Briefingroom on LiveDesignOnline: Lighting and visuals specialist Luc Peumans of Belgium based design practice Painting With Light, has created the visual concept and designed video and lighting for the highly anticipated new theatre production of ‘Ben X’.
The ground-breaking show is based on the award-winning book and 2007 movie directed by Nic Balthazar (also author of the book) about a boy with autism who escapes into a fantasy computer game world to escape bullying. Directed by Frank van Laecke, it opened on September 13th at the Stadsschouwburg Theatre in Antwerp.
6 comments:
This show has the potential for catastrophic failure. With all of those technical elements riding on the line, Im skeptical as to whether the content of the show will be good, not just the technical elements. Although, Im sure the chance for physical harm if the technical elements fail is less than that of Spiderman, the overall failure of the show could be very much the same. I have not ever heard of Ben X so Im not one to preach about the story line, but shows this technically challenging never sit as well with me as those with a great story. However, if it is done right, shows like this have the potential to rock the world. Lets hope this one does!
I have no clue how this show is going to turn out. the media heavy visuals aside, the show is based off a movie, which was based off a book. Sorry if I'm a little to skeptical, but with that track record people are going to come in with a great number of preconceived notions about how this show should look. And from the sound of all the tech that is being put into this piece, I wonder how those notions are going to be challenged. On the subject of the media, there is a great deal of problems I can see happening. For one thing, getting all the video screens in sync with the lights, with the sound, with the actors, when all the media cue are being call on a tablet back stage. Pardon me for thinking thats a train reck waiting to happen. I truly hope that everything goes on with our a hitch. If it does, it will be a truly beautiful show. Otherwise it will be a very bright, very confusing mess.
Well, I'd have to agree that this show has the potential to crash and burn due to all the technical aspects that are being intertwined. It will take a great amount of power to keep all this equipment running and alot of man power to make sure everything runs smoothly. Technical difficulties aside, I am fascinated by the idea that one can paint with light. I never thought about all the time and skill it would take to project exact images on those small cubes and I love the idea that the back screen is multi-purpose. It is a true statement for integrating traditional use with new technology.
I agree that there is a lot that can go wrong with this show. With that much technology, there's going to be something wrong at some point. However, I think that it's very brave of the production team to "paint with light" and I think the result must be absolutely breath taking. I've always wanted to be able to do something like this and if the show can pull it off, I have a feeling we will start to see things like this everywhere. I'd love to go see this show just to see how it all works.
So i think this is the coolest concept!! I wish i were apart of this! I think first of all this a great show to try this medium on because it is so much about fantasy and imagination. What I believe is so exciting is when lights are used truly as an artistic medium in so many different ways, if that makes sense. For example in many concerts the lights on a truss are a large item in the "sets" and they command their own attention. This show seems to be taking the abilities of LED to a whole new level and incorporating it into the newer world of media.
I agree with those before me that there is potential for disaster, however, I find it awesome to think that the lighting, video, and set have been thought of as one integrated medium. You never really realize how they can be considered all one thing. I think it's a very abstract and interesting concept that has a lot going for it if it's done well.
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