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    Tech Talk: The Quest for Knowledge

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    Mike Graham looking pensive in front of MVP panels.

    Written by Mike Graham, product manager for CHAUVET Professional

    Back when I was in college–yep, I actually have a degree in theatrical technology–my professor told me that the learning would never end. I don’t think he realized how right he was. Given today’s world of ever-expanding technology and the co-mingling of different fields of the digital world, it is even more important to try to keep up with the changes in the industry. On the fly training is, now more than ever, absolutely critical. We have to keep apprised of not only the new products in the lighting world, but also keep up to date on new developments in the video and projection world. As these three things become seen as one by many show producers, we are expected to be experts in all of these fields. For me, this means a lot of reading, watching and surfing. I highly recommend these steps in your continuous quest to knowledge:

    Veteran of the industry Richard Cadena teaches an APT seminar at CHAUVET headquarters.

    1. Bookmark useful websites. Here are some examples of what I visit daily, but remember this is just the tip of the iceberg:

    • www.chauvetlighting.com – purely self-serving and shameless plug. But if you read our installation stories and product descriptions you will definitely be more knowledgeable.

    • www.plsn.com – PLSN (Projection, Lights and Staging News) is a great resource for what is going on with products.

    • www.lightingandsoundamerica.com – L&SA Online is another great resource for what is new in the world of not only lighting but sound as well.

    • www.livedesignonline.com – Live Design is the magazine of LDI. This website has articles from some of today’s top designers of lighting and video shows. It is a great way to get inside the heads of these people.

    • www.lightnetwork.com – if you want to find out what people really think about stuff, this is a great place to check out.

    • www.esta.org or www.plasa.org – It’s the same thing now. ESTA and PLASA are the leading international membership bodies for people who supply technologies and services to the event industry.

    • www.usitt.org – The United States Institute for Theatre Technology provides an effective environment for theatre professionals to meet and share information with each other about anything that deals with the industry.

    Veteran of the industry Richard Cadena teaches an APT seminar at CHAUVET headquarters.

    2. Get books and read them too: There are tons of books out there, but considering the speed at which this industry is moving, I really recommend using the above websites as launching pads and checking out the additional links that they provide.

    3. Attend events, trade shows, seminars and anything that gives you hands-on experience. As far as watching, I highly recommend attending as many events and tradeshows as you can. Talk to the people who are in the various booths and ask a lot of questions. Those of us who work the booths will be more than happy to share our knowledge. Shows like LDI, PLASA Focus, USITT, NAMM, Lightfair and Infocomm are great places to meet and get some valuable time with the people who influence and keep this industry running. I also recommend checking out the various reality talent shows out there. They offer some really cool lighting and video that is expertly programmed and executed.

    In conclusion, the rule of thumb is that you need to take time every day to learn about what is going on in the industry or you will be left in the dust. Clients these days have much higher expectations of what they want in their shows and are getting smarter when it comes to making requests for show designs. It is up to all of us in the chain to make sure that we know how to make it all happen.

     

    SparkliteLED Tours with Brad Paisley

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    Jeremy Pace, Central U.S. and key accounts sales manager for CHAUVET, attended Paisley’s concert,  H2O II: Wetter & Wilder World Tour, in West Palm Beach at the Cruzan Amphitheater.

    “I have seen Brad Paisley perform the last three years and he and his crew always seem to step up their game year after year,” Pace said. “This year it was very cool to see the amount of dimension added to the stage by integrating SparkliteLED drapes into the lighting design.”

    Lighting Designer Dean Spurlock, of Dean Spurlock Lighting and Design, specified the use of SparkliteLED drape for the tour.

    Brad Paisley, his signature hat and SparkliteLED

    The stage with SparkliteLED drapes in the center

    Photographs courtesy of Ben Enos

    COLORado makes a ‘Splash’

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    Check out this awesome footage of a holiday light and video display inside Jordan’s Furniture in Rhode Island. A new store, the chain’s fifth, opened its doors with a two-story theater and a 15-minute synchronized waterworks show, entitled “Splash”, projected on a unique surface–a sheet of water shot from thousands of water nozzles. On deck are some COLORado Zoom Tour LED static wash lights and Legend 1200E Spot moving heads installed and programmed by JDM & Associates. Enjoy!

    Is There A Show Without Lights?

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    The lighting world is so poetic and inspiring we wanted to give you a quick reinforcement of that. Read the answers half dozen LDs gave when asked how they see a show without lights. Their comments were extracted from our LD profile series posted throughout the year.

    A show without lights is like…

    1. … the world without the Sun: dead, desolate, cold, unbearable; without growth and understanding.
    We totally agree with Xavier Pierce, lighting designer and owner of Xavier Pierce Design in New York. People breathe light, just like they breathe air – can’t live without!

