A.C. Special Projects Ltd. (AC-SP) have recently specified, supplied and installed premium performance lighting fixtures, complete with a truss ground-mounted structure, for John Lewis’s new content production studio in London.

This modern, purpose-built facility is used for photoshoots and filming, to generate content for the websites, mobile apps and magazines of what is one of the UK’s leading retailers.

Underwood Carpenter Ltd., who project managed the setup of the new facility, approached AC-SP, requesting an installed lighting rig to suit the wide variety of applications the space would need to cater for.

AC-SP proposed a full turnkey solution to meet the requirements for a flexible system, which would allow the operator to create high quality lighting scenes for numerous subject types, quickly and easily.

AC-SP Senior Project Manager, Andy Holmes commented, “During initial discussions with the John Lewis content production team, it became clear that they required a very flexible lighting system that would work for both still photography and moving images. The Chroma-Q Space Force softlight was ideal for this application, as its flat field of light helps illuminate the wide range of subjects with an ‘all-encompassing’ high quality light.”

He continued, “The high CRI of the Space Force ensures that colours are accurately reproduced on camera. The added flexibility of variable colour temperature control means that cooler colour temperatures can be used to capture imagery of products like white goods, whereas warmer tones can be used when photographing clothes and models. The Chroma-Q Space Force and Studio Force Phosphor fixtures also have the ability to change the refresh frequency of their LED sources, which means that the lights can be tuned to work with video cameras running at varying frame rates, including high speed ‘slow-mo’ videos.”

AC-SP installed the award-winning Chroma-Q LED softlight products – the majority of which were mounted on over 140m of Litec truss also provided as part of the installation. One of the innovative features of the Chroma-Q Space Force is its ability to be mounted on a floor stand, something that has previously not been possible with traditional space lights.

The lighting system is controlled by a Jands Vista M1 console, allowing users to change the lighting scenes from the ground – thereby reducing the requirement for staff to work at height. The intensity, colour temperature and other functions can be controlled from the M1 console.

LumenRadio transmitters and receivers were added to increase the flexibility of the M1 console, meaning the control system can be positioned anywhere within the space to suit requirements.

AC-SP provided on-site systems training for John Lewis’s Content Production team.

Lewis Rhodes, Studio Assistant, commented “AC-SP have been extremely helpful and thorough in their training, which was simple and easy to understand for a team possessing a wide range of different ability and skill levels. The team are excited to start using the lighting rig!”

Contact AC-SP now to see how they can help you to achieve your aspirations, on
+44 (0)1494 838392
info@acspecialprojects.com

A.C. Special Projects Ltd. (ACSP) has supplied and installed a bespoke entertainment technology system to Reach Academy Feltham – a pioneering, all-through free school for pupils aged four to 18 in Hounslow, west London.

The school approached ACSP with a brief for a fully flexible lighting, video and sound system for its main hall – which is used for a wide array of events, including plays, dance shows, presentations, social functions and workshops. The system had to be user-friendly and intuitive, so that teaching staff and pupils could work it with ease.

The school approached ACSP to tender for the project, due to the company’s extensive track record providing entertainment technology systems to the education, drama and performing arts sectors. Through the supply of detailed drawings of tailor-made specifications and practical demonstrations of key products, ACSP clearly outlined how its highly skilled team would meet all the brief’s particular requirements and challenges – thereby winning the contract.

In practice, ACSP managed the entire project. As well as devising a bespoke technical solution, the company supplied and installed it – subsequently providing training for school staff and ongoing technical support.

ACSP Director, Lance Bromhead felt that the high-performance ProLights lighting range would offer the best results within the school’s budget. For the main stage area, he installed four Diamond 7 LED washers, the smallest luminaire in the Diamond range. They feature the latest WBFX technology – offering unparalleled flexibility and creative possibilities thanks to three operating modes: high performance wash light, with advanced colour calibration; punchy beam light; and amazing FX graphic generation. These washers are complemented by two bigger, more powerful Diamond 19 LED washers.

The rig also includes six ProLights Crystal spot moving-heads and a highly efficient EVO190ETU LED profiler which is capable of replacing traditional profilers equipped with 750W HPL lamps.

This state-of-the-art lighting system is controlled by an ultra-portable Jands Vista S1 console. Vista’s award-winning intuitive, graphical user interface allows students and teachers to concentrate on the creativity and design of their show lighting, rather than deal with complicated lighting programming. The highly intuitive Vista software handles the technical details. Connection from the console to the ProLights lighting fixtures is made wirelessly via a LumenRadio CRMX Nova range DMX transmitter and receiver.

Other equipment supplied included a Christie DHD600 6,400 lumens projector with a choice of HDMI, VGA and video inputs – so media content can be projected during performances, presentations and other events. Sennheiser Evolution 100 Series handheld, lapel and head-band wireless radio mics mean speakers, singers or performers can benefit from flawless audio enhancement at all times.

