The MadonnaTribe team has had the chance to chat with Jason Harvey from Short & Spikey, the assistant director & video engineer of Madonna's "Confessions Tour". Jason created Short & Spikey in 1995 after he left the world of post production and focused mainly on video engineering for corporate, trade & live events, leading him onto adding creative input to the shows he worked on via video elements that he produced/directed via his studio and on his on site computer systems.

After a few years he move more into the musical side where he found the artists to be a lot more open to his vision, and teamed up with talents such as Beck, Billy Joel, Bryan Adams, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Gorillaz, Paul McCartney, Pink, Roger Waters, Robbie Williams, Simply Red, Toto, Whitney Houston and Village People, among others.

After finishing a three-year tour with Cher on her "Farewell Tour" last year, and travelling with Bon Jovi's "Have A Nice Day" tour where he used the worlds first portable Hi Def system, Jason is now on the road with Madonna's "Confessions Tour".

Here is what he told us about this latest experience.

How would you describe the interaction between the creative part and the technology? Iis there something leading and another following? Or both "sides" are simply pushing each other to break the bounderies?

JH: Due to the Adobe Production Studio, I’m able to edit from HD and every format below, thus giving me full access to any footage from around the world. This helps us to deal with any requests that come to us on site during the tour and can then be quickly edited into a video section and or logo in hours, with out having to go to edit suites miles away.

MT: How important is real time editing in this Madonna show?

JH: Very important, I couldn’t live with out my HD edit system onsite with me, and Adobe Production Studio backing me up.

MT: You had a chance to work on footage that was shot and cut by independent companies, and in particular you worked on materials that were "signed" by Dago González and Dustin Robertson, who are long-time Madonna collaborators on her videos and past shows.
Did you have a chance to meet them, and how was working on what they created this time?

JH: We did a great deal of tests for the studios making footage, showing them what their footage looked like on the set before they mastered the sections, this was all done via digital media (hard drives) in HD and SD formats.
With out having done this some of the shows video wouldn’t have have such a big impact.

MT: I have a feeling that yours is one of the few roles in a show that is a very intense blend of technology and art, a perfect knowledge of the software but also a strong connection to the vibe of what happens on stage that comes more from the heart than from the mind alone.

Do you feel the same?

JH: Yes, I love to be pushed to the limit of software and design it makes you think on both sides on the coin (the show and the look).

MT: Do you remember the first time you were introduced to Madonna, and what memory do you have of that moment?

JH: Have not had the pleasure to me her in person yet.

MT: Which are the talents of the Madonna crew you work closely with in this experience?

JH: These are the video crew guys and without them we don’t have a video show:

Video Director: Christian Lamb

Christian also made four video elements for the show.

Video Assistant Director/Video Engineer:
Jason Harvey

Video Crew Chief: Stefaan Michels

Video LED: John Moore

Video LED: Omar Montes

Camera: Michael Sienkiewicz

Camera: Tyler D’Askquith

Camera: Joe Victoria

Camera: Peter Thornton

MT: After some 3 months of preparation, the show finally hit the road. How was working on the rehearsals, and how things are changing now that you are on the road?

JH: Very hard work, have you ever been locked in a room for 8 weeks doing the same thing every day only to change the whole thing 5 times in the last 5 days ??

Now we are on the road life is a bit calmer.

MT: I understand that there have been already some adjustments in the show, some things that may appear as tiny details people would barely notice but that probably have some deep repercussion on your job.
Can you tell us something about that?

JH: We polish the show with some small edits here and their its things you spot once the show is on the road, viewing angles for text, etc. Very small things that people won’t really spot and I’d like to keep them like that.

We have to have some secrets !

MT: People who do not have a knowledge of how the technology you are using work may not understand what is the difference between a simple backdrop video and the complexity of what you control during the show.
I read about a nine-person crew, 22 hard drives, six digital video cameras and two miles of video cable.
Can you tell our readers a little more of what happens during the show?

JH: Well I control the video playback from the Hard drives that you see on the screens, this is done via a computer system that tells the drives to go to a point in time and then start to play, it also tells the video clip which screen to play on, we run so many drives so we have a 100% backup on the show, just in case, and the whole system is on a battery backup for power too.
During the show there are 19 Master cues and 10 safety cues.
I also make sure that the images on the side screens (imag) are looking good. Plus the DVD’s and VTR, I also have to wear 2 x headsets during the show to hear the master show caller and my camera team. If something happens we have to be able to react to the issues of that moment. Thanks about it.

The show must go on !

MT: Do you have a favourite number/video in the show?

JH: The opener, love the horses.

MT: And which one is the most difficult to deal with?

JH: No one thing stands out here !

MT: There are videos on on the most part of the show, except one song. How is that moment for you, a sort of "quiet BETWEEN the storm", or perhaps you regret not being "in charge" on that moment, too?

JH: Time to double check that we are 100% , have a can of soda something like that.

MT: Madonna is know for being a prefectionist, but at the same time she shares a lot with the people who work with her and in the end a strong sense of "family" is created. How is this experience being for you?

JH: I have seen she calls for 100% that’s all I can say for now.

MT: What is your best memory of the opening night?

JH: 100% Zero errors !! Gotta like that.

MT: You're now starting experiencing the crazyness of Madonna's fans. Do you have any funny anecdotes already, is that difficult to work surrounded by all this "Madonna madness"?

JH: None yet, but I’m sure they will come.

MT: While travelling with this that is set to be the longest Madonna tour ever, is there a particular country you look forward to visit the most?

JH: Japan.

MT: And have you something planned already for when the tour will be over? "Vacation" is not allowed as an answer (laughs).

JH: Seeing my wife for the 1st time in six months, and going some where the phone doesn’t ring and email doesn’t work for at least two weeks.

MT: Is there a particular artist you're most fond of having worked with?

JH: Cher and Pink

MT: To wrap this chat up, Jason, which is your fondest memory of Madonna - on or off the stage?

JH: Haven’t had the moment yet!

MT: Thanks so much Jason for sharing this time with us.
I bet it has to be hard to even have a spare time in this frantic tour. See you soon on the road and all the best!