The 2018 EMAs brief asked for a stage that would host 12 performances across a 2-hour live television production. The stage had to act as a blank canvas for the artists' respective performances, and it had to support their creative visions. Our set featured 5 metamorphic stages for 12 musical performances and 2 separate areas for award presentations. Each stage boasted various moving pieces and production values across different areas of the stage for constant states of surprise & awe.
The set design incorporated 3 hydraulic lifts for amplified talent performances and award presentation moments. The floors and ceiling panels were equipped with video capability, which created yet another canvas: when video played during a performance, it was as though the projections were being painted before the audience’s eyes.
Ceiling pieces were connected to chain motors, allowing for bi-directional movement that further animated the visually thrilling performances. The back video screens on stages 1 & 2 were connected to chain motors as well, which allowed them to fly in and out. The screens’ ability to transform into entryways offered practical backstage access for crew, and created cinematic talent reveals.
Four runways, each with its own performing stage, converged in a central main stage. A mosh pit circled the set in its entirety. Imagine being able to watch the artist create, while simultaneously being part of his or her creation. That was the effect our set evoked this evening