PRODUCTION PROFILE PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS teve Jennings s All Photos by Korn LD Jason Bullock Helps Turn Up the Heat in Texas
Jim Lenehan’s set design for Korn included pump jacks and derricks built by Accurate Staging. By MorganLoven Jason Bullock
t’s hot. No, not just hot, it’s scalding. It’s chance to become the go-to guy for the still-favorite people; Michael Ledesma, Nick the programming setup that allows you to baking. It’s miserably, intensely, enor- newly installed lighting system in the school Sholem, and programmers like David Chance. create a show.” Imously, horribly, hot! It’s Dallas in August. theatre. Eventually, I moved from Morpheus to Light- Fortunately the band was already famil- The mercury has hit 110 and it’s still climb- “I was the geek sent to the booth to ing Technologies in Atlanta. Then, after a few iar with Bullock’s work, and he with theirs, as ing. On the Superpages.com Center’s out- figure out the new toys,” he says ruefully. years there, and finally getting my first LD gig Bullock had just finished work on a 70 min- door stage for the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, Unsurprisingly, Bullock found in the “toys” (311), I moved on to Upstaging after Lighting ute HDnet shoot with the band playing in the Jason Bullock, LD for Nine Inch Nails, Slayer, a love and passion for the technical side of Technologies merged with LSD. At Upstaging, middle of a giant crop circle. Bullock makes and now Korn (among others) is searching for entertainment. After three semesters of col- I continued to work with Nook, and began to efficient use of his prep time and turns out an somewhere that’s dark and cool to hang out lege, Bullock decided the best way to really work with John Huddleston, John Bahnick intricate show that looks as if someone spent before the show. learn the business was by actually working and Chuck Spector. To this day, Upstaging weeks on it rather than a matter of hours. Ev- The stage, which Korn’s headline act will in the business. is still the company where I’ve been made ery hit is taken, every hit is motivated, turning share with Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb He left school and began looking for to feel the most welcome, and it has always the Jim Lenahan-designed set by turns from Of God, and Rob Zombie, is out. It’s covered a job doing what he loved. “It was months been like a family to me.” an in-your-face blast of power and light to a with gear, (the lighting portion includes and months of resumes and interviews for deep and moody nighttime scene, as if paint- Martin MAC 2000 Wash fixtures, MAC 301 an 18-year-old kid,” he says. “During this time From NIN to Korn plsn ed by a Renaissance master. Huge set pieces LED Wash fixtures, Atomic Strobes, Barco/ I was working with Jim Macpherson of SK The Korn tour came about through a con- in the shape of oil rigs loom ominously in a High End Systems Showgun 2.5s, Coemar Light Shows in Syracuse, N.Y. and National nection he made while Bullock was work- sea of tiny lights. LEDPars, and some Philips/Color Kinetics Audio run by Mark Gummer in Baldwins- ing with NIN. “Korn is managed by the same Colorblaze 72 LED strips) guitars, pyro, and ville, N.Y. “I was doing lighting and sound people who manage Jane’s Addiction,” he Showtime plsn the industrial strength fans that are none- (mixing monitors at the time), getting real explains. “I’ve been working with them since At showtime, Bullock pours every bit theless losing the battle against the mid- experience and, more importantly, making they toured with NIN in the summer of 2009. of his own energy into his lights. “I’ve liter- afternoon heat. enough money to live on. Finally, I got a call NIN first began back in 2000 on the Fragility ally seen Jason stage dive off the desk,” says Overhead in the rig (the flying portion of from Dan English at Morpheus lights asking 2.0 tour. Roy Bennett, programmer Rob Smith, ChamSys product specialists Esteban Caracci- which was designed by one of Bullock’s ear- me to come interview.” Bullock got the job at and myself redesigned and programmed a olo. Watching Bullock run the show in Dallas, ly mentors, Richard “Nook” Schoenfeld) the Morpheus. system in four days in Cleveland. After the that claim is easy to believe. He is now known rising heat is baking fixtures which include “Three days later, I flew out to California, first show, I was left to direct the U.S. and fol- for his high energy presence at FOH, working MAC 700 Profiles, MAC 2000 Wash fixtures, and seven days after that, I moved from New lowing European festival leg. Fast forward to his favorite cherry-red board. Coemar Infinity Wash fixtures and some cus- York to San Jose, and suddenly I was really 2007, I was going to direct a tour for then-de- “I’ve worked on a lot of consoles,” says tom designed (for NIN’s 