Australia - Adriano Candeloro is a founding director and technology guru at Sightline Productions – a busy and successful NSW-based AV and rental company that covers a range of corporate and B2B clients across Australia, New Zealand and much further afield with a variety of international work.
Joe Murray is also a founding director, and they and the team are all big fans of Astera, having first started hearing about the brand a few years back when the neon lighting look was very popular in Australia.
The first Astera products to arrive at Sightline were AX1 PixelTubes that joined the inventory in 2019, a figure that’s now jumped to over 50 fixtures.
In addition to these, they also have AX2 LED battens, AX3 LiteDrops, AX5 TriplePARs, AX9 PowerPARs, as well as the 2 metre Hyperion Tubes and the half metre Helios Tubes, totalling over 200 Astera battery-powered LED products.
These have become invaluable for all types of event scenarios and the continuing commitment has recently seen two cases (16 total) of AX3 LightDrops added to stock – joining 80 domes for the AX5s which can be used as set enhancements. They are now looking at Astera’s Fresnel series.
Sightline’s biggest project to date using Astera involved over 200 x AX1 tubes that lined an interactive entrance tunnel to an event for software and graphics brand Canva, at The Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, technically directed by Sightline’s Kim Louey-Gung.
AX1 tubes were also used for the Netflix season launch of the newest Stranger Things series where they – together with other Astera fixtures – help to create an actual “upside down world”.
“Being able to use this many battery-powered fixtures on a show, event or stage set is amazing and so practical, allowing for quick and cable-free looks,” explained Joe.
Mostly the Sightline crew will use the Astera App on an iPad for controlling the fixtures.
The quality of the light output from all the different Astera luminaires “is excellent” notes Adriano, especially the AX5s and AX9s which are frequently used for set and key lighting on stage and in studios. They appreciate the colours, especially the pastels and the warm whites and AX9s can produce an excellent stage wash.
“The batteries will last all day, so combined with the very organic look that blends in so well, the accessibility and incredible versatility of the luminaires – they are good for anywhere and everywhere,” says Adriano.
On average, Sightline will supply equipment to around 30 projects a month of different sizes, often including the lighting design, and Astera fixtures will invariably be somewhere on the event.
A vital element of investment in any kit is the service expected from the supplier, and Astera’s Australia and New Zealand distributor ULA Group is “second to none. For any busy rental / production company, knowing you have great service, support and backup when needed is all important,” Adriano concludes.
