Mapping permanent stage design at Mixmag LAB London
Music, as you know, is one of HeavyM’s main focuses. Lately, the team has been closely following several events in London, enthralled by the eclectic dynamism of the scene. Last November, whether by chance or coincidence, Mixmag, THE famous British monthly magazine, electronic music leader, got in touch with HeavyM, interested by the singularity of this video mapping concept.
Mixmag, a step ahead for new experiences
Mixmag wanted to give a high-tech and up-to-date impulse to The LAB LDN. The LAB is a weekly live stream, showcasing the best electronic music artists from Mixmag’s headquarters in London. Every Friday evening, the LAB invites a DJ to mix for one hour, and everybody can watch the exclusive live DJ sets on Facebook.
Last year alone, Lab LDN hosted 40 artists and you can listen to their exclusive DJ sets here.
For the stage design, Mixmag started with a traditional wall light projection. The team wanted to go further in the stage lighting, to make the space more lively, and awe-inspiring. Asserting it as the place to be, where the best of electro, house and techno music is played.
To accompany the musical gold playing, Mixmag wanted to play with lights too! To offer the public, here and abroad, a more interactive and immersive experience
HeavyM : the answer for an innovative stage design ...
Vassilis Skandalis, Senior Designer at Mixmag, shared his idea with Etienne Mathé, HeavyM executive director and Mike Martin, Büro23 founder and the Olga kit designer. He wanted to create an exclusive permanent stage design for The LAB LDN, thanks to the Olga kit and video mapping with HeavyM. Etienne and Mike made several inspired proposals and their 3D modeling plans were quickly validated.
3D models experimentations for the structure part
At the end of November, Etienne and Mike were on the spot to conceive the stage design in 2 days. It’s kind of a performance too! The two video mapping experts are well organized, let’s see their method:
- Olga set kit installation = modules assembly and wall sculpture composition. Olga is placed on each side of the mixing table, like visual notes coming out of the sound.
Mike is installing the Olga kits
- Video mapping configuration = video projector positioning, projection area marking-out, HeavyM visual effects programming.
Etienne is setting up the mapping and the visuals effects with HeavyM
- Checks = A time for testing and experimentation, the key to ensure a perfect working and to anticipate any bugs.
- Training = Etienne and Mike review every useful piece of information with the managers of The LAB, in so far as they will be in charge of the video mapping projection. As it is a long-lasting stage design, they must master the visual effects programming, to be able to offer a new atmosphere for each DJ set. The Mixmag team was pleasantly surprised by the software’s ease of use and the straightforward programming of visual effects.Seduced by HeavyM ergonomics, they quickly got along with this turnkey tool, ready to use.It’s no problem for them to be autonomous, creative and effective!
2 days later, all these steps are done brilliantly. On December 1, 2017, the first filmed live takes place. Several comments highlight the originality of the visual animation: it is a REAL success!
... with the ultimate stage design tool, the Olga kit!
Ever wondered why the Olga kit is the ultimate tool for stage design? Because it was made from the passion and experience of a seasoned stage designer.
In fact, its creator, Mike from Büro23 is very sensitive to a certain multi-faceted geometric aesthetic. He defines the reuse and hijacking of industry materials as research and development axis and his early scenographies were in alveolar polypropylene.
For his designs, he used to cut through material instinctively without a plan or a sketch. But at the end of each event, his work was destroyed because it was intended for a specific dedicated space.
That’s when he searched for a way to use the shapes he had created after each show. Working closely with HeavyM, he did a lot of sourcing and prototyping through various companies specialized in extrusion, cutting and bending tools to achieve an aesthetic and functional product. And after several weeks of exploration, Olga was born. A modular, reusable and light kit solution that takes up a minimum of space once folded.
For yet another amazing performance
As an authentic conceiver of stage design, Mike from Büro23 is always willing to put the Olga kit to the test. And for that, he loves collaborating with visual artist Daff to deliver strong, direct and raw experiences.
While the former gets his inspiration from the constructivism movement, geometric abstraction and Bauhaus, the latter is more into patterns, minimalist shapes and works of Joanie Lemercier.
So when the occasion rose up once again to team up with longtime partners Daff & HeavyM for a livestream event, guess what he used ?!
For this event, French DJ Flabaire delivered a beautiful house-toned performance in HeavyM offices. Which was perfect for the visual duo as they consider music omnipresent and an endless source of inspiration intimately linked to their graphic production.
They found solace in the show being broadcasted all over the world and felt the public giving life to their work!.
Impressive stage design: a game changer for MixMag and live-music in general
MixMag understood the importance of a stunning stage design to deliver unforgettable experiences. But it is none other than the evolution of live music that they made their own!
In fact, delivering a live music performance in front of an audience is as old as music itself. But as time passed, music grew more complex and became extremely popular, and so did concerts. On the one hand, music styles such as classical or jazz are often performed on plain scenes. On the other hand, highly popular music such as pop, rock, hip-hop or electronic music constantly redefine stage design standards.
Actually, these latter music genres have gained a level of popularity unprecedented in history.
This brand new collaboration once again marks HeavyM providing a unique visual experience for musical events. Thanks to the Olga set kit modularity, the software’s ease of use, and the variety of the effects, HeavyM offers a visual show where light is linked to music and emotions. Video mapping with HeavyM is THE solution for all music spaces wishing to gather their network and community in an unparalleled atmosphere offering a dazzling reflection of their identity and their dynamism.
In fact, HeavyM is a plug & play solution that works with any kind of projector. Stage designers can create their vision in the software and project their reality thanks to a wide range of tools: Integrated visual library, multiple inputs, multi-projection, edge-blending, music reactivity, MIDI, NDI.. It is the way to immerse a crowd and make them live an unforgettable experience!
To be continued
Learn more about STAK
For those who have bigger, more ambitious stage design projects, we have created STAK! A resistant, light and large structure kit for grand venues. Discover more about it here!
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