Category: Articles

Why We Love Vintage LED Light Bulbs

Posted on by J3551CA

These days, anything vintage and retro is most definitely back in style.  From old-fashioned light fittings that wouldn’t have been out of place at the turn of the century to exposed brick interiors and wooden floors, the hippest interiors are basically designed to transport you back in time.

While our grandparents worked hard to afford fitted carpets, fully papered walls and soft, plush interiors, we are slowly stripping them back to enjoy the rustic simplicity an authentic or vintage fixtures and fittings.  One of the easiest and most effective ways to evoke the atmosphere of days gone by is by using old-fashioned light bulbs to create a warm, soft glow in our homes, as well as the bars we drink in and the cafes we eat in.

Vintage Edison Bulbs Are Hipper Than Hip

Filament light bulbs offer enduring style and are most definitely having a resurgence of cool in coffee shops and penthouse apartments up and down the country.

Dating back to the original incandescent bulb commercialized by Thomas Edison in the 1800s, the warm, romantic glow emitted by these beauties adds a true vintage feel to any room.  Unlike the original filament light bulbs, however, modern days Edison bulbs use an LED light source, meaning that they look as cool as ever, but are safer and more energy efficient than their old-fashioned counterparts.

LED Edison lights offer a beautiful and sustainable solution without losing out on that characteristic magical glow for two main reasons:

  1. LED Edison Bulbs are incredibly long lasting

Most incandescent light bulbs (that’s old-fashioned bulbs to you and me) only have an average lifetime of around 2,000 hours, if you are lucky.  LED Edison bulbs, however, can shine on for an impressive 20,000 hours of use, making your home feel soft and romantic for much, much longer.

LED’s don’t fail like incandescent bulbs eventually do either, so you could even achieve a greater lifespan, depending on how often you use your LED Edison bulb.

  1. They Are More Energy Efficient Than Incandescent Light Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs have electricity running through their wire tungsten filaments, which heats up the elements to produce light.  This is why older style lightbulbs feel hot to the touch once they are turned on. It takes a lot of energy to make this happen every time you use the light bulb.

LED Edison bulbs, on the other hand, consume up to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs do, making them more sustainable and much cheaper to run.

Vintage LED Bulbs – combining the retro look of times gone by with the technology of today.

If you like to picture yourself listening to vinyl, sipping coffee bathed in the light of a vintage Scandinavian pendant light, then the LED Edison bulb has probably already crossed your radar.

If you are looking for a way to add a soft, vintage feel to your home or public space, these beautiful looking LED lights offer all the familiar comfort of the good old days, perfectly combined with the affordable, energy-efficient values that are important to us all today.

Professional Event Lighting from Frank Gatto & Associates

If you are looking for epic event lighting, either with a vintage feel or something totally modern, we can help.  Call us today at 561-368-0101 to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Lighting the Tree – A History of Christmas Tree Lights

Posted on by J3551CA

Twinkling lights really make the holiday season feel special, and most of us couldn’t imagine seeing a Christmas tree without them.  But did you know that using lights to decorate trees only became commonplace at the turn of the 19th century, as more and more families started bringing trees into their homes to celebrate the festive season?

If you are about to start decorating your tree, consider the history of the tradition, while you decorate yours.

Back in the 1800s, wealthy homeowners would have their staff spend hours fixing lit candles to their trees using melted wax or pins.  They also had the good sense to keep a bucket of water or sand close by just in case the candles burn too far down and ignited the tree, although that didn’t always stop accidents from happening.  Despite the very obvious safety concerns of having lit candles precariously balanced on flammable pine needles, this type of decoration remained popular.

In 1848 the Illustrated London News ran a picture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert gathered around a lit Christmas tree with their children, spurring on the upper classes of British society to embrace and emulate the tradition. This image spread as far as America, where it gained popularity and became known as the first “influential American Christmas tree”.

Fast forward to 1888, and respected inventor of the light bulb Thomas Edison became involved in the story, although strangely enough, it was not him who invented the Christmas tree light, instead of someone who worked for him.

