Tag Archive: Dominic Yates

1. White Light on Right Track for IAAF Congress and Dinner

   6 September 2017 08:59 Comments Off on White Light on Right Track for IAAF Congress and Dinner

   The IAAF World Championships London 2017 were the biggest sporting event in the world this year and the biggest event to be held at the London Stadium since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With this being the first time the Championships have ever been held in the UK, the event witnessed the retirement of legendary sprinter Usain Bolt and the major championship track farewell of British great Sir Mo Farah. The Championships achieved an official Guinness World Record for the number of tickets sold with over 705,000 recorded while over 150,000 spectators lined a landmark filled marathon course in the city. With the IAAF World Championships taking place in London, this meant that both the IAAF Congress and Gala Dinner were also held in the Capital. White Light was called upon to provide technical solutions on each event.

   This year’s IAAF World Championships London 2017 were held from 4^th – 13^th August and saw 2,200 athletes from 203 nations compete. The official opening of the IAAF Congress, which featured a Gala Dinner, took place at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday 1^st August and welcomed more than 200 of the IAAF’s 214 Member Federations. WL’s Senior Accounts Manager Dominic Yates comments: “The official opening was presented by IAAF President Lord Sebastian Coe and had some extremely high-profile guests in attendance. It took place in Turbine Hall of Tate Modern; a space we are now extremely familiar with due to our approved supplier status”.

   For the opening Gala Dinner, WL was called upon to provide the full production support. With a team of 25 technicians, led by Project Manager Martin Strods, the company supplied the lighting, audio, rigging and scenery. Dominic states: “We drew on our extensive inventory to help create an unforgettable start to this year’s IAAF Congress. For the lighting, we drew on the Martin MAC Viper Performances and MAC Auras, CORE Lighting ColourPoints all controlled via a Grand MA2. We also supplied the audio system which consisted of the EM Acoustics HALO C Line Array, the EM 81s, 121s and 218s speakers along with Shure Radio microphones. For the content that was being relayed as part of the speeches, we drew on our Christie 4K30 Boxer Projectors as well as providing 2 x 95” Panasonic Plasma screens to ensure all of the delegates felt part of the evening”.

   Regarding timescale, WL installed the lighting and audio system the previous evening, whilst they had 45 minutes before the actual event to fly the projection screens and set up all elements on the floor of the Turbine Hall. Dominic states: “The Turbine Hall is in constant use, as it was during the day of the event, so we had to plan intricately to ensure we could turn up at 6pm and have everything ready for that evening”.

   Following the opening Gala Dinner, the IAAF then held their 2017 Congress at ExCeL on 2^nd – 3^rd August. During the two days, they welcomed more than 800 international delegates from more than 200 member federations. Lord Sebastian Coe once again opened proceedings. Dominic states: “It was a busy few days with both projects running concurrently. The Congress was essentially a two-day conference in which the IAAF could review their previous year and look at putting forward proposals to their future constitutions”.

   Such was the scale of the event that WL worked in three of the ExCeL spaces – the main auditorium, the Capital Hall and the Capital Suites. A team of 20 were led by crew chiefs Hadyn Williams and Tony Simpson, with Mark Cuniffe and Quentin Jarman providing the lighting design.

   Dominic comments: “In order to realise Mark and Quentin’s design, we drew on 110 x SGM P5 Floods, 70 x ETC ColourForce 12s, 55 x ETC ColourForce 72s, 22 x Martin Mac III Performances and 16 x Martin Mac Viper Performances. This was all controlled via a Grand MA 2 Control System. This was all flown from nearly 100 motors and 420m of Prolyte H30V Truss”.

   Both the Gala Dinner and Congress were huge successes; prefacing what would be an extremely successful IAAF World Championship London 2017. Dominic states: “It was fantastic to be involved with two major IAAF events that both received global recognition. It was a busy three days but our resources and equipment ensured we delivered everything on time and to our client’s exact specifications”.

2. White Light is the Perfect Fit for adidas Events

   5 July 2017 10:33 Comments Off on White Light is the Perfect Fit for adidas Events

   The Marketing Store is a customer engagement agency who brings people and brands closely together. One of these brands is adidas and, over the past few months, the company has produced a range of exclusive events for the sportswear giant. Whether it’s immersive broadcasts of the UEFA Champions League final or football tournaments held in bespoke locations, The Marketing Store offers the most creative solutions possible to make such events achieve their potential. For all of their adidas events this year, the company has approached White Light to provide the complete technical support.

   The Marketing Store works globally with some of the largest and most innovative brands in the world, with clients including Red Bull, Carlsberg and McDonalds. James Lamb, Senior Event Producer at The Marketing Store, comments: “We work very closely with all our clients to create something that achieves their vision and leaves a lasting impression. With adidas, the company is constantly hosting different events on a regular basis and each one requires a different approach. To help us ensure that we achieve our aims, we have been calling upon WL as we knew they could deliver what we required technically”.

   These events include the Tango League Qualifiers at Shoreditch Power League. The Tango League is a street football league recruited through social media. It tapped into urban football communities and captains were placed at the centre of the story that unravelled across social media channels. WL supplied the technical support on the Tango League Qualifiers at Shoreditch Powerleague along with the semi-finals and final at Broadwater Farm.

   

   Dominic Yates, WL’s Senior Accounts Manager, comments: “With the Tango League games, it was about working closely with The Marketing Store to help create an unforgettable atmosphere and transform it from just being any ordinary match. This included lighting the pitches, illuminating the architecture of the venues, as well as providing full audio coverage of the pitches and spectator areas. We wanted those watching both in person and online to feel the adrenaline of the game themselves”.

