Tag Archive: Buy Theatre Lighting

1. White Light Supplies Fixed Lighting Rig to The Grange Festival

   20 January 2021 08:18 Leave a Comment

   

   The Grange Festival is a summer opera festival that takes place at The Grange in Hampshire. Following its first season in 2017, the Festival has become renowned for showcasing world-class operas, all taking place within the stunning setting of a country estate. While the Festival normally hires lighting equipment for each season, they recently decided to invest in a permanent rig and approached White Light to provide this. 

   The technical set-up at The Grange Festival is overseen by Chief Operations Officer Michael Moody, who comments: “Ever since we first started out over four years ago, we’ve approached WL to supply the lighting equipment for our summer season. It’s a hire package which consists of mainly moving lights, LED, dimming and control. We’ve always received great service from the team and have always been satisfied with the equipment used on our productions”. 

   While the hire package meant that the Festival was fully equipped for those few weeks of the season, for the rest of the year, there was actually no technical infrastructure in place. While this is normally not an issue, the outbreak of Covid-19 meant that the Festival, like so many others, had to look at alternative ways of offering live performance and how it could achieve this. Michael explains: “We unfortunately had to cancel last year’s Festival, like so many across the country. That said, we still wanted to offer our audience some form of entertainment during what was such a difficult time and so decided that we would create some socially-distanced performances as well as online streams. We were going to approach WL once again to hire the equipment but realised that, particularly in a time of lockdown and mass restrictions, that it would be much easier if we actually had fixtures on site that we could use ourselves as and when we needed to. As such, we decided to invest in a permanent rig”.

   Michael contacted WL’s Customer Service Team and worked specifically with Senior Account Handler Dan Last and Business Development Manager Jonathan Haynes in choosing the most suitable fixtures. Jonathan explains: “The Grange needed a lighting package that included everything from base infrastructure, including data and power distribution, lighting control as well as the luminaires themselves. The fixture spec needed to be current and be able to satisfy the needs of incoming designers. It also needed to be completely LED for energy-saving, as well as to adhere to the venue’s environmental policy. The rig and lighting system also needed to have the option of being supplemented for the Festival each year, should additional fixtures be required for certain shows”.

   With WL knowing the venue so well, Jonathan and Dan put together a series of packages for Michael and his team, who then decided which one was best suited for the venue. Michael explains: “Based on the recommendations by Jonathan and Dan, we opted for a mix of ETC ColorSource Spots, Lustr 2s and ColorSource Pars to do most of the leg work. These fixtures are top of the designers’ wish lists, and come with proven reliability and performance. For lighting control, we have purchased an ETC Ion XE 20, with an Avolites Art2000 T4 rack to handle the power distribution, and ETC Response Gateways and Sundrax DMX splitters to look after the networking (alongside nearly 1km of cable!). Our key objective was to have a first-class rig with kit that you’d expect to see on any major regional production”.  

   The investment took place last summer which meant that supplying the equipment had to be done whilst adhering to the various government guidelines. Jonathan explains: “To make the transition of the fixtures as safe as possible, we collated all the kit on site at our warehouse. This was then transported over to The Grange by one driver and dedicated truck and unloaded by the Grange team who were then able to install this on-site themselves. As always, we were on the other end of the phone (or in many cases now, Zoom!) should they need any advice or have any questions”.

   The equipment was quickly installed and immediately used on The Grange socially-distanced season as well as their online live streams. Michael comments: “We were delighted once again with the service we received from WL and the fact that they were able to so promptly provide the equipment we needed in time for our socially-distanced season”. 

   Jonathan concludes: “We have a long-standing relationship with The Grange Festival so we were delighted when they got in touch to ask for our advice and help guide them as they made this significant investment. As a company, we relish working closely with our customers and providing the technical infrastructure needed to achieve their specific aims – something we were able to do once again on this occasion”.

   Photos courtesy of The Grange.

2. Storyhouse Upgrades to Solaframe Fixtures with White Light

   20 February 2020 09:18 Leave a Comment

   

   The world-class Storyhouse, in the city of Chester in North West England, is an award-winning venue encompassing a theatre, library, restaurant and cinema. Housed in a restored Odeon building that dates back to 1936, it now holds an 800-seat auditorium and a 200-seat studio theatre. SolaFrame 1000 luminaires from High End Systems are the latest addition to the venue’s LED inventory as part of a tungsten replacement program.

