ADWPW LED Storyboard

ADWPW 2026 · Opening Ceremony

LED storyboard

Screen content for each scene of Show Run V2, in running order, with the frames as they will appear on the five LED screens.

Chapter I

The Call of the Desert

Heritage, voice and vision: the land and the founding words

Scene 1

0:00:00 – 0:00:1515 s

Darkness to amber desert

The desert lies in darkness. Slow shifts of light pick out fleeting silhouettes against the night: still, mysterious and full of anticipation.

The dunes at night, a first glow low on the horizon.
1 The dunes at night, a first glow low on the horizon.

Scene 2

0:00:15 – 0:00:4025 s

Al Taghrooda

Live cast 2 × Al Taghrooda

The first light of dawn breaks slowly over the horizon. Warm amber light spills across the dunes as the desert wakes.

First light: the desert turns amber.
2 First light: the desert turns amber.

Scene 4 – 8

0:00:40 – 0:02:0585 s

The poet and the Al Taghrooda

Live cast 1 × Poet, 2 × Al Taghrooda

The amber desert holds behind the poet and the Al Taghrooda. As the poet speaks, his words form out of the drifting sand in glowing electric blue, hold for a moment, then dissolve back into the dunes.

يوم إنشرن الريام
عفت الفرقا الطويله

  • 0:00:50 Poet
  • 0:01:15 Al Taghrooda response
  • 0:01:25 Poet
  • 0:01:40 Al Taghrooda response
  • 0:01:50 Poet
The wind lifts the sand and it begins to gather into the words.
4 – 8a The wind lifts the sand and it begins to gather into the words.
The line holds, written in glowing sand over the amber dunes.
4 – 8b The line holds, written in glowing sand over the amber dunes.
The words blow apart and settle back into the dunes.
4 – 8c The words blow apart and settle back into the dunes.

Chapter II

The Guide

The gazelle leads the seekers through the dunes to water

Scene 9

0:02:05 – 0:02:2015 s

Hints of the gazelle

The shadow of a gazelle flickers out of the darkness at different points across the screen. Each glimpse lasts only a heartbeat before it fades, like a distant presence moving through the desert.

A glimpse on the left.
9a A glimpse on the left.
A glimpse on the right.
9b A glimpse on the right.
A last glimpse, on top of the dune in the centre.
9c A last glimpse, on top of the dune in the centre.

Scene 10

0:02:20 – 0:02:5030 s

The seekers follow the gazelle's signs

Live cast 3 × Seekers

Hoofprints appear in the sand, leading the seekers forward from one sign to the next.

The gazelle has gone; a few hoofprints are left on the dune where it stood.
10a The gazelle has gone; a few hoofprints are left on the dune where it stood.
More prints appear, leading down the dune and forward.
10b More prints appear, leading down the dune and forward.

Scene 11

Follows scene 10

The gazelle appears in full

Live cast 3 × Seekers

The gazelle appears in full at the centre of the screen, then walks away from us towards a glimmer on the horizon: the oasis.

The gazelle, life size, at the centre of the screen.
11 The gazelle, life size, at the centre of the screen.

Scene 12

0:02:50 – 0:03:0010 s

The seekers are led to fresh water

Live cast 3 × Seekers

The oasis is revealed, and the first ripple spreads across its surface: fresh water for the community.

The oasis is revealed; the gazelle reaches the water.
12 The oasis is revealed; the gazelle reaches the water.

Chapter III

The Current

Water becomes energy: the network that powers Abu Dhabi today

Scene 13

0:03:00 – 0:03:055 s

From amber to blue

Live cast 3 × Seekers, 4 × Coastal drummers

The gazelle drinks. The moment it touches the water, it turns into liquid streaks of light that race out of the frame.

The gazelle drinks.
13a The gazelle drinks.
It turns to light.
13b It turns to light.
It dissolves into water and light.
13c It dissolves into water and light.
The light streams away over the water and behind the palms.
13d The light streams away over the water and behind the palms.

