Bandit Lites once again provided the lighting for the massive celebration, where teams from around the globe assembled to compete in challenges created to inspire creativity and promote logical skills.
A massive parade of nations, a dance presentation from Step Afrika! and the members of The Exchange, a pop vocal group performed at the opening ceremony where Bandit lighting designer Shawn Beaulieu and general manager Giff Swart utilized last year's success of an in-the-round design at Thompson-Bowling Arena.
Bandit's exclusive LED GRNLite moving head washes were placed on hexagonal truss structures, providing the inspired combination of brightness and beam spread that work for both colour effects and daylight wash looks.
While lighting a space in the round presents its own special challenge, including avoiding any dark spots on stage since the talent does not keep to specific positions on stage, lighting director Wayne Lotoza rose to the occasion by focusing on the creative and spontaneity of the broadcast.
"Lighting in the round is always fun, as is being live for a video stream," he said. "I also painted the arena with colour to correspond with the brand logo, and hopefully provide some excitement for their attendants."
Bandit also supplied MAC 2k Profiles, MAC 2K Washes and MAC 2K Washes with Beam Kits, PixelLine 1044s horizontally-mounted and spaced along the hexagonal truss for energetic chases and eye candy looks, while Bandit's GRNLite Pars acted as truss toners and Coemar IFlex Spots provided fill-lighting and extra focus positions.
In addition to the lighting for the opening and closing ceremony, Bandit provided archway lighting toned with ColorDash Accents and Ovation minE10 LED Lekos, truss for a NASA exhibit and ColorDash Blocks along Park Concourse lighting for an interactive Whack-A-Mole project.
Bandit Lites also put on a workshop with the kids, with lighting director Wayne Lotoza talking about what goes into putting a light show together, providing weights and statistics about wattage and lengths of all the cable used in the rig. "It is always a pleasure working with DI, and seeing the children's contagious sense of wonder and design," finished Swart.
(Jim Evans)
