Luc had previously worked with director Martin Michel, and was delighted to collaborate with Judas TheaterProducties whose award-winning work is recognised for its innovation and original style. Painting with Light's Michael Al Far created the video content and Jeroen Opsteyn was associate lighting designer and also programmed the lighting with Luc. All worked very closely with set designer Arno Bremers.
The production had already decided they wanted digital scenery, so needed the expertise, imagination and right solution to realise the scenario. Painting with Light also provided the control hardware, investing in a new d3 4x2 media server system to map all the images to the set which was built by Antwerp-based C19.
Luc also specified the Christie 18K Roadster projector which brought the blank canvass set to life.
Luc and Michael wanted to recreate the incredible detail that characterised Rubens' painting in the video content - the show's narrative unfolds the nuances of some of the works featuring Helene Fourment. "It was an incredibly exciting brief," said Luc, "that went far beyond just presenting locations - we could hone in on elements like lighting and accentuate the way Rubens' literally 'painted with light'."
The set, built by C19 from Antwerp, comprised three wooden pieces, a central back-wall with columns and rectangular frames all at different depths. Rendered in a grey rough-cast plaster finish, it was a completely blank canvas for the projected material, framed at the top by a low apex triangular roof panel.
The d3 was programmed by Painting with Light's Katleen Selleslagh.
To support the projection, Luc lit the action simply and effectively using only six Clay Paky Alpha profile 800 SRs, eight Robe LEDWash 300s and 14 x ellipsoidals supplied by Phlippo Showlight and running on a grandMA2 onPC.
"Accentuating the perspective and lighting that Rubens introduced to his art was something I tried to do in a completely different context for this performance," explained Luc. "The projection brought the stage to life, so it was crucial for any lighting to be a perfect complement and also work with the geometry of the set."
(Jim Evans)
