!” that’s not a typo; LOVE has more than

62 • September 2006 • Lighting &Sound America 6,000 loudspeakers. “[The system] may down and said, ‘So, what are we doing, always try and have them on these kind of look excessive at first glance,” explains Jonathan?’” shows—I’ve done so many shows with Jason Pritchard, head of audio for the In addition to the performance audio them that they know me now.” The audio show, “but, after getting involved with it for system, the audio department is system was supplied by Montreal-based a while, one soon realizes that it’s just what responsible for a number of other systems, Solotech. That company and project it needs to be. Jonathan pushes the limits including IFB (interrupted foldback—the manager Bob Barbagallo, “were amazing— of what is possible, and that doesn’t scare earpieces TV newsreaders wear). This is really excellent. Between Auerbach and these producers. It fits really well with both something Cirque last did on KÀ and, on Solotech, it was just incredible. It was a The Beatles and Cirque.” that show, the IFB allows the stage huge system and there was basically Each of the 2,013 seats in the LOVE manager to talk directly to the performers nothing wrong with it. When people make it Theatre has three loudspeakers, which were onstage. “Currently,” explains Pritchard, work the first time, you save so much time, custom-manufactured by Innovox: two in “the folks doing the bungie at the top of the and that gives you time to mix and make it the headrest facing towards the patron’s show are on IFB to hear the calls from the sound good rather than having to deal with head, and one in the back of the headrest riggers, who fly them. In addition, we will be other people’s issues and problems, and facing the row behind. “I split them into 22 adding several more for safety purposes.” things that they promised but couldn’t [seating] zones,” says Deans, “so I use 66 Pritchard’s department is also responsible deliver. Everyone delivered, it was outputs to run the seats.” All those seat for another show system critical for LOVE : fantastic.” loudspeakers need a lot more testing and time code. It was apparently a good experience for maintenance than a standard sound Time code (TC) plays a hugely important the entire team, as well. “Jonathan is great,” system. “I have two technicians working role in LOVE , and its use marks probably says Pritchard. “In my opinion, he is the constantly with me to test and repair )the the most extensive use of show control on only designer out there doing anything seat loudspeakers,” says Brad Ward, a Cirque project yet. “It’s SMPTE, LTC 30 original. So many people would have a LOVE ’s lead audio tech. “We will test each non-drop,” explains Pritchard. “The TC is difficult time even knowing where to begin zone daily to be sure it is working and then stripped on a track of the playback system, with a system as large as this. Having the perform the detailed tests on [every speaker and distributed to sound [for the opportunity to be this close to the music of in] selected zones so as to test every seat Meyer/LCS console], lighting, and The Beatles, and work with Sir George and speaker every two weeks.” projections. In addition to the various Giles Martin—there is nothing about that At first, the seat loudspeakers seemed systems that read the TC, there are also TC experience that wasn’t unique and like a gimmick to me. However, after displays in the stage management booth. legendary.” understanding what Deans needed to Many of the cues that are called by stage accomplish in this huge, in-the-round management are called on the clock.” Lighting LOVE facility, and hearing the result, I’m not sure it Time code, of course, was designed for LOVE marks lighting designer Yves would have been possible any other way, continuous, linear applications, so looping Aucoin’s first collaboration with Cirque, after and I’ve come to realize that they are critical and linking segments of indeterminate many years working with fellow Quebec to the success of the design. length created a lot of challenges. “Time native Celine Dion. “I was pretty relaxed Even without them, the speaker system code is played from GigaStudio on its own with my gig working here with Celine [in Las for LOVE is massive. I’ve worked on some MIDI channel,” explains Whiteley. “If we Vegas on A New Day ]”, says Aucoin. “They complex sound systems but, staring up at repeat a section of music, we are basically called me for this one and I couldn’t believe