Ed Vainker, Headmaster for Reach Academy, says that ACSP provided: “amazing service and communication from start to finish. Lance Bromhead was attentive and committed throughout, offering honest practical advice – which, on comparison, was extremely competitive. The installation process was thorough and professional with a very high-end finish. The equipment is high spec. and the after sales training, first class. I have recommended A.C. Special Projects to other schools and will definitely be using them again!”

Contact the company now to see how they can help you to achieve your aspirations:
+44 (0)1494 838392
info@acspecialprojects.com

Now in it’s fifth season the Kazakh version of the international X Factor series is broadcast on the Perviy Kanal Evraziya channel in Kazakhstan.Dmitriy Karabetskiy is the Lighting Designer and Director of Photography for the show and uses a Vista S3 console to control the elaborate lighting rig.

Asked about his experience with Vista Dimitry commented: “What I can say about Vista? Creative work, extraordinary speed of light programming, unlimited possibilities of effects and reliability for use in Live Production.”

For the LED screens used on the show Dimitry created a custom project in Touch Designer with control from Vista via Art-Net.

The lighting system for X Factor Kazakhstan includes:

• 16 Clay Paky Alpha Spot 800 QWO
• 16 Clay Paky Alpha Profile 800 ST
• 8 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700
• 8 Clay Paky A.leda K20
• 8 Clay Paky A.leda K10
• 39 Clay Paky Sharpy
• 8 High End Studio Color 575
• 3 Coef MP 700 Zoom
• 8 Coef MP Wash 575
• 16 Jarag 25 lamp blinder
• 14 2 lamp blinder
• 14 4 lamp blinder
• 10 Martin Atomic 3000

Gallery – click to enlarge

Video

Hi res version on YouTube

Moscow based Show Atelier distribute Vista products in Russia and were pleased to provide lighting equipment, including a L5 console, for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

Show Atelier installed the L5 at the Iceberg Skating Palace, the venue that hosts the figure skating and short track speed skating events. The Russian team earned their first gold medal for skating at this venue.


All photos were kindly provided by Vista console operator Aleksej Coquelin.

Gallery

Robot (Endhiran) is a Tamil language science fiction film directed by award winning film director S Shankar. With music by A. R. Rahman, cinematography by R. Rathnavelu and starring Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai the film had one of the biggest ever budgets for the Chennai film industry.

One of our forum regulars, Becket Tundatil, was called in to light the set for a futuristic dance sequence shot at the at the Ramoji film city in Hyderabad, India.
Becket used a Vista T4 to control a rig that included 18 Clay Paky Alpha beams 300, 24 Alpha 1200 spots, over 300 Color Kinetic iColor cove units and 150 LED pars.

Shooting, for the dance sequence lasted for 10 days and ran from 7am to 10 pm each day. Talking about the shoot Becket said the song sequences were only explained to him few minutes before the camera starts to roll. Even so he was able to produce the spectacular looks seen in the movie and the crew were impressed with the speed and ease of programming on the T4.

Robot premiered in early October 2010

LifeChurch.tv © Steve Nance

Oklahoma-based LifeChurch.tv has invested in a range of Jands Vista lighting control solutions as part of its ongoing program to expand the reach of its unique message.

LifeChurch.tv is an influential multi-site Church that transcends metropolitan regions and reaches over 30,000 members weekly through its worship services. Utilizing the very latest media technologies to deliver its message, the Church‘s innovative approach includes a satellite broadcast that enables all locations to be connected as one during services; an online campus that provides services featuring live interaction; as well as a fully interactive 3D world; and free online resources for other Churches.

When Lighting Designer, C. Andrew Dunning, of Landru Design was approached to specify a lighting system for Studio B on the Edmond campus, the Vista was LifeChurch.tv‘s console of choice after proving to be ideally suited to the Church‘s partial reliance on volunteers to run its services.

The new installation is a multi purpose space used as a studio to record the services, special announcements, and other video segments broadcast to the Church.

Andrew required a lighting console that would be easy to teach and use by the volunteers. It also needed to be powerful enough for the current lighting setup, yet be upgradeable to cope with the Church‘s future needs and provide seamless control of conventional, LED and intelligent fixtures.

In addition to LifeChurch.tv‘s preference for the Vista, the console‘s reputation for being easy to use and a scalable system appealed to Andrew, so he decided it was time to see a demonstration.

He commented: “I‘d already heard good things about the Vista from other users. When I saw a demo and worked with it myself, I was very impressed with the console‘s relatively shallow learning curve. I could also really appreciate how quickly a non-lighting professional could easily control even intricate lighting systems.”

The Vista‘s graphic based interface lets users work visually and get on with designing better shows, rather than getting distracted by the actual programming process itself.

