A four day event, Showlight is unique for many reasons, not least of which is that everyone - speakers, exhibitors and delegates - are present for the duration, so there's plenty of time for discussion and exchange of ideas. Hence the high regard in which Showlight is held as being one of the best networking events in the business.
There is also a unique wanderlust attached to Showlight: a different location is found every time, but always the same winning formula: nowhere else will you be able to spend quality time talking to a member of the lighting team behind the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympic Games, the director of photography for Brave, and someone who worked with the iconic Czech scenographer Svoboda at London's National Theatre.
And it is only right that Josef Svoboda is the subject of one of the papers because in 2013, for the first time in its history, Showlight will be set in Eastern Europe, in a fairy tale castle in ?eský Krumlov, a traffic free UNESCO Heritage Site in the Czech Republic.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Showlight is reliant on its sponsors and around 40 trade stands for income. The 2013 event would not be possible without the huge support it is receiving from Robe, the main sponsor behind the Conference Dinner and projection equipment for the auditorium. We are also grateful to Clay Paky, the sponsor of the Welcome Reception on the evening of Saturday May 18, to Martin Professional , as sponsor of expenses for the speakers and to White Light, sponsor of the coaches for the Monday afternoon visits programme.
But always the main focus of Showlight is the papers and the programme for 2013 is truly international: from Europe, Petr Ferebauer, the producer at the Ceske Budejovice Theatre, will introduce us to the celebrated Garden Theatre in the grounds of Cesky Krumlov Castle, while Peter Perina will give an introduction to the Baroque Theatre in Cesky Krumlov; Greek student Zoi Katsarou will report on her participation in a Social Light Movement Workshop, an innovation dedicated to using light to rejuvenate a deprived urban area of Stockholm; Frieder Hockheim, President of Kino Flo, will talk about the technical development of film friendly fluorescent lights, and the future development of LEDs; and Israeli lighting designer Bambi tells of lighting three operas at the foot of the Masada Mountains.
Other papers will include Leon Conrad with an overview of contemporary shadow theatre, where performers often double as lighting manipulators and an LED Panel comprising Jim Tetlow, Fred Foster, Ryan Fletcher and Fabiano Besio will discuss the many advantages of LEDs, their use and misuse, the colour balance problems with video cameras, and the dangers of specifying them for the wrong reasons.
The only way to fully understand Showlight is to be there - either as a delegate or, if you are a manufacturer looking for feedback on a new product or want to discuss what lighting designers really want from your equipment, as an exhibitor.
There's still time to book a stand space - contact Jane Cockburn on +44 1323 418 405, email sales@showlight.org.
(Claire Beeson)