the ceiling of the LOVE Theatre at the going back in time, but Sinfonia will mute it—I mean it’s Cirque Du Soleil and The roughly 300 conventional, mostly Meyer the time code—effectively ‘freezing’ it—then Beatles. You can’t say no to that! It’s one of self-powered loudspeakers [see equipment unmute it again when we return to the those phone calls you get in your life and list], I was baffled. When I ask Deans about same place. TC will never go backwards, say to yourself, okay, let’s do this one for the speaker layout and configuration, he so none of the systems that respond to our real.” simply laughs and says, “It’s a little bit time code will repeat a cue, or something That phone call began a two-year wacky up there.” I’m not the only one who worse.” process to bring the show to opening night, was confused—Deans and his team, in the As you may have guessed by now, this and Aucoin’s lighting for the show is at early stages of the project, often had to was a labor-intensive effort. “I’m the sound times beautiful, at times ethereal, and at all carry around “very large” drawings to keep designer,” says Deans, “but it takes so times clean and effective. Aucoin was born things straight. Even the legendary sound many people to make it work.” He has high in the ‘60s but, thanks to his older siblings, system alignment expert Bob McCarthy praise for his entire sound crew, as well as was aware of The Beatles at a very young had to face this challenge. “Bob SIM’ed the those who helped get the system in and the age. He was, he says, “inspired really soon system,” explains Deans, referring to Meyer building built. “Paul Garrity and Matt Ezold about the project. I often had a feeling )Sound’s acoustic test and measurement at Auerbach Associates did a stunning job about the songs listening to a CD in my system, “and he walked in, looked up, sat [as A/V theatre consultants],” he says. “I car—I would get a color or an image from

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“The 280 outputs from fixtures, he says, “It’s the first show in my into five separate V-Lans [virtual life that I have just one brand of moving networks]: ETCNet2 for DMX, grandMA the console drive lights. Usually I mix and match but, when with a ETCNet2 chip also for DMX, the I put my dream list together, it was a AMX touch screen control system, the 6,341 loudspeakers. question of noise. For a musical show, it lobby control system, and the was really important for Jonathan—and programming PC.” No, that’s not a typo; for me, too—that we keep the noise level Even the fog effects on this show are as low as possible. Vari-Lite offered that sophisticated. According to Bartley, LOVE has more than and, after that, it was a question of LOVE has “a 3,000-gallon liquid nitrogen washes and type of light. For me, Vari- tank with a vaporizer to run the fogger 6,000 loudspeakers.” Lite is sexier—the way they move.” propellants, and a Vacuum Barrier Indeed, Aucoin’s moving light rig Corporation vacuum-jacketed piping includes 54 Vari*Lite VL3500Qs (that’s Q system which fe eds the MDG low-fog the music,” which might be translated for quiet), 64 VL3000Qs, 56 VL2500 units. This system prevents the pipe from into a scene of the show. “Dominic Spots, and 30 VL3000Q Wash units. Also condensating by having a double- Champagne was the driving force; I try in the rig are 21 Martin Atomic 3000 jacketed pipe with a vacuum between and take the poetry of Dominic and the strobes, just over 400 ETC Source Fours them. The vacuum is maintained by a vision of [theatre and set designer] Jean of varying types, 40 Altman Micro Strip pump.” Aucoin is a fan of the MDG Rabasse and translate that into lighting.” MR 11s, eight Robert Juliat Ivanhoe foggers. “MDG is always part of a show Aucoin’s lighting integrated tightly with followspots,16 WildFire LT40F and 12 for me,” he says. the other show elements; this is critical WildFire fluorescent UV units. The lighting department’s control over because, with the 360° nature of LOVE, A highlight in the technical integration yet another system was critical for one lighting and projections are the major for the lighting department is the number amazing scene: “Within You, Without driving visual force. “I have worked a lot “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which You” where (Spoiler alert: Skip the rest of with video,” explains Aucoin, “and I work features a huge array of Color Kinetics the section if you want to be surprised in really hard to blend the image and the