When Lighting Design Isn’t Just Lighting
ABP’s Lighting design was an integral and equal partner in creating this stunning scenic environment. WAVY-TV had commissioned a set that met most of their criteria. The solution: ABP’s inspired and unique lighting design that included one-of-a-kind curved lighting grids, allowed the WAVY team to achieve their expectations and more, in addition to making talent look professional, authoritative and amazing in all shots.
How did ABP do it?
Function becomes form
ABP designed custom-shaped lighting trusses, which acted as ceiling pieces, adding height and dimension to the set. These curved custom trusses were specified for all areas. The lighting grid was designed as a visual element of the set, in harmony with the set. Normally what supports the lighting equipment was turned into an augmentation to create sweeping curves and turn cramped wide shots into artistic establishing vistas.
Lighting Accomplishes “Magic”
Creative use of color and shape on plain cinder block walls above the set, which were often seen when shooting wide shots, instantly turned these backgrounds into functional set pieces. The set was not tall enough to allow for wide shots. But by controlling spill light off the set and then using color agile fixtures to turn bare cinder block walls into a chromatic, pleasing background structure in wide shots – a problem was turned into a feature, making a depth-challenged set larger, giving a sense of space and size and volume.
Simplified Control
WAVY preferred a streamlined lighting interface. ABP designed a sophisticated lighting infrastructure living behind 8 buttons on a user-friendly operator panel. The system provides for all the necessary lighting cues as well as local and remote control of satellite positions throughout the building.
Staff Empowerment
Education is part of ABP’s DNA. We didn’t just design, then walk away. We trained the staff making them comfortable operating, programming and maintaining all equipment. But not just with the lighting – we trained them on camera and video set up as well, made possible by our broadcast operations and Director of Photography expertise.
Follow up Remote Support and Maintenance
ABP provided the WAVY team service after the installation. Including calls and consultations after premier, and assistance with another set. Five years later even COVID-19 didn’t stop us. We assisted the station with a firmware upgrade and programming changes for the lighting system to better enable them to operate in a COVID-19 environment.
