World Youth Day Melbourne - July 2008

The Pope's visit to Australia for World Youth Day in Sydney included a range of activities and events around the country. Melbourne hosted 30,000 international pilgrims who came to Melbourne on their way to Sydney for the main World Youth Day activities.

On the 11 July 2008, Melbourne's Telstra Dome hosted The Days in the Dioceses Commissioning Mass for the international pilgrims and the local Catholic community. This occasion was a highly significant event for the Catholic community in Melbourne and those she welcomed from around the world. The Commissioning Mass was presided over by the Archbishop of Melbourne the Rev Denis Hart.

Johnston Audio successfully tendered to produce the Commissioning Mass. This included coordinating all elements of the event, including the development of creative themes and elements, logistics, rehearsals, and all elements of production including audio, lighting, vision, cameras, lasers and staging.

In an interesting reversal of client-supplier roles, Logistics Events Australia came on board to provide logistical and event management support for the project. Rod Stoller from LEA took on the role of Event Logistical Director and worked closely with Larry Ponting and Natalie Earles to ensure that all bases were covered for the event.

Mindful of the need to protect the playing surface, a design was developed that had the altar centrally positioned, with performance stages to the sides of the arena. The audience filled the grandstand seating of the stadium.

In consultation with the Archdiocese, we developed a strategy that made the mass an interactive event, with the layout of the Altar, performance spaces and vision elements designed to be inclusive of the audience – delivering the message of the Mass with the aid of visual tools including projection, lighting and laser images.

The Altar was positioned as part of a large 60m x 30m crucifix in the centre of the arena. The 350 voice choir and 20 piece orchestra was positioned at one end of the arena, with 2 stages used for pre and post Mass entertainment on the sides of the arena.

A major challenge for the event was that it was being staged at Melbourne's Telstra Dome – a Cathedral to Football – with an AFL game scheduled for the following day! Access to the playing surface was restricted and we were not able to commence the build on the arena until 12.00 am on the day of the event. The restricted time available had a cascading effect through the whole production greatly reducing time available for technical rehearsals and sound checks. Time was gained with the rigging of truss and lights from the stadium roof and the running of cabling around the arena prior to actual bump in day.

To say that the production crew were under pressure is an understatement – sound checks began at 8.00 am, a technical rehearsal at 2.00 pm, choir and orchestra sound check at 3.00 pm and doors opened at 4.00 pm!

We were only able to meet the demanding time schedule by careful planning and preparation. All performers were sound checked in off-site rehearsals held over 3 weekends prior to the event, enabling us to run a one-song audio check per artist on the day. There were more than 25 different performer groups performing at the event.

Lighting designer Richard Grenfell installed a Clifton Productions lighting rig for the event. The brief was to transform the Telstra Dome into a Cathedral, which was achieved with fabulous effect.

Live Screen provided OB facilities for the 6 camera shoot which was sent to the Dome's in-house screens.

Lex Audio Visual provided projection and control cue cameras. Lex's 8 projectors provided the imagery on 4 x 5 metre inflatable spheres provided by Genius Laser Technology. Genius Laser also provided lasers which displayed text and religious imagery on to the playing surface and a larger unit produced an impressive “entrance tunnel” for the Archbishop's procession.

The Commissioning Mass was an amazing experience. The technical delivery of the event was first class, drawing praise from all quarters and receiving widespread media coverage and plaudits for the manner in which the stadium was transformed into a spiritual place of worship.

Event Personell

Production Suppliers

Audio System

Arena System

FOH Control

Stage 1 Monitor Control

Stage 2 Control

Orchestra and Choir Monitors