UK - Central London-based lighting and event technology and services specialist Halo now has one of the largest and most extensive stocks of Astera products in the UK. Halo's total count of well over 400 Astera luminaires includes Titan Tubes, Helios Tubes, Hyperion Tubes and many others.
Halo’s extensive Astera inventory also features AX2 PixelBar, AX3 Light Drops, AX5 PixelPARS, Hydra Panels, NYX Bulbs, PixelBricks and PlutoFresnels. All of which feeds a never-ending demand on a diversity of events and projects, explained Halo CEO Yann Guenancia.
Guenancia singles out Pixel Bricks for a specific mention, admitting that initially they were a little surprised at how popular these have become, and how “people never stop coming up with creative ways of using them!”
Large UK lighting rental and concert touring companies frequently come to Halo for Astera fixtures, while smaller companies benefit from Halo’s extensive cross-rental services. When it comes to Halo’s own productions, 90% will have an Astera element included in the lighting design, the company says.
Halo is also the lighting and event technical services provider for an entire range of interesting small-to-medium studios and venues of up to around 500 capacities, where assorted Astera combinations can be used to rapidly create nice ambient lighting systems.
“The beauty is that they can be used equally well for ambient, direct or accent lighting. The possibilities are endless,” noted Guenancia.
Halo’s equipment hires manager, Aryan Goudarzi, agrees: “Astera products have made a significant impact on the industry through their smart design, quick charging capabilities, and the elegant, seamless app that empowers consumers with precise control.”
Functionality like the long battery life is a winner for Halo together with the quality of the light output, an aspect on which Astera has concentrated the R&D over the years.
Goudarzi also highlights other features such as the fixtures being lightweight, portable, and with numerous rigging options. He appreciates the Titan LED Engine, which provides “comprehensive colour replication over the spectrum and caters to the diverse needs of professionals working in film, TV, events, and venue lighting.”
Naturally, the use of LED technology can also reduce costs over time, and Goudarzi reckons that - at least for Halo’s clients - Astera tubes, PixelBricks, and AX3s have all gained immense popularity, “swiftly becoming essential must-haves in our hire inventory.”
Among the most recent Astera purchases are PlutoFresnels, which have been excellent for red carpet events and film premieres in London’s Leicester Square, providing a perfect solution with no cabling and rapid deployment.
NYX Bulbs are another busy Astera product for Halo, and while the AX2 bars are quite large compared to some of the others, they are good for larger studio jobs. The AX5 PixelPAR has also been an immensely popular Astera product in Halo’s rental stock.
