Portfolio
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS
Live in Kharkov
Queen and Paul Rodgers performed a one-off free concert in support of the Anit Aids Foundation of the Ukraine in one of the world’s greatest squares to an audience of over 300,000. Enhancing the tours HD Flypack system, we filmed this huge event in HDcam. The show was broadcast live to air in Eastern Europe then edited for a cinema release in the US & Europe and TV exploitation around the world.
QUEEN+PAUL RODGERS
Return of the Champions
The first live tour for nearly two decades, the legendary rock group returned with new front man Paul Rodgers. David’s long relationship with Queen continued with this production. One of the first concerts to have a limited theatrical release the film then went to TV and DVD.
AC/DC
Plug Me In
Having built a great relationship with AC/DC over the years, Serpent were the production company of choice to create this special edition box set. Featuring never-before-seen performance footage, rare TV interviews, tour promo films and alternate live versions, this DVD spans their remarkable career from 1973 with original singer Bon Scott to the present with Brian Johnson: Over 7 hours of footage.
AC/DC
Stiff Upper Lip Live
The Olympiastadion Munich
Stiff Upper Lip Live captures AC/DC where they shine most – in front of tens of thousands of their fantastic fans.
AC/DC
Rock'n'Roll Train
Promotional Video
David directed their first new promo in 8 years, continuing our relationship of over two decades with one of the world’s greatest rock and roll bands. Serpent took the opportunity to use new Red Tapeless cameras to capture the moment.
AC/DC
No Bull – Directors Cut
One of AC/DC classic concerts from 1996 filmed at the Plaza Del Torres, Madrid. Re-edited and re-released as a special edition Directors Cut.
AC/DC
Live at Donington
Filmed in 35 mm and using twenty six Panavision cameras and one helicopter, Live at Donington captured legendary Australian band AC/DC's third headlining show at the "Monsters of Rock" festival in Castle Donington, UK on 17 August 1991.
The concert was re-mastered by Serpent for release for the first time in high-definition on Blu-ray Disc in 2007.
AC/DC
Live from River Plate
David Mallet directed this superb film of AC/DC at their best with a fantastic live show and an extraordinary audience. The film was shot over 4 days in Buenos Aires using 4k Red technology to make sure of the best quality and great longevity.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Delirium
Serpent Productions enjoy a strong ongoing relationship with Cirque du Soleil that spans over nine years. Our relationship has borne many awards including winning 3 Emmys and gaining many nominations for Primetime Emmy in the category for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for its director David Mallet and the production team at Serpent.
Given the task of capturing these complex, beautiful and dangerous shows, starting in 1999 with Quidam in Amsterdam, we have had to develop unique ways of filming them. The striving for perfection of the artists and creators of the shows has pushed the Serpent team to the limits and has resulted in some of our very best work, culminating this year in a film of the show Delirium specially commissioned for Sony Digital Cinemas.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Quidam, Dralion, Algeria, Varekai, La Nouba + Ka
Serpent Productions enjoy a strong ongoing relationship with Cirque du Soleil that spans over nine years. Our relationship has borne many awards including winning 3 Emmys and Emmy nominations for the Primetime Emmy in category for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for its director David Mallet and the production team at Serpent.
Given the task of capturing these complex, beautiful and dangerous shows, starting in 1999 with Quidam in Amsterdam, we have had to develop unique ways of filming them. The striving for perfection of the artists and creators of the shows has pushed the Serpent team to the limits and has resulted in some of our very best work. Culminating this year in a film of the show Delirium specially commissioned for Sony Digital Cinemas.
U2
Popmart
Live from Mexico
U2 are famed for putting on some of the most visually awe inspiring stadium shows in the world. With the challenge of capturing the show and the huge set in a live to air transmission from Mexico City, great logistical and creative challenges were overcome to produce a perfect transmission. The resulting film was later released on DVD.
U2
Zooropa
Live from Australia
U2 continued to grow their stadium display with Zoo TV Live from Australia. An immensely complex 22 NTSC camera de-rig shoot (in a Pal country) from the football stadium in Sydney was something of a challenge! However we achieved a successful live transmission and a Grammy award winning DVD.
