Technical producer Unlimited Productions combines 8 shows with minimal set-up time into 1 master production

It has been talked about so much and applied so little: cost sharing, sustainability and pure time savings by using the event setting in a location several times for various events. Technical Producer Unlimited Productions put it into practice in the Ziggo Dome. Six complete consecutive event shows in the Ziggo Dome retained the basic setting, but through smart additions and adjustments, these resulted in completely different events. An interview about cost sharing, sustainable production and exceptionally beautiful events.

Being involved in six large productions in the Ziggo Dome is quite a challenge as a technical producer. Unlimited Productions brought it to a successful conclusion with various organizers. This was the challenge:

• Muziekfeest van het Jaar (2 shows)
• Vandaag Inside Live
• Horecafeest van het Jaar 
• Symphonica in Rosso – Dolly Dots
• Maan
• Antoon (2 shows)

EventBranche.nl spoke with Bart Roelen – Managing Director Unlimited Productions:

In the event industry, Ziggo Dome falls under the name ‘black box’, which means for the organizer and certainly also the technical producer ‘a wonderful playground’ to create something beautiful from scratch: How do you arrive at the perfect setting for these mainly show-based events and who takes which role?

“The design was made by Niels Peeters from Mojo, who made the design for Symphonica in Rosso. What we did as a technical producer was to adjust the design so that it worked for all parties involved. We made adjustments in the stage, width, depth, height and the orchestra pits. In short, everything you see has all been discussed with multiple parties so that we could produce a set that all parties could use, with minimal or minor adjustments, so there was a different look and feel for all shows. For the perfect setting, Niels Peeters made a very nice design on behalf of Mojo, which was well in line with the previous Symphonica In Rosso concerts and fitted perfectly with the Dolly Dots performances. We have translated the design into the actual picture, which was going to work for all events. For each event we needed to know all the ins and outs; band, orchestra, dance, ballet, how many artists, if they would like to use a catwalk, whether or not to enter the hall with a moving stage, several sub stages. In short, we have requested all wishes and requirements and, together with Niels, we have translated them into the actual picture.”

With various productions in the same location, there is a lot to be gained when it comes to sustainability, cost sharing, etc. And what does that look like in practice?

“There is certainly a lot to gain, you build the set once and in the design you take into account that it can be used for all kinds of shows and that the other shows just look completely different. The stage, the sound, all the technology was built once. Barriers have actually been adjusted for every show. Some trusses have been hung, some other lamps have been placed on the stage, the floor covering has been replaced here and there and we have also taken into account a piece of sustainability, we put different types of carpets on top of each other, so that we didn’t have to throw away a carpet. So we have indeed been working on the part of sustainability and cost-sharing. “

Many event professionals and clients ask for a fully customized event, parts of the set have been reused here, how does it become a customized event?

“By working with various creative light, direction & content parties. In particular Maan, Antoon, Muziekfeest, Symphonica, all of which have been performed by other parties, so it was programmed in a different way and it was done with a different approach to the show. So with that, although the basics are pretty much the same, the shows still looked different. Just small items were built up like a different colored carpet, orchestra trays that are higher or lower, trusses that have gone in and out, different positions, a C stage installed, the use of a rolling stage for, for example for Muziekfeest van het Jaar we used a stage with artists that moved up and down the hall, Maan that came out of the roof on a moon, which was not used for other shows and artists, video screens in other positions. In short, there has always been a small conversion every night for the relevant show.”

“For Vandaag Inside, all seats have entered the Ziggo Dome again. Due to a seated event, all barriers had to leave the Ziggo Dome. It should be clear that Vandaag Inside is a completely different event than a concert and we have already taken that into account early on with for instance the audio design, which was placed in other positions”.

Are there any elements in these 6 events that you say are innovative, smart, creative or different than usual?

“To be honest, no, it was a lot of technology. But we looked smart and creative at how we could create a setting that would work for all show, especially with the audio design and Jeroen ten Brinke. That is of course a setting that may not score 100% for some events, but it does score 99%, but overall this setting is more than perfectly workable for everyone and maybe better than a normal average. We’ve made clever use of speakers attached to moving hoists so that we could position the speakers a little higher, lower or in a different way for each setting, the same goes for the light, and also in terms of video which was hung on a very large motion rail, so that we could use different settings for each show. This made it possible that every show was unique with its own setting. We took very good account of the design so that this set could look different for every show.”

“It was a tough event because you’re dealing with 6 different clients and there’s a lot of politics involved. Everyone wants more and different things, or they want you to use things in a different way. We as Unlimited Productions have managed that very well. That has also been my aim personally, to make everyone happy, to keep everyone happy and to give everyone the maximum output. We do this by thinking along with everyone, thinking creatively and positively. Everything is possible, but within the actual picture of course because it must also be financially possible. We look back on a very nice production, with 6 great customers where we have only seen happy faces.”

You can read the full article (in Dutch) here.