NEW YORK — Every evening, the 10-story-high, block-long façade of Saks Fifth Avenue lit up at 10-minute intervals from 4:35 to 11:35 p.m. with a 2.5-minute holiday light show designed by Chris Werner Design (CWD). Crowd-counters estimate that more than 500,000 passersby got a chance to see the 2016 show, titled “Land of 1000 Delights,” which ran from Nov. 21, 2016 to early January, 2017.
CWD’s Chris Werner, who first collaborated with show producer American Christmas Inc. (ACI) in 2004, is no stranger to Saks’ annual light shows. “I helped with the original snowflake display at Saks Fifth Avenue while working at an architectural firm in New York City,” he said.
For its 2015 holiday shows, dubbed “The Winter Palace on Fifth,” Saks made use of a new system of scenic elements with the built-in versatility of individually controllable LED pixels.
That investment paid off in 2016, when the same scenic elements could be used to stage a different show design.
“This year’s iteration used the same physical components,” Werner noted. “However, the programming of the lighting is entirely new.”
Associate designer Dan Efros, who created the show in Adobe After Effects, credited the software for not only helping him create the show itself, but to share his work with the client as it progressed.
“We could simultaneously generate the needed files for the media servers as well as client pre-visualization all within one platform at the same time,” said Efros. “In addition to helping the client visualize all the elements, this helped us preview and synchronize all the timing for all the components long before we got to previz in Los Angeles.”
Efros noted that, “while not as simple as just exporting a file directly to the server, we were able to export keyframe data for the dimmer controlled elements and translated that to MA2 programming during our previz time. Once everything was programmed and in timecode, it was just a matter of making minor corrections and revisions.”
Pre-programming and pre-visualization took place at 4Wall Los Angeles, with 4Wall’s Systems and Design Division playing a key role. “As soon as I was approached with the possibility of working on the project, I reached out to Brent Pritchett to invite 4Wall to be a part of the installation,” said Werner.
Lighting and video data was distributed via a complex network, created by 4Wall Lighting System & Design, which included outward-facing port for remote monitoring, wireless connectivity for on-street programming, and managed network hardware in custom, outdoor, ruggedized enclosures.
Due to the mass number of pixels needing to be mapped for control, 4Wall spent the time it took to specifically place every string LED pixel on the drawings so the information could be used for assembly by ACI.
“The actual installation is a lengthy, arduous process,” said Werner. On-site work begins in mid-October for the late-November opening. Careful preparation is required to manage on-site deliveries, arrange for city permits, plan boom-truck-ballet and allowing for adjustments due to weather.
The team at American Christmas handled most of the logistics. Fabrication, refurbishment, repairs, a pre-production at American Christmas typically begins mid-summer. Media content development begins with the CWD team in the spring.
Animations are shared with the creative team for feedback at several steps along the way. Concept development begins with conversations between American Christmas and Saks Fifth Avenue about 12 months in advance.
“There would not be enough time to simply put the pixels on and flash through them onsite, so it all was done months in advance the first year we did it,” explained 4Wall’s Brent Pritchett.
Although the show doesn’t run continuously, an abstraction of a countdown clock is revealed near the top of the display, indicating how long till the next performance.
Along with the animated scenic elements, the show makes use of a collection of Colorist Line 12Qa fixtures from the Iluminarc division of Chauvet Professional to create a colorful backdrop.
Speakers discreetly mounted on the facade direct the audio toward the West side of 5th Avenue where the best viewing location is in the Channel Gardens of Rockefeller Center — home of New York’s most famous Christmas Tree.
“This project is a ton of work, much of it done in the middle of the night while battling cold winds and a lack of caffeine,” said Werner. “But the entire team is remarkably pleasant, enthusiastic, and dedicated. I suspect that I’m speaking for most of the team when I say that we’re tremendously proud of the work and truly grateful that we get to do projects like this together.”
“American Christmas, Chris Werner Design and 4Wall have amazing teams that work so well together to make this experience happen,” added 4Wall’s Brent Pritchett.
- Last year’s installation was recognized for the follow awards:
- Illuminating Engineering Society of North America – Award of Merit – Exterior Lighting
- Illuminating Engineering Society of North America – Award of Merit – Advancement of Lighting Controls
- Illuminating Engineering Society, Los Angeles Section – Award of Merit – Advancement of Lighting Controls
‘Land of 1000 Delights’ Team:
- American Christmas, Inc. – Fred Schwam, CEO
- American Christmas, Inc. – Kent Fritzel, Executive Creative Officer
- American Christmas, Inc. – Lance Caffrey, Chief Production Officer
- American Christmas, Inc. – Stephen Worthington, Creative Director
- Chris Werner Design – Dan Efros, Associate Designer
- Chris Werner Design – Will Gossett, Draftsman & Pixel-mapper
- AMA Sign & Electric – Rigger/Installer
- Systems Integrator: 4Wall Entertainment
- Account Executive: Brent Pritchett
- Account Manager: Lisa Cameron
- Project Manager: Nick Downham
- Project Technician: Nick Fazio
For more information, please visit 4Wall (www.4wall.com)
