Mark Smaller

Nearly ten years ago, I first approached the David Bowie estate about creating “STAGE”—an immersive, multimedia arena show that would let audiences of up to 17,000 experience one of David’s finest filmed performances in a room full of like-minded fans. It seemed destined to be one of those ideas that arrive and vanish almost in the same breath. But for some reason, this one stayed. DAVID BOWIE “STAGE” will have its world premiere on February 14 at the Uber Arena in Berlin as part of the Berlin Film Festival. What is it? It is not a movie screened in an arena. It is a curated multimedia experience designed specifically for arenas and presented on screens so large they require an arena setting. There is not one screen but several, each with its own image and perspective, inviting the audience to look where they want—more like theatre than cinema. Expect the unexpected. We began our first assembly in 2018 and have been refining the sound and color grading since completing Moonage Daydream in 2021. The sound was designed and mixed by the team that collaborated on Moonage Daydream, led by Academy Award winner Paul Massey and three-time nominee David Giammarco. The sound design was created by Academy Award winners John Warhurst and Nina Hartstone and will be presented in 7.1. The Lighting for the show has been designed by OBE Patrick Woodroffe, who collaborated with the Rolling Stones for decades. The lighting is as much a part of the experience as the sound and will be choreographed and integrated with the film elements in a way we’ve never seen. Hopefully, it will all work together seamlessly. One wonders. I suppose Berlin will be a bit of a high wire act. This show was built for 2027 and would not have been possible without recent technological advances. I am so grateful to the David Bowie Estate for entrusting me with this once in a lifetime opportunity. And am beyond grateful to Tricia Tuttle and her staff at the Berlin film festival for providing us with the most apropos launching pad. And to the Bowie community who have been so supportive throughout this 10 year journey, this one is for you.