We don’t have a host city yet. We don’t even know how many countries will take part at Eurovision 2023. But we do know know at least one designer who is ready to build next year’s Eurovision stage in the United Kingdom. Once again, German creative Florian Wieder is ready and willing to take up the task if asked by the BBC — this year’s organisers.
Florian Wieder is no stranger in the world of Eurovision. The German stage designer has worked on stage concepts for many editions of Eurovision since 2011. He’s also designed stages for TV shows in the UK and US, including the MTV Video Music Awards. Talking to German online magazine DWDL, he now reveals he would be more than happy to work on the stage for the contest next year. But it’s not that easy to actually get the job.
“Sometimes there are tenders, sometimes someone is commissioned directly […] The awarding of tenders is sometimes also to be understood from a patriotic point of view.”
Which is to say that organisers often want to commission local talent. For Eurovision 2022, Italy’s Rai called on respected Italian design firm Atelier Francesca Montinaro, who gave us the kinetic sun and turned the green room into a lush garden.
Wieder also explains that he never really “auditioned” for designing an earlier Eurovision stage. On every occasion Wieder was involved, the host broadcaster invited him directly to discuss plans. So if the BBC reaches out to him, he’d be in, as he explained to DWDL.
“If we are asked, we will definitely present a concept. We did that in Italy too. But we have to wait and see if there’s a call coming from the UK.”
Speaking about Italy, Florian discussed the broke down sun stage from Turin. He expressed sympathy for the team who developed the idea of the sun stage. But Wieder, who also was in the race of staging the stage in Italy, makes it clear that his team always has a back-up plan, which wasn’t the case in Turin.
“They made some specific mistakes which are easy to identify for me since it’s my daily business. The construction was kind of a ‘dead end’ since there was no Plan B. I really hope this will never happen to me because me and my team, we always have a backup plan.”
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“It all was very problematic especially because it was Eurovision. In every other TV show you could have just gone to the broadcaster or the production and told only them about the problem. But explaining it to every single artist from all those countries of course makes it even more public to so many people. The artists worked on their performance for the actual stage and had to change a lot because of these technical problems.”
Recently, Wieder designed the biggest stage he ever worked on when he designed the “Bavaria sound” stage, on which a new concert series in Munich, Germany takes place. Wieder compared the stage concept with the “British summer time” event at London’s Hyde Park. On 20 August German Schlager-pop queen Helene Fischer, who fans have wanted to see at Eurovision for many years, took to this stage and sang in front of 130,000 people. British singer Robbie Williams will also perform at “Bavaria sound” on Saturday.
Wieder explains he worked with a lot of large screens for “Bavaria sound” because you need to make an impact with the stage itself if there are so many people in the audience. If his Eurovision 2023 stage concepts would include big LED screens as well was not confirmed.
Fans have made it clear that they want both the EBU and future broadcasters to learn from the stage-fiasco in Turin. Preparing a backup plan could give organizers more flexibility and artists could feel more relaxed.
Did you like Florian Wieder’s Eurovision work in the past? Or do you think the BBC needs to hire stage designers from the UK? Let us know in the comments below.
Self promotion. No, thank you. We had wonderful lighting in Turin. During the interval acts the sun was moving, proving the structure worked, even if not fast enough for the changeovers. And the changeover times are constantly shortened due to the constraints of broadcasting to different timezones. On the Turin’s stage we had water, plants, trees, bushes, raising drawbridges, the double sided kinetik sun. The idea of the center core of the sun with both RGB led rings plus an high explosive white to simulate a shining sun. There were plenty of light features. There is a wonderful video on… Read more »
Willing? I don’t think he is doing charity..
We’ll see. Italians were cocky too
With Florian he can never be a fiasco, his sets are empty, originality equal to zero, never experimentation, a copy and paste of his previous scenography.
A nice flat stage stage, a nice giant led wall as a background and the next edition of Eurovision is ready.
Unless they turn off the electricity, Florian lives quietly!
If you want all the performances looks like the same then you need things like a kinetic sun on the stage. To give all the acts their own atmosphere and possibilities its better to keep it plain with big led walls. Sounds boring but you can see the difference between 2021/2022.
2014 stage design says hi
Hi, that was a great stage design indeed. It had a kind of double screen, one in the back and one on the frame. Except of the frame itself it could be seen as one background. That’s something different with a huge kinetic sun with thick moving parts and LED’s in a lot of different directions.
