MDG CHATmosphere is a series of conversations with lighting designers and other creatives behind the scenes. In this, the third in the series, MDG talks to Emile Chauvin, the Lille, France-based laser manufacturer, designer and operator working with specialists in new and used lighting and sound equipment, JSFrance, and ECS laser systems. Chauvin is a provider of laser equipment and advice services, and technical supervisor of the lasers, haze, and other SFX. He provides for a plethora of projects, headline DJs, and artists.
MDG: Your work life covers many aspects as a laser manufacturer, designer, programmer and operator. Please give us an outline of what your work entails.
Chauvin: When people talk about laser shows they often think of big festivals. I like to call my lasers ‘special light effects’ since the applications vary a lot. There is a lot you can do with a laser, a beam of light. From mapping outlines onto a building to creating moving illustrations that combine with music. I provide gear and knowledge that, when combined with an artistic mind, can create a truly memorable experience.
MDG: What route have you taken to get here?
Chauvin: There was no studying on my part, just hard work and passion. I began working with JSFrance (JSF) and always helped out on the laser side. Over the years, I built my own laser systems, and clients would often want someone to come with them on the trickier jobs. Gradually, what became an extra service is now a full-time job! My big breakthrough came in 2019 when JSF was asked to do a show for the Amsterdam Danse Event 2019, and I went along to ‘help out’. It was my first big show and the first time I felt I was going from a hobby laser guy to a massive show with lots of investment. It is an example of how something can unexpectedly take you to the next level. There’s no straight route: you learn and discover on the field and people recognize your work, see that you are passionate and know what you are talking about… and one thing leads to another. I just started out by giving tips and it grew into what it is now.
MDG: Laser manufacturing is an important part of your work, but so is the practicality of making a show work. Tell us more.
Chauvin: That’s a very technical subject and I find it more interesting to talk about the shows, the creativity and the tools needed to meet the artists’ ideas. An early realization for me was the importance of haze as a major factor in the artistic process. I think that has been the secret of my success from day one, and definitely helped me gain an advantage when I was first starting out. My background is in clubs where the atmosphere is dense, dark and hazy. I missed this when I moved to stages, so I guess it helped me focus on it more. If you want to have an impactful show, buy more hazers! That will add a lot to what you already have.
Haze is often overlooked in many applications and my first question to my clients is ‘is your haze up to date?’. Lasers are sold by power—the more power, the bigger the application—but double the power costs a lot more than double the price! Investing in more haze instead of higher power lasers may save more power and money and have a greater effect at a fraction of the budget. It’s an important factor which will bring your show to the next level and needs to be discussed!
Because I specify really good haze, I don’t have to use really high-power lasers and can therefore offer a more cost-effective package. We carry more haze when we play outdoor dates with other artists so we can increase the effectiveness of the visuals by simply adding more haze than an artist/DJ might normally travel with. It’s the same show, but with more haze it looks so much more impressive. I want people to read this and think: ‘Am I overlooking this subject? Is my haze up to the game? Should I buy more haze instead of more lasers? Maybe this guy has a point!’
MDG: Your touring work is very important to you. How is it to tour with artists?
Chauvin: I provide equipment and knowledge and am there to make sure that what I offer works smoothly and the show is the best it can be.
Some shows, I am positioned front-of-house, so I see the show from where the audience sees it; for other shows I am on stage. On stage you have a more personal relationship with the artist. Artists are essentially alone on the stage and will look for eye contact with you in lieu of the mass audience. They are looking for your reaction. If you, who have seen the show multiple times, are still enjoying it, and they know you are having a good time, then they know they are doing a good job. Being part of that creative atmosphere alongside the artist is a massive thing. I love the energy of that two-way feed.
MDG: What are the signatures of your laser, lighting and special FX style?
Chauvin: There is no one fixed style. I am very adaptable to each project. A medium install compared to Tomorrowland, for example, or a son-et-lumiere or an art installation—each will have very different approaches. I hate solo projects—I love to work in a team. I like to listen, to work with artists who are open and who trust me; those who are curious and have an open mind with which to explore things. I like to learn and adapt, not copy and paste or make small adjustments to the same old things.
