We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential, while others help us to improve this website and your experience.

Essential
Statistics
External media
Portfolio
Services
Creative Consulting
Hybrid Events
Ceremony Productions
Immersive Experiences
Portfolio
News
Jobs
Contact
A wide shot of a crowd facing an outdoor stage. Blue lights are beaming out into the night sky, and industrial brick tube-towers and machinery frames the stage and has video content projected onto them.A wide shot of a crowd facing an outdoor stage. Blue lights are beaming out into the night sky, and industrial brick tube-towers and machinery frames the stage and has video content projected onto them.

Esch2022

The challenging circumstances of the first Covid-19 lockdown offered Battle Royal Studios the opportunity to develop a novel hybrid format for the Esch2022 REMIX Opening, unique in its scope and interactivity for the traditional opening ceremony of a European Capital of Culture. With a wide range of immersive live entertainment, Battle Royal Studios took the audience to the moon and back.
Concept
Set Design
Motion Mapping
Costume Design
Show Design
Motion Design
Esch2022 Remix OpeningEsch2022 Remix Opening

An opening ceremony of the future

The opening night was created as a complex immersive journey. The audience was invited on a secret mission: By solving puzzles and participating in generating so-called Co-Creation Energy for the region, they were the driving force behind the experience.

Outdoor scene at night. "ESCH2022 REMIX OPENING" is projected on a large stylized wall. A crane and spotlights are in the background and participants mill about.Outdoor scene at night. "ESCH2022 REMIX OPENING" is projected on a large stylized wall. A crane and spotlights are in the background and participants mill about.
Outdoor scene: large crane, large cube-shaped scaffolding. Main colors are orange, magenta, blue and purple.Outdoor scene: large crane, large cube-shaped scaffolding. Main colors are orange, magenta, blue and purple.

The highlight of the evening was the launch of custom augmented reality rockets submitted by more than 800 students from the region as part of a painting contest, with the common goal of remixing the future, Esch2022’s motto.

The evening also included a cross-genre concert, Future Frequencies, directed and developed by Frank Wiedemann and Matthew Herbert. Here, over 100 local musicians came together to perform a colossal mix of styles on stage, accompanied by an enormous light show. Another highlight was a video appearance of the International Space Station (ISS).

2 people dressed in orange jumpsuits and helmets and white vests shout into megaphones on a pedestal. A crowd looks at a projected message.2 people dressed in orange jumpsuits and helmets and white vests shout into megaphones on a pedestal. A crowd looks at a projected message.
A crowd of people lit in red are looking towards a group of people in white vests.A crowd of people lit in red are looking towards a group of people in white vests.

Battle Royal Studios produced and staged the event with a focus on audience participation – both online and offline. A show composed over two stages carried the evening, while a playful scavenger hunt structured the visitors’ experience on site.

200 volunteers were involved, immersed in the action and helping to shape it. Online, special participation features such as polls and live interaction tools also turned viewers into contributors.

A woman in a lab coat smiles as she writes something on a clipboard. More people in lab coats operate a chunky looking grey machine.A woman in a lab coat smiles as she writes something on a clipboard. More people in lab coats operate a chunky looking grey machine.

The city came alive with live music, DJ sets, dance performances, architectural projections, light installations and a wide range of immersive live entertainment. There were approx.

18,000 visitors welcomed in covid-compliant conditions on-site and 14,000 online.

A fishnet about 5m high is covered in handwritten notes. A person in a jacket adds their own to the net.A fishnet about 5m high is covered in handwritten notes. A person in a jacket adds their own to the net.
Handwritten notes on a fishnet: "make love not war," and "I wish for safety and peace for the people of Ukraine."Handwritten notes on a fishnet: "make love not war," and "I wish for safety and peace for the people of Ukraine."
Audience memebers put glowing balls up into the air.Audience memebers put glowing balls up into the air.

Battle Royal Studios saw the opening ceremony as an opportunity to bring together people from the local community as participants and creators, strengthening a cultural identity in the long term beyond the cultural year.

The aim was to enable encounters between different groups, generations and cultural influences and thus open up new, sustainable perspectives on the Esch region and Europe as a whole.

