XL Video get 'Sexie' with Eddie Izzard

XL Video UK supplied projection hardware for Eddie Izzard’s 'Sexie' DVD shoot, filmed over three nights of performances at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne.
The Sexie DVD is part of the ongoing world tour which kicked off in Australasia in July before storming the US. It tours UK arenas in December.
Izzard, who spent a memorable chunk of his schooldays at two different establishments in the south coast seaside town, wanted to return to his roots for the DVD recording.
XL supplied a 26.5 ft wide by 15 ft high projection screen – 16:9 ratio – which was fed by a flown pair of doubled Barco R18 projectors.
Projections were effectively ‘the set’. The space was dressed with camouflage netting, but apart from that, there was nothing but Eddie and an empty stage, so video and lighting were absolutely essential for creating shifting and different ambiences and moods. These permeated the show via colouring, texturing and suggestion, giving it a living, breathing feel
XL’s project manager Malcolm Mellows was approached by the show’s producer Mick Perrin of Perrin Productions, after being recommended by the DVD shoot’s lighting director Steve Nolan to supply the kit.
Perrin, lighting designer, Alex Saad, sound designer George Glossop and Izzard himself all collaborated closely to create the show
Saad evolved all the video footage using a High End Catalyst digital media server, working with Dave Jackson . There were no strong narrative or literal images, instead it was a subtle, abstract and ate times surreal videoscape of patterns and suggestions that ran throughout the show. This was punctuated by dramatic, up-tempo entrance and exit scenes.
The Catalyst was operated by Saad via his WholeHog 2 lighting console which also controlled over 60 Vari*Lites. Nolan controlled all the additional audience, ambient and room lighting from an Avolites Pearl, and sound was operated by Michael Hayes.
Lighting supplier for the DVD shoot was VLPS, sound was from Capital Sound and cameras and recording equipment was by Visions.
(GB)