Schipper got the look he was seeking with a massive diagonally slanted overhang array of high-output Nexus 4x4 LED panels from Chauvet Professional. Starting close to ceiling level upstage, the truss overhang formed a descending wedge of rich and varied colours as it moved down stage. The movement of the lights on the array, along with their intense output, helped draw all eyes toward the stage.
The slanted overhang is made up of six rows of Nexus 4X4 panels. The panels themselves are positioned to face the audience at different angles, giving the bright array a layered look that lends an extra dimension of depth to the design.
Schipper arranged wash fixtures among the LED panels to add more power to the design. To make his design even more captivating, Schipper positioned the Nexus panels behind frosted "plexi panels" to create a semi-translucent look. He also hit the stage with a variety of spots and ellipsoidal fixtures positioned on overhead batten-style truss structures.
Powered by 16 x 27-watt RGB COB LEDs, the Nexus 4x4 Panel produces a wide range of deeply saturated colours, from bold primaries to softer hues, thanks in part to its innovative reflector design. Schipper took full advantage of this colour rendering capability when creating his design for the NBC Comcast event.
"A really good thing about the Nexus panels is that the colours they produce are very multi-dimensional," said the LD. "You don't just get the flat blue or flat red with Nexus; you get a lot of nuances of colour that give the design depth. When you combined the vibrant colours of the Nexus with its intense output and put them behind the plexi panels over the stage, you wound up with an effect that really commanded attention."
(Jim Evans)
