2006 sees the ceremonies technical production growing further in ambition, combining complex requirements from TV and bands to live audience. The TV show, produced by Remedy, is recorded live, and after the show has been recorded, the team have just an hour and a half to turn raw footage into a fully-realised TV programme, ready to air.
Nine cameras inside the Palais feed directly into three generator powered broadcast trucks, provided by Fleetwood Mobiles. A stunning homage to 60's science fiction and B-Movies, constructed by GTMS Event Solutions, will transform The Palais' main stage, themed as 'attack of the monsters of rock' and featuring Ian Brown, the recipient of this year's 'God-like Genius' Award'.
A ground bar will become the award stage from which Channel 4's Russell Brand and a host of celebrity guests will present the awards and 2 acoustic performances. The bar will also be converted into a pseudo-spaceship console, while theatrical drapes cover the entire main stage, opening and closing in dramatic fashion for the various band' performances.
Paul Crane from Cane Green will be rigging the show, while Darryl Noad from Siyan is organising lighting, with 150 lamps, 183 case strobes and a host of LED based equipment creating a distinctively glamorous ambience. A stage pixel line sits behind the presenter, while on the main stage the backdrop will comprise of star cloth and LED-based, transparent cargo net with LED's on each node creating an outer-space feel.
Projection and plasmas are managed by Simon Bickerstaff, with 2 x 10,000 Lumin Projectors projecting from the second ground bar onto screens behind the stages and ten plasmas being placed strategically around the venue for complete 360 degree view. Live video and sound will feed into a bar next door to The Palais for those who cannot get in to the event.
Sound designer Andrew Frengley from Cane Green is overseeing the sound operations, with a combination of monitors and digital sound desk stage left and the larger, main front of house digital sound desk. The Palais' impressive Funktion One system installed by Blue Box Audio in 2002 will be providing the central sound system with the support of an additional Meyer system. Stage Miracles' Mike Grove is organising data management for the event.
(Chris Henry)
