CASE STUDIES: CEREMONIES
Michigan Wolverines
MANAGEMENT
We worked with Michigan Marching Band Director John Pasquale and Assistant Director Richard Frey to devise a halftime concept that paid tribute to the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We tasked ourselves with stretching UM’s public university budget to very ambitious ends!
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
John’s creative management and Richard’s formation design developed this concept into a drill where over 400 MMB musicians told a story of honor and resilience. To give this design a greater engagement for the Big House’s 108,000 fans, we developed a program featuring bespoke costumes, props, lighting, video, lasers, blacklight, and wearable LED.
PRODUCTION
Working closely with the Band, and a team of the University’s theater majors, we:
– Built 50 State Emblems using illuminated umbrellas emblazoned with state abbreviations;
– Painted the Dance Squad in blacklight paint, for innovative camera close-ups;
– Adapted PixMob’s wearable LED’s into programmable shakoes and Honor Guard flags;
– Fabricated white coveralls that enhanced the brightness of the wearable LED’s;
– Used 32 flashlights to outline the bases of the Twin Towers;
– Contracted lighting and laser vendors to help tell our story.
INTEGRATION
We had a busy week rehearsing with the MMB at Elbel Field (RIP!), and a few days more to build all the props and costumes. With only one night’s full rehearsal onsite at the Big House, we had a tight window to integrate these with lighting, lasers, and LED; but the show was a grand success, according to 108,345 fans.
