Philips Lighting hits high notes for Pitch Perfect 3
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With eight performances filmed across four locations, in both day and night shoots, the design team, including production lighting designer Trevor Burk and lighting directors Zach Matusow and Mat Stovall chose to use the Philips VL4000 Spot, VL3500 Wash and VL550 Wash, due to their quality of light output, colour range and versatility.
Burk says: "The VL4000 Spot performed well as a key light in the aquarium scene and in the finale. It was really important to have high-level colour control and the super even field of the VL4000 Spot. In addition, we used the VL3500 Wash as a big, straightforward cannon of light in the aquarium scene, while for the festival performances at the airforce base, it was obvious we had to flush the rest of the stage rig out with VL550 Wash."
Colour control, versatility and quiet operation were particular features required from the Philips Lighting luminaires. "We had a lot of ground to cover and wanted fixtures that could do distinctly different jobs scene to scene," says Matusow. "We considered the VL4000 Spot to be a crucial component for whatever task came our way. By the end of filming, we were using it for key lighting, aerial concert effects, water effects and for lighting scenery. The VL3500 Wash was great to have on hand when a scene called for lots of brightness and colour being projected from afar."
The high performance and reliability of the Philips Lighting fixtures meant they were able to take on a multitude of roles throughout the production. This was a real benefit to the crew, given the strict timelines for load-in and filming. Burk says, "We needed fast, reliable and quality lights that were ready to go when the filming was in progress. The VL4000 Spot could work in any part of the plot, and a feature-loaded profile fixture providing so much brightness was a joy to work with."
Stovall adds: "The output is fantastic. Not many lights have enough punch to produce a usable amount of light in these conditions, but the VL4000 Spot delivers."
Martin Palmer, Vari-Lite product manager EMEA, Philips Entertainment Lighting, says, "Our Philips Vari-Lite range of lighting tools succeed in bringing outstanding benefits to lighting designers in a variety of set and stage lighting applications. By understanding their specific needs, we are able to deliver innovation with purpose."
(Jim Evans)