LED strings, which envelop the audience the theatre, as I was) a giant “bed sheet” lighting together. [Projection designer] in a three-dimensional diamond-sky is brought from the center of the stage to Francis [Laporte] is the same as me, and world. “Dominic came up with some cover the entire audience. Later, the cloth we became good friends working on this ideas, and the set designer came up with is sucked away into a hole in the stage show. We start with fantasy and ideas some pictures,” says Aucoin, speaking nearly as fast as it appeared; this is and dreams, and we worked closely with about his Eureka moment, when he assisted by the lighting department’s the set designer to find one imagery.” realized how to make the effect work. control over the building’s air-handling Aucoin explained that his main “One day, I was in the shower, and I systems. challenge in the final weeks approaching realized that it’s really the way you patch. “After three months,” on A New Day , the opening was to “take the 2000 I immediately got on AutoCAD—I was says Aucoin, “it was on my desk that people’s eyes to the right place. At first, still wet—and I repatched all the lines.” Celine was not happy, because, for her Dominic needs to see everything to “The LEDs used in ‘Lucy’ are Color voice, she is really specific about stage it, and so we started wider. Now Kinetics I-Flex,” explains LOVE ’s head of humidity and air flow. I said to myself, the we are going narrower and narrower, and lighting, John Bartley. “The most next time I do a project I will have a little going from that verse to that chorus to interesting thing is how we integrated control [over the HVAC system] and, at that bridge and having the audience them—we had to figure out how to page the first meeting for LOVE , I said that looking at the right place without string lights out into the theater. The [about HVAC] and now I’m stuck with it. I knowing. On a normal proscenium stage, riggers, headed by rigging project open my big mouth and sometimes I pay it’s easy to do that, but in 360°, supervisor Stephan Wood and head of for it,” he says with a laugh. “But it helps sometimes you have to balance the rigging Brett Barrett, came up with an a lot,” he adds, “because we have a lot stage and bricks and confetti and the 40 ingenious, elaborate fly system. of kabukis and other pieces, and we people onstage and get the audience to Throughout the grid, the strings all pulled have cues where we ramp down the focus on this one guy.” back to a head block and arbor. We had HVAC for a second or two, and, of custom tubes made to guide the light course, we control the air flow for the big The lighting system strings through the grid.” bed sheet.” For control over the HVAC Aucoin is a very hands-on designer, to Lighting control data distribution for systems, Bartley explains, “We link to a the point that he does the bulk of the this sophisticated system was yet system called ‘Tridian’ through a web programming (on an MA Lighting another challenge. The large lighting browser, which lets us control all the air grandMA console) himself. As for network, explains Bartley, “is broken up handlers, dampers, and exhaust fans in

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the building. We can then pressurize the Projections in 360° sketches for the whole show, and my room as needed—we can effectively On LOVE , lighting and projection work vision was pretty much clear, so I didn’t move air any direction in the building.” together to create a cohesive visual need a lot of experimentation.” There LOVE also uses an extensive AMX touch environment. “I’ve been very close to were a couple of larger-scale shoots screen system. “We use it,” explains Yves in the way we design things,” and, he says, in certain cases, “for Bartley, “for Q-lights, house and lobby explains the French-Canadian projection example, when I shot the yellow rain lights, stage theatrical work lights, and designer Francis Laporte. He’s another boots for ‘,’ hired a selected rehearsal lighting for the stage Cirque veteran, having designed the director of photography. But most of managers.” touring and . LOVE , the content has been done with a very While the lighting department has the explains Laporte, is “a 360° small team and I was always there to ability to trigger cues from the time-code environment, which was a big challenge shoot.” feed to allow extremely tight cueing, for us. We knew from the beginning that Laporte often described the LOVE precision-aligned with the