Festivals
A city for three days. Celesta writes it in the sky.
A field, a wasteland, a park become a settlement of several thousand people, then disappear. Electricity, access, barriers, the ground: everything is temporary and set up by others. Celesta sets up its installation within this ephemeral infrastructure, not alongside it.
The crux of the matter
The place doesn’t exist yet when we write.
At a permanent venue, you can see what’s already there. At a festival, you’re looking at a site plan that’s still subject to change. Celesta’s approach is completely different.
At a permanent site
What has been achieved
- A stabilised subgrade with a known bearing capacity
- Fixed points identified once and for all
- A suitably sized power supply
- Permanently marked fire access routes
- A boundary that nobody moves
At a festival
It keeps moving right to the very end
- A ground that changes with the week’s rain
- A site plan that had been amended yet again the day before
- Generators shared with the stage
- Emergency routes redesigned for each edition
- A campsite and lodges within the operational area
What changes everything
Six constraints on the site plan never shows.
None of them appear on a quote. They all decide what is possible, and Celesta notes them down on site before sketching the first image.
01
The ground decides
A waterlogged meadow cannot support either a weighted mortar or a lorry. Celesta assesses the bearing capacity and works with you to plan the track plates before deciding on the layout, not afterwards.
02
Energy is shared
The bands are already powering the stage, the production control room and the catering facilities. A late request has meant that an extra band has to be added, which means more fuel, more noise and extra space on the ground.
03
The perimeter eats the gauge
Every metre set aside for safety is one metre less for the audience. Celesta raises this issue with the production team at a very early stage; otherwise, it ends up being at the expense of the show.
04
The neighbourhood has a curfew
The prefectural order sets the closing time, and this cannot be negotiated on the evening in question. Any filming scheduled after the final concert must take place within this time slot.
05
The campsite is within the perimeter
At many events, festival-goers sleep just a few hundred metres away from the fallout zone. Celesta calculates the fallout zone in consultation with them, and evacuation plans are drawn up in conjunction with security.
06
The next match takes place this evening
A tidy site and a properly maintained licence are essential for the event to return next year. Celesta is working just as hard on the next edition as it is on this one.
The sequence of events
Site plan upon handover of the land.
Six steps, only one of which is visible. The other five explain why the site appears to be usable.
01
The site plan
Celesta is included in the file at the stage when the production team is drawing up the site plan, not afterwards. This is the only time when the shooting area can still be reserved.
02
Location
Site visit to the vacant plot with the general manager: load-bearing capacity, underground utilities, trees, power lines, neighbouring properties. Celesta knows that a vacant plot looks very different from a plan.
03
Writing
The programme is tailored to the actual schedule and the time limit. Celesta keeps it brief, because the festival audience has been on their feet since ten o’clock.
04
The file
Prefecture declaration, approval from the safety committee, and submission to the DGAC for a drone flight. Celesta puts the application together; the organiser signs it.
05
The editing
Five to eight hours on a site already occupied by twenty other trades. Celesta works alongside them, never against them, and access remains unimpeded.
06
The handover
Dismantling, monitoring of fallout, complete clearance, and a final inspection with the landowner. It is this phase that determines the next instalment.
The bias
Keep it short, because the audience has been on their feet for ten hours.
A festival-goer doesn’t arrive at the shooting range feeling fresh. They’ve been walking, waiting and dancing, and still have to make their way back to their tent or car.
That is why Celesta writes short, intense pieces rather than full-length performances, and why the set begins as close as possible to the final chord. A six-minute set that follows immediately after the headline act makes a far greater impression than a twelve-minute set announced twenty minutes later, in front of a venue that is already emptying.
Key points
What you need to know before discussing it with your production team.
Four floor levels and one threshold. These are independent of both the capacity and the number of stages, and no competitor is currently offering them at this stage.
Orders of magnitude
per edition
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
Survey of the vacant plot
systematic
Drone light show, from
10 000 €
Let’s talk about it
Please send us your site plan, We’ll tell you where the shot is.
An opening, a closing event, or a highlight midway through the festival: please specify the venue, dates and provisional programme. Celesta will reply within 48 hours with an initial quote and any practical constraints that have already been identified.
Frequently Asked Questions
What the programmers ask first.
Can you shoot if the ground is waterlogged?
Yes, provided it has been planned for. Celesta assesses the bearing capacity during site survey and provides suitable rolling plates and ballast. What’s a bad idea is choosing an open, waterlogged site the day before without having a fallback plan in place.
Do we need an extra generator?
Rarely for pyrotechnics, which run on batteries. More often for drone light flights or scenography. The cost is calculated during the initial discussions so that it can be included in the festival’s energy budget.
How many metres do we lose on the gauge?
It depends on the calibre and the nature of the site. A close-range shot with cold effects requires very little, whilst an aerial burst requires much more. Celesta always provides several scenarios with figures given in metres, so that decisions can be made in full knowledge of the facts.
Can the show go on after the cut-off time?
No. The finishing time set by order is a regulatory minimum, not a flexible guideline. The schedule is therefore drawn up to fit within the time slot, with a shortened version ready in case the programme runs over.
What happens if a drought order is issued?
The prefect may ban all filming. Celesta writes each scenario with a contingency plan: switching to a version with no fallout, increasing lighting and drone coverage, or postponing the shoot under supervised conditions. The decision rests with the relevant authority.
How long should you allow for a first edition?
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.