Featured at the Ubisoft event were 64 MAC Quantum fixtures, 10 MAC 2k Performances, five MAC 2k Washes, eight MAC Viper Profiles and 22 MAC Auras.
Chris Collins, Yeager Design, along with Elizabeth Harper, E. Harper Design, described the amount of work that went into finding the appropriate lighting for the event, including the creation of a waving French flag from Martin lights. One of the biggest challenges was finding lighting that not only added to the stage but also looked good on camera.
"Making sure it looks good for the camera is huge," said Harper. "Your live audience is only a fraction of who is actually watching the event. Branding is one of the biggest aspects of these events so finding the correct color range to match the brands that show up on camera is equally important."
Finding the right lights for an event of this calibre to fit both the live event and the broadcasting took some work, but Martin was able to provide just the right equipment. "We're starting to phase out the MAC 2k washes, the Viper Wash and Profile are filling those roles for the next generation," said Collins. "The MAC 2k was our go to fixture prior to the Viper line as it offered a nice field for camera, as well as the shuttering mechanism in a reasonable size fixture. The Viper line is a nice improvement and it's timing is great for taking over from the MAC 2k line."
When asked if there were any big obstacles around the lighting, Harper replied, "No real challenges that the gear impacted. Overall everyone was very happy with the variety of looks for the show. With the Quantum's negative space around it, it could have been easy for the LED screen to overwhelm everything. But we actually had to dial the Quantums back to get a nice balance. The event was a big success both live and broadcasted, thanks to the versatility of Martin's lighting fixtures."
(Jim Evans)
