Fans who expected to see a flowering of unfolding colorful looks during Premio Lo Nuestro weren’t disappointed. Whether watching on Univision, or as part of the live audience, they were treated to a constant flow of captivating vistas in support of over 30 different performances by stars like Maluma, Mar Anthony, Christian Nodal, and Paulina Rubio during the awards ceremonies. As varied as this array of visuals was, however, viewers never forgot that they were watching the same stage. Tom Kenny, the acclaimed Lighting Designer who created this scenic cornucopia, wouldn’t have it any other way. In his view, maintaining a consistent visual signature through all the various looks during a broadcast concert event is critical to maintaining a cohesive look.
At Premio Lo Nuestro 2023, this meant bisecting the large wide video wall backdrop with a distinctive arrangement of CHAUVET Professional Rogue R1 BeamWashes on torms and vertically oriented video strips. This centerpiece blended seamlessly with a wide range of looks, from romantic to industrial, without ever losing its own identity.
“Univision’s main Production Designer, Jorge Dominguez, worked very hard on creating clean lines, and we always try and keep the backwall consistent with that, while creating a concert feel,” said Kenny. The big walls and torms with the wonderful Rogues and an alternative strip light gave us a good consistent look that tied everything else together.”
Like the rest of the rig, the 90 Rogue R1 BeamWashes, as well as 186 Maverick MK3 Washes, were supplied and installed by 4 Wall Entertainment. Described by Kenny as “workhorses,” the RGBW MK3 Wash units were positioned throughout the rig, including on the concentric angled trussing that the designer used to “fill the air” over the stage. Other units were scattered around the room or positioned on the deck to create low-lying light.
Kenny relied on a broad color palette to convey the multifarious moods of the Premio Lo Nuestro performances. His color choices were inspired by Univision’s palette as well as by the video content that supported each song. However, he points out that when all is said and done, it was the mood of each artist’s performance that determined the color choices.
“Mark Butts, Fuji Cortina and Charlie Winter, who programed and decided on color with me, frantically worked within the hours we were allotted to tweak things, so we came up with the palette that best reflected what the artist was trying to convey in the performance,’ said Kenny. “Sometimes, the artists’ creative teams are looking only at the stage, so we have to be protective to ensure that the color, content and vibe don’t take away from the human aspect of the performance.”
In the end, says Kenny, it is this human factor that gives each performance its unique flair. On this, that flair was set off beautifully against an engaging background that tied the entire show together, while always remaining true to itself.
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