Signalling the start of the new NFL season, The Killers staged a one-off performance of Mr Brightside on the rooftop of Caesar’s Palace for the Las Vegas Raiders who have just completely their move into the newly completed Allegiant Stadium.
Produced for ESPN, the segment’s lighting design was created remotely by The Killers’ Lighting Designer, Steven Douglas, who included 43 Robe MegaPointes and 14 CycFX 8 moving LED battens on the rig, supplied by lighting vendor LMG.
Douglas was working from home in Ireland, unable to travel due to international restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. He received a brief about the look of the piece from director Dagen Merrill plus ESPN’s creative team, and his design was realised on site by Lighting Programmer and Operator Josh Spodick and the LMG crew.
A small stage deck was built on Caesar’s Palace rooftop measuring 48ft wide and 16ft deep and 2ft high to elevate the band enough for the blow-through camera shots to capture the aura and atmosphere of the city’s famous Strip in the background.
Douglas positioned Robe MegaPointes all around the band at the front, and off to both sides at the back, with alternating strobes and MegaPointes, created four-tiered diagonal corner features with each tier a foot above the previous, giving a cool ‘bleacher seating’ infinity effect off to the sides.
The front camera shots zoomed and tracked in past the front row of MegaPointes while the CycFX 8s were positioned in two rows, upstage right at the back with another row at the mid stage point, separating the band upstage and downstage.
That said, and normally by nature a fully hands-on LD, Douglas commented that it was “extremely interesting” firstly not actually programming and running the show himself on site, then even stranger working from afar, seeing everything on a screen and dealing with the eight-hour time difference. Patrick Kligel assumed the role of DoP, while George Clayton the master electrician and Hunter Langley the gaffer.
LMG Touring Account Executive Juliana Stern commented: “Working on this project was the perfect opportunity to prove how LMG has been able to pivot our focus. It was truly fulfilling to see the shoot come together for The Killers and The Raiders after such challenging times. I am so thankful to have been surrounded by the best equipment and the best crew who can bring events like this together.”