Located in M-NETs Studio 6, Randburg, Johannesburg, this is the first of its kind in South Africa, setting new technological standards with eight Philips Vari-Lite VLX Wash luminaires, plus over 400 Anolis LED units which are integrated into various set elements in a design by Michael Gill.
With sustainability a key issue, this whole elegant, highly versatile lighting rig can be run off two 15 amp plugs.
Gill, who collaborated closely with lighting designer Joshua Cutts of AV Unlimited to produce the original aesthetics, wanted "Something contemporary and totally different that utilised the best technology in the world".
The new studio was launched in time to broadcast comprehensive coverage of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, and was one of several Soccer World Cup related projects for which DWR delivered equipment prior to kick off.
Broadcasting 18 hours and four or five shows a day from the studio - with a variety of related magazine and youth programmes in addition to the pure sporting coverage - the installation allowed the creation of completely fresh and different looking environments all the time. There is never a dull moment with the lighting, and they still have plenty of headroom to constantly think of new looks.
Covering all 64 World Cup games is certainly putting the system to the test in a high profile fast moving situation enabling amazing atmospheric effects in the studio which could simply not have been otherwise achieved. The lighting can be used either to make the space function as one huge area or to split the studio up into 8 different segments.
The Anolis LEDs - the majority of the 400 pieces are ArcLinks - are installed underneath selected floor panels and behind the back wall set pieces - which are finished with either glass or opal Perspex fronts. Together, these constitute 105 different sections or 'light boxes' all over the set - and all individually controllable.
DWR completed their lighting supply to Studio 6 by commissioning locally based Giant Light to build custom DMX - controlled LED strips which are fitted to the noses of the staircases.
(Jim Evans)
