LONDON – Impact Production Services (IPS) recently supplied, installed and operated a lighting package that included Martin MAC 101 LED moving heads for the European premiere of the Justin Bieber film Never Say Never at the O2 Arena.
IPS supplied equipment for the main entrance area to the O2, where Bieber appeared on a balcony, as well as lighting for the façade of the Cineworld Cinema where the film showing took place.
Martin MAC 101s were positioned by the Cinema entrance, forming waves of light on a drape cloth with rapid movements and color changes. The MAC 101s were also used to create a searchlight effect onto the drape as 1,800 guests walked into the Cinema.
Lighting towers in the entrance area lit the edge of a purple carpet that Bieber walked along to the Cinema. Two LED screens, each 40 square meters in size, were rigged on eight 8-meter goal posts, edged with a mixture of automated lights and Martin Atomic strobes. IPS also installed more than 60 Fresnel lanterns and various other generics to light other front of house areas. Martin MAC 250 Beams were also used.
The design brief, developed by Limited Edition Event Design along with the client, was to work with the "Beiber Purple" and white of the poster campaign to create a concert feel to the event while maintaining broadcast quality light levels. Lighting designer Ed Regan also programmed and operated the lighting for the event.
"Everything had to be kept as bright as possible as there was a lot of filming and media coverage," noted Tom Warden, project manager at IPS. "We were impressed that even though the MAC 101s sat on the floor, the beams were hitting the roof of the O2, which is certainly pretty high. The units are well made, and we haven't had any problems at all."
"We chose the MAC 101s as they fit in with our existing MAC stocks," added Warden. IPS, based in Milton Keynes, has 64 MAC 101s in its inventory, along with MAC 401 Dual RGB Zooms, MAC 700 Profiles, MAC 250 Entours, MAC 250 Washes and MAC 550s in its rental inventory.
"We had been very impressed with the 401 LED fixtures, which have proved very popular, so it made sense to look at a smaller LED fixture. We saw a bank of these on the Martin stand at PLASA and like the speed and way they can be used in multiples. Everyone has been surprised how compact the units are, and with the intensity of the beam. They have lots of applications, for example at the back of a stage as an ‘in your face' effect, on the floor to highlight an area/exhibit, or as a color changing pinspot alternative."
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