A Kinesys Apex automation system and Vector control console were harnessed to create kinetic effects for six, 7m diameter motion-controlled trussing circles – each rigged with 10 moving lights– above the audience of the Galaxy Stage at Untold Festival staged in the BT Arena venue at Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The Kinesys system and services were supplied by Denmark-based Motor Stage Automation to ABT Motion Rigs, with the system design and specification developed by Rigging Manager for six of the seven stages at this years’ event, Adrian Visenoiu and Motor Stage Automation’s Blake McNally.
The Galaxy Stage presented a superlative line-up of techno talent – Charlotte de Witte, Paul Kalkbrenner, Nina Kravitz, Amelie Lens, Tale of Us, Seth Troxler and more, over the course of three days.
The stage design featured a centrepiece courtesy of Mindscape Studios, with moving circles curated by Apart Productions’ Andrei Predut, lead lighting designer for all of Untold Festival’s periphery stages. Predut selected a Kinesys Apex system to meet his requirements for ‘live’ flying of objects over the audience.
Four 500kg Kinesys Apex hoists were used to fly each circle, rigged with 10 moving beam lights. Having the four motors meant the circles could be raised, lowered and tilted in all directions. The production design was minimalistic, however, truss circles filled the large roof void with colour, movement, excitement and effects.
“I really wanted to achieve some extreme movements with the circles, to the point at which the full load sometimes needed to be taken by one or two hoists,” explained Predut, adding that he also wanted the motion to be “smooth, fast and elegant – all the things that get audience reactions and that converge to create the 3D effects I had in mind.”
The movement cues started during the peak times and headline slots between midnight and 7am – starting off with relatively straightforward shapes and effects, building to a crescendo. Motor Stage Automation’s Jimmy Johnson and Simon Howdy installed, programmed and operated the Kinesys system using Vector consoles.
“The integrated safety management of the kit that Kinesys design offers peace of mind when flying above people and audiences,” Johnson remarked. “Motor Stage Automation has been set up as a specialist in this fast-developing area, and one reason why they invested in Kinesys’ Apex system focusing on safety design from the project’s conception to delivery.”
Kinesys CEO, Dave Weatherhead concluded: “It is fantastic seeing the Kinesys Apex system out doing precisely what it was designed to do. Firstly, giving safety and peace of mind to programmers and operators in what they can achieve, and secondly, providing a fantastic toolkit for designers to use to realise their creative visions. I am very excited to see the application potential for Kinesys Apex drives and hoists in the coming months and years”.