Broadcast live, contestants begin with bundles of banknotes and have to correctly answer questions, or else see their winnings disappear through a trapdoor. The UK-created show, made by Big Brother makers Endemol, has since been exported to several other countries including the US, Australia, Germany, Russia and most recently, Poland.
Aired on Polish network TVP2, the show relies on strong lighting effects to create much of the mood and tension. Lighting director Adam Tyszka said he was challenged by the producers to come up with a distinctive new look for the show and was after something different.
"I was instinctively drawn to the Sharpy,' said Tyszka. "It's a new type of light; we haven't seen anything like it before. I must admit I have been completely enchanted by their speed - but I'm also impressed by the efficiency and the uniformity of the color temperature."
Lighting for the Polish Million Dollar Drop features 70 Sharpy spotlights, 24 Alpha Beam 300s, 24 Alpha Beam 1500s and 11 Alpha Profile 700s, with a supplement of LED washlights from JB Lighting and i-Pix. Equipment and service was supplied by local Clay Paky partner TSE while lighting was programmed and operated by Sebastian Pachciarek.
(Jim Evans)
