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International Fleet Review, Sydney

As part of the Australian Navy’s 100th anniversary celebrations, Imagination will deliver a free public spectacle on a scale never seen in Australia.

International Fleet Review, Sydney


BY

October 2nd, 2013


When Imagination Australia was briefed by Royal Australian Navy to design an International Fleet Review, their job was clearly outlined.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

“They wanted a spectacular that reflected and paid tribute to the significant role the Royal Australian Navy has played in the history of Australia, and celebrated the last 100 years,” says Heath Campanaro, Project Director at Imagination.

For the creative agency in Pyrmont this was a story telling job. “We set about designing a 7-Act narrative that takes the audience on a journey from the original entry of Australia’s first naval fleet, through our conflicts in war and peace times,” says Campanaro.

heath campanaro imagination sydney

Heath Campanaro, IFR2013’s Project Director and Strategy Director at Imagination.

His dedicated team of creatives established a giant editing suite in their studio in order to deliver the project “Within the screen department we had six core people working on Naval footage research, design, motion graphics and technical set up,” explains Sandy Madden, Executive Producer of Screen at Imagination.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

“The show people will see this Saturday was very much a team effort. The show was originally choreographed by our senior creative team including Project Director Heath Campanaro, Creative Director Adrian Goldthorp and Technical Director Trevor Smith, then our Creative Director of Screen Anna Meister began designing each of the seven acts in order to tell the historical story,” Madden says.

The emotion and power in the telling of the war and peace time story sets this harbour-side event apart from those that have gone before it. Making best use of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and large, anchored naval vessels as canvases, the 100-year narrative is choreographed with elements on both land and water.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House Navy Lightshow

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

The evening spectacle on October 5th promises a recreation of a WW2 battle scene, post WW2 with the Cold War, Vietnam and other major conflicts, a show of current day capabilities and future investments, plus a moment of memorial, paying tribute to fallen sailors, rounding off with a 7-minute fireworks and lighting finale from vessels, barges and the afore mentioned Sydney landmarks.

For Imagination Australian, a team that has worked on Sydney New Year’s Eve for City of Sydney with the likes of designer Marc Newson and pop princess Kylie Minogue, the big difference with this event was the opportunity to work with naval vessels.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

“This is the first time we’ve seen such a significant fireworks show launched from warships. Double-side Opera House projection is also a first, and our content is going to set new standards in video projection storytelling on such a huge scale. The design is beautiful,  it is hugely varied and features historical footage and imagery from the Defence archives, much of which people will have never seen before,” Campanaro says.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

Creative Director of Screen Anna Meister, who has previously worked on Vivid and was trained at Sydney College of Art and Central Saint Martins School of Art in London, says the project was a massive team effort.  “I had to quickly get my head into learning 100 years of Australian naval history and to try condense that into key moments. It took several weeks of studying and reading up,”

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House Navy Lightshow

International Fleet Review 2013 © Imagination 

“Then I suggested a look and feel appropriate to each era and handed that over to the team .. It’s such a dense and interesting history that it is impossible to do it complete justice. We hope it will perhaps pique people’s interest in the stories behind some moments in the show. Along the way we had a great deal of help from captain Garry Kennedy and naval historian John Perryman, in ensure we were getting all our facts straight,” Meister says.

Imagination Sydney International Fleet Review Opera House Navy Lightshow

International Fleet Review 2013

On the big night 2D projection will be punctuated by pyrotechnic displays at certain dramatic moments plus the biggest light show ever seen on Sydney Harbour.

“We are proud to have been a part of telling just a small part of an important story. I’d say we (the team) are visual storytellers.”

Imagination Australia

sydney.imagination.com

 

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