Seeing the Big Picture

Text:/ Graeme Hague
Photo:/ courtesy CCP

POINTY END

This is the pointy-end of audiovisual technology — large-screen presentations of the like you’ll see at major concerts, both indoor and outside. As if to rubber-stamp CCP’s purchase as money well spent, the 2007/08 Summer really hotted up. From the day CCP took delivery in February the rig was snapped up for tours by Matchbox 20 and Rod Stewart. Local big-ticket events like the Leeuwin Estate Concert, West Coast Blues & Roots Festival and a Bon Scott Tribute show also seized the opportunity to use the new gear.

AV dropped by to see CCP putting the rig together when it recently provided a large rear-stage screen (but not the cameras) for the WA leg of Celine Dion’s Taking Chances national tour at the Members Equity Stadium. The stadium plays host to the Perth Glory soccer club (yes, yes, I know… it’s ‘football’ to the diehard fans) where the playing field is regularly converted into an arena-style concert venue for a 25,000-strong audience. The production, the numbers and the venue warrant the use of big screens — especially for those in the $100 ‘cheap’ seats.

THE TYRANNY OF DISTANCE

Freighting gear — or an entire production — to Perth from the east coast requires a big truck(s) and/or a whole lot of cash — it’s a long way and no one is particularly enthusiastic about the costs involved. Alternatively, sourcing equipment locally has traditionally been somewhat hit and miss. CCP isn’t the first in WA to offer this kind of audiovisual solution, but the complete package of screens and cameras they’ve put together, along with a ‘one stop shop’ approach to total event management, certainly makes the decision easier. Now all the answers are here, negating many of the expensive freight costs from the eastern states.

VERSATILE

Note the word ‘Corporate’ in CCP’s moniker? That’s right, it’s not all about squeezing Celine’s legs or Rod Stewart’s mug onto a 7m-high screen for rock and pop concert productions. CCP already provides audiovisual displays to a wide section of the business and entertainment industry from product launches to Fashion Week and official ceremonies. This is where the versatility of the SLite modules and their DX-700 processors really comes into play. Different screen configurations can be built and controlled simultaneously to display the same image. For instance, a standard widescreen could be erected on a stage, while a single strip of units could also be run along the front edge. Each DX-700 can manage three separate screens so in this example only a single DX-700 would be needed with one output to spare.

CCP bought 72 SLite 10XP modules and two of the DX-700s. Do the maths for yourself and you can see it allows an almost unlimited choice in screen size and shapes at up to six different locations. However, at 40kg apiece the 10XPs need a responsible approach to rigging or placement (they have standard rigging points).

CAMERA & CAPTURE

Available at the other end of the system, CCP has three Sony DXC-D55 WSP cameras equipped with a selection of short or long Canon lenses. The ‘WSP’ means the cameras are switchable between 4:3 or 16:9 widescreen modes. Even though just about everything is produced and displayed in widescreen these days that old 4:3 format won’t quite lay down and die, so it’s a smart decision by CCP to go for the WSP model.

All the cameras can be fed into a Grass Valley Indigo Vision mixer, which is a serious box of tricks indeed, including broadcast-quality wipes, effects, keying and a full complement of inputs for other ancillary feeds such as computer graphics and, naturally, all your audio. In the right hands the Indigo can create a professional mix worthy of any DVD release. For CCP’s purposes, its ability to control multiple inputs and outputs simultaneously is obviously the main benefit. Still, if you need to archive the vision for posterity or commercial use they have a Grass Valley IDDR hard drive recorder to capture every digital frame.

IN-HOUSE ADJUSTMENTS

CCP always planned to offer its hirers a full and integrated audiovisual production rig, but they have split the equipment into two divisions: the Barco screens and the camera/mixer side of things. Each can be hired as a separate system. Of course, being a production company, CCP will do anything for their clients, within reason… but you get the idea.

As for making it all work and operate, CCP has been pleasantly surprised to find its existing staff have made an excellent transition across to the job of providing and co-ordinating concert vision to the screens. Its people with experience in lighting and stage management seem to have a better appreciation of the bigger picture (excuse the pun… no, hang on… it’s clever [bask in the pun — Ed.]) happening during a concert, rather than perhaps a person with any television or film studio background. Don’t worry, they’ll still carry a Maglite, a Leatherman and a shifting spanner.

For Concert & Corporate Productions the only way things can go is ‘up’ and it’s no doubt made a wise investment in the new gear. The more the equipment is employed and seen around the state, the more other potential clients will be tempted to make use of the technology. There’s nothing like a bit of one-upmanship between promoters or competing companies to encourage making their next show or product launch bigger and brighter — and more visible, thanks to a truckload of 10XP units.

CCP’s NEW TOYS

LED Screen

• 72 x Modules of Barco SLite 10XP
• 2 x DX700 LED Processors
• 2 x Barco rental power boxes
• Cabling & flying hardware for all possible applications & configurations.

IMAG System

• 3 x Sony DXC-D55 WSP cameras (switchable 4:3 or 16:9) with Triax cores and remote CCU interfaces.
• 1 x Sony five-inch monochrome viewfinder
• 1 x Canon J 22ex 7.6B IRSD (7.6-168mm) lens
• 2 x Canon YJ 20×8.5B IRS (8.5-170mm) lenses
• 3 x Vinten V8 AP2 professional tripods

Monitor rack containing:

• 2 x four-way Datavideo LCD monitor panels
• 1 x two-way Datavideo LCD monitor panel

Shock-mounted 22U video rack containing:

• 3 x Sony CCU TX50P camera control units
• Grass Valley Indigo vision switcher
• Integrated talkback and tally system
• Sony DVDR hard drive recorder
• Grass Valley Turbo IDDR hard drive recorder/playback
• Extron composite video distribution amplifier
• Extron ISS 506 vision switcher (for data)