Backstage
Light and Motion
Published in December 2007 Departments
Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS) provided for all the lighting needs of lighting designer Gregory Cohen of New York-based Unlimited Visibility Lighting Design for the Honda Motorcycles’ dealer meeting and launch of its 2008 line, produced by Martin Brinkerhoff Associates (MBA).
The client wanted a production that generated excitement and created a dynamic sensory experience. The production team envisioned washes of light on the ceilings, walls and floors that would pull the audience into the center of the action at the Anaheim Arena at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center. The team collaborated to produce an event that combined live action, high-production video, live video and lighting effects for the ultimate impact.
“The design vision that [lighting designer] Greg Cohen had for the Honda dealer event is a perfect example of the convergence of lighting and video into a single digital offering,” said ELS’s Craig Teague. “This kind of offering takes lighting from being just an illumination source to becoming a valuable scenic element.”
1 Die-cut gobos splashed light across the ramps, ceiling and floors to break up solid planes, changing color to match the attributes of the production.
2 DL.2 manufactured by High End Systems provided digital projection of both stills and video. Multiple units used in tandem applying the collage feature were programmed to align the images together, pixel to pixel, for this seamless projection of starburst fireworks over the curved ceiling above the main stage. The DL.2 throws images onto any surface — floors, ceilings, backdrops and walls — moving it from point to point and “keystoning” the image to render it correctly on each surface.
3 An array of lights illuminated the center of the arena, splashing light over the audience.
4 ColorBlast LEDs by Color Kinetic were mounted on the interior of the truss, supplied by ELS. This technique made the truss an integral part of both stage and lighting design. These LED lights draw very little power and create very little heat.
5 Panel projection screens contracted by MBA were designed so that motorcycles could be brought onto the stage from various positions. The top was one continuous screen. The bottom three screens were set to fly independently.
6 Automated moving lights were programmed to swivel, pivot and sweep in sync with gobos and DL.2 projections, while emitting the same palette of colors as seen throughout the arena. Able to be set for any color, these lights offer control of the shape and intensity of the beam as well as flexibility in movement.