One year, Edison decided to forego the Christmas tree and opted to use light bulbs on a string to decorate his Menlo Park Laboratory, as a marketing ploy to help him secure the electric contract for Manhattan.  At the same time, Edward H. Johnson, the vice president of Edison’s Electric Light Company, decorated his tree with 80 specially made red, white, and blue bulbs that he displayed in the window of his Fifth Avenue home.

While the lit-up tree didn’t make the news at the time, local people love it and it wasn’t long before Johnson gained his place in history as the Father of the Electric Christmas Tree.  Those rich enough to afford the cost of renting a wireman to install the lights, and a generator to run them could enjoy them in their own homes, for the princely sum of over $300 per tree.

In 1917, things took an exciting turn as a called Albert Sadacca thought to repurpose the white novelty lights his family produced, switching them over to colored bulbs.  He instantly created the first Christmas lights safe for widespread use in the home, and history was made.   His family business cornered the market in Christmas tree lights, and he went on to form an organization called NOMA in 1925, which became the largest Christmas light manufacturer in the world.

During the war years, Christmas tree lights on outdoor trees became almost obsolete as large displays and even domestic decorations were toned down and switched off in line with blackout regulations.  The loss of interest in Christmas tree lights was further compounded following the rise of the aluminum Christmas tree in the 1950s, where electrical lighting was obviously not safe to use.

The mini bulbs that we know and love today, were first introduced in the 1970s and were produced cheaply overseas, meaning that their popularity grew once again as almost everyone in America had access to them. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Modern Day Christmas Light Displays

Nowadays, we have moved on from just electric string lights on trees, and many of us enjoy creating elaborate displays outside our own homes. Organized displays and Christmas light enthusiasts can now program complex displays using lights and strands with varying luminosity and even synchronized timing, making Christmas light displays that are absolutely awesome.

Professional lighting from Frank Gatto & Associates

While we may not be able to light your tree for you, we can provide world-class lighting for your indoor and outdoor events all across the holiday season.  Call us today at 561-368-0101 to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

How to Light A Haunted House

Posted on by J3551CA

Nothing says Halloween like a super scary haunted house experience. Halloween is now the second most decorated holiday after Christmas here in Florida, and however, you are celebrating, creating a spooky atmosphere is essential for ensuring that your scare fest is the best ever.

The humble haunted house, for example, is one of the most popular Halloween attractions ever.  While haunted house attractions rely on props, sounds and actors, they would be nothing without the clever use of lighting. The use of shadows, bright flashes of light and craftily lit crevices create a feeling of drama and suspense as you travel along the attraction.

Here are some of the lighting techniques used to create some of the spookiest haunted house experiences even known:

Black Light

Black lighting goes hand on hand with fear when it comes to illuminating everything from stage shows to haunted houses.  The light throws a purple sheen over everything in the room, and also helps neon colors to really “pop”.  Blacklight is created via ultraviolet or infrared radiation, which is invisible to the human eye. Black lights can be as simple as single bulbs that can be plugged into an electrical socket or can be a huge back panel that illumines entire room at a time.

An interesting fact; lots of black light and neon paint can be found at the Black Sabbath “13” haunted maze at Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as in one of the haunts at Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare.

Red Light

Red is not only the color of passion, but it is also a color that creates fear.  Flooding a room with red light makes for a really tense and heavy atmosphere, perfect for Halloween attractions.  The use of colored lights can also conjure up images in the brain, and red helps to make the visitor think of the color of blood.

Spotlights

You usually think of a spotlight as a positive force for good, enlightening a single entertainer or piece of the action on the stage.  But, when you focus the same spotlight on something spooky, it takes the focus away from whatever is happening back there in the shadows, adding ambiance and increasing the fear factor.

Strobe Lights

Strobe lights are used to change the way the audience or visitor sees the action happening in front of them.  Fast, intense flashes of light create a jerky, blinking effect which disorientates the audience and transforms something innocent in something completely terrifying.