I create laser stuff but I’m more of a technician and I love that relationship between engineering and artistry. Artists come with crazy ideas, and they love it when you don’t say it’s impossible. Sometimes you just need to find what they want and be creative with the tools you have. I really enjoy that exchange between the artist and myself, working together to understand and create their vision and explore the directions in which to take it to make something cool.
MDG: You use a lot of haze and fog in your designs—what do you look for in this aspect?
Chauvin: Haze is very important and the main element in what I do because, without it, my world doesn’t exist! As with any light beam, if you don’t have particles of haze, smoke or water screens, the light is invisible, and you can’t see the results.
People think it is strange that we are a laser company and yet we deal with haze, but haze and fog allow me to do what I do. Without it I cannot create the effects that people want and look for. I think it is a big part of why what I do works and why I am successful in that area.
MDG: How does MDG fit into this, and why do you like to work with MDG? You know the whole MDG range very well!
Chauvin: I like the MDG range of products because they have everything from the smallest atmospheric machine to the largest power output, and I own almost all the range of hazers, foggers and low fog, because the applications are so different. If I could have more, I would! Sure, festivals need big machines with a lot of output, but sometimes haze has to be small, discreet, almost invisible to the eye until you shine light on it.
Using low fog with lasers is interesting. For example, I light an artistic ice skating show using lasers on the floor and low fog for people to skate through. MDG is the only manufacturer to make a low fog that works properly and doesn’t rise up with movement. A newer application is for the many city centers that are looking away from firework displays to greener alternatives, so choose laser and light shows, which again call for good haze.
Marketing-wise that is really interesting: lasers are cheaper, don’t burn any materials, and there’s no post-show rubbish to clear. They can be run during high winds or heatwaves when traditionally you can’t use fireworks. For example, in last summer’s heatwave, all firework displays were cancelled because of the fire risks—but we could use lasers freely and were the only ones able to run our show.
Laser shows are faster to build and set up and, unlike fireworks, are not single use, so the show is repeatable. While some aspects, such as the explosions, can’t be replaced, the best shows are a mixture of the two—plus you get more show for your money if you want to extend its length. It’s getting to be big business.
MDG fits all these scenarios. They are really convenient for touring and easy to use. Consumables like CO2 and fluid-use are low, and sourcing CO2 is not as inconvenient as some people believe. MDG uses the same CO2 bottles as a beer machine, so are not tricky to find, and once you have the practical side sorted, it’s easy—and so reliable.
From the start I chose to invest in MDG and have always been happy to use it, sell it and specify it. It is the highest haze quality I can have, and I know I can rely on it—which is the most important part of any gear—so it has become a standard part of my kit. When you find a product you like, you invest in it and stick with it, because you know you are going to keep it forever. Where people happily change their other equipment every few years, they sometimes bring their 30-year-old MDG machines to me to repair as they still want to keep them!
MDG is the brand in the industry—Everyone knows it is the highest quality, so they don’t question it. They simply say: ‘OK, you bring the best!’
MDG: What is your outlook on your career?
Chauvin: I don’t have a need to do everything. The big shows are amazing experiences, but I like to keep the smaller projects going too, and if I don’t ‘feel’ it or don’t have the manpower to do a job well, I would rather say no than disappoint. And if I said yes to everything, I’d have less time and energy to give to people who deserve the same dedication as everyone else.
You only live once, and I want to wake up every morning looking forward to my day. I work a lot and don’t want to work more than I do. I still want to give a good show and satisfy the artist. Too many people dream big, and it becomes a chore to manage. It’s a really short vision and I really don’t want that. It’s too easy to get burnt out quickly if you are not careful, so I try to keep my energy and enthusiasm. The day I lose my passion will be the day I reconsider.
MDG: What does the future hold for you?
Chauvin: I hope I will be doing the same as I am doing right now. They say people changed after Covid, but not me. This is where I want to be. I don’t want to grow; I wish to keep creating; I never want to stop working; I love my job. I hope there will be a new generation after me who will enjoy doing the same. Have a good time and enjoy—that is the key element.
Further information from MDG: www.mdgfog.com
All photos: ©Emile Chauvin
