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An event on the scale of The Evening of the Year VI It demands not only visual spectacle, but also a absolute technical precision on stage. In live productions where video, lighting, and large-scale stage design converge, the scenic mechanics It ceases to be a simple support and becomes a dynamic element of the show. To make the set design come alive before the audience, the integration of rigging and motion control must guarantee fluidity. maximum security and millimeter-precise synchronization.
Four truss structures suspended around the stage rose and fell throughout the gala to accompany the different performance moments. Each movement altered the height of the lighting fixtures, changed the composition of the space, and allowed the design to play with the visual scale of the event.
On paper, the maneuver might seem simple. On the track, the challenge was different: move four large-format structures in a coordinated manner, precise and fluid as the live broadcast continued.
A poorly executed movement is visible. A motor that becomes detached from the rest can alter the truss's tilt. Overly abrupt acceleration breaks the cueAn inaccurate arrival compromises the position predicted by lighting and execution.
Therefore, the system had to be approached as a complete architecture of mechanics, rigging, control and operationLifting the load was only part of it. It was necessary to control the speed, keep the different suspension points aligned, and execute each movement with the necessary progressiveness so that the movement was absorbed by the staging.
The technical challenge: coordinating four suspended structures during the show
The four structures changed height throughout the gala to accompany the entrances, reinforce certain visual blocks, and transform the apparent volume of the stage.
Each one was moved by five variable-speed Moveket motors with a 500 kg capacity. Twenty motors in total working on four independent sets.
Moving a structure from five points requires coordination throughout the entire movement: from starting and accelerating to braking and reaching the final position. Any deviation between motors could alter the geometry of the assembly, generate unforeseen stresses, or disrupt the smoothness needed for the movement on camera.
The control was resolved by twenty VMotion units and two Expert III consolesThis configuration allowed the four structures to operate under the same logic, monitor the status of each set, and execute maneuvers with a clear reading of which structure was active and how its displacement was evolving.
But the coordination doesn't end with the engines. Moveket architecture It is prepared to communicate with lighting, video, sound and other show systems using protocols such as Timecode, Art-Net and PSNThis allows everyone to work on the same time reference, exchange control signals, or know the real position of a structure during its movement.
The system can share that information with other controls and make it easier for a light change, a video transition, or a musical intro to occur at the exact point in the movement for which they were designed.
The objective was very specific: for each truss to reach its position at the designated moment, maintaining levelness and without introducing any jerks that would reveal the mechanical complexity on stage. It wasn't just about moving loads safely, but about integrating that movement into a precise, repeatable, and easier-to-coordinate stage sequence.
The configuration of rigging was completed with two Sixty82 Inferno slings, one meter, for each motor. Motors, control and suspension elements were conceived as parts of the same solution, prepared to work at different heights during the live broadcast and maintain the expected behavior in each maneuver.
Designing a movement architecture of this complexity is only the first step; the real challenge is executing it on-site. The assembly and installation of this entire rigging structure was carried out by the Rock&Rigging team, ensuring that the engineering integration resulted in a completely safe maneuver, compliant with regulations and prepared for the technical demands of a live performance of this magnitude.
The setup perfectly matched La Velada's requirements: transforming four suspended structures into active design elements. The audience watched the scene change. Above, twenty motors and a complex control system ensured precise movement that seamlessly integrated with the rest of the performance's elements.
Ayrton Cobra in front of a stage dominated by LED screens
The lighting had another complicated aspect: maintaining its readability within a large-scale stage, full of LED screens, video content, scenery, and multiple visual sources.
In these types of environments, power alone does not solve the problem. The beam needs sufficient definition, range, and contrast. to pass through the volume of light generated by the screens without being washed out in the general plane.
The Ayrton Cobra They were used precisely to meet that need. Their defined beam allowed the space to be delineated, reinforcing the depth of the stage and maintaining a presence both before the audience and in the Multicamera production and studios.
The choice was based on a design requirement, not on a sum of equipment on the rigWhen video dominates a large part of the visual field, each light fixture must have a clear function and maintain its visual impact within the overall composition. Otherwise, it consumes resources, adds visual clutter, and contributes little information to the scene.
That's where the technical criteria: analyze the scale of the space, the positions, the camera exposure and the coexistence with the LED surfaces to integrate the tool that can really solve the plan.
Designing movement as part of production
The Evening of the Year VI demonstrates how far stage mechanics can go when they are incorporated into the design from the beginning.
The suspended structures ceased to function as static supports. They changed height, transformed the space, and were integrated into a production where movement, lighting, video, set design, and direction had to respond to the same logic of cues.
To achieve this, the entire system had to be redesigned under a unique technical logicLoads, suspension points, speeds, travel, control, operation, and installation all had to function as a single unit. No departments working in parallel and hoping everything would fall into place during assembly.
Technology puts engines, consoles, and control systems on the table. The result depends on how they are calculated, integrated, and implemented on the track.
When that stage engineering and movement architecture It's well executed; the audience simply sees the stage changing scale. That's exactly what needs to happen.
Stonex, your technology partner in engineering, lighting and stage control
At Stonex, we don't just equip you with the best technology on the market; we integrate ourselves into your project to guarantee maximum operational reliability in every function or event.We assist theaters, auditoriums, TV studios and cultural spaces in modernizing their facilities, offering expert advice, systems integration and continuous technical support..