Candle Light

Candles are synonymous with everything spooky.  The flicker of candlelight creates an instant spooky feeling, and the can be used in a variety of ways to create atmosphere.  Hidden inside at light jack-o’-lanterns used to summon spirits, or dotted around an empty coffin, candles are an easy way to raise the fear factor.

Flashlights

Finally, flashlights can be used in a multitude of ways to make a haunted house feel super spooky.  They can be aimed through the middle of a fog machine to create a pathway of light or shone beneath a face or object to make it look really scary.

Call in The Experts

If you are looking to create the ultimate Halloween attraction, why not call in the experts here at Frank Gatto & Associates.  We produce first-class professional lighting design for events and live shows throughout Florida and beyond.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Is Outdoor Lighting Really Necessary for Your Production?

Posted on by J3551CA

You may think that when you are filming outside, that the natural sunlight will be enough to light your set.  The truth of the matter is that natural sunlight is not always enough to make your set shine.

The use of artificial lighting outside is just as important as it is when filming inside.  Every scene needs to be correctly illuminated from every angle to create ambiance and enhance the action.

If you are unsure of how best to get your outdoor lighting working well, try these tops tips from the experts at the award-winning Frank Gatto & Associates:

  1. Work with What You Have

While we agree that you do need extra lighting to enhance your film shoot or live event, you can still find ways to make the natural light work in your favor.  The big blazing ball of light in the sky does have its uses when it comes to location shots, and while you cannot control its position or intensity you can move the action down on the ground to make the most of it.  Where you stand will affect the way the footage looks, so move into the shadow if the light is too bright or shoot with the sun behind or to the side to create a more dramatic effect.

  1. Harness the Magic

Every photographer and cameraman worth their salt knows all about specific times of the day when the sun casts a magical light over everything below.  The “Golden Hour” as it is known, is a short period of daytime just after sunrise or before sunset, during which the daylight is redder and softer than when the Sun is higher in the sky.  If you can position the action down below just right, you can create intense lighting effects using nothing more than the sun at its highest point. Be ready, however, with your lighting rigs or stand-alone equipment to continue your filming as the light fades or changes.

  1. Be Bold

If you are holding an outdoor event during the day, the sunlight will mean that your audience can see the action on stage, but will they be able to “feel” it?  Festivals, concerts or sporting events often need much more than just a soft light to be a success. Add colors and strobes that dance to the beat, or pyrotechnics that explode when a goal is scored.  All of these effects require the addition of state-of-the-art lighting equipment and a competent team of technicians to make it happen.

  1. Control the light

Whether you are using portable lighting equipment or relying on the light from the sun, it is important that you are able to control the light and the shadows it casts as much as possible.  An experienced outdoor lighting crew will know exactly how and when to use light blockers, flags, reflectors, and bounce boards to control the direction of the light and add ambiance to your set or stage lighting.

  1. Be prepared

Any changes in the natural light can wreak havoc on your filming schedule.  Cloud cover, early sunsets and even changes in atmospheric conditions can all alter the way the light appears on film.  To limit time lost to poor lighting conditions have a portable lighting set up with you on the day.  Tripod lights, diffusers, and reflectors, as well as a variety of camera lenses, should help to protect you against poor natural lighting conditions.

Whatever you are planning to capture on film or whatever kind of outdoor event you are holding, Frank Gatto & Associates have all the experience you need to ensure that the light is always just right.  Call us today at (561) 368-0101 to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Why You Should Consider Renting Your Lighting Equipment

Posted on by J3551CA

Why You Should Consider Renting Your Lighting Equipment Instead of Buying It

If you are considering buying the right lighting equipment for your venue, event or production you may already have discovered that great lighting requires more than just a couple of rigs and some colored bulbs.

Having all the elements that make up effective lighting design can be a costly business. You will need to spend a sizable amount of your budget and invest a lot of man-hours in finding the right lighting set up.

Being able to buy the right equipment is one thing but knowing how to use it in your specific venue to produce dazzling lighting effects is something else entirely.  When you rent your lighting equipment from a specialist, you will also get their expertise thrown in for free.

