The Digital Signage Expert » Digital Signage at Entertainment Venues

OpenAir season peak in Switzerland – with Digital Signage

Elizabeta — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:36:20 +0000

As the time goes by, it is hard to imagine an Open Air without huge displays that are following the event.

Below are the pictures from the two latest Open Air, held during last two weekends in Switzerland.

An absolute outstanding event – the idea was to collect the top 5 heavy metal bands and make them play at one event. Metallica, Megadeth, Motörhead, Slayer & Anthrax, supported by some other carriers of heavy tunes (Alice in Chains, Airbourn, Overkill…) made this event historical not only on paper but in life as well. Not even rain and mud up to knees could have stopped 50K army of hard core fans.

All in all – 4 stages, the main one with two enormous displays, which allowed even those that stood (and froze) far away from the stage – to see the highlights of the event.

OpenAir St. Gallen

Held this weekend, on much better weather, with alternative (read: mixed) sound. With much tamer audience, the festival of light tunes (Gentleman excluded) had two pretty big displays next to the oval stage.

63rd Festival de Cannes & Christie Digital

Elizabeta — Thu, 20 May 2010 06:57:00 +0000

22 theatres digitally equipped this year: a record in the Festival’s history.

stated the Christie press release issued beginning of this week. For the 4th year in a row, Christie is responsible for digital projection of the Festival’s Official Selection, Out of Competition & Marché du Film elements.

“For the fourth year in a row, it is a huge privilege to see our digital projectors playing such a critical role in this key event in international cinema”, said Christie EMEA Vice President, Dale Miller. “A pioneer in the film industry for more than 80 years, Christie is again making available its expertise and experience to the world of cinema.”
“After 3 successful years alongside our partner XDC, we have signed a 3-year agreement with the Cannes Film Festival. This agreement covers the provision of technical and logistical aspects of 2D and 3D digital projection and is proof of the trust and respect that cinema professionals have for Christie,” says Pascal Gervais, Director of Development for Christie, France.

This agreement comes into effect at a time when France is speeding up its switch to digital. In April 2010, there were no fewer that 1000 digitally equipped theatres, representing nearly 20% of all screens in use. 75% of these 1000 theatres are thus able to show the 3D versions of films offered by distributors.

San Siro could use some modern Scoreboard

Elizabeta — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:58:36 +0000

Champions League competition continued last night after winter break, with last sixteen. We witnessed some fine football last evening and suprising results. Milan hosted Manchester United and managed to loose with 2-3. Next to the two fine goals from Rooney, interesting was the fact that famous AC Milan’s stadium, San Siro, still has two old Scoreboards.

And those two are so tiny, that one can only make qualified guess what is written over there.

Having in mind all those renovations that the stadium went through (take a look at its short history – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Siro), since 1925 when it was built – couldn’t they do it different? Having a guided tour on it, is simply not enough.

I believe that Stadio Giuseppe Meazza deserves better! My vote for changing the Scoreboards at AC Milan stadium.

PS Only for the record, Lyon played 1-0 with Real Madrid.

Berlinale follow up and Barco

Elizabeta — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:50:58 +0000

Following up on our post about Berlinale from last week – this is what Barco did over there!

Take a look at their 2:40 minutes video here, it is worth the time!

Berlinale – getting contemporary on its 60th birthday

Elizabeta — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:00:20 +0000

Today is the start of Berlinale – one of the three biggest movie festivals. In the next 10 days, the whole movie industry will be looking in the direction of Berlin, where over 400 moves, in different categories and different genres will be presented. All-in-all, 22 cinemas are taking part in this festival – by showing the movies, or organizing educational sections and forums.

For this occassion, Berlin got a completely new look. On the streets, the billboards are showing the biggest stars of the festival.

And, since it is the 60th annyversary, in order to celebrate it – the organizers will install a huge movie screen on Brandenburg Gate, as part of the art project “The Curtain”, made by american artist Christina Kim. Read the project statement.

Summarized, looking much better than Oktober fest last year, but still not enough digital signage installations, in order to call it a change in German approach to organizing big event by using contemporary equipment.

Ooops, UEFA did it again

Elizabeta — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:41:10 +0000

In 2012, Poland and Ukraine will host the European Football championship. Yesterday, the qualifying draw, in organization of UEFA, taking place in Warsaw, Poland.

Next to the moderator’s witty comments (e.g. after finalizing the group A, he said that Turkey will be playing all the games like at home), we wittnessed again amazing sense of using modern technology at UEFA events. Look at that huge info screen!

Digital Signage and Zurich clubbing scene – Moods Example

Elizabeta — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:11:48 +0000

The latest noted trend on the Zurich clubbing scene is introduction of new media into the customizable, usually limited club space.

If we take Moods, the first address for jazz events in Zurich, as one of the examples for the trend, we can notice that the new well placed displays, just between the bar and adaptable podium and stage are gaining huge attention of the audience. They are running the ads of sponsors and information about the program of the night or announcement for the future planned events.

But, two new displays in this avant-garde place is not the only novelty. Projector with the screen is being placed right on the stage, which allows the organizer to switch from e.g. displaying movies to full music stage within couple minutes (see two pictures above).

It is really good to see how the club owners respond to the latest trends, and the way their business feeling leads them to give their clubs this up-to-date look and feel with digital signage (pictures origin: Goran Potkonjak).

FIFA, Cape Town and Digital Signage – All-in-one

Elizabeta — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:42:16 +0000

Yes, we are talking about the draw for football World Cup, that will for the first time take place on the African continent. The ceremony was held yesterday, in Cape Town, and we were once again impressed by the way that FIFA uses contemporary technology at their high-profile events.

This time, on the 4.600 square meters stage, they managed to install huge screens, which showed live the draw results, run different content (artist videos, Nelson Mandela’s speech etc)

It wasn’t only the stage that was digitilized for the occasion. The hall was as well…

…just like a space in front of the Cape Town congress centre, where all the fans without VIP tickets had a chance to take a look of the draw festival live (the pictures are taken from fifa.com).

Digital Signage at Entertainment Venues – Julian Marley Example

Elizabeta — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:14:28 +0000

Yet another example of not even analog, but non-digital stage. At Friday night, here in Switzerland, just before the snow, we had a pleasure of listening to one of the Royalties – Julian Marley.

Music was great, atmosphere as well, but the stage was so disappointing. It was completely display-free zone. The only sign/scenography was the big designed drape with the name of the artist, his band, and their latest published CD.Is it the way to go in 21. century?

The space, KiFF in Aarau, where the event took place was definitely prepared for digitalizing. See some of the examples of previous events at the same place (pictures taken from kiff.ch).

Digital Signage & Art are Compatible, see Jenny Holzer

Elizabeta — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Jenny Holzer is the American conceptual artist. Ms Holzer is the first female artist with solo exhibition at Biennale di Venezia. As it is nicely written in Wikipedia:

The main focus of her work is the use of words and ideas in public space. Originally utilizing street posters, LED signs became her most visible medium…

Below are some of her art pieces made over last 30 years.