The projections were part of a stunning pyrotechnic and lighting extravaganza designed to capture the spirit of London as the year rolled over. The photographic images, projected from 8 p.m. to midnight on the 31st, illustrated a wide cross section of heroes and heroines from 2005, encompassing Britain's great sporting achievements like winning the 2012 Olympic Bid and the return of the Ashes, to reflecting on poignant moments including remembrance of the London bombing victims.
The event took place along the Thames, encompassing the South Bank between Jubilee and Westminster Bridges, including iconic landmarks like the London Eye and Big Ben, and was enjoyed by 200,000 people on the streets, plus television audiences of several million.
E//T//C UK has previously worked with Jack Morton on several occasions including the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, and last year's New Year's Eve event in London. They've also projected onto the 323ft high 26 storey Shell Centre several times, including for Remembrance Day 2004 and 2005.
E//T//C's Ross Ashton designed the projection format, covering the full surface of the building with eight PIGI 6Kw projectors to produce mega bright images. The projectors were sited 150m away on the edge of Jubilee Gardens, in a curtain-sider truck in a four top / four bottom arrangement, complete with 40cm lenses. Each machine produced a 50 x 50m image - and these were overlaid for optimum brightness.
Artwork for 90 slides - including a 60 second countdown preceding the midnight lighting and pyro show - was co-ordinated by Jack Morton's creative director Dan Colborne, with E//T//C undertaking all the work required for the perspective correction and fitting to the building.
The get-in took place on 28 December, and was followed by overnight sessions of programming and rehearsals before the impressive show, programmed and run by Karen Monid using a PIGI OnlyCue system. E//T//C UK's chief engineer was Andy Murrell, with the project's logistics handled by Paul Highfield, and the technicians were Michael Barry and Steve Cameron.
Ashton comments: "It was a great privilege to be working with Jack Morton on this seminal event again. Everyone combined imaginative energies, talents and enthusiasm to create a unique work for a special moment in time".
The evening culminated in a breathtaking fireworks and pyrotechnics show detonated from a series of barges and off the London Eye, designed for Jack Morton by Christophe Berthonneau. The Eye itself was lit for the occasion by Durham Marenghi, and the show was produced for Jack Morton by Jim Donald.
(Chris Henry)