Well said Sucof. But here the national sport is criticizing everything. I have written my comment above, read it.
I hope not ; Its time to get a total refresh on the staging
There’s been a total inbreading ofaesthetics now for 10 yrs
Best 3 stages from 2010
1. 2014
2. 2011
3. 2016
2019 stage was stunning tho..
Given the fiasco with the stage last year, having Florian back would be a heaven send.
*this year
I d’love to see a gorgeous stage, that is functional, innovative, with something very eye catching and never seen, a stage that reflects both the host country and the last winning country, whoever who is the designer, Florian Wieder or not, if the stage is as I wish.
My favourite esc stage remains Copenhaguen 2014, this stage was so huge and fantastic, and I think Vienna 2015 was amazing too.
Lol this dead sun not so dead in fact is becoming legendary. It was dead for the main stakeholders only, so dead sun is not the appropriate term I think, but slow sun or lazy sun reflect more the sad reality of this year.
Agreed! 2014 was my favorite with 2015 second. Both completely different
We’ve got really good stage designers in the UK and Ukraine. Thanks anyway, Florian.
I honestly just want a good looking decently sized staging with functioning LED’s. No need for any special contraptions that may or may not work.
I really really want something completely different this time. I know there are clear differences in stage design in recent years but they are all blurring into one now, it feels like we have got stuck in a formulaic rut. Yes its a formula that works but surely there’s fresh ideas and new technology to tap into now. It may sound a bit of a strange thing to say as the old stage designs seem very old fashion, but I really miss the 80’s and 90’s, where the lack of technology and the wide variance of halls and arenas used… Read more »
True! Even now I remember easily in which year of the 90s or 00s an act represented some country because each year Eurovision was different. Now it’s more or less the same every year (even the font is the same!) and it’s become quite impossible to do it.
Even when the same country hosted four times in five years, Ireland, it was different each time.
Honestly, I’ll accept any designer who won’t serve us another black sun. The bar is as down as it’s possible.
so we only have floflo options here? either a flop or florian?
It makes me sad that a whole union of broadcasters can never seem to use their own people for this job. BBC can find one of their usual set designers, it will give them valuable experience and help them going forward. Again using Florian Wieder is not a public service to the British people.
I agree.
Brilliant remark!
Eurovision 2004 and 2022 stages was designed by the local designer from host countries
Eurovision is a multi-national production. There is no place for your nationalism.
I don’t have any nationalism.
2022 stage was fail, but I hope that stage designer will be someone from the UK.
I hope strongly that The Wieder Era continue finished in Rotterdam 2021 and now each country and tv choose talent inside their borders like RAI did brilliantly with Francesca Montinaro although the troubles with the stage
I hope they pick someone who knows what they’re doing, doesn’t matter if it’s Florian Wieder or someone else. Turin was a complete fail in that regard. I don’t know how you consider Montinaro’s design a success. It looked absolutely terrible on tv, and it didn’t work.
it was terrible because it was something different and original than the usual Florian.
Sucov, as I wrote before, they are simple minds. Without the giant ledwall they are lost and orphans. I will open an orphanage site to host all the Toxic Europhans feeling lonely without the giant ledwall. Of course there will be no ledwalls in the orphanage. They need to get deintoxicated forever.
Eurofans*
And because if there isn’t your large ledwall that shows your nice computer generated graphics, you are lost. But the lighting of Turin was much more complex, expensive and difficult to create/design. Generation Z doesn’t live without the giant ledwall. It’s like their Linus blanket.
What’s exactly the back up plan his team had? To put some ribs -that were supposed to move- in the background in 2018 instead of a led screen as they always do? Phhhlease, he should mind his -uninspiring- business and not comment on others people mistakes. He is not the only one who can design eurovision stages lol
He also submitted a proposal to RAI and they didnt go for it so its like he tells them “look at least i had a plan B you should have chosen my design”. I am always suspicious with people who promote themselves based on others people mistakes
The sun did actually work, just not fast enough for the EBU.
Something the EBU could have known before rehearsals start?
Florian’s designs have been very hit or miss, though in 2019 he did quite a good job actually. Still, I think it should be up to people from the hosting country to design the stage in *their* arena. Yes, Italy failed it last year, but f.e. Sweden did it marvelously in 2016
Just because the kinetic sun didnt move shouldnt mean that we go back to his blant and “cold” designs. His (paid) interview is a desperate attempt to remind to organizers that he is willing to take the job but they MUST hire local talent, british tv industry has great designers.