After being convinced by the Vista demo and the Church‘s own experiences with the console, Andrew specified it. Vista dealer and worship market production specialist, Integrity Lighting, supplied the S3 console and other lighting equipment to LifeChurch.tv for the installation.

Although the various LifeChurch.tv campuses are using different Jands Vista models, all consoles share exactly the same graphical interface. As a result, no extra training is needed should any campus upgrade as their system requirements grow.

LifeChurch.tv © Steve Nance

LifeChurch.tv installed a Vista PC system connected to an S3 control surface and Wacom touch screen monitor. The Vista controls a studio and theatrical lighting rig featuring Videssence Power Key 110 and 220 fluorescent lighting, Desisti 1kW and 350W Fresnels, ETC Source 4 Ellipsoidal and PAR fixtures, 2′ L&E Mini-Strip striplights and Martin Stagebar LED luminaires.

Summarising his experience of the Vista, Andrew commented: “I’d venture that most of LifeChurch.tv‘s volunteers have little professional lighting experience. The Church should be a place where all are empowered to serve, not just those who are paid production staff. The Vista supports this idea by enabling volunteers to create lighting looks quickly and easily. In addition, members from other disciplines, such as a video director, can easily control the lighting. As a result, dedicated lighting personnel are not needed in Studio B. Vista is an extremely easy-to-understand system for users of all levels, making it perfectly suited for today’s church.”

Integrity Lighting Inc’s Steve Nance commented: “Since 2004 we have used the Vista console on many large tours, such as Jeremy Camp, MercyMe, Third Day, Skillet, John Tesh and several more. With respect to installations, Integrity sells many Jands Vista systems into the House Of Worship market.”

Read more about the technology used at LifeChurch.tv in this Church Production magazine article.

Leading French lighting production company Arpege selected a Jands Vista console to provide lighting control for the 32nd César Awards, the biggest annual film awards ceremony in France.

The star-studded event, which is French cinema’s equivalent to Hollywood’s Oscars ceremony, has been running for over 30 years and is televised live from the iconic Théâtre du Châtelet in the centre of Paris.

Lighting designer Jean-Bernard Favero-Longo and programmer Didier Dast had worked together lighting live television shows many times before, and recently tried out the Jands Vista to great success on several events. So when Didier suggested they use the Vista for the high-profile Césars live awards, Jean-Bernard had complete confidence in his decision.
Read the rest of this entry »

Lighting the team introductions for the NBA playoffs in a 442,000 square-foot arena provides some unique challenges. Kevin Stirling recently posted, on the Light Network, about his experiences with Vista and using VNC for remote control.

Reprinted with permission. Photo by Darryl Ross

“Just thought I’d take a moment to gush…

DaVinci-Fusion, Inc and I brought the Vista to Sacramento’s ARCO Arena for player introductions at games 3, 4, and 6 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. There would have been more shows, but when you lose you take your toys and go home.

The Vista, of course, performed flawlessly and poetically again this year, but that’s not the point of this post. I wanted to make it clear how thrilled I was with the performance of the Vista under VNC control over a wireless router during programming, install, and rehearsal.

My console sits in the farthest upper reaches of the arena: Northwest corner, catwalk, 90′ above the deck. While affording a bird’s eye view, this position also creates issues with line of sight during programming (scoreboard obscures at least 15% of the house), so invariably some base foci are difficult to verify without multiple long walks around the catwalk. In the dark. At 3 am. Pinned on Rockstar Juic’d. You know how it is.

This issue is avoided with one ride down the freight elevator, and a stroll through well-lit hallways back into the darkened arena where I’ve set up my lappy running VNC at the scorer’s table. There I get full access to Vista’s desktop and, in one short session, fix all the spots I previously couldn’t see. Update some presets. Fix some cues that don’t look as cool from the floor as they did from the air. Run the show again from another perspective. Ah, freedom.

All that says nothing of the time I save on load-in. I used to set up the console once downstairs to verify the rig pre-fly, and then again upstairs with the rig at trim. Now there’s only one set-up upstairs; control is verified from the deck pre-fly and at trim via PC.

Nor does it tell of the assured smiles and dulcet tones I receive from our client, the Kings’ Director of Event Presentation, when I can sit next to him during his rehearsals and be present for all discussions of content not necessarily transmitted over comms. Additionally, if I’m on the floor, my sales manager can talk to me and still collude with the powers that be. That makes him feel better. That, in and of itself, makes my life easier.

In short, don’t be afraid to VNC your Vista. I ran that sucker wireless at a good 500′ range in a building filled with steel and other wireless systems running rampant. Lag was sometimes noticeable, but not prevalent. I didn’t feel secure enough to run the show from the lappy due to the lag, but it may have worked. More experiments with same are forthcoming.

VNC your Vista. Make a love connection.”