Scene 14

0:03:05 – 0:03:1510 s

Blue light streams pass the Sheikh Zayed Bridge

Live cast 4 × Coastal drummers

The liquid light races across the desert to the Sheikh Zayed Bridge, which rises out of the sand, and flows on towards the city. Each drum strike sends a pulse of light through the streams, as if the rhythm itself powers the network.

The stream races across the desert.
14a The stream races across the desert.
The bridge is drawn in light as it rises out of the sand.
14b The bridge is drawn in light as it rises out of the sand.
The bridge lifts free, sand pouring from its sides.
14c The bridge lifts free, sand pouring from its sides.
The Sheikh Zayed Bridge.
14d The Sheikh Zayed Bridge.

Scene 15

0:03:15 – 0:03:4530 s

Abu Dhabi skyline

Live cast 4 × Coastal drummers

The light flows across the water and raises the Abu Dhabi skyline in lines of light. With every drum strike, the water by the shore bursts up in a glowing splash.

The stream crosses the water and the first towers rise.
15a The stream crosses the water and the first towers rise.
The skyline is almost formed.
15b The skyline is almost formed.
The Abu Dhabi skyline.
15c The Abu Dhabi skyline.
Drum strikes: a glowing splash beside each drummer.
15d Drum strikes: a glowing splash beside each drummer.
The energy flows through the city, seen from above.
15e The energy flows through the city, seen from above.
Straight down over Abu Dhabi.
15f Straight down over Abu Dhabi.

Chapter IV

The Handover

The next generation carries the energy forward to today's leadership

Scene 17

0:04:05 – 0:04:105 s

Transition to the handover

We pull out to see the whole globe: the impact of Abu Dhabi reaching across the world, its ripples spreading out over the Earth.

The globe, with the light of Abu Dhabi's impact spreading out across the world.
17 The globe, with the light of Abu Dhabi's impact spreading out across the world.

Scene 18

0:04:10 – 0:04:2515 s

The children enter

Live cast 7 × Children

The screen becomes an artistic art installation of light, water and power around a glowing orb. The children step in.

An art installation of light and water around the glowing orb.
18 An art installation of light and water around the glowing orb.

Scene 19

0:04:25 – 0:05:1045 s

The children pass the sphere

Live cast 7 × Children

Each time the sphere is passed on, the orb glows a little brighter and releases a ripple of light that spreads across the screen.

Held: the orb glows softly.
19a Held: the orb glows softly.
Passed on: the orb flares and releases a pulse.
19b Passed on: the orb flares and releases a pulse.
The pulse travels outwards; the orb settles, a little brighter than before.
19c The pulse travels outwards; the orb settles, a little brighter than before.
The final pass: the orb at its brightest.
19d The final pass: the orb at its brightest.

Scene 20

0:05:10 – 0:05:2010 s

The final child hands the sphere to the leadership

Live cast 1 × Child, 1 × Leader

All the light, water and energy on the screen converge on the final child and the leadership.

The water and energy begin to flow towards the orb.
20a The water and energy begin to flow towards the orb.
Everything spirals in.
20b Everything spirals in.
The last of it drains into the orb.
20c The last of it drains into the orb.

Scene 21

0:05:20 – 0:05:255 s

The sphere is placed on the pillar

Live cast 1 × Leader

The key moment for today's leadership. The screen falls still.

Stillness: all the energy is held in the orb.
21 Stillness: all the energy is held in the orb.

Finale

The Arrival

All the energy converges into the ADWPW identity

Scene 22

0:05:25 – 0:05:305 s

The ADWPW logo

All the water and energy held in the orb forms the ADWPW logo, which then settles on the post-show holding visual.

The logo forms inside the orb.
22a The logo forms inside the orb.
The logo.
22b The logo.
The logo alone, before the holding visual.
22c The logo alone, before the holding visual.