U2
Zoo TV
New York, Dallas & Dublin
The ultimate multimedia package: Shooting shows in Yankee Stadium, NY and in stadiums in Houston and Dallas. This was then combined with chat shows, newscasts and studio sets for a live television broadcast across two channels at RTE Dublin with a look-a-like band! Mayhem ensued: Perfect Zoo TV!
DAVID GILMOUR
Remember That Night
Live at the Royal Albert Hall
The main concert film was shot at the Royal Albert Hall during David Gilmour’s world tour; the show was filmed over 3 nights.
The biggest challenge was to capture the show on film without compromising the show’s extremely dramatic lighting style.
In addition to the main show we also filmed the EPK’s, Promos and documentary material for this whole album campaign. We provided complete documentation of the recording of the album right through to filming the tour for SD, Blu-ray and HD-DVD releases. The Final DVD was over 5 hours long.
The release of the ‘Remember That Night’ DVD was celebrated with two cinema screenings in London and broadcast live to air into cinemas across Europe and the US. The screenings had an extra special element as David Gilmour played live at the opening and closing of the show, with seamless segues into and out of the film.
DAVID GILMOUR
On An Island
Live at the Mermaid
Recorded at the Mermaid Theatre, an intimate venue in London, this project marked the start of the long working relationship with David on this album and other projects. The event was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and also a BBC interactive broadcast. The recording became a TV and Cinema special and DVD extra on Remember That Night.
DAVID GILMOUR
Live at the Royal Festival Hall
This co- production rekindled David Mallet’s long relationship with David Gilmour from the days of Pink Floyd, capturing on DV cam, David Gilmour’s Meltdown shows and Festival Hall performances in the U.K.
DAVID GILMOUR
Live in Gdansk
The film captures the exciting show that concluded David Gilmour’s world tour. Shot on a mixture of HD Z1 and Digibeta, without an OB or traditional flypack scenario, the film has now been released into cinemas, as well as a TV special for world TV exploitation.
46664
Honouring Nelson Mandela
At 90
Live from Hyde Park
The historic live world broadcast of this wonderful night was captured in full with 20 HD-cam Cameras for world TV including ITV, VH1 and many more. We also edited multiple cut downs while on air for continued TV exploitation.
46664
46664 2008
Live from Radio City Music Hall
Artists include: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklyn, Will I am, Alicia Keys, Wycleff. Serpent continued their partnership with Nelson Mandela’s charity 46664 for aids awareness.
TAKE THAT
Beautiful World Live
Winners of Best Live Act at the 2008 Brits, Take That’s show was a huge spectacular and one that was a real challenge to shoot. Filmed on 28 cameras in High Definition, Matt’s main aim was to capture the shows theatrical ambitions and to allow the band members’ individual personalities to shine through. The show was transmitted live from the O2 Arena in HD and Dolby 5.1 audio into over 40 Vue Cinemas across the U.K. and also became the fastest selling DVD of the year. Serpent also produced the ‘on the road’ documentary and show narration.
TAKE THAT
The Circus Live
Take That continued on from their come back A Beautiful World Tour with an absolutely huge and extraordinary stadium show seen by over 1 million people. Matt Askem was asked again to direct the film of the show and the resulting DVD is a stunning film which became the fastest ever selling DVD in the UK. Edited for various formats the film has also been a major success in the international TV market.
MUSE
H.A.A.R.P
Live from Wembley Stadium
Matt Askem worked with the shows visual director Tom Kirk to film this momentous show. Combining a mixture of full HD technology with some remote cameras and dv cameras in the audience to produce a show which Q Magazine gave a 5 star rating and has won praise from Muse fans across the world.
GENESIS
When in Rome Live 2007
With Genesis performing a free concert in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands at the Circus Maximus in Rome, this had to be the show to film. With the biggest touring screen in operation, a huge set and lighting rig, it was a challenge to capture the full scale of the event while maintaining the intimacy and connection to the band. David achieved this with 21 HD cameras, using many small remote heads on and around the stage to capture the band. The film has gone on to be shown across the world on TV as well as in Cinemas in UK and USA and DVD and Blu-ray. We also produced the cinema launch for this programme.
P!NK
Live from Wembley Arena
P!nk’s extremely theatrical show, which included her own aerial acrobatics, allowed us to use the experience we gained filming Cirque du Soleil to capture her show to the full. The result was a live to air MSN Broadcast, followed by DVD and further TV showings.
