Ellie Clement, Video Director at XYZ Video Ltd
How long have you been part of the AV/IT industry, and how did you get into it? I’ve been working in the AV industry since 2008. I started out at a small club venue running sound and lighting for local bands and the occasional chart act on promo tours. It was a great place to begin because we were given a lot of freedom to experiment with the equipment available.
Shortly afterwards, I moved into a local theatre where we produced an annual Shakespeare at the Castle installation. That project involved everything from lighting design to building an outdoor venue and constructing elaborate sets from scratch. It was an amazing environment to develop a broad range of production skills.
I later spent some time working in television with Done and Dusted under the Executive Producer, now CEO, Melanie Fletcher, contributing to major events including the UAE National Day celebrations and the London Olympic Ceremonies. Around that time, I met Richard Turner, who later offered me a role as his assistant on a European tour. That opportunity allowed me to bring together my previous experiences and apply them to programming media servers, real-time tracking, and complex 3D projection and LED screen mapping. Since 2013, I’ve contributed to major films such as The Flash and Back in Action, as well as arena and stadium tours for artists including Roger Waters, One Direction, Genesis, Mariah Carey, AC/DC, and Radiohead.
Article continues belowYou've got a technical background. What inspired you? I’ve always been keen on drawing and fascinated by using technology as a tool for visual creativity. I didn’t know exactly what role I wanted, but I knew I wanted to work creatively with images, computers and cameras. I was always curious about how things worked technically, because to me, understanding the technology meant I could push it further creatively.
Since I can remember, music has had a big influence on me. Working in clubs meant I could experiment with lighting—placing fixtures, programming looks and responding to the energy of the room. I loved the live buzz and reacting to the music. This is where I first understood how systems fit together. I really enjoyed being practical, working with my hands problem solving and building and reconfiguring systems. I guess it's the ‘here's a problem, how do you fix it’ that gets me going.
It wasn't until I saw the Super Bowl halftime show broadcast in 2010 featuring The Who that I was like, that's what I want to do. The striking LED floor and the bold, punchy graphics are in time with the performance. It was such a simple, strong look, and I wanted to know everything about how it was done, the technology, the logistics. I wrote on my pin board, "do cool things like the Super Bowl", and then started seeking out the companies involved in the shows that excited me with the hope of being able to work with them.
What is your role at your organization? I work as a Video Screens Director and Disguise Media Server Specialist for concerts and large-scale live events. On some projects, I’m directly involved in the creative composition, but mostly I collaborate closely with creative directors and artists, translating their concepts into reliable technical solutions.
With the speed at which technology evolves, I have to keep up with ever-changing workflows. I'm excited about how we are starting to use AI to program plugins and applications to speed up processes, leaving more time to concentrate on creative direction.
When developing a video workflow, I'm increasingly aware that media servers are becoming the central hub between departments, often integrating with lighting, automation and sound. It’s important to have a robust and reliable system architecture that sits seamlessly in the wider production, so I often lean on Disguise media servers; they have been a core part of my workflow for the last 10 years. I usually begin each project by previsualizing the complete show in Disguise Designer to assist with any advanced decisions and test any complex elements before we hit the rehearsal studio. I am able to lay out content on a keyframeable timeline or hook up a control surface, such as a lighting desk or midi control panel, to manipulate camera effects and adjust content in real time. During events, I’ll run the servers either by manually triggered cues or by locking the timeline to time code.
In basic terms, essentially, it's making sure the right pixels reach the right surface in the right place at the right time.
What do you most like about your role? The variety. I love the combination of creativity and technology; every show is different, and each production has its own challenges.
Some of my favourite projects are the real-time generative or tracking shows. They bring a unique set of technical and creative challenges, which can at times be frustrating, but when everything comes together, and the visuals appear effortless to the audience, that moment still blows my mind.
Equally, I’m in awe of projects where the technology is simple, but the content is really well-made. The job then becomes more about maintaining the quality and colours of the media. In this case, a simple, well-executed visual can have more of an impact without the bells and whistles. It’s incredibly rewarding to take a project from concept to completion and then see the audience engaged and enjoying themselves.
Do you have advice for young women starting in our industry? With programming media servers, there’s very little you’ll break that can’t be fixed. Don’t be afraid to experiment and get hands-on with the technology. Try to position yourself where the opportunities will be, so when it’s the right time, you’ll be in the right place.
Please share something about yourself that would help our audience understand a bit more about you. When I'm not working, I love to be around nature —hike up mountains or sit by water.
I’m a big fan of supporting small venues by heading to a blues bar or rock band pub gig with cheesy sound to light fixtures. I also make a pretty mean margarita.
