With the auditorium's existing lighting proving inadequate for filming key lectures and guest speaker talks, Cass approached A.C. Special Projects to specify a solution. The new rig needed to provide adequate light levels for filming without dazzling the audience or compromising the visibility of two large back-projected screens in the centre of the stage area.
A.C. Special Projects specified fixtures from the Spotlight Mini Series, which feature the latest theatrical lighting technologies in a compact yet powerful 300W design specially developed for discreet architectural applications. The high intensity Spotlight fixtures provide much greater illumination and control of light spillage over the presentation screens. MiniFresnel luminaires deliver uniform, general coverage of the stage area, complemented by miniZoom profile spots that highlight the podium speakers.
To add a modern theatrical element to presentations, 18 RGB LED battens deliver a range of coloured looks and Opti GoBoPro units project the business school's logo onto the auditorium ceiling, floor and walls. All fixtures were custom manufactured in white to complement the surrounding interior.
The lighting rig is integrated with the lecture theatre's Crestron control system, giving users simple touch-screen access to a selection of pre-programmed lighting looks for different occasions.
Ricci Fothergill, audio-visual systems specialist for the Cass Business School, commented: "We chose A.C. Special Projects to re-fit the lighting in the auditorium as their project management was very good and they offered a high level of specialist expertise in this area. They delivered the lighting improvements in a very tight time frame and importantly, they integrated the new rig into our existing Crestron control system."
See A.C Entertainment Technologies at the forthcoming PLASA Focus - Leeds 2009 (28 - 29 April).
(Jim Evans)
