2010 Olympic Emblem Launch

Riggit provided a full range of production services for the staging of the Vancouver 2010 Emblem Launch held at Rogers Arena in April, 2005. It was a demanding and large scale event broadcast live across Canada on CTV. Riggit worked as a member of the production team designing and creating a stage that would convert the cavernous hall into a theatrical venue.

It was decided to turn the stage area 90 degrees and incorporate the entire length of the floor. The revised plan meant that the field of play had expanded to 200 by 100 ft. Riggit meticulously planned and executed the logistics for the equipment to cover the entire surface. We also designed and built a 165-foot wide by 55-foot tall custom back drop. The height of the projection surface required all rigging for lighting, audio and special effects to be hung at exactly 65 feet from the floor surface.

Riggit also worked closely with the lighting supplier, Christie Lites, to install five 48 foot diameter circular trusses to represent the 5 rings concept. The location of the in-house video scoreboard demanded we install heavy duty spreader trusses to the high steel of GM Place to support the lighting equipment directly below the score clock.

The show featured a special performance by members of Cirque Du Soleil. Riggit worked with the head of rigging from Cirque Du Soleil in order to place all of the aerial acrobatic performers directly in the middle of each of the five circles. Each performer’s rigging point needed to be secured to prevent any vertical or lateral rotation. The permanent fixtures of the venue, such as steel and audio clusters, created obstacles to securing each performance aerialist’s rigging points. In order to resolve this problem Riggit used specialized equipment to raise heavy duty trusses 120 feet in the air and affix them to the high steel. The feedback from Cirque Du Soleil performance rigger was tremendous and the relationship that was formed between the companies is still very strong.

Riggit was responsible for the Technical Direction of all suspended equipment, all CADD drawings, weight calculation, scheduling and production staffing. The effort put forth by Riggit employees was exemplary. The event was a complete success. In the words of VANOC Producer Marti Kulich, “It was a partnership of the best kind.”