Meet the team responsible for ensuring seamless transitions between performances at the Eurovision Song Contest. With only 35 seconds to change the set, stage manager Richard van Rouwendaal and his crew work tirelessly to prevent any blunders
The “Formula 1 Tyre Change”
“We call it the Formula 1 tyre change,” Van Rouwendaal explains. “Each person in the crew can only do one thing. You run on stage with one light bulb or one prop. You always walk on the same line. If you go off course, you will hit somebody. It’s a bit like ice skating.” The crew rehearses their “F1 tyre change” weeks before the contestants arrive, using detailed plans from each country to shave precious seconds off the changeovers.
Attention to Detail
Van Rouwendaal’s team consists of 13 Dutch crew members and 30 local staff, each assigned specific tasks. “Someone’s good at running, someone’s good at lifting, someone’s good at organising the backstage area,” he says. “It’s like being good at Tetris because you have to line everything up in a small space, in the perfect way.” Every performer has their own microphone stand, set to the correct height and angle, to ensure camera-perfect performances.
Props and Logistics
Props play a significant role in Eurovision, with elaborate staging and secret passageways, or “smuggling routes,” used to get props in and out of vision. “It’s a big logistics effort, actually, to get all the props organised,” says Damaris Reist, deputy head of production. “It’s all organised in a kind of a circle. The props come onto the stage from the left, and then get taken off to the right.”
What If It All Goes Wrong?
In case of a mistake, the team has contingency plans in place. “There’s actually lots of measures that are being taken to make sure that every act can be shown in the best way,” Reist explains. “If there’s a situation where somebody has to run, maybe that’s going to be me!” If a technical issue arises, the director can cut to a presenter in the green room or switch to pre-recorded footage.
The Pressure’s On
Staging a live three-hour broadcast with thousands of moving parts is incredibly stressful. Despite the pressure, Van Rouwendaal and his team remain focused, knowing that their hard work will go unseen by the audience. “Yes, we have to be on top, and we have to be sharp as a knife, but having fun together is also very important,” Van Rouwendaal says. “Sometimes we go out and have a drink and cheer because we had a great day.”