A group of musicians stand around a man lit in pink on a stage. The one closest to the frame has a Pearl drum strapped to his chest and is holding a mallet.A group of musicians stand around a man lit in pink on a stage. The one closest to the frame has a Pearl drum strapped to his chest and is holding a mallet.
A full concert hall watches musicians on stage.A full concert hall watches musicians on stage.
Beams of white light criss cross across an empty red-lit concert hall, forming a multi layered, uniform diamond shape.Beams of white light criss cross across an empty red-lit concert hall, forming a multi layered, uniform diamond shape.
A lively stage and crowd at night is surrounded by cylindrical, industrial architecture. It is mostly red-lit and beams of spotlights shine into the night through light fog.A lively stage and crowd at night is surrounded by cylindrical, industrial architecture. It is mostly red-lit and beams of spotlights shine into the night through light fog.

Credits

Client
Esch2022 - European Capital of Culture 2022

Special thanks to all the incredible volunteers of the Esch2022 Remix Opening.

Images by Paul Gärtner, Kooné and Chris Moylan

Creative Concept, Direction & Production - Battle Royal Studios
Brendan Shelper - Remix Opening Director
Judith Hoch - Executive Producer
Sarah La Tragna - Producer
Andy Machals - Creative Producer
Ky Lloyd - Production Manager
Jonathan Buckels - Creative Director
Michael Masberg - Associate Creative Director and Line Director
Basil Hogios - Musical Director and Sound Designer
Chris Moylan - Lighting Design
Xevi Venancio - Art Direction and Graphic Design
Alex Burgos - Line Director
Florian Bücking - Aerial Director and Creative Coordinator
Emily Rose Meyer - Senior Project Manager
Fran Koetter – Production Manager
Shani Moffat - Project Manager
Thao Tran - Creative Producer Digital Engagements
Sabrina Deichert - Artist Producer
Stephane LeBreton - Artist Manager
Alessandro Carta & Alessia Avallone - Project Assistants
Alexandra Mittag - Brand Strategist
Rina Soloveitchik - Editor
Michelle Kastrop - Marketing Assistant

Video & Media Design
Alexandra Weltz-Rombach - Video Producer
Duncan McDade - Lead Motion Designer
Marc Osswald - Art Direction Video and VJ
Alf Ruge - Motion Designer
Achilleas Gatsopoulos - Motion Designer and Editor
Andreas Schindler - AR Artist
Maxin10sity

Script & Theatre Direction - Les Enfants Terribles
Oliver Lansley - Artistic Director
James Seager - Creative Director
Fiona Porritt - Creative Producer & Writer
Anthony Spargo – Writer
Keziah Serreau - Stage Director
Garrett Moore, Thom Mitchell - Immersive Directors
Tanya Dickinson - Production Assistant
Tristan Bruemmer - Translator & Assistant Stage Director
Beth Hoare-Barnes - Company Stage Manager
Sophia Elinor Dalton, Tina Dézart, Amelia Daisy McElhinney and Nicole Jane Richardson - Stage Managers

Future Frequencies Artistic Leads
Frank Wiedemann & Matthew Herbert - Musical Directors
Imogen Knight - Movement Director
Gabriela Flores - Stage Director
Basil Hogios & B Deodato - Musical Associates

Choreography
Denis We - Choreographer
Dolores Dujak, Sebastian Hörman, Ini Hanfmann & Terry Stewart – Choreographer Assistants
Lil Amok - Dance Mentor

Show Calling
Konstanze Agatz – Broadcast Show Caller
Sebastian Maier-Hallard
Stefan Kröger
Jens Bosch

Technical Planning - adhoc engineering GmbH
Malte Joergens, Kalle Reichert - Technical Director
Peter Gombac - Technical Director Video
Tim Schweizer - CAD Masterplaner
Tobias Nievelstein - Technical Director Sound

Health & Safety
SATURN production – Angelo Plate

Technical Production
Steven Jackson - Technical Designer Projection
Alan Cox – Projection Consultant
Bodo Bergmann - Associate Technical Director Sound
Francisco Tauro, Paul Pröhl - Lead disguise Operators
Maxence Bannetel – Assistant disguise Operator
Gerrit Hotzel - Technician
Sean Röller - Technical Assistant

Technical Suppliers
Apex Luxembourg
Production Resource Group AG
Magnum France
Stageco Belgium N.V.
The Powershop BV
LunatX
Emisys
Pixway GmbH

Set Design - Hinnerup Production
Christian Jensen - Lead Designer Props and Decorations
Niels Thorsen, Micala Rode & Rebecca Levy - Props and Decorations
Heidi Trusback - Tailor
Paul Kirkland - Technical Drawings
Niels Bunk Stenger - Light and Sound Technician
Nico Dumitru Bucataru, Morten Schmidt & Calin Conescu – Workshop