soundtrack, the the video and lights would be very imagery as “hand-crafted,” and while bulk of the show is manually performed involved; the idea was to create an that may not be obvious by viewing the by Aucoin’s old friend Robert Brassard. intimate environment where everyone polished end product, it certainly does “He’s a really good, musical, board feels that they are there with the describe his creative method. “Most of operator,” says the designer. “He’s a big presence of The Beatles—to not be a the content was made in a fish tank Beatles fan and knows all the songs, so documentary. And that’s why I created with water, cream, oil, watercolors— that’s worked out great.” The time code more evocative imagery—we had this things like that,” he says. “I got a offers precision when needed, “because, idea that we were diving into the journey camera where I was able to shoot 400 in the introduction of ‘Lucy’ and at the of the character of the song itself. I frames per second. That gave me the end, there are all these sound effects and come from the theatre world, and these opportunity to have very slow motion, it’s not countable. There are a couple of big screens could be very strong—or where an event of one or two seconds places where the soundtrack just starts, too strong for the show. I tried to not became one minute.” with no drummer counting in,” so those take over the focus of the show, just With the raw imagery created, cues, too, are taken from the time code. support what’s going on onstage. Laporte moved onto the compositing, Sometimes the images are a editing, and processing phase, again The lighting team counterpoint; sometime they emphasize working with a small team. “Most of the Aucoin has high praise for his assistant, some mood of the song.” content was created in [Adobe] After Karl Gaudreau, Bartley, and the entire Laporte also began his creative Effects from 2D pictures that I put in a team. “It was a great crew. From Day process for LOVE with a trip to England. 3D environment. I like the intimacy of One, they were so together and just all “We traveled to the Abbey Road having a few graphic designers who are with me; this crew was just excellent.” building where The Beatles did their last very involved for the whole process, “This was the first time I have performance for Let it Be ,” he says. “It and can follow me if there are changes. worked with Yves,” adds Bartley. “He is became clear for us that the first image The new generation [of designers] was a pleasure to work with. He knows what we had to create was as if we were at not used to doing the traditional he is asking you to do and he) helps a the top of the rooftop around this Abbey shooting like I do, so it was funny. At lot in the field. You do not have to redo Road building. The screen in my mind first, they were always doing too much things twice with Yves. He is very was more a panoramic landscape cutting. I was like, ‘I don’t need to take organized and he knows how to surrounding us and the building, [as over the focus in the first few seconds’. prioritize to make things flow smoothly.” opposed to] a movie screen.” Thus the The image is clear and we were going “We had such a good, almost theatre features an environment built for three minutes or four. I knew that, to unexpected reaction from the around two enormous 100 x 20' screens not to distract the audience, I had to be audience,” adds Aucoin.” They seem to on the front and back walls, and a very slow and not have too many cuts.” be touched emotionally and, for me, it’s number of other screens—some Laporte’s style combines state-of- really, really important that we are translucent, some opaque—which come the-art technology with tried-and-true reaching the audience. I feel so lucky to in and out to break the space into half techniques. “It became very clear that be part of this team. The times I was or quarters. the show would probably run for a long programming at night and [sound time and, if I was using the very designer] Jonathan Deans and Giles Creating content fashionable plug-ins used on ads and Martin were mixing the songs in the Laporte created most of the imagery high-tech movies, in a few years, the theatre—I mean. there are thousands of himself, working with a very small team. show would look very dated. I had in people who would pay to be in my “That’s my favorite part, when I’m doing mind always that it needs to be )place to listen to that!” the shooting,” he says. “I did some timeless—as timeless as possible.”

