Live entertainment is no longer confined to a raised platform--performers fly, audiences are guided through immersive environments, drones bring magic to the skies. Two disciplines, automation/robotics and drones are becoming more and more common, creating opportunities for designers and challenges for safety. On February 3, Stew Hume of TPi Magazine introduced Hans Willems, founder and CEO of WICREATIONS and Tom Rees of AeroAVA to the ISE Live Events Stage for a discussion about automation and robotics in live events. Automation encompassed flying both cameras and performers, and how the stage is more accessible than ever because of technology.
Stew Hume began by asking for some of the misconceptions a show designer may have about their specialties.
Hans Willems: We always say everything is possible in the creative process, you cannot limit yourself. But you always want to start by asking what kind of show are we designing? What is the budget? Automation can be very expensive but needs to be available for everyone who has a certain budget. If we can use machinery that is on the shelf, we can have motion for everyone, not just the 40-ton circular truss and screen for Ed Sheeran which we did. That was supported by 12 chain hoists. That is a heavy object, we also flew Chris Brown at the Breezy Bowl, that was a light object. But the most important thing is safety.
For Chris Brown, everything came in really late because he was in jail in Manchester, so we built the towers before we had everything because we knew we would run out of time to prepare. What stage designers need to take into account on global tours is that certification is everything. Whatever you are doing has to be signed off on by multiple agencies in different countries and you need to know what gear you will use in each place. It is a huge hassle. But I always say, if you don’t need documentation for your stage design it is not a good design.
We call our system 360 integration: if you have a show with elevators and flying etc our system will keep everything connected. If something goes wrong and your operator sees something in front of house, you need to be able to make sure everything stops at the same time. You don’t want to leave someone hanging.
Tom Rees: Show designers often have a misconception about hi res an image can be – we’ve been sent videos of sports matches and asked if we can replicate them. We are limited by the number of drones but also at this point some complex movements are too difficult to reproduce. Six meters per second for a drone is fast, but when they have to travel 60 meters, that can be a long delay.
There are misconceptions about hi res, for example the 75 at the Edinburgh Tattoo is 60 feet tall. When we did the 75th anniversary of the Tattoo, a military event in a castle at the top of a hill, we were only allowed 100 drones and it was very windy. Safety is our primary concern, and we are regulated by the FAA and the authorities that regulate air traffic, not just health and safety.
Stew Hume: Do you think your specializations will remain special effects or become like moving heads on lighting fixtures, very common?
Hans Willems: It will become more common, but just like Vari Lite and other moving lights you will need specialist technicians. And unlike those companies, paperwork is important. You cannot put on a show with our technology without approvals and documentation.
Tom Rees: Paperwork is key – our drone pilots are approved by aviation regulations. For drones, aviation regulations will change slower than the technology is changing and they are different all over the world. So we may be able to fly larger loads or longer distances but until we can get approvals we cannot do that.
Stew Hume: How do you keep abreast of regulations?
Hans Willems: There is a new code in effect which is a good basis for a lot of countries. EN 17206 helps us get permissions in many countries.
Tom Rees: When this was set up, we bought products that we knew would pass in any country, not just for safety but sustainability.
Stew Hume: Who do you look for to join your company? Where do find people?
Hans Willems: Automation is something you cannot learn in school, so we have to educate people. Over time, they build up experience working with us. We find people who really have a feeling for automation, because there is a big difference between that and lighting, in automation there is always danger involve.
Tom Rees: The guys that are deploying our drones are pilots, whether they come from our industry or not they have to have a good working knowledge of both tech and aviation law. For drone shows we shut down the area, we monitor what aircraft is in the area, we coordinate with the local airport. At the Tattoo we were in live communication with the local police and their aviation arm that was policing the show.
It is a blended mix of skills, they have to have technical skills but also an awareness of the law and safety and the patience to meet all requirements.
Stew Hume: What’s next?
Tom Rees: We are always looking at how our business will evolve. We already have pyrotechnic drones and I think the next step is small lasers on drones. In other countries there are heavier loads – drones lifting mesh systems, moving props etc, I’m also looking at augmentation for broadcast, so flying drones with digital enhancements. There are lots of new things to come.
Hans Willems: Everything we work on is secret, but in automation I see in the future more drones in our area where we play with our automation. So it will be necessary to communicate better with everyone to synchronize movement and have some collision control.
Tom Rees: We are already looking at previz analysis of merging a pyro show and a drone show because both will be in the same space at the same time.