Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show Video System

The video screens content for the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show, with the main system programmed by Jason Rudolph for Bruce Rodgers’ production design, was under the direction of Ben Miles as creative director for Coldplay, with video content created by NorthHouse Films, Shop, and My Accomplice. Gear was supplied by VERand Möbius Productions.

VER video crew chief/technical manager Mike Spencer says the technical aspects for such a tight production are just as crucial as anything in the design process, he says, “working with Bruce, Jason Rudolf, and the creative from the band—Ben, in this case—to provide accurate specs for the displays designed into the event and helping to decide how the content will be mapped, and what equipment will be needed, so the creative team can deliver their ideas to the event accurately.” He adds that Coldplay specifically had a lot of input on the final look, especially when it came to video content.

The main stage featured more than 300 WinVision 9mm tiles built into the stage deck for video playback, as well as more than 500 Elation Professional Elar Q1s built into the wings for pixel effects. Chroma-Q Color Block 2s—476 of them around the perimeter of the mid-level of the stadium—were also mapped via the video system, controlled by Rudolph on an MA Lighting grandMA2 light console, with two Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal V4s for playback. “Matt Waters is the server tech that puts the system Jason specs together and makes sure all the content is properly sync’d with the truck and our displays,” says Spencer. Sets and staging were done by All Access Staging & Productions.

Spencer adds that speed and reliability are of the utmost importance on a production like this. “We have to keep in mind the nature of this project,” he says. “This means not only providing the best equipment possible and actively backing everything up, but also limiting the equipment to keep the system simple and agile. Each element is designed so each tech can troubleshoot and go to active back up on their own, minimizing the time needed to troubleshoot and communicate with others. With so little time available to keep the system up and running, we spend a lot of time before getting to the job site, designing the system, reviewing and making changes, so the entire team is comfortable and confident in their role.”

The stage content also made use of LC2012 video processors, which Spencer calls “very reliable with a fast boot time. They’ve proven themselves on many shows and several Halftime events.”

Screens
Creative Director: Ben Miles
Screens Content: Northhouse Films, Shop, My Accomplice

Video & Projection
General Manager: Graham Buttrey
Media Server Programmer/Operator: Jason Rudolph
VER Crew Chief: Michael Spencer
VER Assistant Crew Chief: Luke Pilato
VER LED Technicians: Trace Deroy, David Imlau, Chad McClymonds, Brandon Oosterhof, Rod Silhanek
Media Server Technician/VER System Engineer: Matt Waters
Lead Video Operator: Guy Jones

Video Gear
309 WinVision 9mm Tile (stage)
8 WinVision 9mm 1/4 Tile  (stage)
7 VER Revolution RS 5mm Tile (DJ booth)
2 VER Revolution M2 LED Processor (DJ booth)
2 Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal V4
6 Barco ImagePro-II
1 BlackMagic Design Smart Videohub 16×16 HD/SDI Router
4 AJA Video Systems FiDO-TR SDI/LC Fiber Transceiver
1 Evertz 7700
1 Signal And Power Cable Package (DJ booth)
1 LED Processing System (stage)
1 Power Distribution And Feeder (stage)
1 MA Lighting grandMA2 light console

For additional information on the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show, check out our full Project In Focus, sponsored by VER.