RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The floating Bradesco Seguros Christmas Tree, a 15-year holiday tradition, returned to the balmy environs of the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. The tree had already set a record for Largest Floating Christmas Tree according to Guinness World Records, and the 2010 tree measured 85 meters in height. Abel Gomes has been responsible for the Christmas tree decoration since the first edition in 1996, programming the light show using Wireless Solution Sweden AB W-DMX. The lighting rig was supplied by Companhia da Luz. Lighting Bits, the Wireless Solution distributor for Brazil based in Sao Paulo, supplied all W-DMX equipment.
This year's show included 15 various cycles of light and color from 105 km of illuminated rope light (more than double than that of 2009) with 3.3 million mini lamps and 2,100 spotlights. To complete the show and draw the crowds, four Syncrolite 7Ks were placed at the base of the tree.
The production team needed to program from a long distance to get the right visibility. They installed a grandMA far enough away and were able to get the best audience point of view for programming. Once programmed, all the control equipment was located in the tree base.
The crew started working on the 2010 tree back in September. Close to 1,200 people were involved in the process of installing, building, lighting and dismantling the structure.
The tree was inaugurated at a main event on Dec. 4, complete with a fireworks display. Lighting the tree was then held every night until Christmas, with its final lighting planned for Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2011.
Lighting Designer Valmor Neves, who worked with tree programmer Marcos Campos and Cesar de Ramirez, the open night show grandMA programmer, credited W-DMX for working "flawlessly every night. With the logistics of the water and distances involved, I don't know how this tree could be lit any other way. It's a fantastically reliable solution."
"We wanted each and every spectator to remember all the emotions and memories that highlighted the previous editions," noted Gomes on the 2010 show's theme. The tree drew record crowds, exceeding expectations for success.
For more information, please visit www.wirelessdmx.com.
