PRODUCTION PROFILE: The Brits
THE BRITS THE BRIT AWARDS 2014 IN ASSOCIATION WITH MASTERCARD WERE HELD FOR THE 4TH YEAR RUNNING AT LONDON’S 02 ARENA, DEMONSTRATING THE CREATIVE FORCE OF BOTH THE BRITISH RECORD AND PRODUCTION INDUSTRIES. SIMON DUFF REPORTS FROM BACKSTAGE. Presented by James Cordon, the awards featured live performances from eight of the world’s leading acts culminating in a grand finale from Pharrel Williams and Nile Rodgers. With television feeds going out live the show demanded world class production and precision change-overs. Britannia Row provided audio requirements including an L-Acoustics PA system, lighting came from PRG Europe and included High End Systems Hog 4 consoles. XL Video supplied LED, screens and projection with ER Productions on laser duties. The award trophy for The Brits 2014 was designed by milliner Philip Treacy, famed for his fashion designs for the likes of Kate Middleton, Alexander McQueen and Chanel. A sleek, shiny, modern and triumphant design; it set the tone for this year’s main event. From set design to sound, lighting, video and special effects; the event reflected all of those values. Production 64
Manager, Tony Wheeler from Nine Yards Productions worked with Kate Wright and Lisa Shenton of Papilo Productions to manage the production of the event, contracted on behalf of the BPI. Other key suppliers included Outback Rigging, Steel Monkey, Blackout, Eat Your Hearts Out, Show & Event Security, Showstars, Stage Miracles, Oglehog (cameras and PPU) and Lovely Things (furniture). StageCo created a 30 metre by 60 metre stage structure and an assortment of other structures including FOH control which was designed by Peter Bingemann, and featured curved LED elements and a giant Brit statue. A crew of eight from StageCo worked day and night shifts to get all the structures built in four days. SOUND WORLD Derrick Zieba has been sound designer for every Brits since 1994 and for 2014 was reunited with Britannia Row and Sennheiser, a team that also
worked together on this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards. An affable, good-humoured natural leader and hugely talented designer, he started his professional career at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, before becoming head of sound at the newly opened National Theatre on the South Bank. He has gone on to design some of the biggest and most complex events in theatre, events and rock ‘n’ roll. “One of my main challenges at The Brits is to ensure great auditorium PA coverage for the live show, without introducing too much colouration to the live broadcast sound,” he explained talking prior to the show. “I am a big fan of L-Acoustics K1 system and in keeping with last years Brit Awards, I specified a K1 line array.” The main left and right hang comprised 16 L-Acoustics K-1 elements, along with four L-Acoustics KARA and two sub bass hangs made up of eight L-Acoustics SB28 subwoofers. For the outer hang 14 V-DOSC and three dV-DOSC