For most markets, curating, creatively developing, producing and delivering a major show in the space of eight weeks would be unthinkable. However, the UAE is not most markets and, as was recently proved by DAE Global UAE (David Atkins Enterprises), with the right team in place, anything is possible. DAE was entrusted by Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi with delivering a spectacular ceremony to celebrate the reopening of Al Ain Museum – the UAE’s first museum, originally established in 1969 by the country’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed – which recently underwent extensive redevelopment.
With time very much of the essence, DAE immediately set about assembling a crack team made up of a combination of in-house talent and creative collaborators as well as familiar freelancers, technical partners and suppliers. “We handpicked the team and all the suppliers for this project and honestly, I’m not sure we could have pulled it off without the strong relationships we’ve built over time,” explained DAE Global’s Middle East Managing Director and Executive Creative Director, Chelsey Raysbrook, who led the project alongside Executive Producer, Egor Seregin. “We had to think strategically about what could realistically be achieved within the timeframe, and took calculated risks based on our experience of delivering shows of this scale,” Seregin explained. “Every decision had to be weighed against its impact on the wider production, which meant staying incredibly focused on priorities and ensuring all teams were aligned at every stage.”
The collaborators included: Auditoria (audio design), Musicom (composition), Clair Global (audio and comms), Bruno Poet Lighting Design, Luke Halls Studio (video design), Andrea Farini (scenic design), Wonder Works (technical design), PRG (lighting and video), AVM-SFX (special effects), Skymagic (LED drones), FLOW (power), Al Laith (structures), Stage One (automation), VK Exhibitions (staging and scenic design finishes), (Evolution (props), MTM Production (broadcast direction), and Abu Dhabi Media (broadcast), among many others.
Photos: Stephen Godenzie Photography, DAE Global
