Martin Österdahl, executive producer of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, seems determined to place the fans back in the heart of the process for the next edition of the contest to be held in Malmo. Plans to do this include moving the stage closer to the audience and possibly getting them involved in the show itself.
“We want to draw attention to the fans and involve them. One of our core values is that we want to create passion that lasts, the passion that lives on. It is largely the fans who write our statements. They are bearers of culture and important to bring our version of Eurovision on”, Mr Martin Österdahl states. This will be achieved by moving the fans closer to the stage unlike recent years and the SVT team is working on ideas that will use the fans as an integral part of the show itself. Mr Österdahl stresses the importance of the presence of the fans in the festivities around the host city as well as during the welcome party and he states there will be discussions for the tickets and accomodation.
“The fans own the arena. They should be closer to the stage and the performers, and we are looking at ways to make the fans more involved in set design than before. With their flags, they function as a living extension of our production design, but maybe we can find more solutions so that they have access to something that it is possible to project onto the LED elements for example.” Continues Mr Österdahl.
Good news for the members of the Press
Thousands of journalists from all over the world flock annually to the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest to cover the event. Martin Österdahl reassures the members of the international press that special provisions will be made to ensure their work is facilitated and they will be spared traveling large distances to and from the Arena.
The Press Center will be located in Malmömässan, just next to Malmö Arena and will have a sheltered passage to the arena. New, groundbreaking technologies will be used to offer journalists and delegates all the information they could possibly need during their stay in Malmo.
“Proximity and logistics will be better than anything I’ve experienced during my seven Eurovision visits. It becomes a real building with real restaurants and decent rooms, walls and chairs. No tent.” States Martin Österdahl. And he concludes: “We want journalists to feel seen and know that we are prepared for what is to come. There should be an intelligent, warm hand that leads them through the event.”
Source: SVT
