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NG1 Digital Media Server on Coldplay
Radical Lighting’s new NG1 digital media server has its debut on Coldplay’s ‘Twisted Logic’ world tour. The NG1 was specified by show director Bryan Leitch and lighting designer Nick Whitehouse who collaboratively devised the show that’s already receiving rave reviews. Along with the rest of the lighting equipment, the NG1 is being supplied by rental company Siyan.
It’s Coldplay’s second world tour with Siyan. The last became a two-year marathon stint throughout 2003 to 2004, with Radical Lighting’s RADlite media server at the core of the show.
Leitch and Whitehouse chose the NG1 this time around after their very positive experience with RADlite. “Using the latest product from Radical was a logical progression,” says Whitehouse. “We also wanted to do something really big with video.”
Video images are beamed onto an upstage screen for approximately a third of the set – an innovative combination of live IMAG footage and assorted playback sources, the vast majority of which are abstract so as not to distract from the show, and are stored on the NG1.
All sources sent from the NG1 are high definition video. Radical Lighting specially customised the system for Coldplay to allow four SDI video inputs to be run through the NG1. They are actually running 8 camera feeds into it, with Whitehouse choosing which ones to output to the centre stage screen via the Avolites Diamond 4 lighting console. The desk treats each layer of the NG1 as a fixture.
Each layer of the digital media server (DMS) will play back any camera or pre-recorded clip. Four layers of cameras and any number of playback sources can be run live – on Coldplay they are actually using all four camera layers and two playback layers (one for HD video and one for keystone correction). Each layer gives a soft mask, a video wipe and colour correction specific to that layer, and a 3D surface on which to map, plus pan, tilt, zoom and rotation on three axes.
In addition to the four main IMAG cameras mixed by video director Alan Yates, Whitehouse has two additional mini cams clamped to the side of the piano, one on the drum kit and a roaming hand-held onstage. Yates controls where all the cameras actually point - and these are operated by him on stage right and output to the two side screens.
The NG1’s hi def sources are output directly to the two projectors - Christie Roadie 25k lumen machines – and beamed onto an upstage 20m x 9.5m white fill cloth backdrop. This is cleverly weighted to become shaped like a convex screen.
The two 7m x 4m Unitek V9 LED left and right of stage are primarily filled with images mixed by Yates, who has access to all the NG1 outputs plus all the live camera feeds.
Whitehouse and Leitch originated and treated all the playback/pre-recorded footage themselves – about 30 clips in total – shooting new footage as well as utilising some standard NG1 library images. Whitehouse comments that it’s really easy to add the files to the library.
Whitehouse thinks the flexibility and imaginative scope of controlling both lights and video from one user interface is essential to creating a flowing and integrated visual environment for the band’s performance.
NG1 is the first member of Radical Lighting’s unique ‘click and fit' range, designed to ultimately offer a broad spectrum of streamlined products, each specialising in a different display control requirement. Each NG unit will operate as a stand-alone programme in addition to merging with its associates as a ‘build your own', bespoke digital media server.
NG1 can be operated on the fly via any DMX desk, saving space, time, person-power and consequently money.
14th July 2005
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