66 • September 2006 • Lighting &Sound America The projection system The immense amount of technology employed by Laporte and his team, realized each night by head of projection Jon Stolzberg, used grandMA consoles to control 20 Green Hippo Hippotizer-HD servers (distributed in the US by TMB), which output video through 28 different Digital Projection Inc. projectors. “I think I’m safe in claiming,” says Stolzberg, “that this is the most complex, permanently installed video system ever put into a theatre.” This is one reason that projection constitutes a completely separate technical department on this show. “I had to design a complex system that would function flawlessly within a complex environment,” explains Stolzberg, “and I had to be able to explain every element of it to get the approval of the creative staff and the producers. I think Cirque du Soleil has set a new standard for projections with this show, and they really put a serious commitment of funds and personnel behind it.” The Hippotizer video servers offered the first major instance of this protocol Above: “Because” is one of many numbers LaPorte flexibility that he had previously being used to connect two pieces of that features flying performers. only dreamed of. “Usually,” he says, “you equipment that are not ETC units. Other stacks of two projectors each. This are going back to the studio and doing a protocols were considered, but ETCNet2 requires very subtle edge-blending to new render, and you are not there [in tech] was the only EDMX protocol available at make the panoramic images flawless, and when the things are going on. Things can the time that would give us the data the Hippos made it easy. Doing it on the evolve pretty quickly, and for this show, I throughput that we needed. We also use projectors would have taken a lot more was as quick as Yves [Aucoin] for the first ETCNet2 to deliver DMX codes to the v- time. Also, to compensate for the time—I was able to manipulate eight layers Base units [about which more below]”. difference in ‘black’ between overlapped of HD in real time. It was a great fortune to Video is transmitted in DVI format to the and non-overlapped areas, we used a have this opportunity to follow for the first 28 projectors on the show. “We have a black-level compensation feature of the )time the rhythm of everyone. I don’t think I completely digital signal path,” says Hippo software.” can do a show without this anymore.” Stolzberg. “The Hippos output two In addition to static projectors located Control for the enormous system was channels of DVI each. After these signals throughout the venue, Laporte uses four v- yet another challenge for the team. “We run through the DVI matrix switching Base moving yoke units for projectors, have 20 media servers synchronized network, they are converted to optical made by the Danish company Brother, together—and that’s a big DMX universe,” signals, which run on fiber from the booth Brother and Sons (now handled in the US says Laporte. “For this show, we were up to the projection catwalks. At each by A.C. T Lighting). With them, “I’m able to customizing most of the systems, and it projector, the optical signal is converted project wherever I want,” says Laporte. “I was a little scary at the beginning, because back to DVI. All of our keystone correction like this device—this one I’ve been waiting there was no other example to tell us how is done electronically on the server side on for a while. I can project on the floor, or on to put things together.” the Hippotizers—they have ‘infinite’ the artist, or on the set, and it gives me a “Each Hippo,” elaborates Stolzberg, keystone capability. Some of our lot of freedom. It has become clear in my “requires over 500 channels of DMX, and is keystones are so extreme that they are mind that light and video are getting to a driven by MIDI time code. Our grandMA beyond the optical capabilities of the point where they have become more and lighting board is networked to six grandMA projectors, anyway. All of our edge- more merged together and, with these NSP units—giving us 24 DMX universes to blending is done on the Hippo servers as units, we are seeing light and video in the deal with. ETCNet2 is used to deliver DMX well. The wide-screen images same way. To me, video is light. Now I was to the Hippotizers—I believe this may be (approximately 100 x 20’) are built from five able to move my projector, like Yves was

www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • September 2006 • 67 SPECTACLE/CIRQUE DU SOLEIL, PART I

