Wirtschaft in Ostwürttemberg December 2002

During the Hungarian National Day, 1.2 million people gathered at the banks of the river Danube. The entire nation could experience the gigantic laser spectacle in connection with aerial fireworks on TV. Although this task appeared to be simple, the technical execution on the other hand was very complex; not only did the technicians have to deal with enormous distances while at the same time providing enough laser power to stand out against the fireworks, but a technically feasible solution had to be worked out which allowed the synchronisation and operation of the laser projectors over significant distances.

At the beginning stood an intensive planning phase, including on-site inspections, several tests in the LOBO Studios in Aalen, and the analysis of optimal locations for the projectors. Furthermore, LOBO tried to incorporate especially visible locations – such as the Citadel on top of Gellert Hill, the Castle or the TV Tower – into the concept. In total, nine independently-operated laser projectors spread all over the city were used. Art Director: "We searched for strong synergetic effects between laser and fireworks. The task was to emphasize the advantages of each technology without diminishing any of the others. Although we never had the chance to rehearse the combination of laser and pyrotechnics in advance, I have to admit that I was really overwhelmed by the result." A brilliant finale with massive laser effects and endless firework cascades culminated in an gigantic pyro 'waterfall' raining down from the Elisabeth Bridge into the Danube, while written messages were projected with laser onto the Gellert Hill, the Castle and the building facades along the Danube.