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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST
CHRISTOPHE BERTHONNEAU, CEO AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, GROUPE F THE CREATIVE MASTERMIND BEHIND SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS DISPLAYS EXPLAINS HIS ARTISTIC PROCESS AND SPECULATES ON THE FUTURE OF DRONE-POWERED PYRO SHOWS.
For 30 years, Groupe F has been designing and realising open-air pyrotechnic shows and theatrical works. With an ability to bring together multidisciplinary teams of the highest artistic and technical level, the company is constantly striving to find new, creative ways of delivering “once-in-a-lifetime” moments to audiences all over the world. Here, CEO and Creative Director, Christophe Berthonneau reveals some of the methods behind the magic and looks back on some recent notable projects from the Middle East. Talk us through your creative process… Whenever I start a project, I think about the context and create something that will fit into the space and the remit we are given. Creating a show from scratch is a bit like having a fridge full of lots of things to eat and being able to open that fridge and pick anything you like. If you pick items that don’t go well together then you won’t make a nice meal, but pick the right ingredients and combine them in the right way and you’ll create something beautiful. How do you balance the business and artistic aspects of your role? I always lean towards the artistic and creative side of a project. Yes, I understand that I am in control of the technical – and this is the correct way to do it because pyro is inaccessible for most people – but even working within that strict framework, there is still the opportunity to let your imagination run wild. We have the power to create climactic moments, to thrill and to make memories that will last a lifetime. We have three pillars that govern the way we work in Groupe F: safety, artistic and production. Safety is simple and is, of course, the most important. We are creating joyous moments for the audience and there can be no accidents under any circumstances. Coming just behind safety is artistic. Life is long, and each project we undertake requires a lot of hard work. So, if at the end of the project you’re not happy with what you have done artistically then, for me, it’s a waste of time. I’m nearly 60 years old and I don’t want to waste any time; I just want to be more creative and more relevant with every new project. Third is production. Sometimes artistic intent and production don’t complement each other. What is more creative is usually harder to achieve; while a simple technical solution may
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