Responsible for meeting this challenge was eventlabs, a German event agency. Together with technical management company 360GRAD and award winning lighting designer Jerry Appelt, they did indeed create a spectacular event. Jerry Appelt knew the size of the venue required something outstanding, and decided that the G-LEC PhantomFrame would be perfect as the central element of the set.
To produce the reveal of the IROC (so named because the production model may revive the Scirrocco name), Jerry Appelt and 360GRAD designed a massive double oval structure. The inner wall, with a circumference of 144 metres, was constructed of 280 G-LEC Phantom II and formed the press area. Built between the two walls was a ramped driving surface. With the Phantom IIs showing custom video from a High End media server, the press inside could hear - but not see - the Volkswagen IROC racing around them. Then a dramatic and unexpected reveal, as the video wall - the 280 Phantom IIs - was hoisted quickly out of sight.
Once the roar of appreciation had died down, journalists were given a presentation by leading figures from Volkswagen, where a further 63 PhantomFrames provided the backdrop for the stage set, which was subsequently used for the many photo sessions and interviews given by Volkswagen chairman Dr Wolfgang Bernhard. These PhantomFrames also formed the video backdrop for the party later, with Swedish band Mandu Diao.
The Phantom II uses a new data transfer system based on fibre optics and upgraded software to give such fine control as to enable pixel-by-pixel rendition, so images and logos appear absolutely perfect. For the IROC launch, this was particularly important for the VW logo, where the graphic's circle would otherwise appear pixellated.
(Chris Henry)
