Jens Hillenkotter

Jens Hillenkotter is an multi-award-winning creative producer, show- and lighting designer with more than two decades of international experience in a variety of production environments such as concert, touring, television, architectural, performing arts, multi-media shows and special events. He also outbid the Droneshow Guinness World Record for the most consecutive formations by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (Single group).

 

He first got involved in the lighting business as a teenager. In 1997, he started his apprenticeship as Event Technology Specialist in Berlin. His professional career kicked off after his graduation as Master of Event Technology in Stage-Lighting in 2006 when he decided to move to London. With the appointment as Technical Engineer and Lighting Designer for the 15th Asian Games in Qatar, he set the first milestone for his international career.

 

In 2008, Jens was aquired by Austin-based manufacturer High End Systems (HES) to join the support team for the Ceremonies of the XXIX Summer Olympics in Beijing. The record-breaking spectacular used 110 media servers feeding 147 projectors for the world’s largest HD projection with over 2,700 sq ft. The show was seen by more than 800 million people on a worldwide broadcast. After the Beijing Olympics, Jens continued to work for HES and headed the European console and media server support team out of London. During this time, he trained hundreds of people, programmed shows all over the world and supported numerous major productions including the 20th Anniversary of Independence in Kazakhstan, the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival and live acts such as Coldplay, Jennifer Lopez and Snow Patrol. 

 

Alongside his engagement with High End Systems, Jens founded the well-established company Rock Solid Technologies in 2011, a leading manufacturer today for peripheral devices such as the RockSwitch series of backup switches.

 

In 2013, he decided to leave HES and follow new challenges as a freelancer. His first project thereafter was the 27th Universiade in Kazan (Russia) where he took over the position as Lighting Director and Head Programmer at the Opening & Closing Ceremonies. 

 

Today, Jens is a very sought after creative producer and designer of multimedia- and drone shows who produced major productions such as the Xbox Global Launch Celebration or the German National Day celebrations.

 

He is also Co-Founder and CEO of europe's leading drone service provider for entertainment Nocturne® Drones, including europe's   leading drone show provider Nocturne® Drone Shows and Nocturne® Security & Defense.

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Jens also heads the drone show studio dronemagic® , which enables artists, designers and producers to take their own drone show ideas into the air with the help of experienced producers, programmers and technical specialists. dronemagic also works with artists and creative technologists worldwide to develop and market aerial artworks from drone shows.

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Furthermore he is one of the leading specialists for drones in the event sector and regularly gives keynotes on various topics, including at the Future of Festivals, ProLight+Sound, IFA Berlin and the Berlin Event Security Conference.