Creative Technology Emirates busiest first quarter
For Creative Technology Emirates, 2009 began at a sprint promising their busiest year yet. High profile events in Abu Dhabi and Qatar began with the PGA European Tour and were swiftly followed by five equally large and notable events; the Carnegie Mellon University opening, the Qatar Science and Technology Park launch, the Ras Laffan Gas Refinery Inauguration, the Senior Convocation Ceremony and the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix. All substantial projects that ensured the crew at CT Dubai were fully engaged throughout the first quarter of the year.
PGA European Tour
Two Lighthouse R7 LED Leader board screens, one 6x5 23m2 and one 7x6 32m2 screen were provided by CT Dubai for the PGA European Tour in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
In addition, CT also provided the ground supporting structure that lent extra surface area for advertising banners, the fibre signal distribution to the screens and the fibre integration from TTV. For the Qatar tournament a 23m2 6x5 Lighthouse R7 LED leader board was also installed, together with the fibre distribution and interconnectivity as per Abu Dhabi.
Mellon University Launch
The ceremonial opening of the Carnegie Mellon University John Adkins Productions, via Qatar MICE Development Institute, commissioned CT Dubai to provide LED screens and camera systems for their event. CT installed three LED screens, of which the central and main screen was a large 10x8 80m2 Lighthouse R7 with two 14x10 28m2 side screens of Barco D7.
Furthermore, CT also provided a Grass Valley Serial Digital Kayak PPU mixer system with three Sony DXC D50 SDI camera channels, one of which was fitted with a long lens. Playback was from hard disk via Grass Valley Turbos. The event was also ISO recorded using three Sony Digital betacam format VTR’s.
Qatar Science and Technology Park Launch
For the launch and opening of the Qatar Science and Technology Park, CT was again commissioned by John Adkins Productions and QMDI to provide a full HD LED main screen. Additional LED columns of Lighthouse R16 were used to create a border either side.
The main screen was a 15x11 130m2 Lighthouse R7 with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and attached on either side by a 3x11 33m2 Lighthouse R16 column. The camera system used was CT’s state-of the-art Kahuna 2ME system. This high end HD vision switcher easily processed the multiple inputs / outputs required to cope with this type of event.
The sources provided and managed by CT included three LDK6000 HD cameras with one on a long lens. Playback was from a couple of Pronto EVS hard disk servers with all material encoded at the highest level.
To record the event CT used their latest tapeless format Sony PDW-F75 XDCam recorder, using recording media similar to Blu-ray disc.
Ras Laffan Gas Refinery Inauguration
WRG Creative commissioned CT Dubai to provide video projection with Dataton Watchout, LED screens and camera systems on their recent event for Qatargas, the Inauguration of the Ras Laffan Gas Refinery.
WRG designed and had the main screen constructed that would part in the middle during the main reveal. Each section was just over 10m wide and had a pair of Barco HD18 projectors utilising a total of four pairs of HD18 for each state; open and closed. Hanging under each screen was a 10mx2m strip of G-LEC 30 that was used for creative and visual effects.
The main screen opened to reveal a 20m2 Lighthouse R7 LED screen clad with a facia exposing a circle. Feeding the G-LEC and Barco projectors, was a 12 channel racked Watchout system that included full backup. The Watchout channels were fitted with HD/SDI capture cards to enable picture in picture both from the cameras and various presentations. Fibre was used to distribute the Dataton Watchout signal to all the display systems, thus avoiding any loss in signal integrity.
CT Dubai also provided their Kahuna 2ME system, a high end HD vision switcher used for the multiple inputs / outputs required to cope with this type of event. To complement the Kahuna, three Thomson LDK6000 HD cameras were used to cover and record the event, one of which was fitted with a long lens, and recording was on to three Sony HDW2000 Recorders. In addition, a fourth RF Camera was positioned on the roof to cover the VIPs and guests making their way from the main building to the Dome structure that housed the event.
Senior Convocation Ceremony
Students of six international universities in Qatar attended their graduation ceremony under the patronage of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation. This was the second Senior Convocation organised by the Education City in Qatar.
John Adkins Productions via QMDI commissioned CT to provide the LED screens and camera systems for this ceremony that also included a concert by the renowned Spanish singer-songwriter Enrique Iglesias.
CT Dubai installed a central LED 6x9 45m2 Lighthouse R7 screen constructed with two separate 5x6 20m2 Lighthouse side screens to form an arch and the camera system comprised CT Dubai’s Grass Valley Serial Digital Kayak PPU vision mixer with three Sony DXC D50 SDI camera channels, one of which was fitted with a long lens. Playback was via the Grass Valley Turbo hard disk player and the event was also ISO recorded using three Sony Digital Betacam VTR’s.
Bahrain F1 Grand Prix
Creative Technology has been providing screens for the Bahrain Grand Prix since Formula One brought the GP to Bahrain in 2004. In 2004 a partnership with long time German associates Screen Visions has meant that CT now work alongside our clients using a tried and tested formula, delivering an efficient and painless event despite the enormous logistical challenge of working in the desert. Eight screens, varying between 20m2 and 50m2 make for an impressive 300m2 of LED equipment supplied by CT, but in addition to the screens, CT collectively with Screen Visions, also provide ‘Fan TV’. ‘Fan TV’ broadcasts interviews, pre- recorded pieces, highlights from previous years and statistics to the race fans in between the qualifying races and the Grand Prix itself. This programme is shown in multiple languages and features both Arabic and English speaking presenters and provides racegoers with an all round experience of the event.
Creative Technology is a leading international supplier of specialist Audio Visual equipment to the live events, broadcast and entertainment industries. Formed in London over 20 years ago, in addition to Dubai, CT also has office locations in the UK, USA, Germany, China and Singapore.