Tag: event lighting equipment

Why Communication Is Key Between Client and Lighting Director

Posted on by J3551CA

Hiring an experienced lighting director can bring a whole new dimension to your live show, corporate event or studio performance.  From the outset, they will bring their expertise to ensure that the lighting becomes an integral part of every performance. But, like every other member of your events team, they need to have a full understanding of what you are trying to achieve.  From the initial planning stages through to the main event, working in sync with your lighting director is key to making your event a success.

Whatever the occasion, keeping the lighting director on board at all times is crucial.  The expertise they bring to the table is worth so much more than just making sure the lighting looks good on the day.  Whether you are planning a live event, a studio production or are heading out on location, keeping your lighting director and his crew by your side will add value.  His crew will also be on hand to set up rigs, run cables and even help to ensure that your set is safe at all times.

Establish your lighting requirements

This is probably the most obvious reason to work alongside your lighting director.  He is the expert at knowing which types of lighting will work best for your event.  From spotlights to wall lights and everything in between, he knows it all.

Interpret your creative vision

Your script, your setlist or even your motivational speakers will all benefit from a full lighting plan that will enhance all aspects of their performance.  A professional lighting director will liaise with the producer and their team to understand their goal from the outset.

Creating a lighting plan

Great lighting techniques never happen by accident.  Every flash and pop of color is planned down the last second to ensure that the lighting runs in sequence with the action on stage or screen.

Assembling lights and planning locations

Again, you can’t just throw a load of lights on a stage and hope that they look awesome. Every can, rig and stand-alone needs to be mapped out to ensure that the light they create matches the atmosphere you are hoping to achieve.

Testing and safety

Lighting directors spend a long time ensuring that their crew always provide equipment that is in good working order and that can be relied upon to perform.  They will also be responsible for ensuring that everything is safe, down to tidying cables away and ensuring every switch is safe to use.

Building rigs

Large events call for a lot of lighting.  In many cases this also involves lighting being hung up high to illuminate to stage below or shine out onto the audience.  A professional lighting director will be able to plan a rig that his crew can assemble to ensure that every aspect of the action can always be seen.

Integrate with the rest of the crew

On large productions, the lighting director will have his team integrate with the rest of the crew to ensure that they are there when they are needed.

Become an integral part of the team

The lighting director will become as important as any other member of the team.  Where necessary, they will visit locations to assess the feasibility of lighting plans and work alongside the floor manager, producer and sound technicians throughout the course of the event or production.

Program light effects

Using complex and technologically advanced DMX consoles, the lighting director will be able to program entire lighting routines that will run throughout the course of the event.

Professional Lighting Direction from Frank Gatto & Associates

If you would like to work with our world-class lighting director and his team, 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.

            

Dress Your Set to Impress with LED Video Walls

Posted on by J3551CA

These days, everyone is looking for the next big way to impress their audience, and set their own live production or studio event apart from the competition.  LED Video Walls are an impressive way to project the action on stage, or pre-recorded videos out to huge audiences while delivering the ultimate wow factor for anyone who sees it.

What are LED Video Walls?

LED video walls are made up of a number of Direct View LED displays that work together to produce a single display.  These LED screens work so well because each of them is responsible for conducting and emitting its own light.

The “light-emitting diodes” are tiny, two-lead semiconductor light sources, that can produce and emit their own light, making them long-lasting and incredibly durable. LED lights do not run hot or burn out as they are only illuminated by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor, and not a heat producing filament.

The LEDs used in video walls are also special because the displays can achieve “true black” because each screen is coated in black resin epoxy. Shades are then inserted in between the lights to separate the illuminations and eliminate reflectance.

The Benefits of Using an LED Video Wall

If you have space and the capacity to install an LED Video wall at your live music show, outdoor event or even indoor production, they can create the most amazing effects that are always truly memorable.

Lighting

LED Video walls are designed for high levels of illumination, making them perfect for night time events. They can also be displayed beautifully in a well-lit room or on a showroom floor, creating awesome effects for your business.

They are also able to handle ambient lighting far better than LCD can, and the runs on NIT, not Lux.

Reliability

LED Video walls are highly energy efficient and the light source they use is incredibly long-lasting, with a lifetime of at least 50,000 hours.  They also offer the very best refresh ranges of any video wall on the market, meaning they will always look crisp, clean and totally in synch with their surroundings.

Seamless Installation

LED panels have minimal bezels (seams) and can be tiled together to create a display that is totally tailor-made to fit the space it is needed for.  They also offer lower pixel density and wider viewing angles and can show any size or shape, not just 16:9.

High-Quality Pictures

Because LED video walls can achieve true black using epoxy coated LEDs and offer a wide color gamut, you can create the perfect picture for your entire audience to enjoy.

