The equipment was supplied by lighting contractor PRG and the movement was an integral element of LD Al Gurdon's design for the event.
This year's show was a departure from an LED-heavy televisual aesthetic and introduced several different theatrical elements that looked spectacular, both for the TV audience and the 18,000 people watching in the arena. The automation system allowed a completely different and dynamic scene to be created for each of the 39 competing countries.
The Kinesys system was used to raise and lower a 130m wide upstage lighting wall running the entire width of the arena and bending in around the sides of stage. Directly in front of that was another wall containing 680 ChromaQ DB4 ColorBlock LED battens.
Then there were 12 scenic elements that also moved - a combination of gauzes, cloths and pearl shaped plastic balls suspended on steel wire ropes, all part of the set designed by Kirsten Weltzin, Bonsak Schieldrop, Trond Olav Erga and Audun Stjern.
The light wall trusses comprised six separate runs of trussing suspended on one tonne motors, in a 4-3-2 configuration each side of stage from offstage to onstage, (mirrored on the other side). The ColorBlock consumed another six trussing pieces, suspended on 18 half tonne motors.
The largest scenic piece, just in front of the ColorBlock wall, was a large 80m wide drop of choucroute. This was also flown on six angled trusses and 18 half tonne high speed JJ hoists.
Downstage from this, more in an onstage position, were two semi-circular trusses either side of stage, from which were hung three pieces of silk. They were flown on four JJs each. The 24 strings of pearls were suspended from 6 x 2.5m trusses, each on two JJs.
Over the B-stage were smaller replicas of the choucroute and silk elements hung on one 2.5m truss, and two smaller semi-circle trusses - also all movable.
All these elements were in constant motion throughout the shows - called by Al Gurdon. The largest move had 76 Kinesys hoists running simultaneously, which set the scene for Serbia's Milan Stankovic (who finished in 13th place). Some elements also had to be shifted out of the way for changeovers and to allow entrances and exits.
(Jim Evans)