For me the best stage was Denmark – Copenhagen 2014. And for you?
I have to agree with this one.
It’s 2016 to me, it really felt like worldwide edition to me.
Twentieth century, 1988. 21st century, 2014.
Agree with you for 1988, 2014
From 70 s 1973
Copenhagen 2014 and Stockholm 2016.
Dusseldorf 2011 was very impressive too, I’ll always remember Jedward’s iconic background design on the giant LED screens.
2016 was my favorite, because the participants could really interact with the background due to it being so close to the stage. The background let some backdrops look “endless” (take a look to Austria, Malta anf Ukraine).
2014 was amazing for the same reason.
I don’t understand how a professional team didn’t have a back up plan for such a big event… ITALY always terrible eurovision hosts
Kinetic [ki-net-ik]; adjective; 1 pertaining to motion. 2 caused by motion. 3 characterized by movement
Total fail.
don’t ask him please. the broken sun was a flop, but his designs are completely uninspired. the bbc surely has better resources.
He wasn’t the one who designed the 2022 stage
2022 was the worst staging we’ve had in the past decade. It really brought down every single performance and I was embarrassed to watch the show with friends who had never seen Eurovision before. It simply didn’t have the professional spark and magic other contests had because it was so visually unappealing.
I’m positive Italy learned from their mistakes and Eurovision will be back on track next year. From now on, every stage design needs to have a backup solution in case it breaks..
Eurovision 2022 stage was so ugly and local that even the sun worked it would still be pathetic and ugly. Imagine how disappointing the stage actually was. But the camera work and lights were even worse than the stage.
Still I’m more for a different stage designer than Florian, he needs to step back ffs.
Florian Wieder is a real pro and has done some great work over the years, but I would like to see more local designers getting a shot. Italy’s stage was indeed a fiasco, but it doesn’t mean we can never again let anyone other than Florian Wieder design the stage.
the UK has a lot of great stage designer. look at the designers of Brit Awards stages from the past few years:
*Dan Wise Creative
*Stageone
*Es Devlin & Yinka Ilori (2021)
*Block9 (2022), who also does Glastonbury 2022
among others. their designs are equally amazing and I hope BBC will select one of them.
Ah yeah, this year’s Brit Awards stage was amazing! The pylons concept was so original and creative. The team behind that would be a great pick.
Wow!!! Definitely UK is the country hasn’t to opt for abroad talent!!! The BBC has the due to choose one of these british brilliant names??
I have no doubt that Florian Wieder and his team could do it very well, but there ARE equally-talented UK stage designers, especially those who have worked on Brit Awards for the past five to ten years. since the contest is on the UK ground and mainly organised by the UK (represented by the BBC), it will be better and more proper to have the stage designed by Brits. personally, I would like to have Block9 designing the stage, as they are Brits and have a lot of experience, from Glastonbury to Brit Awards and Dua Lipa concerts.
Is it possible to always have a back up plan? Broadcasters need to have back up performances, need back ups for when stage aspects don’t work with this new idea. Doesn’t it all become too complex at a certain point with the small timeframe everything needs to be prepared in for eurovision?
Translation: The BBC haven’t asked me, and I’m going to blame Brexit
What’s Brexit got to do with it?
“”The awarding of tenders is sometimes also to be understood from a patriotic point of view””
Would be very happy for Wieder to design the stage. He’s experienced with Eurovision and very competent. And yes, particularly for novel ideas like a ‘kinetic sun’, always have a back-up plan.
He should submit his plans under a fake british name like gary garbuckle or something. I bet we’d get comments like ‘such a breath of fresh air compared to that florian wieder guy’
His designs are so plain and uninspiring that even if he submits as Jeremy Clarkson people will know.
Well I have to admit the only design of him that I liked was 2020-21. 2015 was kinda nice on sketch but it didn’t work ideal when worked out.
I still believe that if he submitted the most amazing eurovision stage ever this year that people wouldn’t be able to get over the name though xD
2019?
NO.
UK has amazing talent in the industry. A guy that designs a circular stage with a led behind shouldn’t get the job all the time.
I wonder how the “dead kinetic sun fiasco” affected Monteiro’s business.