Blinding Lights: Meet Sila Sveta — Iconic Events Worldwide

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by Alexandra Mansilla

Blinding Lights: Meet Sila Sveta — Magicians Behind Iconic Events Worldwide

8 Nov 2024

They created Gotham City alongside Es Devlin — an absolutely brilliant artist and stage designer — for The Weeknd. In collaboration with Moment Factory, they conjured up massive spiders and an entire underwater world with sharks for Billie Eilish’s concert. They designed the striking visual stage setup for Drake. And if you watched the closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar (and if not, you really should) or the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Opening Ceremony, you will definitely remember that breathtaking show. Yes, they were behind that, too. And that is just the beginning — the list of their projects is endless, and each one, without exaggeration, is remarkable.

Who are they? Sila Sveta.

And all their magic (there is no better word for it) is created through the power of light.

We spoke with Sila Sveta co-founder Alexander Us to learn how they make it all happen.

— Alex, hello! Your projects are already known worldwide, and since 2018, you have been collaborating with MENA as well. Your first project there was Stars Vision for the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival. Can you tell us more about it? Why did you choose this approach for the Camel Festival, and why did you decide on a starry sky theme?

— This was a truly new kind of project for us, especially in terms of cultural aspects, because back then, six years ago, Saudi Arabia was a bit different — more closed off.

For the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, we had built a dome projection in a desert and created an immersive journey through cosmic orbits, universe structure and Arab astronomy history. Dome projection is a format that really stands apart. It was invented long before video projections came into use, and it could even be called the grandfather of VR. The immersion effect is just incredible.

At that time, we were the first who made a dome projection in Saudi Arabia. The concept fit perfectly here: a desert, a dome projection as festival elements, and the Bedouins and nomads as part of the culture — all of it under a starry sky.

Why the stars? Because when you're in the desert, you often find yourself staring up at that crazy sky full of stars. In the desert, the night sky is just so stunning, and you can see the stars so clearly that you feel a deep connection to the cosmos.

— How would you describe the multimedia scene in the Emirates?

— When it comes to truly cool multimedia events, I haven’t really seen anything groundbreaking yet. Now, MUTEK has emerged and is definitely taking steps in that direction — their artists are creating some interesting interactive installations, which is fantastic. But Dubai has the potential for so much more. The demand for multimedia projects is definitely there, but, for example, there still isn’t a proper light festival in Dubai yet.

Of course, there is the Burj Khalifa, which has become a multimedia spectacle in itself. But again, there is room here for bigger, more imaginative projects. And we really hope that we will have the opportunity to contribute to that.

Alexander Us

— You have worked with the FIFA World Cup, and you have definitely seen a ton of opening and closing ceremonies. Which ones would you call iconic?

— Every creative loves the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics. It had something truly special — solutions that were incredibly moving. The kineticism, the choreography — it was all deeply touching. It wasn’t the most extravagant ceremony, but it had its own unique power.

Then, in 2008, the Beijing Olympics showed us something extraordinary. Those massive, almost historiographic sequences with soldiers standing like the Terracotta Army, the time-coded synchronisation, and the mind-blowing drum performances — it was monumental.

Then there wasthe 2014 Sochi Olympics. I think it turned out fantastic. Andrei Boltenko created an emotional, complex, and richly layered ceremony that really reflected the cultural grandeur of Russia. He poured everything into it, and it showed.

The recent Paris ceremony was more of an experiment. I respect the organisers for making a bold decision to take the event beyond the stadium — that is brave and really cool when a show breaks the usual boundaries. But from the other perspective, I think Paris lost a bit. It is hard to create a unified atmosphere when the action is “spread out across the city like butter on toast.” The most crucial element is the sense of togetherness, and a stadium delivers that kind of energy — people reacting, shouting, and sharing emotions. This time, everything spilled out onto the streets, which, in my opinion, was a complex experiment that didn’t quite capture the same energy.

I also really liked the 2022 Qatar World Cup opening. It featured many interesting choices — huge puppets and various special effects. The ideas were creative and different from the norm.

And, of course, there is the Super Bowl. Super Bowl performances always leave an impression. Lady Gaga and Madonna — their shows are the kind you want to watch over and over. Actually, I do that from time to time.

AFC Asian Cup 2023 Opening Ceremony

— Also, tell us about the absolutely fantastic AFC Asian Cup 2023 Opening Ceremony. How was it made? What is the story?

— Oh, it was an amazing experience! We did it alongside our friends at Katara Studios — they’re actually planning to create a musical based on an old Arabic fairy tale — Kelileh o Demneh, that was at the heart of the AFC Opening Ceremony 2023. The show itself was unconventional, and the stage was incredibly non-standard. You have to understand that with these types of ceremonies, the challenge isn’t just coming up with a stage design. The real difficulty is in the logistics: bringing everything in quickly and then clearing it all away at the same insane speed. It is a whole science. For this kind of thing, there are companies that specialise in making certified wheels for transporting the set pieces on and off the field. Everything has to be seamless so the audience doesn’t even notice.

We recreated the dunes using hundreds of pieces that could be assembled and disassembled like Lego. Every piece was marked, and hundreds of people worked fast to put it together and take it apart.

We also had shells with mirrors embedded and covered with artificial rose petals. These shells were lifted by a special rigging system during the show.

When the performance began, the heroes walked across the dunes, and at one point, the screens rose like shells, mirroring a kind of "magic mirror" moment. It reminded me of something from the fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm, where the character speaks to the mirror asking something — like the phrase, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall..." The lead character of the show was experiencing inner turmoil, facing his personal dramas, and other characters communicated with him through these mirrors.