    2. … an iPod without headphones.
    That sounds like a paradox! There is no point in having an iPod, if there are no headphones, right? So simple, yet so suggestive, coming from Eduardo “Wady” Rodriguez, lighting designer well known throughout Latin America with more than 20 years experience in the industry.

    3. … a cup of tea and no biscuits!
    Has this made you think of 5 o’clock tea? For musician Paul Wyse, of U.K., this is serious business. One simply cannot offer a British person tea and no biscuits!

    4. … a snail without a shell… SLIMY!!
    This sounds like a mutilated snail! Just like a show would be without lighting. Great analogy given by Thomas Aratanha Fonseca, lighting designer and account manager for Kor Media & Lighting in Miami.

    5. … a show without lights is like a ski slope without snow. Lighting sets the mood for the entire show, and without light, nobody would be able to see it. When I run a light show, I like to set the mood and tell a story with the fixtures. No comment! Inspiring thoughts from Paul McElroy, lighting/audio/video technician for Caven Enterprises, Inc. in Dallas.

    6. … just another day listening to the radio.
    The Radio Ga Ga ages are long gone, and the 21st century is all about lights. But not just any lights: LEDs! Camron Ware, founder of Visual Worshiper, VJ, light and projection designer, definitely keeps up with his time.

    7. …nothing, can’t see them, can’t see facial expressions, can’t see anything, a show doesn’t work without lighting. It’s like watching a shadow move around.
    What Austin Grundberg of Illinois describes sounds really sad! We don’t associate the sun and its light with happiness for nothing. Light means life and joy!

    8. … And CHAUVET says…a show without lights is like…a show without an LD! Lacks creativity and that touch of genius. Thank you to all LDs out there for making lights speak.

    This is a show with lights!

    LD Profile: Austin Grundberg

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    Six questions with Austin Grundberg
    At just 14 years of age, Grundberg has already started his own lighting company, AGLite Inc.His future goal is “to do concerts and touring.”

    1. How did you get into this field?
    I have always been fascinated with fire trucks and their lights. When I finally saw my first concert, I still could not stop looking at the lights. I then looked into lighting fixtures and it became more interesting. Finally, when I turned 14 I decided I wanted to start a lighting company.

    2. What do you think is the next big thing in the lighting industry?
    Personally I think its LEDs. But, I also think there should be a line of high end but less expensive moving heads and other fixtures. This is especially important to me due to not having much money. Also, having a real controller, one with a display, maybe a trackball/joystick, faders, and momentary buttons, that’s also affordable.

    3. Do you have a favorite fixture (and why)?
    Yes, COLORpalette. I like it because it’s bright and very versatile. But my next buy is probably a COLORrail IRC IPbecause of its versatility and I can use it outdoors.

    “A shot with all my equipment on,” said Grundberg

    4. What has been your favorite design/project?
    My favorite design project would have to be the Oak Grove School Variety Show, probably because it was my first Independent show.

    5. What was the biggest unforeseen obstacle that you’ve faced in one of your designs, and how did you overcome it?
    My biggest obstacle was trying to do the Variety Show without enough equipment. It was my first show and I had to rent equipment and use the school’s equipment. Its hard getting enough equipment when your only 14. Fortunately, I got it done with the help of the sound tech, who gave me a couple of lighting shops around my area.

    6. Complete this thought: A show without light is like…nothing, can’t see them, can’t see facial expressions, can’t see anything, a show doesn’t work without lighting. It’s like watching a shadow move around.

    CHAUVET Teaches Professionals How to Use Lights

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    CHAUVET Business Development Manager for Latin America Paula Ortiz taught a class about the use of LED lights to more than 35 engineers, technical consultants and lighting consultants in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. Organized in collaboration with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Puerto Rico chapter, the class offered training in the basics of LEDs, optical solutions and more. Lighting professionals learned how to ask the right questions about lights and their applications, and what to take into consideration when specifying fixtures.

     

    Minnesota Trip: CHAUVET Demo Day

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    Central Territory/Key Accounts Manager, Jeremy Pace

    Central Territory/Key Accounts Manager Jeremy Pace was in Minneapolis at EMI Audio for a CHAUVET Demo Day to showcase these awesome effect lights: Fallout, Swarm, Circus, Orb, Sweeper LED, plus the new gobo projector, Gobo Zoom LED 2.0. For more on our awesome lights, stay INformed and check out these two LED drapes that are perfect for your DJ booths or for any back drop: SparkleDrape LED, MotionDrape LED. Find out more about the complete wash lighting solution 4BAR Tri or color-changer system 6SPOT. And if that’s not enough, feast your eyes and get INspired from these photos and by watching the amazing video we posted here for the COLORrail IRC linear wash (with optional remote!).