volume 2 issue 12 2009 - Mobile Production Pro

PHOTO BY LEWIS LEEphotos by Michael A BeckEvery year starting in October a touringphenomenon unlike any otherexperience on the road takes place.And every year it is our pleasure togo out and cover it just to see what’snext in the mind of gonzo productiondesigner Bryan Hartley. The tourwe’re speaking of is, of course, Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The productionis exclusive in nature for many reasons.First and foremost, it has no individualstars on stage. Yes, there are searingperformances by the musicians out onthe tour. However, the real star of theshow is the production itself.The centerpiece of the production hasalways been the visual aspects of theshow. The philosophy of the productiondesign has always been to includeas much of the audience as possible in afront row experience of sorts. This hasbeen accomplished by extending productionelements out into the house both inthe form of flown pods and an elevatedplatform behind the mix position. Overthe past three years, the main rig over thestage consisted of three large pods. Lastyear’s show was expanded to use threesets of two concentric pods which eitherfunctioned independently of one anotheror could fly inside one another to functionas three dense pods.This year, Hartley departed from the poddesign over the stage opting for a massivearray of linear truss. However, as mundaneas that may seem, the finished lookwas anything but. “It’s similar to severalyears back when I had straight truss,”Hartley told us. “But I have so muchmore going on up there now that therereally is no comparison.”He’s right. This was the first year he wascleared to use video in large amounts,and he didn’t waste the opportunity.Opting for video content rather thanI-MAG, he was able to insert video imageryon the vertical surfaces of two trusslines of the flown rig as well as using itas a three-floor mounted 6 x 15 foot setpiece called firewalls. In addition to thepanels in the air and on the deck, Hartleymounted six 4 x 8 foot panels dubbed“TV screens” on Panagraphs and surroundedthem with VL-3500 Washs and3000 Spots. While the lighting systemwas indeed a configuration of straightsticks, the longest runs of truss were ableto articulate utilizing hinges that werecustom designed by longstanding TSOmobile production monthly 13