Expo 2020 Dubai may have come and gone, but its legacy lives on through Expo City and the spectacular Al Wasl Plaza. The dome’s projection content has amazed audiences since its unveiling, and now, the Expo City Entertainment and Experiences team has given students from Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA) an opportunity to experience the creative process behind it.
Organised by Expo City Technical Director Mark Ross in collaboration with SPAA Lead Sound Tutor John Parkhouse, the unique learning experience saw the Expo City team host SPAA students on two consecutive days, providing a once-in-a-lifetime chance for them to look behind the curtain of Expo City and engage with the world-class technical team behind its operation.
“Having the world’s largest 360° projection surface and an incredible immersive system that is second to none, we have a unique opportunity to inspire the next generation and give them a chance to understand what goes on behind the scenes,” Ross commented. Parkhouse added: “There’s nowhere else in the world like Al Wasl Plaza. Every single person who we’ve met here is pioneering the use of all the different technological disciplines. So, for the students to get the opportunity of seeing that first-hand and witnessing the innovation taking place here is astonishing.”
TPiMEA was given rare access to join the SPAA students on their immersive experience, which began with the introduction to the renowned ‘Awakening’ content, serving as the catalyst to transport students from the conceptual stage to witnessing the live show.
Amna Abulhoul, the Executive Creative Director, and her team of visionaries are instrumental in creating the mesmerising projection content on the Al Wasl dome. During the open day, the students had the privilege of meeting this creative team as well as hearing from Kate Randall, the Executive Producer responsible for the operational delivery of Al Wasl events, who offered insights into the logistical aspects of bringing these incredible shows to life.
A workshop was designed to provide the students with a glimpse into the inner workings of the creative process at Expo City. They were exposed to the thoughts, inspirations and techniques that shape the captivating content displayed on Al Wasl dome. The animation team showcased their digital production skills, revealing the intricate steps involved in transforming concepts into awe-inspiring visuals. Their experience encouraged the students to explore their own creativity and understand the collaborative nature of the production industry.
The students were also granted access to Expo City’s immersive audio studio, where they got to grips with Al Wasl Plaza’s L-Acoustics L-ISA system, taking the opportunity to record sounds, experiment with effects and mix them into Expo City’s Halloween content.
The journey continued into Expo City’s WYSIWYG and follow spot studios, where the students were introduced to the intricacies of lighting design. As well as exploring pre-programming and previsualisation techniques, they gained insights into how lighting designers bring performances to life and learned the importance of synchronisation and technical precision.
Next on the agenda was a tour of the basement, where the students explored Creative Technology’s projection control room, witnessing the control mechanism that brings projection shows to life. Then came what was for many the highlight of the day, as the students got the chance to stand on the stage lift and experience it ascending into the centre of Al Wasl dome, where the magic unfolds.
The penultimate session took place inside the North Control Room, where the lighting operators revealed some of the intricacies involved in uploading and adjusting WYSIWYG pre-programming and explained how the integration of multiple control systems gives life to the variety of lighting fixtures positioned throughout the dome. The students were also treated to an in-depth explanation of audio control and gained knowledge of what is required when transferring studio mixed content into the live setting.
With the sun setting, the conclusion of the journey was the culmination of all the previous sessions, as the ‘Awakening’ content brought the dome alive. This was followed by the Halloween content that the students had contributed to earlier in the day, before the students got the chance to utilise Expo City’s innovative new Notch-based system that allows real-time manipulation of content on the projection canvas.
Looking back on the experience, Ross was delighted with the level of engagement from the SPAA students. “We’ve all been encouraged by the students’ knowledge, their inquisitiveness, and their ability to absorb information,” he reflected. “They reacted to the sessions in exactly the way we hoped they would – not just seeing what was in front of them but going deeper and asking pertinent questions. That hit the nail on the head for me in terms of why we’re doing this.”
Parkhouse meanwhile was equally proud of the students and thankful to the Expo City team. “I made a big deal of the fact that there are very few people who have been given the chance to spend a day like this, and I’m pleased that the students grabbed it with both hands and made the most of it,” he commented. “Everyone here is extremely busy, so for them to take time away to give something back to the next generation is incredibly generous, and I can’t thank them enough. I hope sincerely that more people get the chance to experience what we’ve experienced over these past two days.”
Ross added: “I’m glad we had this opportunity. We will push boundaries here for as long as we can, but these students are the next generation and at some point, they will take over the industry. I hope this is the beginning of a deeper education programme that encourages and empowers them and makes them feel obliged to continue this legacy.
Photos: Expo City
