Production Nightmare

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Almost one year into the Future Sex/Love Show Tour, Justin Timberlake’s performance is becoming recognized as one of 2007’s most entertaining and successful tours. The tour’s success has acquired media recognition, including a recent HBO documentary, which was filmed during Timberlake’s back-to-back showings at Madison Square Gardens in New York City. In preparation for this HBO shoot, Timberlake approached head laser technician Chris Blair, of Laser Design Productions, requesting a heavier laser look for the televised broadcast.

RIO DE JANEIRO — Clay Paky fixtures scored an award-winning performance at the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro where 122 Alpha Spot HPE 1200s were used in the opening and closing ceremonies.  A continental version of the Olympic Games held every four years, the Pan American Games are one of the leading competitions on the international sports calendar.  This year more than 5,000 athletes from 42 countries participated in 34 sports.

LONDON — Two Avolites Diamond 4 consoles were specified for the 2007 BBC Electric Proms shows staged at London’s historic Roundhouse venue. Bryan Leitch and Nick Whitehouse of Visual Light Design Production designed lighting for the acclaimed event, and Siyan supplied equipment.

DALLAS — Owned and managed by the City of Dallas, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center is home to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Called “one of the greatest concert halls in the world,” the complex open-space hall boasts elaborate acoustic accommodations. The lighting system, on the other hand, was essentially “cobbled together” over the last 15 years.

LONDON — HSL supplied over 80 moving lights and nearly 150 digital lighting fixtures for Lighting Designer Tom Kinane at the Premier League All Stars tournament. This was staged at the state-of-the-art David Beckham Academy in Greenwich, London, broadcast on Sky One and attended by live audiences. Kinane has worked with HSL on other shows including the first series of “Dancing on Ice," and he once again wanted them on the case providing the show’s specialist lighting requirements. The project was handled for HSL by Sean McGlone.

CATALINA ISLAND, CA — The historic Catalina Casino Ballroom was home to Art Good’s 20th annual three weeklong Jazztrax show. The 360 degree seaside venue’s limited power and rigging points “presented myriad technical challenges as we met the needs for 20 headlining artists such as Midi Abair, Ray Parker, Jr. and Peter White,” said Project Manager Ryan Steidinger.

ATLANTA — Elation Professional presented the 2007 Elation Education Experience award to three young lighting designers at the WFx show in Atlanta.

CHAUVET’s COLORstrip is an LED-fitted strip fixture designed for both the serious programmer and lighting novice. At 38 inches long and 2.5 inches wide (96.5cm x6.4cm), it is ideal for creating “runway” effects without cluttering up the catwalk.

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS — Lighting Designer Haydn Cruickshank used 28 Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 700E AT fixtures on leading UK dance act Underworld’s “Oblivion With Bells” recent UK tour.

LONDON — Projected Image Digital (PID), working closely with architectural lighting design practice Indigo Light Planning, has specified and installed an Element Labs VersaPIXEL ceiling effect for the house gymnasium of a leading investment bank in London’s Canary Wharf area.