Bristol based lighting and visuals specialist Fineline Lighting is supplying LED screens and supports for the Rugby World Cup fan zone in picturesque Northernhay Gardens in Exeter city center.

The venue – which also includes food stalls - is being facilitated by Exeter City Council. It enables Rugby fans without a ticket to Sandy Park or other games to enjoy the buzz plus all the thrills and spills of the 2015 Rugby World Cup match days as they unfold on the big screen in this convenient location in an official Rugby World Cup host city.

There are two video screens, the main one comprising 63 panels of Lighthouse R7 screen totaling around 50 square meters, which is flown on a truss installed towards the back of a Serious Stages 16 meter Supernova stage. There’s capacity in front of this for up to 5000 sports fans.

Fineline’s crew also installed two general purpose lighting trusses over the stage which are used for presentations or entertainment taking place on the stage which has included bands, singers, choirs and orchestras who have performed in front of the screen during the breaks and either side of the match action. These are loaded with PARs, complete with an Avolites Quartz console for control.

The basic rig is expanded with additional lighting fixtures as required.
The second screen is located about half way down the park which can expand the capacity and accommodate additional audience.
This is 15 square meters and is made up of a new product – Desay M6, a 6 mm pitch HD surface optimized for outdoor use.
It is very bright and lightweight, offering a rich, high quality colour reproduction coupled with shallow depth and quick and easy rigging. “It’s an excellent all round multi-purpose solution for all types of LED screen applications,” comments Fineline’s Rob Sangwell, a man who is not easily impressed!

This screen is supported by one of Fineline’s smaller FLSS5x4 Screen Support packages comprising two towers specially designed for quick construction by two people without needing any plant or machinery.

Fineline has a range of standard size FLSS screen supports that can accommodate screens with sail areas of up to 48 square meters, available off-the-shelf with all the requisite wind and structural calculations and health & safety documentation.

The screens are being fed with footage from the rugby games coming direct from ITV via a Freesat dish. The signal comes in to the main screen and is relayed to the second one. Additional content from local film makers and community groups is also integrated into the days’ events.

“It’s great to be working in the sports event sector again supplying video screens, lighting and rigging to the Rugby World Cup fan park, and we are very pleased to have been asked to get involved. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with the team in Exeter,” adds Rob.