Behind the Lights: Jean-Marie Lemaire’s Design for Cirque De Lille
- yvonnebolharnorden
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
From October 26 to December 1, 2024, the Grande Fête Lilloise du Cirque (Cirque De Lille) returned to Lille, attracting over 150,000 spectators. In an interview, lighting designer Jean-Marie Lemaire explained his choice of using zactrack SMART to support his creative vision and bring the spectacle to life.
Interviewer: Could you briefly introduce yourself and your journey as a lighting designer.
Jean-Marie Lemaire: I’m a lighting designer with over ten years of experience, currently working with Stienne Productions. I joined the team in September 2024, and Eric, the director, invited me to handle the lighting design for the Circle of the Island show, where we’re using zactrack.
Interviewer: How did you first learn about zactrack?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: I actually first heard about it at Disney, where I saw it in action for some of their shows. Later, Eric mentioned he’d bought a zactrack system for Circle of the Island, so we decided to integrate it into this year’s production.
Interviewer: Who got inspired to use a tracking system for Cirque De Lille?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: Thierry, the circus director, wanted to automate the follow-spot system and move away from traditional spotlights. Both Thierry and Eric felt that zactrack was the best solution available.
Interviewer: Could you walk us through the initial setup?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: First, we assessed where to position the Anchors—especially important given the nearby military base, which could potentially cause frequency interference. Initially, we had only eight Anchors, but we added three more, bringing the total to eleven. This setup enabled full tracking coverage across the entire space, including the seating area where the clowns perform.
Interviewer: What were some of the key considerations during the setup?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: The main challenge was avoiding any “shadow zones” where tracking might cut out. We used multiple antennas to ensure continuous coverage, and each performer was fitted with two tags to minimize signal dropouts—especially useful with zactrack’s 360-degree capability.
Integrating zactrack into our existing lighting setup went smoothly. We dedicated four machines exclusively to zactrack, which allowed us to operate it more efficiently without impacting the rest of the setup. We also created separate cues to enable or disable zactrack as needed.
Interviewer: And how does zactrack interact with your MA3 lighting control?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: zactrack integrates smoothly with the MA3, allowing us to select fixtures directly and manage them with ease. It makes everything simpler without needing extra adjustments.
Interviewer: What features have been particularly beneficial?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: The auto-zoom and auto-focus are incredible, keeping the spotlight perfectly on each performer without manual adjustments. It really maintains consistency and looks fantastic, especially during our high-energy clown performances.
Interviewer: How does tracking improve the visual storytelling of the performances?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: For acts like the clowns and our ringmaster, zactrack is great for spotlighting performers without illuminating the entire stage, helping to keep the background dark and focused.
It also creates a more intimate connection between the performer and the audience. For instance, with the ringmaster, the audience's focus remains solely on him, enhancing that direct connection.
Interviewer: Have you received any feedback regarding its impact?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: Yes, the South American clowns had never seen anything like it and were blown away. Thierry, who had prior experience with zactrack, was also thrilled with the results.
Interviewer: Are there any advanced zactrack features you’re excited to explore?
Jean-Marie Lemaire: Definitely! I’d love to use zactrack to sync audio for tracking effects, and perhaps even PTZ cameras for some high-tech conventions.
Behind the scenes at Cirque de Lille: https://www.zactrack.com/post/cirque-de-lille-zactrack