Rent Your Lighting Equipment – An Affordable Alternative to Buying

If you aren’t prepared to spend all your cash on your lighting or would like the assistance of a professional lighting team on the night, renting your lighting equipment is an affordable and effective alternative to buying.  Renting you lighting equipment means that you will always be sure of the following:

Custom Designed Lighting Solutions

All the internet research in the world won’t turn you into a lighting professional overnight.  A professional lighting director with years of experience, however, will be able to design an entire lighting plan that really makes your event shine.   All the equipment needed will be provided by the lighting director and his crew, delivered to your venue, set up and operated, then swiftly taken away again when your event is over.

The Right Lighting for Every Occasion

Different occasions call for different lighting. If you are looking to illuminate your wedding, for example, a lighting hire specialist will be able to provide you with uplighters for that soft, romantic glow, pinspots for tables and even LED parcans that dance to the music when your guests are enjoying the party portion of your big day.  Buying all these different types of lighting would be a big investment and take a large chunk out of your budget.

Alternatively, if you are looking to light up an outdoor event, then large rigs of floodlights will make sure that your spectators never miss any of the action.

Renting your lighting equipment from a professional lighting specialist means that you will have the right lighting to complement your event, whatever it may be.

  • Give Your Event That Professional Look

If you are holding a corporate awards night, ceremony or other occasion, Gobo projection can provide you with instant, illuminated branding solutions that add kudos for your clients. When you rent a Gobo, your logo or corporate message can be projected onto any surface and will act as a constant reminder that your event outshines the rest.

  • A Spot Light on Your Stage

Whether you are holding a one-off production, or a run of shows, renting your stage lighting can enhance the overall look and feel of your show.  A professional lighting company will be able to rent you everything you need including a wide range of effects, control systems, media servers, dimming, rigging and all the extras you need to make your vision come to life.

  • State of the art equipment

Lighting professionals are at forefront of lighting technology and have access to some of the most innovative and exciting lighting available today. This means that you don’t have to spend $1000’s on top of the range kit, as they will be able to provide it for you.

Lighting Rental from Frank Gatto & Associates

With over 30 years’ experience in the lighting business, Frank Gatto & Associates can provide you with the very best advice and recommendations to help your event glitter and shine.  Your lighting should enhance every aspect of your event and is as important as the action on the stage, the music, and the attendees.

Don’t blow your budget on basic lighting equipment, hire an expert to provide you with lighting solutions that really work.  Speak to us today at 561-368-0101 to find out about our rental services.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

A Brief History of Stage Lighting

Posted on by J3551CA

The use of lighting to enhance stage productions was first recorded as far back as the early Grecian and Roman times.  Even all those centuries before the invention of electricity, budding producers built their theaters facing east to west so that in the afternoons the sunlight would shine on the actors, without getting in the eyes of the orchestra.  Many centuries later, Shakespearean theaters were built with a circular opening in the roof to allow the natural light to flood in and illuminate the action on stage.

In 1880, Thomas Edison received the historic patent embodying the principles of his incandescent lamp that paved the way for the use of electric lighting in theatre. The Savoy Theatre in London was the first in the world to install new electric lights for their stage productions, swiftly followed by the Bijou Theatre in Boston as well as the Vienna State Opera.  The introduction of footlights, border lights, and strip lights completely transformed the way in which the audience could view the action taking place on stage.

Spring forward to mid-20th-century theatre and the evolution of moving pictures, and suddenly we start to see stage lighting take on a whole new meaning and become an art form. American theatrical producer and play write, David Belasco, worked tirelessly with his electrician, Louis Hartman, to develop a range of single source lighting equipment that was used to light the acting areas from above the stage as well as from the auditorium.

With the introduction of the moving picture, studios began to spring up all over the world, and advances in lighting took a new turn as mobile lighting devices were used to light the action on screen.  Soft focus lenses, basic effects and a deeper understanding of how images are seen by a movie theatre audience paved the way for investment in the lighting industry as a whole.

