Just the other day, we were given tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular dress rehearsal.
The last time I was there was for Stevie Wonder's Natural Wonder concert almost 13 years ago. Things had changed since, and it is an LED extravaganza. First, there are the decorations above the stage (including a big wreath) and along the sides of the auditorium. These had different strands of single color LED's with each color able to be turned on or off individually. The colors were red, amber blue and white (no green for some reason). At times you would have one color, or combinations like red and amber, blue and white, and eve red and white (I never realized red would look so nice with the familiar bluish white of LED's. Like cand cane colors. I'm so used to seeing red with incandescent white).
then, the background on stage was a giant RGB screen. It was obvious that it was not projection, as it was self-luminous, and so crisp and clear. It also was not likely SRGB, as the resolution was so high. It opened with a stunning 3D-effect cgi animation of Santa flying in from the north pole on his sleigh through the snowfall, stopping across the street to light the Rockefeller center Christmas tree, and landing at the hall. Then, the screen was used as the background for the other segments, often continuing the props on stage (Santa's workshop, etc). It looked so real. Then, towards the end, they did a simulated tour of the area, leading to Central Park, with all the snow covered trees, and even the LED signs of nearby Times Square, and a sign on tope of a taxi cab.
I had never seen a screen presentation so vivid (As you may see; I was more fascinated by that than by the Rockettes). I wonder if they use that screen when or if they still run movies there. And I wonder when movie theaters will begin using LED screens. RGB screens are generally used for moderately large screens for ads, induding video footage. These look good, but CGI goes with it so well. It would be interesting to see somethinglike Polar Express on that.
Also, right as I sat down to post this, the news flashed the new LED-lit new year's ball. This had been promised last year, and it is here!
(Still waiting for the Christmas tree to go LED. Haven't heard anything about that).
The last time I was there was for Stevie Wonder's Natural Wonder concert almost 13 years ago. Things had changed since, and it is an LED extravaganza. First, there are the decorations above the stage (including a big wreath) and along the sides of the auditorium. These had different strands of single color LED's with each color able to be turned on or off individually. The colors were red, amber blue and white (no green for some reason). At times you would have one color, or combinations like red and amber, blue and white, and eve red and white (I never realized red would look so nice with the familiar bluish white of LED's. Like cand cane colors. I'm so used to seeing red with incandescent white).
then, the background on stage was a giant RGB screen. It was obvious that it was not projection, as it was self-luminous, and so crisp and clear. It also was not likely SRGB, as the resolution was so high. It opened with a stunning 3D-effect cgi animation of Santa flying in from the north pole on his sleigh through the snowfall, stopping across the street to light the Rockefeller center Christmas tree, and landing at the hall. Then, the screen was used as the background for the other segments, often continuing the props on stage (Santa's workshop, etc). It looked so real. Then, towards the end, they did a simulated tour of the area, leading to Central Park, with all the snow covered trees, and even the LED signs of nearby Times Square, and a sign on tope of a taxi cab.
I had never seen a screen presentation so vivid (As you may see; I was more fascinated by that than by the Rockettes). I wonder if they use that screen when or if they still run movies there. And I wonder when movie theaters will begin using LED screens. RGB screens are generally used for moderately large screens for ads, induding video footage. These look good, but CGI goes with it so well. It would be interesting to see somethinglike Polar Express on that.
Also, right as I sat down to post this, the news flashed the new LED-lit new year's ball. This had been promised last year, and it is here!
(Still waiting for the Christmas tree to go LED. Haven't heard anything about that).
