“It was my first Tonight Show experience, and a great one!” Lorins told PLSN. (View the episode here: plsn.me/1pe49iu). Lorins’ role on the tour will be “a bit of everything: lighting design, direction, programming, and help with set/production design. Ryan has an overall look he’s going for, and we’re still hashing out details like video and so on.”
Lorins notes that Adams’ music is “quite layered” and that it would be “fun to go all out with the lighting.” But his design needs to take Adams’ health issues into consideration above all else. “Ryan has Meniere’s Disease which causes inner ear problems and can cause dizziness, vertigo, anxiety and more.”
The illness, for which there is no known cure, is undoubtedly compounded by the artist’s reported bouts with tinnitus. Remarkably, Adams is able to continue touring despite his health issues, but “he cannot deal with things like lights in his face for too long or strobing,” Lorins says. “Even movement of the lights themselves or rotating gobos,” he adds, can be a potentially show-stopping issue. “I’ve already learned much about restraint behind the console.”
Emmy Awards for Lighting
This year’s 2014 Creative Arts Emmy Awards — also called the technical awards for television excellence — were presented Aug. 16 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
ABC’s Dancing With the Stars (Episode 1711A) won for Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series. The creative team included LD Simon Miles and lighting directors Suzanne Sotelo and Matthew Cotter.
NBC’s Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony won for Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special. On the winning team were LD Al Gurdon and lighting directors Peter Canning, Michael “Oz” Owen and Ross Williams. For a list of other nominees and winners, visit emmys.com.
Richard Returns for NFL Intro
LD Benoit Richard updated his theatrical stage lighting for NBC’s Sunday Night Football intro featuring Carrie Underwood. “It’s a new lighting design, and the visual effects will be new as well,” Richard told PLSN. The intro went into production in June, wherein Richard incorporated new-to-market lighting fixtures to introduce new looks for the camera. The intro debuts on Sunday, Sept. 7 on NBC and airs each Sunday of the season. For a
behind-the-scenes look at the making of the intro, go to plsn.me/1qqCtGc.
Roldan Receives Raves
LD Kristie Roldan, who worked with LD Jeff Ravitz for the past eight years at Visual Terrain and Intensity Advisors, started up her own design firm and has expanded her repertoire of design services.
Her new company, Look Up Point Design in Lakewood, CA, has received a number of accolades, including rave reviews for the production design of Neon Tree’s current tour.
Roldan told PLSN about the impetus to start her own company. “Most of my work for the last few years has largely been in TV and concert lighting, but my first love is theatrical lighting design. In my spare time I had been working with some fantastic Los Angeles theater and dance companies who were willing to work around my often-busy schedule. Now I’m hoping to commit even more time to design for theater and dance, but I’m not about to abandon everything I’ve learned in the last decade. I will continue to design for TV, corporate work and concerts. In general I don’t want to be pigeon-holed as a specific type of lighting designer. I think that keeping my portfolio diverse and high quality keeps me from falling into a rut aesthetically. So bring on more of everything!” Look up Roldan’s company at lookuppointdesign.com.
Making the Grade
This fall, LD Michael Duncan is focusing on making the grade by enrolling full time in graphic design courses. Before he hits the books, he’s taking weekend and corporate gigs. He recently returned from after a six-week run with Boz Scaggs. “It was a simple production that just focused on creating a nice environment onstage for the artist,” Duncan told PLSN. “We used local production everywhere and played primarily performing arts centers, casinos and occasional festivals. I really enjoyed it.”
Boston Lights Exposition
The Designers Lighting Forum New England is presenting a free architectural lighting event Sept. 18 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel. More than 100 exhibitors will display lighting products and related technologies. For seminar info, visit dlf-ne.org.
Quick Cues
Longtime Garth Brooks LD David Butzler is ready to travel the globe again on the Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. The tour, Brooks’ first major global trek in 13 years, kicks off Sept. 4 in Chicago, where it packs 11 shows into a 10-night span…
LD Daunte Kenner’s lighting looks are out with OutKast. The hip hop duo is celebrating their 20th year by headlining on the major worldwide festival circuit. Dates started in April and run until Halloween…
LD Mark Wheatley continues on with Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson on tour, which
returns to the U.S. in September…
David Davidian is out on Peter Frampton’s tour as production manager and video director, with LD (and PLSN contributor) Nook Schoenfeld running lights.
Reach Debi Moen at dmoen@plsn.com.
