France – “Creativity takes courage,” Matisse famously observed. The great master was correct, of course, but the creative quest doesn’t stop there. In these modern technologically driven times, bringing a new vision to life often requires a healthy dosage of collaboration as well.
The mysterious space where creative collaborators meet is the focal point of La CoLAB, a popular live format program on France 3 TV in which different musicians collaborate and reinterpret songs together on a stage set resembling a recording studio. The artist interactions are insightful and engrossing — and they are made all the more dramatic by a lighting design that endows the set with greater depth and texture.
Cyrille Dupont, also well-known as “6sou,” who handles lighting and scenography on La CoLAB runs the show seamlessly with a ChamSys MagicQ MQ500 Stadium console. “I work on the project with Groupe B Live, where I’m a project manager,” he elaborated. “We provide and operate the lighting, sound, and media servers. We’ve been on the project since season one, so this is our fourth year working with the program’s creator, Couac Productions.”
Dupont and his colleagues build their lighting design around the idea of defining the space with their lighting fixtures. A key reference point on the set is the large X in the background and the diamond outline that frames the area. “We use MagicHD software in this design,” he said. “It is freely available and runs very efficiently. “I send media with a few layers, usually up to eight. For some of the fixtures I use the console’s Pixel Mapper. I have fewer than 1000 pixels to control, so the integrated pixel mapper in my ChamSys is more than enough. It also means I don’t need to add another media server.”
A ChamSys user since 2014, Dupont values his console for its speed of reprogramming and its pixel mapper. “Even back when I switched to ChamSys those features were already strong,” he said. “After 2014, all my tours have been done on ChamSys. Today the ChamSys solution still appeals to new, younger users. The interface is clear and straightforward. Also, since the software is free, you can do a lot of preparation work without the need to buy extensive hardware. For example, if I want to test my Patch, I just plug an Ethernet cable from my computer and run it to the network. The computer interface is very well designed, and everything fits on one page.”
When working on La CoLAB, Dupont is finding his MQ500 to be an invaluable time saver. “What I really appreciate in the logic of the MQ500, and all MagicQ consoles since they share the same core, is the way Cues and Cue Lists are managed,” he said. “With limited programming time, the ability to work quickly when updating Cues, inserting, or removing them, and adjusting their settings is particularly helpful in a project like La CoLAB. I get an hour and a half, maybe two, during soundcheck and rehearsals, and that’s the only time I have to program the show. Independent Timings are one of my favorite tools to build layered transitions without needing multiple cues. I also enjoy using BPM for effects and when busking.”
In addition to crediting his efficient console, Dupont believes La CoLAB runs smoothly because of his dedicated and talented colleagues — Hugo Bachelet (Operations Manager / Set Design & Director of Photography); Clément Pelzer (Director); Matthieu Yakovleff (Music Programming & Director); Nastasia Paccagnini (Host); Toky Rakotoson (Sound Technician); Alvin Hédin (Lighting Assistant); Benjamin Fleury (Sound Assistant); and Yann Bramoullé (Stage Management).
Collaboration is indeed the key at La CoLAB, not only for the artists on stage, but also for the team behind the scenes!.
