CPL – via Urban Audio Productions – supplied a video design and production package to Camper Calling festival which ran for three glorious days over the August 2022 Bank Holiday weekend at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, UK.
The CPL crew, led by Lee Gruszeckyj, relished the chance to return to this festival, known for its boutique chic and fantastic vibes, which this year attracted much larger audiences than in 2021.
Following the success of last year’s event, left and right IMAG screens were flown in portrait format. Each measured 4.4m wide by 6m tall and were complemented by five different width columns of screen onstage – tapering down as they went offstage, all with a 4.8m drop.
The screen elements comprised 115 ROE CB5 LED panels, driven by Brompton SS40 processors and XD boxes for distribution, running via a fibre system with loop redundancy. Two operated Sony HXC 100 HD cameras were positioned at FOH either side of the platform for cross shooting.
HD camera feeds were augmented with three hot-head remote sources, two above the stage area at the top of the front legs, with a third on a mobile tripod that could be finally positioned as appropriate around the different band blackline set ups.
The visual department has a container backstage for their operational HQ into which they built a custom control unit based around a Barco E2 switcher for screen management. While a disguise media server was used for various artist graphics and content plus public announcements.
As each band hit the first bars of their opening number, video screens all flipped to IMAG, with Gruszeckyj cutting an animated mix using a Panasonic 410 with some additional keys and aux to send different shots to the stage and side screens.
In keeping the look fresh and invigorating, the emphasis was more on IMAG and less on playback footage, keeping the artists fully centre stage and connecting with their audience as that atmosphere is right at the essence of Camper Calling.
CPL supplied six half tonne ProLyft hoists to fly the side screens, with the onstage screen attached to a dedicated truss with catenary wires and clips. DMX control of the LED screen was provided to the lighting department, so they could adjust the brightness.
A full set of Riedel Bolero wireless communications was supplied for Gruszeckyj and Shaun Foster, Jo Khimasia (Live Event Technician Apprentice), James Wagstaff, Phil Manson, Derek Gruszeckyj and Daryl Kibblewhite.
“There were absolutely no issues with finding a crew for this one, everyone was up for it. It’s intense work once everything is running, but it is great fun and a fabulous event in all aspects!” Gruszeckyj commented. “Camper Calling’s commitment to production values is really impressive. Tthe idea is to change up each year and improve the guest experience in some way which involves increasing the production and experimenting with different ideas.”