“The show must go on.”
As early as March, at the beginning of the ongoing pandemic, Ayala Land had already decided to stage its crowd-drawing annual lights and sound show at Ayala Triangle Gardens.
“We were aware of the challenges and limitations, but we did not want to deprive Filipinos of this lights and sound show which is described by many as part of their annual tradition,” Mel Ignacio, head of Makati Estate at Ayala Land Estates Group, said in a virtual launch via Zoom.
But the 12th edition of the show, which has become the holiday centerpiece and destination at Makati central business district, is taking a digital turn—the safest way to mount it given the current circumstances.
Ignacio said stories of people traveling from provinces to Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati to watch the show inspired them to bring it to the audience.
Hence, the first-ever interactive digital lights and sound show was born.
Although happening digitally, Ayala Land has kept crowd-favorite elements of the show such as string lights and laser lights, and added “more magical elements.”
In collaboration with Globe Studios, Ayala Land and Make It Makati present “The Festival of Lights 2020, Lights and Sound Show Virtual Edition” on Facebook and Instagram pages of Ayala Land and Make It Makati.
Filmmaker Quark Henares, together with his team, recreated the Christmas light show at Ayala Triangle Gardens and turned it into a 360-degree animated video featuring an orchestration of laser lights, string lights, meteor lights, holograms, and helix lights dancing to Reese Lansangan’s rendition of “Oh Holy Night” and “Jingle Bells.”
“By going digital, we are keeping this tradition alive and allow people to enjoy the show in the comfort of their home or wherever they may be from their mobile phone or computer screens,” said Misha Quimpo, project development manager of Makati at Ayala Land Estates Group.
The interactive show features a 1-minute and 30-second animated 360-degree video of the light show at Ayala Triangle Gardens, making it seem like the viewer is standing right in the middle of the park. Henares said they used latest footage shot at the gardens for this video.
Ayala Land also launched light show-themed customizable Instagram filters and the Finders Keepers game where participants can win prizes from Shopee and Grab by spotting hidden elements in the virtual light show every week in December.
Go to https://tinyurl.com/FestivalOfLightsVirtualEdition to watch the show.