The Age of Stupid - Global Film Premiere
A clear and defined request… Produce a world class film premier with minimised environmental impacts.
Firefly's solution was to create a clear and detailed technical production package that ensured that environmental impacts were kept to a minimum while the quality of the execution was never compromised.
The result was a Guinness World Recording-winning solar-powered premiere in London's Leicester Square, the film was released in cinemas worldwide, topped the UK box office (by screen average), became one of the most talked-about films of 2009 and garnered sensational reviews: The Telegraph called it "Bold, supremely provocative and hugely important", ABC Australia said "So tightly constructed and dynamic you leave the cinema energised rather than terrified... hits home like a hammer blow"
‘The Age of Stupid’ is the long awaited independent environmental docu-film from director and writer Franny Armstrong (McLibel). The film is about a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?
The release was highly anticipated and, to be in keeping with the story line, the premiere was to be as eco-friendly as the message the film was portraying.
Therefore a complete production solution which minimized the negative environmental impact of the Leicester Square event was required.
Approached directly by Spanner Films, Firefly were ask to provide a solution that championed their goal of a producing a world class film premiere with the lowest possible emissions. Once a plan was formulated, Firefly was awarded the technical production contract.
Firefly provided Orion portable solar generators to power the event along with a comprehensive package including an enclosed Saddlespan S2000 structure to house a 200 seat cinema. Behind the scenes a Christie HD 15,000 lumen projector with playback from Sony HD Cam projected the film onto a 4 meter screen. HK Actor DX PA system was used for the audio track and post screening Q&A session. The cinema was lit using Pixel Par90 LED and ETC Source 4 PAR HID discharge fixtures which were controlled by an Avolites Pearl Tiger desk. Outside the cinema, the green carpet was also lit using Pixel Par90. This package provided a high end technical solution with dramatically reduced overall power requirements.
The carefully considered solution, created and managed by Firefly, ensured that the entire event produced just 1% of the CO2 emissions usually associated with a Hollywood film premiere. The Premiere was transmitted by satellite worldwide preventing the need for people to fly in to watch. This meant that the event was not only the largest simultaneous world premiere ever but was also the world’s first major release to be entirely solar powered.
The Age of Stupid team solidified their relationship with Firefly with a second booking to launch the 10:10 UK campaign held at Tate Modern. The campaign aims to reduce the carbon emissions of the UK by 10% in 2010 and the launch included appearances from Reverend & The Makers and Stornaway who performed on stage powered by Firefly Orion portable solar generators.