   “With busy rep seasons multiple times throughout the year, playing up to four shows on top of one other, flexibility within our lighting equipment has always been key,” says Storyhouse technical manager Andy Patterson. “We opened our building in May 2017 with a four-show rep season and a schedule that didn’t allow for refocuses between shows.”

   During the first year of operation, the venue’s kit list included a combination of Source Four, Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr and ColorSource Spot fixtures from ETC. Added to this were some tungsten Fresnels, some ex-hire tungsten moving head wash lights and four moving light profiles.

   

   “Given the impending demise of tungsten, the increasing difficulty getting hold of lamps for units like the TW1 and the desire to improve our production quality, I put together a 10-year tungsten replacement program,” explains Patterson.

   With the intention of replacing the tungsten moving fixtures and bolstering their generic stock with LED replacements, Storyhouse turned to White Light, one the UK’s leading lighting suppliers, and worked closely with Business Development Manager Jonathan Haynes for some impartial and invaluable advice. Haynes talked through the options currently available on the market and arranged demonstrations of various luminaires.

   “Having demo’d all of the available offerings of mid-size LED profiles with shutters, we were taken by the ‘bang for buck’ that the SolaFrame 1000 gave us,” remarks Patterson. “The quality of light, the noise (or rather lack thereof), the feature set and, most importantly, the quality of the dimming impressed us.”

   

   The SolaFrame 1000s revealed a string of features that appealed to the venue. “In addition to high CRI, excellent dimming, shutters, animation wheel, high output, color rendition, light weight and excellent price point, the fact that the units come with flightcase inserts – while perhaps a minor point for some − was a big draw for us,” Patterson adds.

   Storyhouse opted for the High CRI version of the luminaire since quality of light is particularly important to the venue, given the intimate space and type of productions it stages.

   With regard to the positioning of the fixtures, Patterson says, “They are used predominantly on our home-produced work, which takes place on our 500-seat thrust stage configuration. This is why units with shutters were important to us − to control the light and keep it precisely where we want it.”

   The Solaframe 1000s have nestled perfectly into the venue’s lighting stock of predominantly ETC [High End Systems’ parent company] fixtures. Their output, high CRI, and color reproduction are perfect for Storyhouse’s theatrical applications. “The dimming curve was one of the most important things for us, and the SolaFrame 1000 delivers this seamlessly,” adds Patterson. “The fact we can use them for comedy shows, music gigs and do in-air effects with them as well – given their high output and color and gobo options – is a win-win.”

   Photos courtesy of Mark McNulty.

3. White Light Starts New School Year at Bryanston

   7 January 2020 14:07 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has recently supplied a range of Chauvet Professional lighting fixtures to Bryanston School, Dorset.

   WL has an unparalleled reputation in theatre lighting; having supplied venues of all shapes and sizes for over 48 years. Alongside traditional theatres, WL also works closely with schools and educational institutions. One of these is Bryanston School, which is located next to the town of Blandford Forum in Dorset and which recently upgraded its existing lighting system. The School’s Technical and Production Manager James Henshaw explains: “At Bryanston, there are a wide range of performance spaces, with the main one being Coade Hall which is a purpose-built 600 seater theatre. With 15-20 productions a year, pupils have plenty of opportunities to perform, design and direct. Pupils interested in the technical side are able to join the stage crew to learn how to handle the equipment and design, light and costume a production. As a drama department, we have a fantastic reputation and need to ensure we live up to this – hence the upgrade to our existing lighting equipment”.

   

   Alongside maintaining Bryanston’s reputation for excellence, there were several other reasons behind James’ desire to invest in new lighting fixtures. He explains: “We wanted to improve pupil engagement and learning opportunities, through using the very latest fixtures. By having industry-standard equipment, this allows pupils to become familiar with the technology they would use should they pursue a career in the sector. There were also several practical reasons why we needed to upgrade. Not only would new fixtures mean a reduction to working at height in the auditorium and roof space but also the LED units would result in significant energy savings which would then result in a reduction of lighting hire costs for the school”.