able to do with his Vari-Lites. I think we are going to see these v-Bases much more, and I think it will change the way people have in mind the video.” ) “We have four of the v-Bases installed in the theatre with DPI 12000Dsx projectors,” explains Stolzberg. “They have performed well and they give us a lot of flexibility. We have complete control over zoom and focus as well as the vertical and horizontal rotation of the entire

projector. Combined with the extreme 4 keystoning capabilities of the Hippotizers, we can place video on ) hanging screens at very sharp angles & so that the images appear to have no visible light source. The v-Base projectors are also used several times to augment lighting effects with ambient video moving over scrims and other scenic elements.” 4 Time code and show control for In addition, explains Stolzberg, “We get Above: “Gnik Nus/Something,” which shows projections a series of data feeds from the the use of the production’s abundant number The projection system relies heavily on automation department, and this data is of projection screens. time code. “The grandMA is driven by used to synchronize the reveal of files on the servers. It is my first show SMPTE time code, delivered to us by projected images with the raising and with Cirque, and I feel fortunate to see the audio department,” says Stolzberg. lowering of the large curtains that cover how this unique organization manages to “This keeps us in perfect sync with the the panoramic screens.” Stolzberg achieve the impossible. I also feel very ) music. The overall system, however, is a explains that he is also using Stardraw fortunate to have had the opportunity to SMPTE/MIDI hybrid: The SMPTE feed control software “for most of our work on a project where the producers’ comes into a time code distribution ‘housekeeping’ functions, including commitment to video in the show was amp. It is simultaneously sent to the remote control of the shutters on all the backed up by a budget that allowed us to grandMA consoles and to a SMPTE-to- projectors and remote control of our DVI do it right. Ultimately, the process has MIDI time code converter. The MIDI switchers. Eventually, we will develop been both a challenge and a satisfying 4 output goes to a MIDI distribution amp, additional functions that will include the achievement.” Laporte adds, “It’s been a and then into all the individual Hippos.” ability to monitor various pieces of great fortune and a great experience to The transitions between songs equipment and automatically alert us in do this show.” provided yet another technical the event of a potential or actual failure.” With LOVE , Cirque du Soleil has again challenge to the projection team. “It Laporte was very happy with his team raised the bar for the sophisticated use of was a little scary at the beginning,” says for this show, and the feeling was design and entertainment technology to Laporte, “because I knew if they would apparently mutual. “I think Francis did a communicate emotion and story. The be lifting the time code during a lull or fantastic job,” says Stolzberg. “When you technology is less overt than in KÀ, but it technical problem or whatever, I would think about the amount of imagery he had easily communicates the brilliant vision of need to follow them.” to create to fill 20 media servers over 90 its creators. ) “Since there is always the possibility minutes, it’s like producing a feature film. John Huntington is a Professor of that we will be required to go off time It was a pleasure to work with him, as Entertainment Technology at NYC College code altogether and go to manual well as with Philippe Gendreau, his of Technology, and author of the first book cueing for one reason or another,” says assistant, and Luc Lavergne, who was on entertainment and show control, Stolzberg, “we have that capability built responsible for the extremely complicated Control Systems for Live Entertainment . into the grandMA programming. Our 3-D programming, graphics production, He can be reached through his consulting operators have a lot of both flexibility rendering, processing, and file distribution company at and control.” that transformed the raw materials into http://www.zircondesigns.com/. 2

& 68 • September 2006 • Lighting Sound America ) 4) LOVE