From the 1960’s onwards, new and more exciting lighting effects were becoming the mainstay of theatrical performances the world over.  With strobe lighting, parcans and automated variable color changing lights gradually becoming increasingly common up until the 1990’s, stage lighting had become an art form in its own right.

In recent years, the 21st century has seen a tremendous amount of technological advancements in the way stage lighting is used to enhance audience enjoyment.  Whilst the basic concepts still exist, LED technology and digital consoles allow much sharper, quicker and even more exciting illumination to take place at the touch of a button.

The Future of Stage Lighting

Without a doubt, the most innovative development in stage lighting over the last few years has been the introduction of LED light sources.  Being energy efficient, cost-effective and producing very little heat, LED is the future of stage lighting across venues of all shapes and sizes.  LED also offers endless color options that create atmosphere at every event from small intimate productions through to large scale rock concerts and beyond.

Lighting Solutions from Frank Gatto & Associates

As a team of lighting professionals with a thorough understanding of how lighting can complement every occasion, Frank and his team can supply you with every type of lighting solution for any event.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Light Shows Attract Millions of Visitors to Niagara Falls

Posted on by J3551CA

The world-famous waterfalls of Niagara are a sight to behold any time of the day or year.  But at night, they are simply magical as state-of-the-art illuminations give them an ethereal quality. On the Canadian-US border, the Bridal Veil Falls, the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls throw as much as 170 million gallons of water from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario.

During the day, visitors don ponchos and enjoy the legendary Maid of the Mist boat tours, but at night the falls glow three times brighter than ever before, thanks to innovative, color changing lighting that has been designed to make the water look absolutely breathtaking.

With over 20 million visitors a year, the Falls are one of the largest tourist attractions in the area, and if you are planning a trip to see them, you should definitely stay to take in the light show.

Lighting Up Niagara Falls

The falls are illuminated throughout the year, to mark holidays and significant occasions. They are also lit in a range of colors to mark specific dates for charitable causes.  Keeping the lights bright underneath such a huge amount of fast-flowing water has been a challenge for the designers at Niagara, but technological advances in lighting have meant that the illuminated falls are now more beautiful at night than ever before.

In 2016, almost 20 years since the last major investment in falls lighting, the existing Xenon lights were replaced.  Now using new, energy efficient LED lighting technology, the falls are easily illuminated with programmable lighting effects and an array of colors. Where once there were gaps in the lighting pattern, the new LED lighting has filled them to provide a stunning and thoroughly constant effect throughout.

All of the lamps are weatherproof and remain relatively cool, even when they are running at full brightness.  The designers behind the light shows, updated lighting programs, created a system that can rotate and adjust to seamlessly blend colors, as well as altering the intensity of the lights and colors as and when required.

Using a total of 12,600 individual LEDs, arranged in 1,400 three-by-three squares of color, and illuminating 120 areas across the American Falls and 230 across the Canadian Falls, there is the potential to produce up to 16,777,000 different color combinations. The finished effect gives the appearance of a video production that constantly changes, making every visit to the Niagara Falls illuminations completely different from the last.

Why Visitors Love the Lights at Niagara

Every evening at dusk, the Falls are transformed into an incredible, multi-colored masterpiece, fusing fast-flowing water with an amazing light display.  This daily occurrence alone is enough to keep visitors coming back for more, but the Niagara Festival of Light that runs from November through January see’s not just the falls, but the surrounding areas bathed in festive sounds and colors.

Light Up Your Event with Frank Gatto & Associates

With over 30 years’ experience in the lighting industry, Frank and his team are on hand to help with every kind of large-scale lighting requirement. Call us today at 561-368-0101 to find out more.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

What Are LEDs and Why Do They Last So Long?

Posted on by J3551CA

Advances in modern technology have meant that you can now illuminate your home, venue or other area with low-energy, cost-effective, long-lasting light sources that offer the same amount of light as traditional light bulbs, without the heat and expense.

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) use very little energy and last a really long time.  Unlike energy saving light bulbs, they light up instantly and do not take time to reach the desired brightness, making them the perfect choice for venues or events looking for full illumination at a fraction of the cost.