These characters wore incredibly complex kinetic, motorised masks — the craftsmanship was astounding. I hadn’t seen anything like it before. The expressions on the masks moved in sync with the actors’ faces using tracking technology. Cameras captured the actors’ facial expressions, and according to those movements, the masks would open their mouths, move their eyes — it was truly incredible.

— Wow, how long did all of this take to prepare?

— From the initial ideas to the final execution, it took us about a year.

AFC Asian Cup 2023 Opening Ceremony

— Also, you have an incredible multimedia exhibition project — Tutankhamun: In Search of Eternal Life — that seems to captivate even those who aren’t particularly interested in ancient Egyptian history. How did that come about?

— It turns out we actually have quite a few die-hard Ancient Egypt fans on our team. We have travelled there, sailed down the Nile, reached the Aswan Dam, and visited countless temples. It is genuinely something mystical and beautiful.

The timing was perfect. We were fascinated by this theme, and then the opportunity for a full-blown project about Ancient Egypt presented itself. It was the centenary of Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, and a wonderful client — who later became a close friend of mine — approached us with the idea of doing something grand to commemorate it.

We dedicated a lot of time to the development process because, first and foremost, we needed to understand the entire story of Tutankhamun. He ruled for a short time and is mainly remembered because his tomb wasn’t looted. Every item in that tomb had its own meaning and understanding, which required a lot of research.

We wanted to broaden the perspective — not just tell Tutankhamun's story but also present the larger context of Ancient Egypt. It is a pretty sad story — Tutankhamun died at just 19 years old. So we decided to add depth: What was Ancient Egypt really like? What were their tombs like? Why did they live with such a focus on death? What did they imagine the afterlife to be? What curses did they fear? What giant serpent might consume them if they weren't careful?

These ancient myths are absolutely fascinating, and they lend themselves beautifully to visual storytelling. That is why we ended up creating two shows. One was more scientific; the other was more for entertainment, like a fairy tale.

“TUTANKAMON” at MAD in Madrid

— What do you mean by two shows about Tutankhamun?

— We had two clients approach us simultaneously. To one, we offered the more scientifically accurate version; to the other, a more fantastical one.

— Can you explain the storytelling in the fantasy version?

— In “TUTANKAMON” at MAD in Madrid, we portrayed Tutankhamun as a superhero, and we found ourselves in this magical world with gigantic figures — a place where everything began.

The second show, “Tutankhamun: In Search of Eternal Life”, was more grounded: it featured the Nile River, showing how civilisation emerged around it thanks to water. It explained how pyramid blocks were transported and how the step pyramids were built. It was something akin to a National Geographic or Netflix documentary — interesting, informative, and full of facts.

But in the end, it turned out that people seemed to prefer the fantasy over the facts.

— What kind of projects are people approaching you with nowadays?

— Interestingly, we’re seeing more requests gradually shift away from events toward multimedia projects, especially in museum formats. There is growing interest in creating permanent exhibition spaces.

— Why do you think that is?

— You know, maybe it is because we are growing, and while events are great — and we still do them — there is just something more fulfilling about creating something that isn’t for just one night. An event is a flash of excitement, but we want to leave a lasting mark. For example, with exhibitions, people can revisit them several times; plus, they provide some educational value — they enrich people, even if just a little bit.

The Hyperfeeling installation | Balloon Museum

— Sila Sveta has worked with major celebrities like Drake, The Weeknd, and Billie Eilish. I am curious — who was the first big star you collaborated with? How did it come about? Did they approach you, or did you reach out to them?

— The first major artist we worked with was Ivan Dorn. It is an interesting story. We wanted to do stage design, and it just so happened that my friend knew Ivan. I reached out, got his number, and contacted him, and he was all in. We met, clicked really quickly, and ended up doing the stage design for him.

— What about The Weeknd?

— He came on board two or three years ago. We did computer graphics for the screens for his After Hours Till Dawn US Tour.

The Weeknd, After Hours Till Dawn US Tour

— As participants in the process, have you attended all of his rehearsals?

— Yeah, and with The Weeknd, it was such a unique experience. I attended a rehearsal and got to feel that special sensation of sitting alone in a massive stadium while The Weeknd performed, just for me — like a private concert!

The Weeknd, After Hours Till Dawn US Tour

— What advice would you give to teams working with lighting to help them create a great show?

— I think the most important thing is to pay close attention to what you’re doing. You need to repeat your process, much like a craftsman — like a carpenter making multiple passes until they achieve perfection. You just have to keep at it until you’re truly satisfied.

A lot of people approach things on a surface level — they do it once, think it looks okay, and call it a day. But we’re focused on quality; we revisit, review, and meticulously check every detail. Even better, we create mockups, especially if it is 3D mapping or VR. We review the show from all angles, avoiding reliance solely on computer simulations. Wherever possible, it is crucial to hold rehearsals and watch the results on a full scale. If those options aren’t available, then we adapt. But no matter what, it is important to put in the "homework" to perfect each element.

Missing out on the coolest events in Dubai? We know where you will be in November: The Crowd Test Festival — the very first Art and Music Festival by The Sandy Times.

The lineup is incredible: Mainline Magic Orchestra from Spain, Eden Burns from New Zealand, and a lot of your favourite DJs like Hani J, Hassan Alwan, Bazzzuk, and more.

Mark your calendar, snag your tickets, and get ready: November 16, 2024, from 5 PM to 3 AM at Monkey Bar, Dubai.

by Alexandra Mansilla

Blinding Lights: Meet Sila Sveta — Magicians Behind Iconic Events Worldwide

8 Nov 2024

Tickets are available here

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8 Nov 2024

Tickets are available here

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Preserving Lebanese Fashion History: Meet Joe Challita

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