Guide, Show Concept Creator, Slipstages/Sloats, Sloat Lifts, LIGHTING: Blonder-Tongue modulators, Director: and Traps: Automated Units: amps, combiners, and taps. ) Rane audio distribution amps. Guy Laliberté. Conception D. Bédard. (54) Vari*Lite VL3500Q. Bittree patching panels. Writer, Show Concept: Dominic SVC: Solotech. (64) Vari_Lite VL3500S Spot. Champagne. SOUND: (56) Vari*Lite VL2500 Spots. (40) Vari*Lite VL3000Q Wash. Assistive Listening System for Director of Creation, Show Main Arrays and Overhead: (21) Martin Atomic 3000. Concept: Gilles Ste-Croix . Meyer Sound M1-D, M2-D, the Hearing Impaired: Listen Technologies LT-800-216 Associate Director of Creation: CQ-1, CQ-2. Conventional Units: wide-band wireless FM assistive Chantal Tremblay. Subwoofers: Meyer Sound (24) ETC Source Four 5°. listening system with antenna PSW-2, USW-1P, Danley Sound Theatre and Set Designer: (48) ETC Source Four 10°. and receivers. TH-1151. Jean Rabasse. (200) ETC Source Four 19°. Surround: Meyer Sound M1-D,

Costum4 e Designer: (125) ETC Source Four 26°. Production Intercom and Philippe Guillotel. Innovox custom fabricated units. (6) ETC Source Four PAR. Backstage Paging Headend Sound Designer: Stage edge: Meyer M1-D. (40) Altman Micro Strip. System: Portable: Meyer UPA-1. (8) Robert Juliat Ivanhoe )Jonathan Deans. Clear-Com Matrix Plus 3, (16) Wildfire WF-LT40S. Lighting Designer: Power amplifiers: Crown Compact72 digital mainframe. & Eclipse 2. Yves Aucoin. CTS2000, CTS3000, CTS4200, Clear-Com I-stations, I-1210, I- (12) Wildfire Fluorescent Video Projection Designer: CTS8200. 1370, I-1470. DMX. Francis Laporte. Monitoring: Meyer Sound RMS Choreographers: Hansel Cereza, with iLon Ethernet adapters. Clear-Com RCS-2000 eight- LED Units: Dave St-Pierre. Power distribution, rigging and channel analog switching matrix. (130) Color Kinetics Acrobatic and Rigging installation components: ColorBlast6. PS-464 four-channel power Designer: Guy St-Amour. Solotech. (5) City Theatrical PDS supply. 4Acrobatic Performance Equipment Racks and 750TR. Designer: Daniel Cola. Accessories: Middle Atlantic (5) City Theatrical PDS Clear-Com RS-501, RS-522 Make-up Designer: FOH Console: 375TR. beltpacks, KB-211 loudspeaker Nathalie Gagné. Level Control Systems Console (12 ) Color Kinetics iW stations. Blast 12. Props Designer: Patricia Ruel. with VRAS (Variable Room Acoustics). (6) Color Kinetics iW Sennheiser HMD-410 headsets. Puppet Designer: PDS-150 Michael Curry. Playback System: (2) Rain Recording Custom DMX. Telex BTR-800 wireless base Aerial Acrobatic Designer: Element 64. (20) Color Kinetics iW stations and TR-800 belt packs. )André Simard. Tascam GigaStudio 3. Profile. Dramaturge Consultant: Alexis Realtime Music Solutions Program Monitor/Page System: Martin. Sinfonia. Atmospherics: Peavey Mediamatrix X-Frame. Comic Audio-clips Designer: (2) RME ADI-642 MADI-to- (6) MDG Atmosphere. QSC CX-204V power amplifiers. François Pérusse . ADAT optical converter. (4) MDG Low Fog Q. (6) MDG Max 5000. Music Director: (4) Apogee DA-16x digital-to- EV 409-8T and EAW SMS3 (8) MDG Max 3000. Sir George Martin . analog converter. loudspeakers. (1) Apogee Big Ben master (2) MDG Mini Max. 4Music Director: Giles Martin. word clock. Executive Producer: Ethernet Audio Network: Miscellaneous: Lighting Control: . Linksys workgroup switches and # (6) Waves Maxxbass processor. (2) MA Lighting grandMA. 801.11G access point. Theatre Consultant: (18) Lectrosonic VRT (1) grandMA Light. Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. trans/receiver. (1) grandMA PC. D-Link Ethernet 2witches with SC SVC Consultant: (1) Yamaha PM5D console. (9) MA Lighting NSP. fiber ports. Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. Architect and Construction PROJECTION: Production Video System: Fiber-optic interfaces and panels Management: (24) Digital Projection Highlite Panasonic AS-E560 cameras by Hubbell and Black Box. Marnell Corrao Associates. 12000Dsx projector. with pan, tilt, zoom control, Mechanical/Electrical: (4) Digital Projection Lightning and AW-RP501 controllers. Portable Equipment: )Bennet and Jimenz . 30sx+ projector. Microphones by Shure, Panasonic AW-E600 & Structural: (20) Green Hippo Hippotizer-HD Sennheiser, and others. WV-CP470 fixed cameras. JBA Consulting Engineers. media server. (1) grandMA Light. Acoustician: JaffeHolden. Whirlwind stage boxes. (4) Brother, Brother & Songs Panasonic WV-BP330 Automation Controls, Winches, v-Base moving projector monochrome cameras (IR). Yamaha and Mackie submixers Tracks and Trolleys: Stage yoke. Stands by AKG. Technologies, Inc. (3) Dtrovision 18 x 18 DVI Cantronic Systems CSI-IR Lifts: Show Canada. matrix switch. 100m60 IR illuminators. Portable monitor s by Anchor. Counterweight Rigging and Stardraw remote control 2 software. Leitch video distribution amps. Stage Lift Installation: Pook MIDI distribution by JL Cooper. DiemonGt & Ohl. )2) www.lightingandsoundamerica.com • September 2006 • 69

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