Creators of a dream!

EAAPA: How did the idea appear to create "Mangrove Groove" show?

Mr. J-C Canizares: The "Mangrove Groove" show is like a musical fable dedicated to the birds and the delicate cycle of life in the mangrove. To answer to OCTBAY team, ECA2 wanted to create the biggest and the most beautiful show never seen in Asia. It was a new artistic and technological challenge for ECA2 team to bring about a representation of the forces of nature, staging the four elements merged with the magic and captivating images:

 

• WATER: two water screens with a 50-metre base, hundreds of water jets, and specially designed moving jets.

• AIR : 5 geysers, compressed air to put sensitive equipment under protective positive pressure.

• FIRE: 14 large flames.

• LIGHT: 600 underwater projectors, 60 automatic projectors.

• IMAGES: 7 video projectors, 5 laser projectors.

 

 

EAAPA: What is the amount of investments in the project?

Mr. J-C Canizares: The total investment of this project is confidential. More generally speaking the investment for this kind of the show (creation, design, story, 3D, show with all equipment, all construction…) could be from 10 to 30 Millions of Euros.

 

 

EAAPA: How much time does it usually take to create the show (design and etc.)?

Mr. J-C Canizares: It usually take more than 2 years to create and design a huge multimedia aquatic show.

The 28 months production phase of “Mangrove Groove” was intense due to numerous requirements and unique challenges of the site.

 

 

EAAPA: Is it possible to apply the technique everywhere or it needs a special place and conditions?

Mr. J-C Canizares: We create unique show and we apply our technique knowledge to specific place of the show and the request of our client. We will never apply the same technique to another site.

 

This story is dedicated to the mangrove and we adapted our proposal to answer to unique challenges and specific conditions of this site:

 

➢ Strong weather conditions, this area is subject to typhoon,

➢ Sea environment with corrosive conditions (sea water, salt spray, high humidity, seasonal temperature variation…)

➢ Innovative technologies and no multimedia equipment visible from the audience,

➢ Design for ease of maintenance,

➢ Design for ease of operating, 

➢ All equipment is protected from direct exposure,

➢ All equipment is located in closed tempered rooms,

➢ Technical rooms are fully integrated in the venue design,

➢ Flexibility to use the venue for other shows and special events

➢ Open platform show control and open resources

 

We measure performance on an ongoing basis, using a range of tools and reporting mechanisms, thus making sure the project is well on track at any given moment of its development.

Master in all the various technologies we are our own system integrators.

As our artistic and technical know how is integrated, the creation & production process is the most fluid as possible.

 

We always create unique show for our clients. When ECA2 joined the OCTBAY project the show area was a clear open space and totally free to any development. ECA2 had to design and develop the whole show area its facilities and all multimedia design.

 

EAAPA: How many specialists do take part in each project?

Mr. J-C Canizares: ECA2 is a cohesive and highly skilled team, geared towards setting up and managing both the artistic and technical aspects involved in bringing to life the company’s challenges.

 

It can be composed of 40 specialists from the technical director to the Theater Chief Architect to the Laser or Lighting designer...

 

Overall creation

Overall Engineering - Turn Key Production

 

Direction, production: Jean Christophe Canizares 

Chief Operations Director and Technical Director: Guillaume Duflot 

Screenplay, Artistic management and Show Direction: Sophie Poirier 

Multimedia direction and Show direction: Thierry Nutchey 

Theater Chief Architect and Stage design: Julie Moreau 

Stands Architect: Zhu Pei 

Civil Engineering: Shenzhen Design Institute 

Assistant Architect: Nesrine Hallouche, Virginie Martin 

2D and 3D drawings and rendering: Jeff Couturier, Guillaume Vette 

Design technical director: Guillaume Duflot 

Production Technical Director: Jacques Nougaret 

Installation and Programming technical director: Jason Fisher 

Chief Technical manager: Ken Lo 

Power manager: Jacky Boileau 

Technical manager and programming supervisor: James Thomson 

Technical manager (Operating and Maintenance manuals): Alexander Hay 

Assistant Technical managers: Wendy Liu 

Video projection consultant: Ugo Cassanello 

Operations Manager: Stéphane Plume 

Assistant Operation manager: Flo Shi 

Logistic Manager: Patricia Valet 

Administration and Legal Manager: Julie Cugurno 

Assistant Administration Manager: Morgane Cochet 

Finance Manager: Claire Pouvreau

 

EAAPA: Does each show need special equipment and acoustic system? Who produces this equipment?

Mr. J-C Canizares: Of course, this multimedia theatre as all our multimedia show need specific acoustic system and show control.

 

All procurement was followed by ECA2 when not purchased by ECA2. For products not readily available in the local market, products were imported from Asia. Robust and basic products were preferred over sensitive equipment.

 

 

EAAPA: Is it possible to make a show in the park where there is no water? For example, use the equipment with water imitation.

Mr. J-C Canizares: Yes, we can make a show where there is no water. We can always adapt our equipment to the specific conditions and find technical innovations.

We can create other special effects without water.

 

 

EAAPA: What is the minimum size of the ground (sq. meters) necessary for the show?

Mr. J-C Canizares: The size of this stage is 600 m2 and was necessary to welcome all the multimedia equipment and the 50 actors, acrobats and dancers.

 

 

EAAPA: What is the minimum ticket price should be? For example if I’m owner of a park and want to try at first time the small show to attract more visitors. What price should be for the ticket to return expenses?

Mr. J-C Canizares: We didn’t collaborate on the business plan so we didn’t advice a prize ticket to return expenses.

For your information the client decided to charge the spectators around 20 Euros but there are different prizes and offers all the year long.

 

EAAPA: How much time does it usually take to build all constructions for the show?

Mr. J-C Canizares: It took two years to create, design and produce all the show.

 

 

EAAPA: What about the safety of the shows?

Mr. J-C Canizares: The safety was study from the beginning of the design and the construction. 

We have taken into account the environment (typhoon, high humidity, sea water, seasonal temperature variation). ECA2 always work within the necessary international certification standard.

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