Creative Technology (CT) has rovided the LED displays and playback services at the opening ceremony for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
For the floor of the Alexander Stadium, the company created a ‘bullring’ that was made from a specialist outdoor and waterproof LED. It had a circumference of more than 260m, and incorporated ramps for vehicle access and a seamless removable section.
Another centrepiece of the production was a telescopic LED tower at one end of the stadium, incorporating 250sq m of CT’s flagship BQ4 LED, which reached 12m in height when fully extended.
In addition to these elements built specifically for the show, CT supplied the stadium’s four main LED screens, which will remain in place throughout the Games. Following a test event, these were upgraded in size and resolution, and measure 125sq m each, utilising the same BQ4 product as the tower screen.
Content was delivered to the displays through CT’s custom G1 server platform running Pixera software. The G1 hardware is configurable to run multiple software options, increasing flexibility and utilisation, making it a more flexible and cost-effective solution.
CT, which has a long tradition of delivering opening and closing ceremonies for major sporting events, was engaged by Birmingham Ceremonies (a joint venture between Gary Beestone Associates and Done + Dusted), and worked closely with Total Fabrications on the structural elements of the show, and BAFTA Award-winning creative director Tal Rosner on the content.
Ross Howard, CT’s project manager for Birmingham 2022, who is a veteran of several major ceremonies including the London Olympics in 2012, said: “The ambition and attention to detail from the creative team means we are pushing technology to the limit and constantly innovating to achieve visual perfection.”
Nick Joyce, Birmingham Ceremonies’ technical manager (systems), said: “While we were familiar with CT’s capabilities around LED and servers, the Pixera solution was new to us. As promised, it has delivered excellent functionality and flawless operation from fewer servers – and at a lower cost than alternative systems. The ROE BQ system deployed in the towers looked stunning and the fact that it perfectly matched the main stadium screens added to the overall impact.”
