Experience Content
Foo Fighters World Tour 2011
Foo Fighters enlisted Robb Wagner and Stimulated for the band’s 2011 world tour. Stimulated created a suite of visual elements which lighting designer, Dan Hadley (pictured) utilized as a creative toolkit for programming the show. Hadley’s dynamic floor-to-ceiling video design inspired Wagner to develop some dramatic visual concepts. During “Pretender” bombs drop out of LED screens above the band and disappear into a hole in the LED stage floor. Wagner recently paid a visit to the Foo’s tour catching up with the band in Sacramento, CA.“When the music explodes on the stage and the bombs explode in the LED screens, the fans go nuts. That’s what it’s all about.”
Spike Scream Awards 3D Mapping
Spike TV recruited Robb Wagner to lead a bold, 3D mapping project for the 2010 Scream Awards. Spike wanted a stage that could be transformed through 3D mapping and they turned to Wagner to make it happen. Ray Winkler and Stufish designed and constructed a blank cityscape at LA’s Greek Theatre to serve as a projection canvas for the televised award show. Wagner’s vision required some of Hollywood’s finest visual effects talent to help execute. Beyond the creative, Wagner also also oversaw the technical planning and execution. Stimulated designed and implemented numerous 3D mapping transformations of the stage, including an opening segment inspired by the blockbuster film, “Inception”. Wagner and his team transformed the stage into a graphic novel, a neon and chrome sci-fi landscape, a lush fantasy world, a tropical island, a snowy mountain, Hill Valley for a “Back To The Future” tribute, and a dynamic graphic backdrop for “The Green Lantern”, the closing moment of the show. In addition to the 3D mapping visuals, Stimulated also produced immersive soundscapes, working with top feature-film sound designers to enhance the experience.
The 3D mapping produced and directed by Wagner enabled The Scream Awards to achieve an array of dynamic scenes, which would have otherwise been impossible due to physical limitations of the stage.
Michael Jackson’s This Is It
Robb Wagner was singled out as the go-to for Michael Jackson’s planned “This Is It” concert tour. On April 24th, 2009, Robb was invited to a creative meeting at Burbank’s Center Staging. Robb listened that day as Kenny and Michael spent 11 hours describing MJ’s vision for his comeback tour.
“Michael hummed and sang the hooks to his songs, even danced parts to help paint the picture.” “When I walked out of that room I knew exactly what I had to do. None of the details MJ described could be overlooked. The next day I made calls to a handful of key people I knew would be necessary to execute MJ’s detailed vision on a seemingly impossible schedule. We turned the conference room at Stimulated into a bunker, a ground-zero for “This Is It”. I spent the next several days and nights planning the details with my key team. We put together a highly detailed plan that included a schedule, a budget and a technical plan which would let Michael realize his dream. I presented the plan to Kenny and AEG. Afterward I recall Kenny saying, ‘if you can do what you say you can do it will be a miracle.’ Well we did it. We did it all for Michael and I am very proud of that accomplishment.”