A year of preparation and an army behind the scenes: Gordon Bonello on the magic of Eurovision

Thousands of people behind the scenes. A year of preparation. And millions of viewers in front of their screens. That is what the organization of the world’s biggest televised music event - Eurovision - looks like. Gordon Bonello, the man behind several editions of Junior Eurovision, including the 2015 contest in Sofia, shares an inside look at the spectacle.

How did your work related to Eurovision begin, and what was your role in the organisation of the contest?

My journey with the Eurovision family accelerated through my creative and show producing in Malta. After a successful run with the Junior Eurovision Song Contest  hosted in Malta in 2014, the (EBU) and (BNT) entrusted me with the role of Creative and Show Director for JESC 2015 in Sofia, Bulgaria and others in Malta, Belarus and Georgia.

​Over the years, my role evolved into working directly on the adult format, leading as Head of Delegation (HoD), and being elected to the EBU steering  Group fot junior eurovision song contest. Usually In productions my job is to shape the visual identity, the flow of the live broadcasts, and ensure that the artistic vision aligns with technical execution.

​How long does it take to prepare an international event of this scale?

The preparation for an event like Eurovision or Junior Eurovision is a non-stop, 11-to-12-month cycle. 
The moment one edition ends, the debriefing for the next begins. Intense host-broadcaster planning, venue scouting, concept designing ,while the final 3 months are for technical builds, stage construction, scriptwriting, and endless rehearsal scheduling.

​How large is the team behind the organisation and production of the contest?

I would say it requires a small army. The core organizational team usually consists of a few dozen people from the EBU and the Host Broadcaster. However, when you factor in technical crews, stagehands, security, volunteers, make-up artists etc the on-site workforce easily scales up to between 1,000 and 1,500 people during production week.

​What are the biggest challenges when organising an event of such magnitude?

The biggest hurdle is balancing creativity with  technical constraints. In 2015, our theme for Sofia was "#Discover", where we aimed to blend wildly different styles - from traditional Bulgarian music and classical dance to dubstep and trap - to capture a younger audience. Making sure that these highly ambitious creative concepts transition smoothly from a storyboard to a flawless live broadcast.

​How do you coordinate the work of dozens of delegations from different countries?

Communication is everything within the core team. Every country brings its own Head of Delegation, artist, entourage, and specific creative vision for their 3-minute performance. The biggest job is to bridge this gap using standard EBU protocols, months of pre-production meeting, and a lot of rehearsals and continuous communication with all the countries participating.

When a delegation arrives at the venue, their viewing room sessions are meticulously timed so they can review camera angles, lighting, and audio mixes alongside thr production team to reach a consensus rapidly to ensure the best outcome result.

​How important is security during the contest, and how is it prepared?

In the case of junior eurovision and same goes for the big eurovision security is always very important. These events attract global attention and massive crowds, security planning begins at an early stage  security is very important for everyone to feel entirely safe and enjoy the show.

​And what does hosting Eurovision bring to the country itself?

It is an unparalleled marketing tool. Hosting puts a country under a massive international spotlight. For Bulgaria in 2015, it was an opportunity to showcase Sofia as a modern, vibrant cultural hub capable of handling world-class media logistics.

It boosts local tourism, stimulates the economy and fosters immense national pride, proving that the local broadcasting infrastructure can compete at the highest European level.

​Has there ever been a behind-the-scenes situation that you will never forget?

I will never forget working alongside the brilliant Bulgarian producer Evtim Miloshev, who did an absolutely amazing job producing the postcards ford JESC 2015 in Bulgaria. The postcards are a crucial part of the show identity, introducing each country, and his creative vision perfectly captured the spirit of the event and the beauty of the nation. It is incredible to look back at that production and see his journey today, serving the country at the highest level as Bulgaria's Minister of Culture!

​Beyond that, what truly sticks with me from years in live television is working alongside the Host  poli genova and the brilliant minds Vyara Ankova, Simeone, Joana Levieva-Sawyer and the rest of the amazing crew.

​​What advice would you give to Bulgaria now that we won Eurovision?

​Trust your local identity and design  the future. Bulgaria has an incredibly rich cultural and brilliant technical minds. My advice would be to lean into what makes Bulgaria unique musically and visually, while keeping the production format fast-paced, modern, and daring.

Build a tight, passionate core team, start preparations as soon as possible, and don't be afraid to take creative risks to surprise the European audience. I am sure that Bulgaria will do an amazing job !! 100% sure!