Sporting events
The match ends, Celesta takes over.
A stadium fills up for a result that nobody knows. The spectacle, however, is scripted months in advance. Celesta prepares the possible outcomes, sets up the mechanism and triggers it on a production control cue – never on the hour.
The crux of the matter
Everything is ready months in advance, except for the end.
At a sporting event, half the spectacle is decided in the boardroom and the other half in the final quarter of an hour. Knowing where that line lies is what Celesta does best.
Written in advance
What’s been planned months in advance
- The layout of the shooting positions, as recorded by Celesta on site
- The regulatory dossier and its examination
- The soundtrack and the frame-by-frame sequence
- Equipment, teams and access
- The possible outcomes, each written out in full
Decided that very evening
What’s at stake in fifteen minutes
- The actual departure time, which remained unknown right up to the last moment
- The version chosen in light of what has just happened
- The duration, adjusted to the audience remaining in the stands
- The wind, measured one last time before the agreement
- The go-ahead, given by production control and by no one else
Who we report to
Four representatives from the world of sport, Four ways to book a show.
A club does not operate in the same way as a federation, and a broadcaster does not have the same expectations as an organiser. Celesta works with all four and tailors its approach to whoever is making the decision.
01
Clubs and teams
Whether it’s the opening match, a gala evening, a centenary, promotion or the title: the date is set, but the outcome is not. We’re preparing for both possible outcomes and making sure we’re ready for either one.
02
Federations and governing bodies
Whether it’s the opening or closing of a competition, a trophy presentation or an official ceremony: protocol dictates the timing and order of precedence. The spectacle falls into line with this; it does not disrupt it.
03
Organisers and agencies
You are organising the event on behalf of a third party and are fully accountable to them. We will be listed on your running order as just another item, with our set-up times and a contact person who can be reached.
04
Broadcasters and partners
An on-air segment lasts as long as it lasts, and a partner wants to see their brand featured. The choreography is synchronised with the camera angles before being synchronised with the grandstand.
What makes all the difference
Six constraints imposed by the timetable never mentions.
None of them appear on a quote. They all decide what is possible, and Celesta notes them down during the storyboarding stage before drawing the first panel.
01
The lawn is not a stage
It cannot support any load, nor can it withstand heat or leave any marks. The structure is situated on the periphery, in the stands or on the roof, and Celesta works with this constraint rather than against it.
02
There is no timetable
Extra time, stoppage time, a trophy presentation that drags on : the announced time is a polite fiction. Security remains on high alert and the area under constant surveillance, sometimes for over an hour.
03
The audience is already on their feet
He isn’t expecting a performance; he has just experienced one. What follows must build on an existing emotion, not create a new one: the celesta therefore shortens the duration and builds the intensity more quickly.
04
Broadcasting takes precedence over the commentary box
A live broadcast event is planned with both the camera and the audience in mind. Pacing, backlighting, camera angles: Celesta finalises the production with the director in advance, not on the day itself.
05
The arena has its own rules
A stadium is a venue open to the public, with its own rules and regulations, its own head of emergency operations and its own safety committee. The application is put together in consultation with them.
06
The partner wants their image
A logo in the sky, the club’s colours, a brand message: these requests come in at a late stage and alter the narrative. Celesta weaves them into the story rather than tacking them on at the end.
The sequence of events
The season’s fixture list at the top of the production control team.
Six steps, only one of which is visible. The other five explain why that one works so well.
01
The season
The date is taken from a sporting calendar, which is subject to change. Celesta is working with the time slot, not the specific day, and has been planning for a postponement since the very first meeting.
02
Location
Celesta visits the site with the site operator: distances, access points, anchor points, areas off-limits to the public. It is this survey that determines what we will be able to write.
03
Writing
The sequence is synchronised frame by frame with a soundtrack. The possible outcomes are written separately: they share the same material, but not the same narrative structure.
04
The file
Prefecture declaration for a shooting event; application to the DGAC for a drone flight. Celesta puts the application together; the organiser remains the applicant and signs it.
05
The rehearsal
Celesta doesn’t rehearse the show itself, but the run-through: the pre-show procedure with the production control room and the presenter, and the transition from one version to the next.
06
The signal
Come evening, everything is set up and under surveillance. The signal comes from the field. Less than three seconds pass between the order being given and the first glimmer of light.
The bias
The spectacle serves sport, never the other way round.
Nobody came for the fireworks display. They come afterwards, when the emotion is already there, and their role is to keep it going for a few more minutes.
That is why Celesta writes short and punchy pieces rather than long and showy ones, and why there is no room for negotiation when it comes to the start time: a fifteen-second delay in a stadium that is emptying, and the show goes on in front of stands that are half-empty. A successful sporting spectacle is one that is remembered as an extension of the match itself, not as a separate event.
Key points
What you need to know before discussing it with your club.
Four floor levels and one threshold. These are not dependent on the competition or the size of the venue, and nobody is specifying them at this stage of the discussion.
Orders of magnitude
per event
Costed proposal
within 48 hours
A bespoke show
3 to 6 months
Permission to set off a fireworks display
At least 1 month
Authorisation for a drone flight
A minimum of 45 days
On-site survey
systematic
Drone light show, from
10 000 €
48 h
A costed proposal
As soon as the schedule and venue are known
F4
In-house pyrotechnicians
The qualification required for shooting in front of an audience
DGAC
Reported thefts
An airspace application is submitted for each drone show
15
Countries of operation
France, Europe, the Middle East and Asia
Let’s talk about it
Please send us your calendar, We’ll let you know what’s what.
A final, a victory lap, a competition opening ceremony: please specify the venue, the date range and the purpose. Celesta will reply within 48 hours with an initial quote and a list of any constraints already identified at your venue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What the organisers ask first.
How do you start the show if the match goes into extra time?
The start is not timed by a clock but by a signal. Celesta agrees a cue procedure with the production control room, given by the director or the presenter, and the system remains armed and monitored until that command is given. A fallback option is always included in case the signal fails to arrive.
Can we put anything on the lawn?
Generally speaking, no: the playing area is an asset protected by the competition rules and often by contract. The camera setup is therefore positioned on the periphery, in the stands, in the corridors or on the roof. This is a creative constraint, not an obstacle.
How long should you allow for a final?
Allow 3 to 6 months for a bespoke show. On top of this, there are administrative lead times, which run in parallel but are separate from the creative process: a minimum of 1 month for a fireworks display, and a minimum of 45 days for a drone light flight.
Is it possible to hold a performance in an indoor venue?
Yes, with a different approach. Cold special effects, carefully controlled flames and indoor drone flights are staged indoors whenever the space and ceiling height allow. Celesta’s location scouting is distinctive; it never relies on a standard repertoire.
What happens if the result isn’t what we’d hoped for?
That’s the plan. The exits are written separately and use the same set: only the direction changes, and Celesta switches between them in production control. The switch is decided in production control, is rehearsed before the big day, and cannot be seen from the gallery.
Who is granted authorisation?
Celesta puts together the technical dossier and submits the applications: a prefecture declaration for a firing exercise, the AlphaTango application to the DGAC, and a risk assessment for a drone flight. The organiser remains the applicant and signs the documents; they do not need to compile the dossier.