"Something we've often heard from lighting designers is that they long for a decent sized space where they can just try things," explains White Light's managing director, Bryan Raven. "They wanted somewhere they could come and experiment with new products, new colours, new ideas, away from the crazy pressure and schedules that come when you're actually creating a new show. There's always been a demand for this, but it seems to be increasing as lighting designers have whole new families of products, like the new range of LED fixtures, to learn about.
"When we started planning our additional warehouse space we knew we wanted to help with this -so we incorporated a flexible demonstration area into the layout of the new building."
This space opens to the full height of the warehouse with a flown truss for rigging lighting equipment installed, rigging points available if more complex set-ups are required, and with power and control infrastructure in place to allow any equipment to be setup for visiting designers quickly and easily.
White Light also has a staff member dedicated to running the demonstration area. "We wanted designers to have one point of contact for using the space, someone who could listen to their needs, arrange the equipment needed either from our extensive stock or by liaising with other manufacturers, then have everything set up and ready at the scheduled time. We've given this role to John Bannister, on a year's work placement from the University of Surrey, and he's doing a great job," says Raven.
The demonstration area has already been used to create some high profile projects, including the recent Trafalgar Sun event, where the correct sources and colours to create an electric sun in Trafalgar Square were decided upon over a series of experiments in the new space. "White Light gave us a lot of love and support," recalls Andrew Shoben of Greyworld, who created the Trafalgar Sun, "letting us use their space, test out ideas, build mini-suns."
More recently, the space hosted the Society of Television Lighting and Design (STLD) open day where visitors got to try the wide range of products White Light offer as well as receive training on products from Chamsys, Vectorworks, Green Hippo and Martin Professional.
"We hope this is a space that anyone will feel free to use," Bryan Raven notes. "Just contact White Light to let us know what you need - then we look forward to welcoming you here."
(Jim Evans)
