
WIcreations Flies & Moves Ski Lift for Moose Bar XXL posted: 27/02/2020
WIcreations used its new WImotion system - motors, tracking and control - to automate five ski lift cable cars in spectacular style as part of a massive visual extravaganza for the 2-day Moose Bar XXL event at Antwerp's Sportpaleis venue Belgium's only and ultimate apr s ski party! The brainchild of organiser and legendary Belgium night scene inspirator Yves Smolders, Moose Bar XXL ran for two nights this year after 2019's inaugural event, and featured an epic scenic production design and a slew of music and live entertainment that transported 20,000 party-people to the mountains over the two nights!
A total of five cable cars were involved - sourced from an original ski lift in Tignes in the French Alps, known for its lift systems as well as for being the highest skiable area in Europe with the longest ski season - reconditioned and re-branded as highly visible Moose Bar props.
Four cable car gondolas were positioned in each corner of the Sportpaleis and these were flown up and down 6.5 metres into the venue ceiling throughout the evening, filled with guests, offering the opportunity for exclusive panoramic views of the event over the crowds.
The fifth cable car was in the centre of the room and - in addition to moving up and down - it tracked up to 51 metres along the roof of the space, transporting performers between the multiple stages over 48m.
The trussing for the tracking gondola was supplied by the production. The WI team, project managed by Jasper Mattijs, rigged their tracks and trolleys (one active, one passive) plus two 500kg hosts and then picked up and attached the gondola.
The construction of the cars made it extremely easy to do this safely and securely without the need for any additional flying brackets or custom items.
The other four gondolas were all rigged and flown in the same way - each suspended on two 500kg WI-hoists attached to trussing in the roof. The 24 metres-a-minute zero speed double-braked 500kg WI-Hoists are BGV-C1 certified and fully SIL 3 compliant for flying objects above people.
Two WIcreations MCA control systems were utilised.
The four corner gondolas were each controlled via a WI-Pad tablet running a pre-programmed sequence, with full e-Stop and Dead-Man's-Handle capability.
The operation of the four audience cable cars was overseen by event stewards who received induction and training ahead of the show. They were able to set the lifts in motion holding the Dead-Man's Handle and activating the relevant motion cues straight from the pre-programmed WI-Pad.
The WI-Pads were supplied with USB WImotion dongle keys preventing any other actions than those designated to make the gondolas move up and down. This Client-Server set-up is central to the WImotion concept, underlining the roles and responsibility features offered by the system. This entire setup process was supervised by two WI operators.
The tracking cable car was controlled via a WI-Desk programmed and operated by Lesly van Rompaey positioned at the side of the stage - for optimum viewing.
He worked in conjunction with three spotters to ensure everyone's safety was always paramount as people boarded and alighted this gondola in different places throughout its journeys.
WI also designed a fast and straightforward consent procedure assisting the promoter's safety management strategy and protecting members of the public wanting to engage in the cable car ride.
MCA, the control software at the heart of the WImotion system, is designed as a fully redundant solution through its smart client-server setup with the possibility of adding multiple networked operating desks, which is great for environments like this when the main operator may not have direct vision of every area related to the automation.
MCA can run on Windows, Mac and Linux computers and is integral to the WImotion system, the WI-Desk, WI-Desk-Lite and the WI-Pad.
The other production elements - lighting, video, audio and rigging - were supplied by L&L Stage Services. Special effects were from Dewico and the end client was the House of Entertainment.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
26/03/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), has been tasked with administering the Sixth Presi...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
HBO Max included for Sky and NOW customers from 26 March...
26/03/2026
Thursday 26 March 2026
Sky Sets Iconic Costumes Dancing Together Like Never Before' in Brand CampaignTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy o...
26/03/2026
Wuppertal March 26, 2026
CS live Builds Future-Ready OB Van With Riedel MediorNet and hi Control SystemRiedel Communications today announced that Czech-based ...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Enhancements to Harmonic's Sports Streaming Solution Introduce Server-Side Multiview, Contextual Metadata-Driven Advertising, Dynamic In-Stream Ads and Robu...
26/03/2026
Open the report
Our 2025 report brings together results from 79 business magazine titles across 22 market sectors, published by 49 media owners. Over the year,...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
RT Commercial today announced Fiat as sponsor of The Louise Duffy Show on RT Radio 1, Weekdays 3pm 4pm.
The Louise Duffy Show is the home of daytime music...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
26/03/2026
Wayne, N.J., March 26, 2026 Phantom High-Speed announces the latest product li...
25/03/2026
Live match directors Sarah Cheadle (Sky Sports), Rob Levi (TNT Sports), and Andrew Swift (BBC Sport) sit down with the Premier League's Rachel Nightingale t...
25/03/2026
The senior from Upstate New York is manning the mic while also interning for the athletic department's sports-information team
In the live-sports-video ind...
25/03/2026
Synamedia has announced ContentArmor Edge Watermarking, a server-side solution t...
25/03/2026
SES has announced meoSphere, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite network targeted for operation by 2030. The first phase will pair SES-developed software-defin...
25/03/2026
TVU Networks is working with Reuters on a phased migration from satellite to a c...
25/03/2026
Nielsen has announced three senior appointments. Seth Ladetsky has been named Head of Global Sports. Trevor Fellows will lead Nielsen's advertiser and agenc...
25/03/2026
Anoki and Amagi have launched In-Scene Ads powered by Anoki ContextIQ across Amagi's portfolio of in-content ad formats for Free Ad-supported Streaming TV (...
25/03/2026
Arkona Technologies will announce a series of enhancements to its BLADE//runner platform at NAB 2026 (Booth C.1808). The updates focus on usability and workflow...
25/03/2026
Daktronics has installed two tower displays and a video wall in the Lexus Club at Petco Park in San Diego ahead of the 2026 season.
Continuing to improve the ...
25/03/2026
MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is celebrating its 50th anniversary as NAB Show 2026 approaches. The company was founded in 1976 by Vincent Jachetta, an N...
25/03/2026
IPC, a provider of integrated communication solutions, will make its NAB 2026 de...
25/03/2026
Live production categories were led by NBC, FOX, and ESPN's NFL coverage...
25/03/2026
The Atlanta Braves and Spectrum have announced a multiyear distribution agreemen...
25/03/2026
(L-R) Charlie Tyrell and Daniel Roher attend The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre ...
25/03/2026
Directed By, Spotify's documentary-style series that pulls back the curtain ...
25/03/2026
BTS is so back., This week, the global pop superstars took the stage at New York City's Pier 17 for their first U.S. performance in four years.
Part of Spo...
25/03/2026
How you listen can shape what you hear. That's the idea behind the new Spotify Listening Lounge, an acoustic space at our London headquarters purpose-built ...