Christie Lites on NYE Celebration From Times Square
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It’s a live, six-hour gig for the production team, which must wrangle with winter weather, the ticking of the clock to the midnight hour, and the knowledge that billions worldwide are watching.
When Miller lit this event in 2000, there was just one stage, and each network also brought in their own stages, cameras and broadcast trucks. It was soon consolidated into one setup. Now every artist performing outdoors for various networks does it on these same stages with this same lighting rig.
Miller explains, “So we’ll light a cast of a Broadway show performance. Then that director leaves and the ABC director comes in and we’ll do, for example, Taylor Swift or Carrie Underwood. So it’s not just the Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years’ Eve - there were three shows that went out on the air with their own directors. It is a bit unconventional.”
There were two stages this year: the main Countdown Stage and the Sponsor Stage. Miller was responsible for lighting performances on both stages by Gloria Estefan and the cast of her Broadway musical On Your Feet!, Gavin DeGraw, DNCE (Joe Jonas), Thomas Rhett, Mariah Carey, Rachel Platten, Silento, Luis Coronel, Lupillo Rivera, Don Omar, JoJo Abot, The USO Show Troupe and more.
Miller’s team included his associate Kirk Fitzgerald, programmer Paul Sonnleitner, head gaffer Chris Moeller and 30-plus electricians and gaffers.
His choice in lighting gear is crucial as well. Eye-candy for the cameras keeps the broadcast exciting for the crowds at home.
“Every year there’s a newer, sexier light to try. Not all the shops carry it and we want to keep the look of the show on camera fairly contemporary, so in the last few years, Christie Lites has had a lot of the latest products,” Miller notes.
This year’s Christie Lites rig included a fair amount of Elation gear including Platinum Beam and the ELAR 108 PAR (RGBW). There was also a large quantity of GLP fixtures, including Impression X4S and the X4L bars, which looked “really sexy” on camera and allowed Miller to keep the stage view open for cameras and the crowd.
Other gear included Martin by Harman’s MAC Viper AirFX Quadray, MAC Viper Profile, MAC Axiom and MAC Quantum Wash; along with ColorForce, Atomic 3000 LEDs, Clay Paky Sharpys, some HES Showbeam 2.5s, lots of conventionals and three grandMA consoles.
“Sometimes we acquire a flashy light that we can’t use because the artist is singing ballads and the songs don’t call for that effect,” he says, explaining how he looks for multi-functionality fixtures. “We have to use most of our bells and whistles for every number, so we can’t use an iconic fixture look repeatedly.”
On a branding scrim, he used Sharpys and LED strip lights to catch the camera lenses. “I can also grab all the moving lights and strobe them to sparkle at the camera, so it draws attention.”
Thinking back over those NYE events, he points to the one after 9/11 as being a moment to remember. “But every year, I find it really moving to be there on New Year’s Eve with all those people who come and brave the elements. It’s really special. Everyone should do it at least once in their lifetime.”
Adds Christie Lites’ Rep Chris McMeen, “This is a most watched event with over a billion viewers worldwide, so nothing can go wrong, even though it’s outdoors and the weather can always be a factor. Every year the Times Square organization comes up with something new; we do our best to support and make it happen for them.”
(Jim Evans)