SIMPLY RED
Stay
Live at The Royal Albert Hall
Simply Red's classic show shot at the Royal Albert Hall with 15 HD cameras, delivered for DVD and World TV, including HD TV release. The film captures the music and the mood of night to the full.
SIMPLY RED
The very last show
A live to air cinema transmission of the very last Simply Red show ever, went live across UK and Europe. Capturing the true celebration of the sell out final show for Simply Red at the O2.
ELTON JOHN
Red Piano
Live in Las Vegas
'NBC Special'
Heralded as "a must see" by the Los Angeles Times, the enormity of Elton John's stage performance was brought to television with 24 high-definition cameras which were used to film the special over a number of nights. Filmed initially as an NBC special it is now to be released on DVD.
SARAH BRIGHTMAN
The Harem World Tour
Live from Las Vegas
Captured on 18 cameras and filmed at a sold-out MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. This DVD set featured Sarah Brightman’s greatest hits, classic covers and selections of her most recent original recordings, all set against the backdrop of her mesmerizing stage show.
CHER
The Farewell Tour
Live in Miami
'NBC Special'
Cher's awards and accolades are endless. Reflecting her amazing 40 years as the ultimate female superstar and filmed before an ecstatic Miami crowd, the film touches on every level of Cher's phenomenal career: intercut with the live show Cher talks intimately about her triumphs in music, TV, theatre and movies. The show also includes a special tribute to The Sonny and Cher Show.
Cher – The Farewell Tour was nominated for 6 Emmys and won a total of three including ‘Outstanding Variety, Comedy or Music Special’. It was the top rated Music Special of the year, giving NBC its highest ratings in that time slot since October 2000.
David also won a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Musical/Variety.
THREE TENORS
Christmas Concert
Live from Vienna
Serpent were commissioned to design and stage this show for television. Recorded live at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, The Three Tenors Christmas features performances of favourites by the world-renowned trio: José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.
The Three Tenors Christmas aired on PBS and then was later released on DVD.
Awards: Nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Classical Music-Dance Program
Tony Bennett, Placido Domingo, Vanessa Williams
Our Favourite Things Live from Vienna
This was staged and designed for TV by Serpent for Sony Classical and was a Christmas Special for PBS and world TV.
TINA TURNER
One Last Time
Live in Concert
Filmed during the 'Twenty Four Seven' tour in July of 2000, Tina Turner's final concerts at the old Wembley Stadium were captured by David Mallet and revealed her fantastically energetic performance and the spectacular nature of the show.
TINA TURNER
Tina!
Tinas come back sell out tour - for one last time. Shot with a sell out crowd in Holland. Tina is still one of the best live performers in the world as is apparent with this concert film.
CHARLOTTE CHURCH
Voice of an Angel in Concert
Staged and designed by Serpent for Sony. Serpent built a complex but intimate auditorium to replicate a wonderful Italian opera house. This was Charlotte’s first full length concert performance and assisted in launching her career in the US and around the world.
SPICE GIRLS
Live at Wembley Stadium
Shot on September 26, 1998, at England's famed Wembley Stadium, this event captured the girls at the height of their stratospheric career. A complex show to film for many reasons: 4 lead singers, a sold out show and very complex venue issues meant this was logistically a hard show to plan, but the result was a resounding success.
The show was live to air and was released subsequently for world TV and DVD release.
VANGELIS
Mythodia
Temple of Zeus, Athens
Commissioned by Sony Classical in conjunction with NASA to commemorate the Mars landings, Serpent worked with artist Vangelis to create an extraordinary live show in the Temple of Zeus in Athens, Greece. With Jesse Norman, Kathleen Battle and a cast of thousands.
a-ha
Live from Oslo
Matt Askem directed the film of the farewell tour for A ha. Coming from their home town of Oslo. This is the band’s final live DVD.
HOPE FOR HAITI
An MTV telethon
Some of the Team from Serpent – Matt Askem Directing and Dione Orrom with Ned O’Hanlon, Producing, joined the MTV telethon team to put together the London end of the huge Hope For Haiti transmission. With Bono, Edge, Beyonce, Chris Martin, Jay Z and Rihanna taking to the stage for this huge charity event.
