Ever wondered what it takes to pull together a show like the MTV EMAs? Well, look no further as an MTV insider has gathered the bizarre and ‘EMA-zing’ facts about the 2015 MTV EMAs for you – revealing what goes on behind the scenes to produce one of the biggest global music events of the year that celebrates the hottest artists from around the world.
MAIN SHOW PRODUCTION
*The 2015 MTV EMAs set has been designed by celebrated German-American stage and set designer Florian Wieder – the creative mastermind behind the MTV EMAs set designs in Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Liverpool, Amsterdam and Glasgow. He has also previously designed for the MTV Movie Awards and the MTV VMAs.
*This year’s set is inspired by taking MTV back to its roots – creating a massive TV set on – stage as the show will take the audience into different ‘worlds’.
*The entire set on the main stage is made of LED screens with a ‘tongue-like’ stage extension from the main stage, creating a floating effect into the arena.
*10,000 CDs have been flown in to be used as a performance backdrop.
*Production equipment include:
-4 truckloads of video screens
-10 truckloads of lighting to help ignite the stage and red carpet – all of which will be housed in a 70 metre long glass marquee.
-2 miles of gaffer tape used this year
-500 radios for staff
-2.5km of barrier
*Everything has been transported through 50 technical trucks.
*6 enormous generator units will be used to power the show.
*MTV EMAs Site Managers walk approximately 15 miles each day in the run up to the show
HAIR & MAKE UP
*The 40-person MTV EMAs professional makeup artist team has spent over 500 hours with internationally renowned make-up artist and MTV EMAs guru, Glam Squad’s Debbie Dannell.
*Together, they have brought an arsenal of make-up tools, including 5 kilos of glitter, 300 sets of lashes, 60 assorted moustaches, 300 cans of hairspray and 300 assorted styling products.
*The team includes a specialist graffiti artist – The Urbanist – who creates beautiful body art, treating the human body as a living canvas.
*And here are some added hair-raising facts: A backstage wiggery to house over 1000 over-the-top wigs, 300 hairpieces and 100 poly heads, with the onsite help of 22 expert hairdressers, led by Pauline Simmons, now in her 17th year at the MTV EMAs. This is the highest number of wigs ever housed at the EMAs backstage
COSTUMES
*Despite the scale of the event, an intimate team of 14 wardrobe staff have worked around the clock to produce more than 150 costumes for dancers, presenters and artists.
*On top of reams of fabric, the team has used over 72 metres of ribbon and 1,000 metres of silicon.
*24-hour fabric sublimation printing was employed to create one fabulous outfit.
DANCERS
*This year’s troupe of 35 dancers was selected by MTV EMAs veteran Aicha McKenzie of AMCK from over 700 potentials who flew to Italy to audition. And the troupe will be choreographed by Nathan Clarke
Host Ed Sheeran and co-host Ruby Rose will be taking charge of this year’s MTV EMAs, which will broadcast live across the globe on Monday, 26 October at 3am (TH/WIB) and 4am (MY/PH/SG) from the Mediolanum Forum in Milan.
Repeat telecast information:
Sunday, 1 November at 2pm (WIB), 3pm (PH/SG) and 4pm (MY)
Monday, 2 November at 12am (TH)
Saturday, 7 November at 12pm (TH), 6pm (WIB), 7pm (PH/SG) and 8pm (MY)
Sunday, 8 November at 7am (TH)
Sunday, 29 November at 2pm (WIB), 3pm (PH/SG) and 4pm (MY)
Performers will include Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran & Rudimental, Ellie Goulding, Jason Derulo, twenty one pilots, Tori Kelly, James Bay, Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Andrea Bocelli and Justin Bieber.