Lighting
Matthias Schöffmann
Raphael Demonthy
Daniel Gündner
Sebastian Hüwig

Stage Management
Sissy Moylan
Nadja Zoltek
Jürgen Cappell
Anna Engelkamp

Costume & Make-up
Isabel Seidler - Costume Design
Kira Mathis, Aleksandra Kuchta & Anne Fidler - Costume Supervisors
Linda Mikolaskova - Lead Make-up
Celine Feltgen, Claudia Rinaldis, Isabelle Georg & Luca Demichele - Make-up Artists

Broadcast
Freecaster / Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE)
Franck Villano - TV Director

Documentation
Christian Fussenegger - Videographer

Partners Communications
Rethink
Plan-K Advertising

Special Thanks to
Rockhal & Rocklab
Luxembourg Space Agency
European Space Agency

Related

On metal scaffolding, two performers in LED suits cast two white, glowing LED fishing rods down to 2 children who excitedly play with them. A group in white hi-vis vests is in the corner- it's dusk.On metal scaffolding, two performers in LED suits cast two white, glowing LED fishing rods down to 2 children who excitedly play with them. A group in white hi-vis vests is in the corner- it's dusk.

A How To Guide for Opening Ceremonies

How we created the event of the year with Esch2022 European Capital of Culture

Show Highlights
Concept
Show Direction
Motion Mapping
...
A seated crowd in a large rectangular concert hall watching the Future Frequencies musicians perform.A seated crowd in a large rectangular concert hall watching the Future Frequencies musicians perform.

How does the sound of a region sound like? Our Future Frequencies initiative has the answer

We are offering our new format Future Frequencies to other cities and regions that want to discover, support and sustain their up-and-coming musicians.⁠

Show Highlights
Concept
Future Frequencies
A workshop group look at a monitor with someone's face on it.A workshop group look at a monitor with someone's face on it.

Inside Esch2022’s Future Frequencies

The workshop’s participants discuss the power of creative innovation, and shaping the soundscape of tomorrow

Concept
Esch2022
Show Highlights
Participants shine their phone lights in the old city in Karlsruhe.Participants shine their phone lights in the old city in Karlsruhe.

Karlsruhe - 300 Years

For the 300th anniversary of the city of Karlsruhe, Battle Royal Studios and our partner DREINULL created a four day event of ground breaking proportions: Starting with an exclusive VIP event and ending with a stunning opening show in front of Karlsruhe castle, Karlsruhe’s rich past came dashing into the present in a crescendo of brilliant light, dance and performance.

Concept
Set Design
Motion Mapping
Costume Design
...
A lantern like boat with an arctic scene on top of it floats above a crowd of people.A lantern like boat with an arctic scene on top of it floats above a crowd of people.

Aarhus 2017

Battle Royal Studios supported renowned Director Nigel Jamieson to create an impressive opening to the European Capital of Culture in Denmark. Filled with striking light installations and dazzling live music, the procession and culminating show were a nod to the past, an embrace of the future, and a celebration of the present, engaging citizens of the region who stepped in to bring the ceremony to life.

Concept
Set Design
Motion Mapping
Costume Design
...
Traditional looking wooden chairs with red padding face towards an arched screen where "symphony of now" is projected.Traditional looking wooden chairs with red padding face towards an arched screen where "symphony of now" is projected.

Symphony of Now

Battle Royal Studios koproduzierte den Dokumentationsspielfilm Symphony of Now, in Zusammenarbeit mit Audi Zeitgeist Projects, DREINULL Berlin und Endorphine Productions. Der Film, der am Vorabend der Berlinale 2018 uraufgeführt wurde, erforscht die Beziehung zwischen Bewohner:innen Berlins und ihrer Stadt und zeigt, wie sie Zufluchtsorte finden, die es ihnen ermöglichen, über ihre tägliche Gewohnheiten hinauszuwachsen und kathartische Erfahrungen zu machen.

Concept
Set Design
Motion Mapping
Costume Design
...

Get in Touch

Battle Royal GmbH
Glogauer Strasse 17
10999 Berlin
Germany

With representation in
London • Dubai • Riyadh • Sydney

Imprint
Privacy Policy
Contact
Chat with us
Space for Hybrid Culture
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Vimeo