Volt Lites opens safe stage with Claypaky
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The three partners have created a safe stage for the COVID-19 era that’s equipped with a trio of lighting, video and xR capabilities. Sixty-four active Claypaky Mini-B LED moving lights comprise the workhorse fixtures for the space.
“We wanted to create a safe space that would allow people to get back to work and stimulate them to think out of the box,” says Shimamoto. The 3by3 Space has already been used by rock band Bush to shoot Quicksand with Augmented Reality, the Black Eyed Peas shooting Feel the Beat for Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, the iconic Temptations reprising their greatest hits for PBS’s A Capitol Fourth broadcast, and the product launch of LiteGear’s Spectrum OS2 lighting control system.
The 3by3 Space is outfitted with a large upstage LED videowall and LED floor from LED partner NEP Screenworks. Four lighting towers flank each side of the stage, and a horizontal truss is suspended above the space. Claypaky Mini-Bs are mounted on the towers and four rows of the truss.
“The versatility, size and output of the Mini-B fits well within the scale of the 3by3 Space,” says Shimamoto. “We have a limited trim height so proportions are everything. The Mini-B’s wider zoom range and shorter throw is very helpful, and the fixtures are very fast. Everything about them made them the right fit for this space. The Mini-Bs form the perfect backbone for the lighting design of the 3by3 Space.”
Volt Lites originally acquired its Mini-B fixtures after working with them at LDI 2019 when the company served as one of the lighting integrators for Claypaky’s booth at the show. “When we got home Harrison and I talked about what a nice, punchy little lights the Mini-Bs were. So we add the fixtures we’d used at LDI to our lighting inventory. The Mini-Bs ticked all the boxes in terms of versatility for our clients: It was not a one-hit wonder.”
Volt Lites immediately began using the new fixtures on broadcast TV shows, including NBC’s Little Big Shots, as well as commercials. “The Mini-B’s size, ease of use and range of flicker adjustment make it an attractive fixture for cameras,” Shimamoto notes.
The new 3by3 Space also includes 16 Claypaky Mythos 2 fixtures in the rig to provide additional beam effects for artists.
George Masek, strategic marketing manager at Claypaky, concluded, “One of the rare positives from this pandemic is seeing how our customers pivot creatively to address the vast changes we are all facing. I was so excited to hear how Volt created a useful space and vital service with the creation of 3by3. Of course, we’re very proud that the Claypaky fixtures are a useful element of their newest endeavour.”