These types of modern LEDs produce light in a totally different way to how old-fashioned incandescent bulbs do.  With incandescent light bulbs, the electricity is passed through a thin wire filament, With LED light bulbs, the light is produced with the use of a semiconductor that emits light energy when the electrical current is passed through it.

While it is true that LEDs can be more expensive to purchase initially, the low energy output and long shelf life make them an excellent investment for anyone looking to maximize their lighting abilities, either in the home or within a professional environment.

How Do LEDs Last So Long?

Because LEDs are as much as 90% more effective than incandescent light bulbs, they have a much longer lifespan. This is because they have no working parts that will burn out or break over time.

An average LED light is a very robust piece of kit.  They are solid-state devices with no glass to break, nothing to wear out and they are not made from fragile glass that is likely to break.  In turn, this means that they will last a whole lot longer than regular light bulbs.

For the technically minded, the way they produce light is a crucial element of their longevity.  Because they are made of substrate semiconductor materials and have two specific two doped regions, P – positive and N – negative. When current passes through the PN junction it causes electrons to jump to higher atomic energy states. When the electrons return to the ground state, light in the form of photons is emitted. This phenomenon is called electroluminescence and it consumes very little energy since very little heat is generated.

How Long Should an LED Light Bulb Last For?

Well, if it has no way of burning out or becoming damaged, technically it should last forever?  If you invest in LED lights for your home, it may well be the last time you have to purchase light bulbs for a very long time indeed.

LEDs are touted to have a 50,000-hour average life. This is a massive increase in lifespan when you consider that the average life of a halogen 50-watt bulb is only between 1,000 and 2,000 hours.

How the LED is fitted and how long it is used for will obviously affect the real-world efficiency of your light source.  For example, an office that is lit for 10 hours a day using an LED light source should only have to replace the LEDs every 8-9 years.  A homeowner with LED lights in the living room, where lights are only one for a few hours a day, may not need to replace them for almost 20 years!

Frank Gatto LED Stage Lighting Solutions

LED lighting has completely transformed the way in which are able to illuminate studio sets, outdoor broadcasts and large events and occasions.  Our state-of-the-art LED lighting solutions provide high output, flicker-free, single-source lighting that runs cool with low current draw, saving up to 90% in energy costs while still providing the best-looking lighting for every event.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

The Challenge Of Mixing Light And Sound

Posted on by J3551CA

Epic stage performances aren’t just about great sound, the lighting is just as important when it comes to creating awesome audience experiences.  The key to stage lighting is anticipating what the music or action on stage will do and programming the lighting to complement it. A good lighting technician will blend the sound and visuals seamlessly, and to make this happen, the whole lighting team, from the Lighting Director through to the sparks, needs to be highly skilled and have a really good knowledge of stagecraft.

A carefully crafted light show can add excitement, energy, and emotion to a performance. Finding a way to coordinate the lights to change in time with the music, turns a mediocre show into an epic performance. As the tempo of the music speeds up, the lights should become more exciting too, and are experienced lighting technician will know that changes should happen on the downbeats and when the music changes parts.

Effective stage lighting enhances the emotion of the performance on stage and brings the music to life.  This is why focusing not just on the sound, but also the lighting of your production is so important to make it a truly memorable one.

Which type of lights works best with music?

There is a wide range of lights and lighting tools that can be used to create awesome live performances: The most common types of lighting include:

LED Lights

These inexpensive, low energy lights can create a myriad of color combinations at the touch of a button.  Unlike traditional lights, they don’t produce much heat making them perfect for use on stage.

Fresnels

Fresnels was a soft light and are typically used close to the stage to produce color washes.  They are easy to set up and offer uncomplicated, easy to use washes light for almost every stage set up.

Spotlights

Spots create a tunnel of light on one area of the stage.  Used to draw the audience attention to just one part of the show, these big bright lights usually follow performers around the stage.

Moving Lights

These are super sophisticated bits of kit that are controlled by a joystick.  They also offer color changing capabilities, focus the controls and have motorized shutters.

