July 28, 2010
Cinematographer Robert Yeoman, ASC, and gaffer John Vecchio knew that the concert finale of Universal Pictures' Get Him to the Greek had to deliver visually, so they turned to Production Resource Group (PRG) and lighting/video designer Bryan Faris to create the iconic rock performance.
"Bob and I spoke about the concert sequence the very first day of production," says Vecchio. "Director Nicholas Stoller expressed to us that he wanted it to look as big and contemporary as any concert out on tour. I knew we needed to call on the services of PRG. They do this day in and day out."
Faris previsualized the concert at PRG's Los Angeles depot so that Yeoman, Vecchio, the producers, director and other designers could see the possibilities before they staged the concert at the Greek Theatre. "We brought in Bryan to design the actual concert, and he did a masterful job," notes Vecchio. "It became obvious what PRG's strength and specialty was: the complete integration of the video, the visuals, the effects and the lighting. Rather than using multiple subcontractors ... PRG could do it all. That was really the magic that PRG brought to it and made it so successful."
Vecchio particularly liked the PRG Bad Boy spot luminaires. In fact, beyond its versatility as a light, the spot luminaire also worked as a scenic element. "The Bad Boy was amazing because we were able to incorporate it into our stage look," explains Vecchio. "It is incredible what we could do with the Bad Boys; they are a powerful tool."
Another key element in the concert sequence was the use of video. PRG provided a Barco NX-6 LED video wall and VersaTUBEs. Faris chose the PRG Mbox Extreme v3 media server to manipulate images and create a complete show. "Bryan was really able to react to any suggestions that came from the director or the DP. He could immediately program new looks on the fly," says Vecchio.
"PRG's knowledge and suggestions really helped add layers to the whole concert. Simple ideas like truss lighting, things that just added a beautiful textural look to it all. Just things that they do in concerts all the time but wouldn't necessarily occur to us lighting the stage for the film," adds Vecchio. "PRG was incredibly professional from the planning stages all the way through to the completion. We never had any kind of hiccup."
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