The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) chose ArKaos
MediaMaster PRO to drive the visual content for its production of Green Day’s
American Idiot. MediaMaster PRO was chosen for the ease with which it handled the
demanding artistic concept, its speed of mapping and its easy-to-understand
processes for editing content and operation.
The ArKaos software was supplied by IED, whose Principal Partner, Jeffrey Brown,
is also adjunct instructor for Theatre/Event Media and Video at CCM. Brown built
three media servers specifically to take advantage of the MediaMaster software. “I
have had a relationship with the people at ArKaos for years, and I have been a huge
fan of their software since before I knew them personally,’ says Brown. “Aubrey
Berg, the director for Green Day’s American Idiot, had certain desires for this
production, most notably using a large number of outputs. I know MediaMaster well
and I knew that we could accomplish his desires using MediaMaster 4.2.’
The three custom-built media servers were placed inside on-stage scenic pieces and
at front-of-house to send visuals to twenty televisions on stage and to projectors
rigged over the audience. The servers had a total of fourteen outputs, and the
media management was handled by networking a laptop into the servers using the
same Ethernet system that carried ArtNet control signals. The whole media setup
was programmed and operated on a Chamsys MQ60 control console.
The visual elements were programmed and operated by Pauline Humbert who found
MediaMaster made the whole technical process very efficient, and used the Video
Mapper application as a software matrix switch.
Humbert chose to use MediaMaster’s extended profile Fixture mode having decided
that Fixture mode was the best way to deal with sending video and images to
numerous different destinations in rapid succession. She was able to set in and out
points, change speeds, and zoom and pan to get the images to where they were
wanted. This extended mode also allowed her to colour-correct and manipulate the
video in a quick way that made the technical process extremely efficient. “The
whole process was straight forward and the team understood it immediately,’ says
Humbert. “That ease of use allowed me to focus on learning a new control console.”
The media was a collection of stock imagery and bespoke content, which was edited
by a team that included CCM Stage Design students Aaron Bridgman, Katelyn
Budke, Whitney Glover, Matthew Hamel, and Olivia Leigh. MediaMaster proved
exceedingly useful for the editing team by providing them with a very fast tool for
editing the content and presenting it to the director within the tight timescale.
MediaMaster’s ability to send out audio signal also proved a time saver. Cues that
needed audio to run in sync with the visuals on stage did not need numerous
rehearsals to ensure timing. The audio played from the media servers and was
mixed as another source by the audio engineer.
For more information on ArKaos MediaMaster PRO visit www.arkaospro.com.
