CTME & It’s Creative Allies Engineer A Mind-Blowing Visual and Technical Symphony at the EWC Opening Ceremony in Riyadh

When global music icons Post Malone and Alesso lit up the stage at the E-sports World Cup Opening Ceremony at ANB Arena, Riyadh, audiences witnessed more than just world-class performances — they were immersed in a sensory spectacle powered by one of the most complex and visually arresting production environments ever staged in the region. Behind this feat was the technical powerhouse, Creative Technology Middle East (CTME), whose work at the EWC redefined what’s possible in live event technology across the GCC.

In collaboration with TAIT, MDLBEAST, and a dream team of creatives and engineers, CTME delivered a seamlessly orchestrated blend of LED wizardry, projection mapping precision, and lighting mastery that elevated the EWC Opening Ceremony into a benchmark for production excellence.

The centrepiece of the visual design was a massive LED installation spanning over 388 square metres of high-performance LED screens from ROE. The high-acclaimed Black Marble 4.76mm panels were laid across 195 sqm of the floor; with the glass finish of the panels delivering not only pristine visuals but also stunning camera reflections and scenic integration. Overhead, a triangular rig fitted with 121 sqm of ROE Vanish 8T created a suspended visual plane that seamlessly interacted with the dynamic set design and camera choreography.

Together, these layers enabled an immersive digital environment that responded and evolved with the music and performers — a feat made possible by precise material choices and motion-friendly, lightweight rigging components.

Driving the visuals was a sophisticated processing setup involving NovaStar H9, Brompton SX40, and the Analog Way Aquilon RS4 for routing and composition. CTME’s infrastructure backbone featured seven Disguise VX4+ media servers, connected via 100-gigabit DACs and two Arista 100Gb switches, ensuring real-time responsiveness and rock-solid performance.

But the visual extravaganza didn’t stop at LED. A bespoke scenic projection system was deployed to bring depth and narrative to the architectural structures within the arena. Built by Simple Solutions, these custom-fabricated triangular structures were mapped using Panasonic RQ50K 50,000-lumen projectors, selected for their high-precision colour fidelity and brightness — essential in an arena-scale venue.

The irregular geometries of the set were individually mapped, turning the triangular panels into immersive mountain ranges that evolved with the story onstage. Visual Noise led the technical execution, with pixel-perfect accuracy that stitched the entire visual tapestry into a coherent, cinematic experience.

The third pillar in this technical symphony was the lighting system, masterfully realised under the creative direction of 22 Degrees’ Jon Kusner. The main lighting rig comprised over 1,500 fixtures from various manufacturers, including 200 units of the Elation Proteus Maximus + 182 units of the Pulse Panel FX + 191 units of the Pulse Bar L, 111 units of the GLP Impression X4 Bar 20, and 83 units of the Ayrton Argo 6 FX fixtures. — forming a palette capable of delivering everything from bold washes to pixel-precise accents.

Supporting this colossal setup was a robust network comprising 15 Luminex GigaCore 20T switches, over 60 Luminode 12s, 100 Lumisplit 2.10 units, and 250+ active universes — all feeding a GrandMA3 control system. The network architecture was further enhanced by eight GrandMA3 NPU L units from MA Lighting and dual-monitoring via Araneo, ensuring redundancy and stability across the board.

Eleven Robe RoboSpot systems offered remote-controlled followspot precision, integrated into the lighting desk for flawless cue execution, while Martin Sceptron LED strips controlled via the P3 System added kinetic motion graphics to the scenic elements — programmed seamlessly through GrandMA3.

In the lead-up to the event, CTME’s team of Ryan Tanker and Kirk Miller utilised the Depence R4 previsualisation suite from Syncronorm to simulate and pre-program the entire show. This reduced on-site programming time, allowed for more productive rehearsals, and ensured the final output aligned perfectly with creative intentions.

The EWC Opening Ceremony was more than just a performance — it was a high-octane showcase of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 in action. It demonstrated how the Kingdom is embracing and investing in world-class digital creativity and production infrastructure.

CTME, together with TAIT, MDLBEAST, and a stellar lineup of creative virtuosos including POSSIBLE Productions, Visual Noise, 22 Degrees, and Wieder Design Studios, proved just how far the region has come in its capability to deliver global-standard spectacles.