OCTOBER | REVIEW
Samsung
embraces
the outdoors
Star Live and Iris Worldwide helped
Samsung launch its KX store with
an outdoor show
S
amsung KX, Samsung’s new ‘digital
playground’ in London Kings Cross,
says it has staged the ‘world’s first
vertical gig’ in London’s Kings Cross.
Responding to research that shows 79%
of smartphone users prefer portrait videos
– a trend driven by ‘stories’ on Instagram,
Facebook and Snapchat – Samsung staged
a vertical gig with artist Mabel.
The concept was devised by Iris
Experience’s creative director Henry
Scotland, with support from Universal
Pixels. The multitiered performance space
Photography: Andrew Whitton of Fanatic Live
“We wanted to launch
Samsung KX with an outdoor
show in line with our
commitment to innovation
in culture, Henry Scotland
creative director at Iris ”
– located at the famous ‘kissing point’ of
London’s Coal Drops Yard – was created
as part of the launch of Samsung’s new
multi-sensory experience.
Star Live have worked with Iris
Worldwide on projects for a number of
years. Iris contacted Star Live earlier this
year for help with bringing to life a stage
for the world’s first vertical gig for their
client Samsung’s launch of their flagship
store at Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross.
The stage needed to be of a portrait
orientation with 9:16 ratio, multiple levels
with access to each, capability to house a
huge number of LEDs to create the back
of the stage screen effect, rigging, cabling
and lighting for this orientation of stage
and course health and safety precautions
were vital. The stage was to be centred
at the kissing point of the rooves at Coal
Drops Yard.
The stage was built from three modified
20ft containers with a polyester powder
coated rolled steel fascia to mimic the
curved edges of a smartphone. The access
to each level was via hatches through
the floor with additional safety features
to ensure they could be danced on when
closed, and non-slip ladders between each
level.
Careful consideration had to be given to
the positioning of all cabling and lighting
positions to not affect the final visuals,
and to keep the performers safe a PVC
coated steel rope was fitted across the
front of each stage level, again to minimise
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