By Osagie Alonge
PRODUCTION, STAGE, SET AND TECH
This year’s set has been designed by celebrated German stage and set designer Florian Wieder, who previously worked on the MTV EMA in Berlin, Munich and Liverpool. Although Florian’s exact designs for this year remain under wraps, host Heidi Klum recently hinted the show may have elements of a circus theme, describing it as a “magical, visual feast.”
The 2012 MTV EMA will feature more fire, water and lasers than ever before. One performer will even allow audiences to get up close and personal with an unusual entry on to the stage!
In order to stage the 2012 MTV EMA:
Nearly 10,000 kilometres of cable will be laid down
1,200 flight case boxes will be used to transport equipment such as lights, cameras and tripods
18 HD cameras are used to shoot the show
40 TV screens help the crews backstage keep an eye on the action.
FANS
More than 1,500 people turned up to Frankfurt’s My Zeil shopping centre last week, to demonstrate exactly what they would do for an EMA ticket. The bold, the brilliant and the fabulously bizarre turned up, including a young lady with her dog dressed as the canine version of Lady Gaga (dressed head to tail in silver foil!) to a group of male law students who, after checking in, disappeared to the toilets and emerged 1 hour later as full on Gaga drag queens in 6inch heels!
MAKE UP
The 32 person EMA “glam squad” will be headed by MAC cosmetics who have spent more than 150 hours with lead make-up artist Debbie Dannell creating the looks for the show, using:
380 sets of false eyelashes
72 blot powders
More than 1,000 coats of MAC Haute and Naughty mascara
More than 25,000ml of MAC airbrush foundation
5000 + boxes of diamantes, glitters and shimmers
Female performers will be treated to exclusive use of MAC’s new mineralise foundation (set to launch in March 2013) and products by Face-Lace, an appliqué type of makeup designed by Phyllis Cohen – not yet launched in Europe or the US.
Keep your eyes peeled for dancers who will be decorated head to toe in show-stopping body art created by graffiti artist The Urbanist!
HAIR
The inventive hairdos to be seen at the 2012 MTV EMA will be the creative vision of local hair stylist Marco Arens, and with India and Jason Miller from Edinburgh.
A separate backstage wiggery will be installed this year to house 200 wigs, 100 hairpieces, 40 poly heads, 100 wig caps that will all need to be prepped in advance of the show.
BACKSTAGE
Performers and presenters will have the opportunity to be polished to perfection at the EMA SPA – an exclusive backstage beauty and relaxation facility.
Artists and performers can be treated to a raft of therapies including a visit to a Nails Inc. bar for manicures and the Ibiza Angels will also bring a slice of Balearic chill to the artists backstage with their rejuvenating head, neck and shoulder massages.
Monster have partnered with the MTV Staying Alive Foundation to set up a backstage DNA Headphones Customization Booth. Talent will be invited in to have a pair of DNA headphones custom-created to their style. Additional pairs autographed by Talent will be auctioned off to raise funds for the MTV Staying Alive Foundation.
Furniture and accessories for the dressing rooms will be provided by Lovely Things, whilst additional quirky furnishings for an artist lounge area will be supplied by Table Art.
One of the most popular snacks in the dressing room area is Seed & Bean organic chocolate (with more than 300 bars ordered, each wrapped in a eucalyptus infused leaf wrapper).
DRESSING ROOMS
The dressing room area will consist of 39 rooms for the star-studded line-up of performers and presenters.
The crew have ordered 3,000sgm of carpet, 2,000m of panelling, 350 trestle tables, 500 towels and 400m of extension leads (power strips) – and 150 bottles of boutique champagne provided by Goût de Diamants.
Rooms will be decorated with prints by international street artist Mr Brainwash, Banksy’s collaborator and protégé. Mr Brainwash has designed exclusive limited edition artwork for the artist case, and will be displaying £250,000 worth of art in the dressing rooms and green room.
SPONSORS
Microsoft will provide all performers and presenters with new Windows 8 devices, including The Dell XPSTM 12 Ultrabook – a PC which converts into a tablet with a simple flip of the screen, so that you can work and play wherever and whenever you want.
Replay will also welcome MTV EMA celebrities in its gifting suite. VIPs will find the best selection from the present Replay denim collection and an exclusive preview of the next Spring Summer 2013. Supermodels Isabeli Fontana and Anne V will even be presenting an EMA award in Replay-designed, biker-inspired outfits with a special “leather paint” effect!
The Jabs are this year’s “MTV & Renaissance Best Band in the House” voted for by the public from more than 660 competing bands across the UK, Germany and France. Since the launch of Renaissance Hotels’ R Life LIVE program, hundreds of bands have performed in Renaissance Hotels around the globe.
CATERING
EMA performers, presenters and crew will enjoy delicacies from specialist showbiz location Eat Your Hearts Out using locally sourced ingredients. The team have ordered in four tons of ice, along with countless pounds of potatoes, butter, cream and sugar. Somewhere between 35,000 to 38,000 meals will be cooked during the weeklong build up to the show.
To keep everyone hydrated, the team have ordered in…
30,000 bottles of VIO water
20,000 Cokes
20,000 bottles of Warsteiner beer
16,000 bottles of Smirnoff vodka
10,000 bottles of Jack Daniels
10,000 bottles of Bacardi
5,000 bottles of Southern Comfort
3,500 limes; and…
120 bar staff to serve it all!
DANCERS
This year’s dancers, provided by EMA veteran Aicha McKenzie, will be choreographed by Nathan Clarke, who recently worked as the Associate Director for the closing ceremony of both the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Assisting Nathan and Aicha is acclaimed dancer turned choreographer and the winner of ‘So You Think You Can Dance Germany 2011’ Dennis Jauch, who will not only be choreographing the dance troop, but will also be part of the EMA performance on show night.
Auditions for the 2012 MTV EMA started back in September in Düsseldorf, Germany – a location selected for its excellent transport links to accommodate the 400+ dancers who travelled from all corners of Europe to audition for just 20 spots!
TRAVEL
MTV has booked just over 7,500 hotel room nights in Frankfurt to cater for the thousands of people associated with the show.
Moving all the crew and guests around will take 100 limos, 2,000 airport transfers and 200 coach transfers.
If you don’t know already, the 2012 MTV EMA will feature incredible performances by Taylor Swift, Muse, No Doubt, Carly Rae Jepsen, fun., Rita Ora, Alicia Keys, Pitbull, The Killers and Psy (Gangnam style!). Rapper Ludacris will make a special appearance during the main show.
The show will air across MTV’s global network of more than 60 channels reaching nearly 700 million households around the world as well as through syndication.