Par Cans

The stage equivalent of a car headlight with a metal casing, Par cans are very common in stage lighting setups.  They can provide a good amount of light, but they can also get super hot.

How do the lights work in time with the music?

Lights can either be programmed in advance to precisely match the action on stage via a time code or can change using performance cues. Time-coded programs are very rigid and offer little or no flexibility, while cues-based lighting is based on a technician hitting the button as the music changes.  If the lighting technicians are familiar enough with the music, they can anticipate changes and creatively move between cues or even run things manually to smooth over unexpected transitions

How is the lighting controlled?

Using a DMX Controller, a single operator can control both the light and sound via one console. These digital communications networks allow the technicians to control stage lighting and effects, including color blending, the movement of the lights, stoves and fades to offer the audience an epic live experience.

Experience operators will program the lighting scenes before the show opens.  These preset order of lighting effects can be toggled and adjusted from song to song, and the technician will work with a cold wheel to create dramatic lighting to complement the action on stage.

If you are looking for a world-class lighting show to complement your live music, speak to Frank Gatto & Associates.  With over 30 years in the business, Frank and his team are on hand to help.  Call us today at 561-368-0101.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

We can be found on Social Media at the following links.

            

Rigging and Trusses

Posted on by J3551CA

Everyone knows just how important it is to have good stage lighting at any entertainment event or on a tv or film set.  But, behind the glamour of the spotlight, there are miles upon miles of infrastructure that makes the magic happen.  A complex system of aluminum supports and poles are carefully built to form a solid structure from which to hang all the lighting effects any live show or production could ever need.

This system of rigging and trusses is the unsung hero of the lighting world because without them production teams would be limited to simple floor and ceiling lights that wouldn’t look even half as effective.

What Is A Rig and Truss System?

First off, let’s look at the basics:

Rigging is created using a series of rope lines, pulleys, counterweights and other devices, that enables the stage crew to quickly and safely move lighting and other components around to the back and side of the stage.

Trusses are a series of sticks and poles that can be connected to create a structure that allows lighting fixtures and other staging equipment to be hung with ease.

Rigging and trusses are the behind to scenes saviors of the lighting world, and without them, the audience would have a very boring time watching live events.   Rigging and trusses can be found in theaters, concert venues, arenas and stadiums anywhere in the world.

Who Works on Rigs and Trusses?

Working with rigging involves climbing up high above the stage area, and members of the rigging teams definitely need to have no fear of heights!  Different members of the crew, have different jobs to do to ensure that every part of the rig is safe and that provides effective support for the lighting.

The Ground Rigger looks after the perimeter around the aerial work platform, while the Bucket Rigger needs to be able to operate the aerial work platform as well as undertake groundwork.  High Up Riggers and Rope Riggers will be responsible for the installation of equipment way up high and they are often suspended from the rigging itself by a harness, and they may also need to demonstrate exceptional rope skills.

Why Are Rigs and Trusses So Important for Great Lighting?

The very best way to illuminate a stage is to employ a three-point lighting technique.  In simple terms, that is the first point 45 degrees to the left and 45 degrees up, a second point 45 degrees to the right and 45 degrees up, and a third light 45 degrees up and straight behind the subject.

To facilitate that kind of angles, you need to be able to lift any lighting equipment up off the floor but still be able to suspend it lower down than usual ceiling lighting would allow.  Large venues and professional studio sets require carefully constructed rigs that can contain many individual lights and effects to enhance the performance in front of them, but the ideology is the same – better lighting comes from the ability to elevate your light source.

Here at Frank Gatto Lighting, we have many years’ experience of providing the very best rigging and truss systems for some of the biggest shows on earth, so we are pretty good when it comes to finding the perfect rigging solutions for every event.  If you would like to find out more, call us today at (561) 368-0101.

Frank Gatto & Associates, Inc. are specialists in lighting for television events of all kinds.  If you have an event that needs expert lighting, please call us today to see how we can help.

Phone: 561-368-0101

Email: frank@frankgattolighting.com 

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