(28/10/2014) XL Video, the UK's leading live music video production specialist, is supplying LED screens, and IMAG projection system and camera / PPU for the continuing Il Divo A Musical Affair tour, now on its final leg through the UK and Europe.
The tour's video elements are being co-ordinated on the road by Stuart Merser of Vis- -Vis Video who designed the touring screen and visual concept, is directing the camera mix and also produced all the playback content together with James Cooksey from Basic Monkey and Ben Mason at Red Dog.
Merser's working relationship with XL Video dates back 13 years to the start of his professional career, and comments, They are still my first choice of touring video supplier the service is consistently good and the crew are excellent .
Production Manager Andy Proudfoot and XL also go back a long way, and XL's project manager is Paul Macca McCauley who has worked on the Il Divo account for the last three tours.
The Musical Affair show originated as a special run at the Marquee Theatre in New York, and the set peppered with the odd Il Divo favourite here and there is action-packed with classics from all the best known Broadway blockbusters.
These very theatrical references informed the creative starting point for the touring video, together with the fact that a large section of the tour in Asia was utilizing local productions, so Merser wanted to ensure that the design was likely to be attainable without compromise worldwide.
The addition of a female vocalist for some numbers Lea Salonga being the most regular also added new dynamics to the show, together with Il Divo's own input into the brief, which was that they wanted to be able to feel the atmosphere and emotion of each of the different songs through the visual elements of lighting and video.
To attain this goal, Merser worked very closely with Lighting Designer Dan Tiley on developing the show into a highly integrated experience that synergised the two disciplines. It's very evident that lighting and video cues have a fluid and harmonious relationship producing lots of beautiful big pictures emphasising the epic, memorable nature of the songs.
The upstage screen product specified by Merser and Proudfoot is XL's Pixled F-11 measuring 20 tiles wide by 10 high a 2:1 aspect ratio which floats just above the set and completes the scenic essence of the stage.
With an orchestra, conductor, Il Divo and the various soloists onstage, Merser wanted to use video and moving images thoughtfully to achieve two further things a sense of theatrical intimacy however large the venue might be, and a simple and uncomplicated narrative that added to the music and lyrics.
The latest Catalyst media servers feeding the F-11 are all owned by Merser and are timecode triggered, along with the autocue, with a DVI matrix in-line to route the sources to screen.
XL's camera package comprises four Sony HXC-100 HD operated units, two fitted with long lenses and positioned at FOH, and two on track-and-dolly in the pit fitted onto Osprey air pedestals which adds another dimension of movement to the IMAG mix.
Many of the tracks are slow building and require a degree of finesse and subtlety with the mixing and some skilled work from the camera operators, who - Merser is the first to comment - are doing A fantastic job
He's using a Panasonic MX45O mixer to cut the mix and comments, It's a neat and compact system that fits well into the truck .
The IMAG is output to two 20 ft wide by 11.5 ft high side projection screens each fed by two Barco 22K machines, which he reckons are, Really punchy and great quality .
XL's crew are Roger Nelson (Crew Chief, cameras and LED), Tim Bolland (Engineer), Saria Ofogba (Projection & cameras) and Phil Johnson (Projection & cameras).
They are all talented technicians, very dedicated to the job and we make an excellent team, says Merser concluding that, It has also been great working with XL and a pleasure working with Macca again he's been on the road himself and fully understands and appreciates all the issues and challenges involved .
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
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...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
05/05/2026
SVG is proud to announce Warner Bros. Discovery's Techwood Studios in Atlant...
05/05/2026
With no operator required, AutoMic workflow automates talent identification on U...
05/05/2026
A crash in 2015 set the industry back, but this winter proved that drones are he...
05/05/2026
Another year, and more proof that Asia continues to shape some of the world's most exciting new sounds. This year's RADAR artists draw from deep local r...
05/05/2026
The Austin City Limits Music Fest 2026 lineup just dropped, and this year, Spoti...
05/05/2026
New drum machine book campaign incoming
Bjooks have announced that during Superbooth 2026, they will be launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund the product...
05/05/2026
Flagship all-in-one production bundle updated
The latest version of Native Instruments' flagship virtual instrument and plug-in bundle has just been ann...
05/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to host RF Testing Innovations Forum 2026, helping design engine...
05/05/2026
L3Harris provides communications, electronic warfare, sensors and mission systems that enable Virginia-class submarine crews to operate with confidence in conte...
05/05/2026
The company grew by 7.6% in net revenue and 16.3% in EBITDA, achieving a 33% inc...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
05/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
(28/10/2014) XL Video, the UK's leading live music video production specialist, is supplying LED screens, and IMAG projection system and camera / PPU for the continuing Il Divo A Musical Affair tour, now on its final leg through the UK and Europe.
