Impact Production Services (IPS) recently supplied, installed and operated a lighting package for the European premiere of the Justin Bieber film “Never Say Never” at the O2 Arena in London.
IPS supplied equipment for the main entrance area to the O2, in which Bieber appeared on a balcony, as well as lighting for the façade of the Cineworld Cinema, where the film showing took place. Martin MAC 101s were positioned by the cinema entrance, with rapid movements and colour changes used to form waves of light on a drape cloth to emphasise the glitzy feel of the event. The MAC 101s were also used to create a searchlight effect onto the drape as 1800 guests walked into the cinema.
Lighting towers in the entrance area lit the edge of a purple carpet that Bieber walked along to the cinema. Two 40sqm LED screens rigged on 8 x 8m goal posts were edged with a mixture of automated lights and Martin Atomic strobes. IPS also installed over 60 Fresnel lanterns and various other generics to light other front of house areas. Martin MAC 250 Beams were also used on the event.
The design brief, developed by Limited Edition Event Design along with the client, was to work with the ‘Bieber Purple’ and white of the poster campaign to create a concert feel to the event while maintaining broadcast quality light levels. Lighting design was by Ed Regan who also programmed and operated the lighting for the event.
“Everything had to be kept as bright as possible as there was a lot of filming and media coverage,” said Tom Warden, project manager at IPS. “We were impressed that even though the MAC 101s sat on the floor, the beams were hitting the roof of the O2, which is certainly pretty high! In fact, our client said ‘The MAC 101s were incredibly bright; not many LED fixtures can project a blue beam onto the roof of the O2 in daylight!’ The units are well made, and we haven’t had any problems at all.”
