Interesting - the Lisbon 2018 ESC staging is not using projection or LED screens. A decision has been made to use more physical staging and have a change of direction. Personally I think this is a good decision. In recent years the show has become a bit 'X factor' in coverage - where you are effectively covering a stage, not the performer at times.
I loved Oslo in 2010 precisely because it concentrated coverage on the artist, and creative and dynamic camera work, and didn't have to concentrate on the video screens.
:-(
A former member
Would Måns Zelmerlöw have won without the amazing animation behind him on stage. I do wonder.
Possibly not, though it is a pretty good song in its own right. That performance and staging were very well integrated, although the camera angles in the ESC itself weren’t
quite
as good as in melodifestivalen. I suppose there’ll be nothing to stop delegations wanting video screens but maybe they’ll have to provide them themselves?
Ironically, the set up for Måns would have worked perfectly for this set up as the projection was brought by the Swedish deligation and didn't use the background LED screen in Vienna. The only use of the stage's LED was a pulse effect on the floor and rings of lights in the far background. Everything else was generated by a projector and a screen just used for that performance. It will just mean that they'll be the countries that can afford to bring LED/projection walls with them for their performance and those who usually rely on the host's LED screen who will just have to do without.
As mentioned before, I agree that it is time for a year without the large LED wall. It's led to some lazy staging for quite a few songs where they hope a backdrop will do all the work for them - hopefully it will make everyone be a bit more creative with their staging. As 2011 in Dusseldorf proved, you can have a huge LED wall but it doesn't always come across that well on camera. Many songs lacked perspective or definition because the camera didn't have much to focus on and many of the acts looked a bit 'lost'. Also, despite hours of rehearsals of shots, many still suffered from dreadful moire/motion effects because it was almost impossible to prevent. To give DR credit in 2014, I thought their combination of LED, projection and lighting was rather creative and did give a break from the usual effect that would then be seen on screen.
The only thing that is hard to tell so far from that render is whether there isn't an LED wall or that particular set up demonstrates lights installed behind an LED wall that shine through when it is off/black. I'm hoping that it isn't and it's just lighting back there. We know that Portugal are keen to make this a very economical Eurovision. Although prices have plummeted, LED still isn't that cheap so hopefully they're not using it to save on the stage cost. As already mentioned, Oslo in 2010 showed that the use of clever LED lighting and stage artistry can give a beautiful effect on screen without the need for a huge LED curtain.
My favourite Eurovision stages personally were:
2007
2010
2014
2016
The 2010 staging was good, simple but clever. Just don't ask us how that certain contest went. A couple of songs I'll always remember - France, Germany, UK, for some reason Serbia. The staging just added to it. 2011, on the other hand, was terrible - the 'Heartbeat' effect added pretty much nothing and the giant LED wall just didn't work very well. 2013 was the worst; trying to replicate the X Factor, I think. 2014 was the massive sideways wall I always found neat. That also was quite clever. As for this year, hope it works, but Portugal has never hosted before so who knows. It ties in with the winning song slightly - both are simple, making a stand and haven't been seen for a while.
When the first wave of tickets for 2018 went on sale, there were Golden Circle standing tickets as well as General standing so, I'm guessing a part of the stage may incorporate a standing area within the main design (as opposed to everyone cramming against a barrier to the front of the stage)
2016 will always have a special place for me as it was my first Eurovison in person. Still think the catwalk start to the show was the best opening ever. Also facinating to see what happens between acts when the postcards were playing: the whole LED floor was lit up with markers showing stand here, place piano here, drums here, walk on here, walk off here, place pyro curtain here etc. They should have an alternate feed that you can watch a behind the scenes simulcast when the final's played out
Possibly not, though it is a pretty good song in its own right. That performance and staging were very well integrated, although the camera angles in the ESC itself weren’t
quite
as good as in melodifestivalen. I suppose there’ll be nothing to stop delegations wanting video screens but maybe they’ll have to provide them themselves?
Yep - something like Russia's 2016 performance - which was a standalone prop with projection onto a rubber screen would potentially be possible (if projection can be arranged). Similarly the UK's 2017 performance, which had integrated LED screens with the mirrors should still be feasible.
As 2011 in Dusseldorf proved, you can have a huge LED wall but it doesn't always come across that well on camera. Many songs lacked perspective or definition because the camera didn't have much to focus on and many of the acts looked a bit 'lost'.
Düsseldorf and Vienna both suffered hugely from being shot 'long lens' too much. You need cameras closer to performers to generate a sense of intimacy and connection. Moving cameras with foreground parallax also gives you some more interesting coverage.
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Also, despite hours of rehearsals of shots, many still suffered from dreadful moire/motion effects because it was almost impossible to prevent. To give DR credit in 2014, I thought their combination of LED, projection and lighting was rather creative and did give a break from the usual effect that would then be seen on screen.
Yep - the 2013 LED-free year (all projection in Malmö) and 2014 were both very interesting watches and covered creatively.
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The only thing that is hard to tell so far from that render is whether there isn't an LED wall or that particular set up demonstrates lights installed behind an LED wall that shine through when it is off/black. I'm hoping that it isn't and it's just lighting back there. We know that Portugal are keen to make this a very economical Eurovision. Although prices have plummeted, LED still isn't that cheap so hopefully they're not using it to save on the stage cost. As already mentioned, Oslo in 2010 showed that the use of clever LED lighting and stage artistry can give a beautiful effect on screen without the need for a huge LED curtain.
Ola Melzig is on the record as saying this is an LED & Projection-screen-free year.
Oslo was great because they used different staging elements to generate lots of depth. LED screens can be acres of dull flatness...
They should have an alternate feed that you can watch a behind the scenes simulcast when the final's played out
They did that for a few years - with talkback - in the mid-to-late 00s.
The best one watching the proposed live protest/stunt of the Russian entry tatu back in 2003. Live direction and VM button cutting by the director, and not sticking to the shooting script.
However, with a reliance of Cue Pilot these days, doing the main performance director and vision mixer's heavy lifting for them, watching the control gallery snoop cam feed, may be less exciting/interesting than it should be..
They should have an alternate feed that you can watch a behind the scenes simulcast when the final's played out
They did that for a few years - with talkback - in the mid-to-late 00s.
The best one watching the proposed live protest/stunt of the Russian entry tatu back in 2003. Live direction and VM button cutting by the director, and not sticking to the shooting script.
Ah - did the director take over from the vision mixer for that item then?
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However, with a reliance of Cue Pilot these days, doing the main performance director and vision mixer's heavy lifting for them, watching the control gallery snoop cam feed, may be less exciting/interesting than it should be..
Some of the Swedish directors using CuePilot still call it with the energy they would if directing live... Though they have been parodied on Swedish comedy shows.
In this example for the Swedish Eurovision selection show, the Director is calling the shots and the Vision Mixer cutting along simply as a standby for CuePilot. They do a staggeringly good job given the number of very fast cuts and DVEs in this particular camera script.