During their recent production of Shrek: The Musical, assistant professor David Hardy was challenged to live up to this motto through an energetic and compelling lighting design that could bring the full production to life. To do so, he needed extra punch and colour from his lighting tools, so he turned to Philips Vari-Lite and chose VL770 Spot luminaires as his design solution.
"When we first started the design process we hadn't planned on using any moving fixtures, but as we got further into the script, we realized we needed multiple lighting positions and a wide range of color options," began Hardy. "Looking at the automated luminaires available, we didn't have space for large fixtures and they had to be able to operate on 110V. The VL770 Spot luminaires gave us everything we needed through an overall better quality of light with dynamic specials and powerful color punches."
As a theatre educator and professional, this was the first time that Hardy had actually used a Vari-Lite automated luminaire, and while it was initially the colour options that impressed him, the VL770 Spot also had a few more surprises in store.
Hardy continued, "This was my first time to use a Vari-Lite luminaire of any kind and while I was really impressed with the color saturation and the punch, I also really liked the gobos and effects that could be created. Using them in a theatrical environment they were quieter than I thought they would be and they were very reliable. Overall, I would have to say I was very impressed with the VL770 Spot in every respect."
As with any university environment, Hardy knew that while he had the VL770 Spot luminaires for the production, he also had the opportunity to use the fixtures as a teaching tool for his design students. And this was an opportunity he did not want to pass up.
"Having them in the university environment not only enhanced our production but it also gave us a great teaching moment. Our students were able to actually put their hands on the fixtures while taking them from case to truss, and they had time to take a look inside to really see how they work. This gave them not only a better understanding of the technology behind the fixture, but also better prepared them for their individual careers as lighting designers and technicians once they leave the university."
(Jim Evans)
