FIFTH GEAR Live Action Arena, Autosports 2011 exhibition

A Jands Vista T2 console running the new v2 software was specified by lighting designer Nathan Wan to control all lighting in the FIFTH GEAR Live Action Arena at the Autosports 2011 exhibition, staged in Hall 5 of the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, UK.

The desk was controlling nearly 500 lighting fixtures, including 30 Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs, 18 Robe ColorBeam 2500E ATs, 12 Robe ColorSpot 2500E ATs and six Robe ColorWash 700E AT moving lights, 100 JTE PixelLines, 300 PARs and six 4-lite Moles.

It’s the third year that Nathan has designed the lighting for the event, which is notoriously challenging to light, with sound and lighting equipment supplied by rental company Network Productions. The Jands Vista console was supplied via exclusive UK distributor, A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd.

The Vista console is Nathan’s favourite desk for this type of show and he used the version 2 software to pixel map the PixelLines and run low resolution graphics through them.

He likes the new Selection tool with v2 – allowing lights to be selected as a pen line is drawn across the rig, “This is great for making up shape & effects chases,” he enthuses. He also likes the console’s timeline options.

With up to six 55 minute shows a day in the Live Action Arena, all the cues could be stored on a cuelist and activated just by pushing the Go button, which is an ideal way to run this style of show. He thinks being able to dip in and out of the console’s Play List for editing is extremely useful, and says, “The Smart Effects on v2 means you can load effects onto each fader and edit the speed and size live, which is also ideal for improvisational work.”

The Live Action Arena – one of the largest indoor tri-oval racetracks in the UK – took up the entire hall, with a performance area of approximately 120 metres wide by 100 deep, and was the focus of the exhibition for the most serious petrol heads, speed freaks and performance car enthusiasts.

They were treated to a series of hair-raising races and stunts by some of the fastest vehicles on four – and three – wheels for 55 minutes of burning rubber, screeching brakes and adrenalized excitement. The five show-a-day schedule on the two public days attracted up to 4,700 people per session, packing the grandstand to capacity!

A Jands Vista T4 console has provided lighting control for the “Live Action Arena” event at the Autosport International motorsport show. Held at the NEC in Birmingham, Autosport International is a highlight of the annual motoring calendar. A star-studded line-up of guests included Formula One‘s top British scoring driver David Coulthard and Alan McNish, winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours race.

Forming the centrepiece of the event was the “Live Action Arena”, an action-packed show performed in front of 4,700 people six times a day. The show featured a spectacular range of demonstrations, breathtaking wheel-to-wheel racing and record-breaking stunts.

Lighting designer Nathan Wan has used the Jands Vista console on a variety of concerts and exhibitions in 2008, so had complete confidence in the console making light work of the impressive rig, which featured over 80 moving lights, various pyro flame effects and 72 ways of dimming.

The brief was to create a dynamic light show choreographed to music and 14 different car races. The performances lasted 90 minutes on the arena‘s oval track and included video links from Formula One‘s David Coulthard and commentator Louise Goodman.

The Vista‘s intuitive interface allowed Nathan fast and easy access to his rig, in addition, the console‘s innovative timeline editing proved a powerful time-saving feature for coping with last minute changes to the show‘s running order and tidying up programming.

Hire company Network Productions Ltd. supplied the Vista console and lighting rig. Fixtures included Robe ColorSpot 1200 & 700 EAT’s, Robe ColorWash EAT’s and ten Safex Flamejett used for various racing sequences. In addition, 72 ways of conventional dimming provided source lighting for the racing drivers.

Summarising his experience with the Vista, Lighting Designer Nathan Wan commented: “I loved using the Vista because it enabled me to generate a dynamic show in less than a day. Also, the Vista‘s Smart FX allowed me to create striking custom colour intensity and movement effects. The console‘s playback controls and timeline really impressed me on this type of choreographed event, especially when the show director changed the order of the performance, and I was able to deal with it without a headache. I‘m already planning to use the Vista on various installations and gigs confirmed for 2009.”