2009 tour) retinal as- a lighting guy in training. My days at Mor- signer Paul Normandale. Due to scheduling Bullock. “I can sit down at just about anything sault in the form of big squares of 144 5-watt pheus I remember fondly. Working at a place conflicts, I was asked to take over the perfor- and create a show I can use. For me person- white narrow beam LEDs called “Headlights.” that builds its own gear affords opportuni- mance 2007 tour for NIN. I continued to run ally the ChamSys works for my style — a lot of Bullock finally settles for the relative ties that you just can’t get anymore. So my Roy’s designs and later some of my own for key short cuts, a straight, streamlined OS that cool of the tour bus, knocking off another geekiness really was given a place to flour- Trent [Reznor of NIN]. This became one of the is fast, reliable, and powerful. It’s got great couple degrees with an icy, adult beverage. ish. All of the people there took an interest most influential times in my career, since I people writing the software, Chris Kennedy He knows he needs to save his energy. Korn’s in my enthusiasm for lighting. Like any other was working with some of the best music and in particular. And it has a combination of fea- show is an aggressive and ambitious display shop, though, there are times you just want best designers in the industry.” tures that aren’t available anywhere else.” of hard hitting, in-your-face rock, and Bull- to walk away and not come back for one The preproduction for Korn’s performanc- In terms of programming, Bullock stresses ock matches the band hit for hard-hitting more day of this crap. But if you do, the door es on the Mayhem Festival tour was short. the importance of accuracy as well as speed. hit. to the future closes.” “I went to Upstaging and spent about two “You need to be sure that the buttons you Bullock persevered, always keeping his days putting in a framework for the festival. press are achieving what you are seeking. Go- Break a Leg plsn goal to be a designer in mind. “Finally, I went We then flew out for one night of rehearsal ing along with that, you need to know what As a teen, Bullock was drawn to theatre out on tour. I was with some of the best in California before the first show. It wasn’t you want to program before you start, other- and music, and attended a high school with, teachers you could ever have. I was mentored anywhere near enough, but the reality is wise there is a lot of wasted time trying to get according to him, “a great performing arts by Nook Schoenfeld. He took me from being you must make do with what you’re given — your brain up to speed with what is going on department.” Recovering from a broken leg a tech to working as a programmer. During whether it be five minutes or a month — you around you. his freshmen year gave Bullock the perfect this time, I met and worked for some of my must figure out a way to allot your time to get
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ere are some excerpts from others who drop. So I end up playing with a giant jigsaw “Each pump jack has a variable speed from the tops of the towers. Behind this a helped orchestrate the Mayhem Festi- puzzle on numerous CAD programs until I electric motor and a well head into which white cyc, hung so that lighting designer Hval tour featuring Korn and Rob Zom- find a way for it all to fit and make everyone a pipe fits. A larger diameter pipe section Jason Bullock could silhouette the spires bie. They were interviewed by writer/photog- happy.” sleeves over this pipe and slides up and down of the refinery for yet another effect. It rapher Steve Jennings. For an expanded view giving the illusion that the pipe is actually made for a very 3-D image. of these perspectives, please visit www.plsn. Jim Lenahan, Korn Set Designer dropping into the well. Both the derricks and com/mayhem. “The requirement from the band was the pump jacks were scenically painted by Damian Rogers, LD & Lighting Director that the set be a burning oil field. Now that’s Heidi Luest for Accurate Staging. The rust tex- for Rob Zombie Nook Shoenfeld, Mayhem Production something I can take and run with. The tex- tures and dripping shades of red and brown “Rob and I have been collaborating for Designer tures of old, dirty, industrial equipment were were my favorite part of the pieces. almost six years, so I know what he wants, “The sheer size of the set designs took a the first thing that came to my mind. I love “Finally, the backdrop was custom made and that makes my job easier. I can ap- lot of advance work. Jim Lenahan designed textural scenery. The three pieces I wanted to by Sew What? Inc. It’s a piece of art I created preciate his artistic tendencies. Each year include, which to me are emblematic of the out of many different photographic sources, we create an even better look than the teve Jennings a beautiful replication of an oil field on fire. s Getting 25-foot tall oil derricks with match- oil industry in a visual sense, are oil derricks primarily of chemical plants. I manipulated all previous year. The first time I met Rob, he ing pumps onto any stage is a struggle, es- — the old fashioned kind in particular — this in Photoshop, then made a huge digitally asked me if I liked spots. I told him ‘No,’ pecially if it’s a co-headline bill. Obviously, pump jacks with a rising and falling motion. printed version which was cut out, then sewn and his response was, ‘Good, me neither.’ Zombie did not wish to play in front of “Accurate Staging built the set on a very to scrim by Sew What?. I’m not a big fan of front spots, as I want
All Photos by someone else’s set, so it was my job, along tight schedule and this way they only had to “In addition they sewed a couple hun- complete responsibility and control over with [stage manager John] Firpo, to figure create the cross braces and platform at the dred LED lights into the drop where lights how the stage looks. I prefer to have the out a way to get all the stuff on stage in a top. The derricks had to be on fire for much might be on a refinery — catwalks, etc. ability to use multiple fixtures, as Rob is 25-minute set change. The same goes for of the show, so Show FX installed copper tub- Tubes were run up the back of the digital very active on stage, playing in and out of the giant video wall Zombie wanted to use. ing up the center of the two derricks and pro- pieces and connected to two manifolds at light. He knows when he is lit, and I think I couldn’t just leave it hanging in front of pane tanks at the bottom to create a 25-foot- the bottom. Two smoke machines were spots would ruin the show and make him Korn’s custom designed LED strewn back- tall flame. fed into the manifolds so that smoke rose uncomfortable.”
Cap
The crew juggled the big video wall for Rob Zombie with the oil derricks for Korn. Propane tanks in the derricks fueled flames that rose 25 feet for Korn’.
A “Symbiosis Thing” plsn my anger and my vision into a visceral format. performance and onstage presentation, it’s re- combination of the music of Korn, nearly con- People in the crowd feed off of that, the band ally satisfying. That, and those moments of con- stant big pyro hits, and the relentless, insistent, As far as running the board, Bullock notes, feeds off that and I feed off the energy of the nection between you, the artist, and the crowd dizzying display of lights has given the crowd “It’s hard to watch myself objectively while crowd and the band. It’s a big symbiosis thing. sharing a feeling for one second. Searching for exactly the outlet it needs to express every- running a show.” (Search Youtube.com for “NIN “Lighting without good music to work with that infinity point is what drives me.” thing it’s been holding back for far too long. lighting guy,” however, and you’ll notice that doesn’t really exist,” Bullock continues. “You In Dallas it’s nighttime now, and the after- People are screaming themselves hoarse, others have been doing that for him — and need to have clients like NIN and like Korn who noon heat has finally wandered off to bother drinking like fish, and raising their middle filming him in the process.) “I have my own way are looking mainly for something they haven’t someone else. The crowd has been here fingers to the world in general. The release is of expressing myself through my work I guess. already seen. They want to be doing what hasn’t throughout the hottest parts of the day and, a relief, something important that can’t be Some people act and feel the way I do. But for been done. When the artist sees the work you in spite of that, they are still going crazy. The defined except to say that it’s rock ‘n’ roll may- that hour and a half I pour out my emotion and do for them and considers you a part of their energy coming from the stage is intense. The hem.
2010 Mayhem Festival Crew
Lighting Co: Upstaging Inc. Production Manager: Production Designer: Ray Picard Nook Shoenfeld Tour Manager: John Reese Video Director: Phil Keller Set Design: Jim Lenahan (Jim Le- (Delicate Productions) nahan Production Design), Chris Video LED Technician: Curtis Kantrowitz (Frank The Plumber) Miller (Delicate Productions) Rigger: Kurtis Grossen Pyro Company: Strictly FX For Rob Zombie For Korn Lighting Designer & Director: Lighting Designer & Director: Damian Rogers (Gemini Stage Jason Bullock Lighting) Lighting Crew Chief: Lighting Tech: John Bailey T-Roy Smith Set Designer: Rob Zombie Lighting Techs: Blake “the Flake” Production Manager: Elkin, Jason Blaylock, James R. Mark Woodcock Harris, John Bailey Tour Manager: Sully “the Bull” LD Jason Bullock changed the mood for Korn’s fiery red looks with a cooler nighttime palette.
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