   In order to decide on which fixtures to invest in, James and his team organised a range of demonstrations from several manufacturers. He explains: “We wanted to ensure that we saw everything that was available to us before making any sort of decision. Whilst we wanted the most flexible, robust units possible, we were also aware of our budgetary requirements and ensuring we received the most from our purchase. After reviewing several manufacturers, it became clear that the Chauvet fixtures were the ones which fulfilled all of our requirements”.

   With this in mind, James contacted WL’s Key Account Manager Ally DeCourcy who helped source the fixtures he required. These included: 12 x Chauvet Maverick MK2 Washes, 18 x MK2 Profiles, 20 x Colorado 72 Battens, 8 x Ovation E910-FCs, 15 x Colorado2 Quad Zooms and 10 x Synapse 4s.

   

   James explains: “All of these fixtures fulfil every one of our requirements. We decided on the Maverick MK2 Wash for three main reasons: the zoom range from tight beam at 7° degree to full wash at 49° degree, the ability to use the individual pixels to create eye candy looks as well as the beam and wash looks alongside their superior light output , colour-mixing and size and weight. As for the MK2 Profile, shuttering was a high priority for us and we couldn’t find anything else in this price range that was LED with the same light output and shuttering. These fixtures have allowed our rig to become extremely versatile, meaning it now caters for a full range of genres from music gigs to plays, dance to opera, and conferencing to musicals. We know we can rely on the Chauvet units, having previously invested in some Washes and Amhaze Whispers, and have since actually purchased 2 x Chauvet Cumulus. Not only that but the after sales care has been brilliant, with the team from Chauvet actually coming down and training my staff on how to maintain the units”.

   The equipment has been delivered to Bryanston and already used on a range of school productions, including Les Misérables. Not only that but it was also utilised to light the recent Dorset Opera Festival, which takes place at the school during the summer holidays.

   James concludes: “We are extremely happy with the fixtures we’ve purchased and the immediate impact they’ve made; both in terms of our environmental and budgetary requirements along with the experience for our pupils. I’d also like to say a big thank you to Ally and the rest of the WL team for their constant support and guidance throughout”.

   Photos courtesy of Alan Wicks.

4. White Light Supplies LED Lighting Packages to ATG Venues

   30 May 2019 14:47 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has recently supplied brand-new LED lighting packages to two ATG venues: Aylesbury Waterside and the Grand Opera House York.

   With its heritage in theatre lighting, WL has formed an unparalleled reputation for supplying venues across the world with the very latest lighting technology. Therefore when Stuart Graham, Head of Technical Operations at Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), was looking to begin an LED upgrade at the group’s venues, he approached the technical solutions specialist. WL’s Business Development Manager Jonathan Haynes comments: “Stuart got in touch saying that ATG wanted to implement an LED upgrade and had chosen two theatres as a starting point: Aylesbury Waterside and Grand Opera House York. The organisation wanted to upgrade its offering to support its diverse range of productions, as well as reduce the energy consumption of the house equipment in order to make the rig as green as possible”.

   WL was asked to put together an LED upgrade package. This meant substituting the tungsten rig with LED, replacing the overhead and cyc lighting. WL worked closely with the Stuart Graham and the technical managers in each venue to ensure they created a package that would fulfil both theatres’ needs. Jonathan explains: “We worked with Jacob Edmonds, Technical Manager at the Waterside, and Mark Waters, Technical Manager at the Grand Opera House. The initial brief was for us to come up with a lighting solution, choosing fixtures and products that we felt would offer the most flexibility, but at the same time provide longevity; as well ensuring that they remained ‘theatrical’. The equipment would need to support a diverse programme of entertainment ranging from, dance, music, comedy and musicals – all of which rely on the in house kit from both respective venues”.

   

   WL then carried out a demo for ATG at its Studio15 facility, presenting a range of options within five main categories: cyc battens, profiles, fresnels, pars and moving lights. Once the selection had been honed down, WL arranged follow up demos in each venue to see how the fixtures fared in the environment they were destined for. It was eventually decided that the High End SolaFrame 1000 would be the flagship of the new rig. ATG opted for the High CRI version which offers a much more refined quality of light and a CRI of 90+, as well as 16,000 lumen output. It is jam packed with features including 12-40 deg zoom, fully framing shutters, rotating and fixed gobo wheels, animation as well as CMY colour mixing; whilst at the same time being super quiet and weighing just 32KG. Jonathan explains: “Seeing the SolaFrame in-situ, it became clear that this was the perfect fixture for both Aylesbury and York. They are extremely versatile and will ultimately be the workhorse for the rig. They also have a five year warranty which is obviously a huge bonus”.