   Alongside the Tango League, which reached more than 6.1 million users on social media, WL also supplied the technical solutions to the UEFA Champions League Hype Event at Shoreditch Power League. The company was also asked to provide the technical solutions for a screening of the UEFA Champions League final at the Motel Studios in Shoreditch.

   

   Dominic adds: “Motel Studios are essentially a historic railway arch and The Marketing Store were very keen to transform this into something atmospheric for one of the biggest events in the footballing calendar. Using our state-of-the-art projectors, we were able to work with the building’s architecture and broadcast a live feed of the final. We also provided a surround sound system to make it feel as though all of those in attendance were actually at the game itself. At the same time, we were working on a similar broadcast event over in Cardiff, also for The Marketing Store”.

   WL’s work with The Marketing Store is a further indication of how the company is able to provide the complete technical solutions on any project; regardless of scale or location.

   James states: “Our main aim, on any project, is to ensure our client’s vision is fulfilled and that we achieve this in as creative a way as possible. Thanks to WL’s innovative and adaptable technology, we have been able to do this continuously for adidas”.

   Photos courtesy of Dominic Yates.

    

3. It’s About Time for White Light at OMEGA Event

   8 May 2017 13:03 Comments Off on It’s About Time for White Light at OMEGA Event

   

   Taking place at London’s Tate Modern, OMEGA recently celebrated the 60^th anniversary of its iconic Speedmaster watch with a star-filled event. The Tate’s Turbine Hall was transformed to give guests a truly sensory experience, with a centrepiece of 60 important Speedmaster models ranging from 1957 to 2017. The evening was designed and produced by Bureau Betak and Picnic Productions and they approached White Light to provide the lighting services.

   The event was hosted by Professor Brian Cox, and George Clooney and Buzz Aldrin were guests of honour at the “Lost in Space” evening; a theme which paid tribute to the Speedmaster’s legacy in space exploration.

   

   For WL, the event was overseen by Senior Account Manager Dominic Yates and Project Manager Martin Strods. Dominic comments: “We have worked at the Tate on numerous occasions, due to our status as an approved production supplier. Our task for the evening, as directed by Bureau Betak, was to essentially transform it into a completely different venue. Following the lighting design from Philippe Cerceau at Clair Obscur, we had to turn the space it into something that was ‘out-of-this-world’; fitting with the evening’s theme”.

   Alongside Dominic and Martin, WL had a crew of eight technicians onsite to provide the technical support. Dominic adds: “The evening took place in the Turbine Hall which is a vast space. We spent two days setting up the equipment, ensuring that every area became part of the futuristic feel that needed to pervade throughout”.

   To achieve this, WL drew on its extensive inventory. This included 64 x Clay Paky Sharpy Spots, 20 x Clay Paky Mythos, 30 x Martin Mac Aura XBs, 10 x Martin MAC Viper Performances, 12 x Martin MAC Viper Washes, 48 x Ayrton Arcaline, 24 x Robert Juliet Dimmable Fluorescents and 6 x Arri 2K Fresnels. This was all controlled by a Grand MA 2 Fullsize and Lite Control System.

   Guests on the evening included Pixie Lott, Ellie Golding, David Haye, Gemma Arterton and Liv Tyler. Following a series of talks and presentations, the event concluded with a rendition of David Bowie’s classic Space Oddity by ESKA. Once the event had finished, WL had to degrig overnight to ensure that the space was ready to be used the very next morning.

   Photos courtesy of OMEGA Facebook.

    

4. White Light Returns to London Fashion Week 2017

   23 February 2017 09:30 Comments Off on White Light Returns to London Fashion Week 2017

   Largely considered as one of the most important events in the fashion industry, London Fashion Week returned to the capital last week in what was its 65^th edition. Taking place in a range of venues across the city, the event saw 170 designers showcase their latest collections and set the trends for the upcoming season. Following its work on previous Fashion Weeks, WL was once again called upon to provide the complete technical solutions on a variety of shows.

   London Fashion Week 2017 took place from 17^th – 21^st February. The showcases that WL worked on were overseen by Senior Account Manager Dominic Yates and Project Manager Martin Strods. Dominic adds: “Having worked on over ten London Fashion Weeks now, we are fully aware of the incredibly high expectations. With such large global coverage, including the millions watching via online streaming, we wanted to provide the various events with the best technical support possible”.

   WL collaborated with a variety of companies who were producing showcases across the four days. These included My Beautiful City who produced launches for Emilia Wickstead at Central St Martins and Julien Macdonald at Goldsmiths’ Hall. Dominic comments: “Both showcases had very different feels as both designers offer very unique styles. Therefore it was a case of working closely with the lighting designer Robert Jones to ensure that we provided the equipment to help fulfil his brief”.

   

   WL also worked closely with INCA Productions who oversaw Daks at the Langham Hotel, Ports 1961 at Victoria House and Temperley London at the Old Banking Hall.  Dominic adds: “What’s exciting about London Fashion Week is the fact that you are able to work in so many amazing locations. As a result, this means you have to create set-ups that are bespoke to each venue, whether it’s the extravagant surroundings of the Langham or  somewhere as historic as the Goldsmiths’ Hall”.

   WL also supplied the technical solutions for the National Heart Foundation Fund Fair that was held at the Roundhouse and was also produced by INCA productions. Similarly, the company supported the Simone Rocha Showcase at Lancaster House, where the Fashion Awards winner presented her new collection.

   The London Fashion Week has now finished after entertaining over 5,000 guests from over 49 countries who attended 51 catwalk shows.

   Dominic adds: “We had another extremely successful year at London Fashion Week, supplying a plethora of shows; all of which were very well received. As a company, we have established ourselves as an organisation who can draw on both its experience and resources to supply any fashion show with the exact technical solutions it requires”.

   Photos courtesy of Alan Fortheringhame, Dominic Yates and INCA Productions.