   In addition, WL also supplied 48 x ETC ColorSource Par, 42 x ETC ColorSource Spot (complete with a mix of profile and fresnel lenses), 32 x ROBE LedBeam 150s, 8 x High End Shapeshifters and 11 x Chroma Q ColorForce II RGBA cyc fixtures, as well as all the ancillary cabling and rigging across both venues.

   Alongside supplying the equipment, WL offered a three day training package for each venue. Jonathan explains: “We wanted the teams in both venues to feel confident using the new equipment, for both operation and maintenance yet also from a design and programming perspective. The perfect solution for this was offering a training course that would instil this confidence and ensure the in-house staff were familiar with day-to-day maintenance and operation; something that will prove extremely beneficial in the long run”.

   

   The fixtures have now been fitted in both venues and have immediately been used on a host of shows.

   Stuart Graham adds: “It was important for us to find the right company which could offer us industry-recognised products and the full back-up and support required for such a large-scale transition from tungsten to LED. We were also particularly impressed by WL’s willingness to provide in-depth training which will prove invaluable for our staff”.

   Jonathan concludes: “We are delighted that ATG chose WL to deliver this project for them, and the feedback so far has been incredibly positive. As a company, we work hard with our clients to come up with a tailor-made solution and are fortunate to have strong working relationships with some of the industry’s leading brands. For WL, service and after sales support are key. ETC and High End offer some of the longest warranty periods on their fixtures and all brands are represented and supported in the UK. It is fantastic to work so closely with ATG, a global leader in live entertainment which operate over 50 venues worldwide as they continue improving and modernising lighting systems across their venues”.

   Photos courtesy of Mark Waters and Simon Drake Photography.

5. White Light Takes the Stage at Capitol Theatre

   7 January 2019 13:04 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light recently supplied a range of ETC ColourSource Spots to the Capitol Theatre as part of the venue’s ongoing lighting upgrade.

   The Capitol Theatre is a multi-purpose arts venue in Horsham, West Sussex. Originally built in 1923, its art deco style auditorium features more than 410 seats on two raised levels. The day-to-day running of the venue is overseen by Operations Manager Matthew Effemey, who is also the Production Manager for the venue’s in-house productions. He comments: “Part of my role at The Capitol is to ensure the equipment we have is industry-standard, offering shows as many options as possible. This was the biggest criteria when we were looking to upgrade the lighting equipment in our main theatre space”.

   Matthew approached WL regarding the upgrade and worked closely with WL’s Antony Vine who visited The Capitol to demonstrate a range of fixtures he felt were most suitable. Matthew explains: “For the purchase to be beneficial, I knew the equipment had to achieve a full stage wash, which was around 14 units. As the theatre is run by the council, we also had to be aware of budgets and ensure we spent sensibly whilst also obtaining lights that fulfil their artistic purpose”.

   Having been shown a variety of products, Matthew decided to invest in the ETC ColorSource Profiles. He comments: “Alongside the Profiles being great value for money, they are also an extremely versatile unit. The colour range is a huge benefit for the variety of big, bright shows we host at the Capitol, including our annual panto, and the fact you don’t have to change gels means a much lighter workload for our technicians! Similarly, we are also trying to move our entire rig over to LED in order to make the venue as environmentally friendly as possible, so the fixtures go towards achieving this ambition”.

   The fixtures were purchased in early December 2018 and rigged the day after they arrived at the venue. They have already been used throughout the entire pantomime season and will be used across the 2019 season. Matthew comments: “The fixtures have already made a huge difference to our day-to-day running of the venue. Not only have they massively reduced our energy consumption, but we can now offer our visiting shows a huge variety of colour options which can all be achieved in relatively little time; something that’s important for the one night gigs we have”.

   Matthew concludes: “As always, it was a pleasure working with WL. They were completely approachable and offered nothing but great advice and great service. I’m extremely grateful to Antony for all of his help”.

   Antony concludes: “Due to our strong relationship with manufacturers, as well as access to the very latest technology, we are able to work closely with venues such as The Capitol Theatre and offer technical solutions and specific fixtures bespoke to their exact requirements”.

   Photos courtesy of The Capitol Theatre.