Use an LED Video Wall to Really Set the Scene

Whether you want to simply display your logo, a promotional short, or something unique to your brand, an LED wall is far more dynamic than just a plain old backdrop.

The same applies to live music events, fashion shows, parties and other big events, as only LED video walls have the sheer display quality, ease of use and affordability to create such dynamic effects across a wide range of applications.

Awesome Lighting Displays from Frank Gatto & Associates

With over 30 years’ experience in the lighting business, we can produce awesome LED wall displays for your event.  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 Your Corporate Event

Posted on by J3551CA

Corporate events are a reflection of your brand, and if you are planning one it needs to be as polished and professional as you are.  Whether you are holding an awards evening, a fundraiser, a staff party or something else, your corporate event should be planned to precision to ensure that every single aspect of the evening is completely perfect.

From the table arrangements to the DJ and everything in between, your corporate event should be impressive from the outset.  When choosing your venue, the way you light the space can totally transform the look and feel of the entire event, and the importance of corporate event lighting should never be underestimated.

As a first-class provider of corporate event lighting throughout the USA, we know that the right lighting makes all the difference when it comes to every kind of corporate event.

Here are some of the most amazing ways we use lighting to turn corporate events into epic occasions.

Use Light to Set the Tone of Your Event

One of the most important attributes of professional lighting is that it helps to set the tone for the event.  It tells the audience where to direct their vision, creates incredibly imagery and has tons of impact.  The right lighting can transform even the most mundane of spaces into something truly magical.

Modern-day lighting techniques offer much more than just mood lighting and atmospheric colors.  A professional lighting director can design and plan effects that are as impressive as watching live performance right in front of the audience’s eyes.

Customizable lighting effect creates a real visual wow-factor for any space. Every light source can be used to enhance the feel of the event, and your lighting place should be the starting point for any venue designer to work with.

Use Uplighter’s to Add Interest

Great event lighting is not just about how you light the room, it is also about where you light it.  Large venues like ballrooms or conference centers can really benefit from the addition of perimeter lighting. Up lighters can help to build ambiance and create a multi-dimensional wow factor.

Build Your Brand with Lighting

Lighting can be used to promote your brand in a variety of unusual and eye-catching ways.  You can shine your logo onto the walls of the venue, incorporate illuminated signs or even opt for state-of-the-art effect using Gobos.

A gobo is a beam of light with a metal stencil over it that creates a pattern and can project any abstract shapes, patterns, pictures, and company logos. They are a dynamic way to promote your brand at any kind of public event or occasion. Seeing your brands logo in lights will create a visual impact that surely will not go unnoticed.

Gobos can go almost anywhere and are highly flexible, meaning they are perfect for a wide variety of venues and occasions. You could use them to display your logo for sales conferences, awards night and conferences as well as wall designs for galas, parties and fundraisers.

Add Energy with A Light Show

If you really want to grab the attention of your audience, go for something exciting like a light show.  Using constant movement, flashing lights and carefully curated lighting themes, you can build excitement before a speaker takes to the stage, or ramp up the atmosphere to celebrate major company milestones.

Corporate Event Lighting from Frank Gatto

If your next corporate event needs an added wow factor, speak to our team today at (561) 368-0101 to find out how we can plan the perfect lighting for you.

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.

            

How to Light Your Event – Safely

Posted on by J3551CA

Lighting an event is not just about impressive effects or wild light shows, it is also about keeping the perfumers, crew, and audience as safe as possible from huge lighting rigs and other equipment.  Accidents happen, and as a professional lighting company, it is our job to ensure that our lighting rigs and equipment is always 100% safe on every occasion.

Because we work on a wide variety of high-volume projects and events throughout the US and internationally it is always important to us that we always operate under the highest level of safety.  If you are worried about the safety of any lighting devices at your event, follow our checklist to ensure that you are always protected:

  1. Plan your lighting in advance

Just throwing a few tripods on stage and hoping for the best is never going to have the successful outcome you are looking for. It’s not just the way they look that will be a problem, but without proper planning, there is nothing to stop your performers from crashing into them or tripping over dangerous cables.  A lighting plan will not only ensure that the lighting looks on point throughout the production, but also ensure that every piece of lighting equipment is safely positioned on the stage, well maintained and safe to use.

  1. Check your equipment

This should obviously go without saying, but sometimes the pressure of pulling together a live event can see important safety checks overlooked.  At the very least, you should ALWAYS check the condition of the following:

Plugs

The cable clamps should hold the cable outer sheath firmly; the color code should be correct, and the wires should be fully inserted.  You should also ensure that the terminals are always tight.

Lighting Bars

Check that the lighting bars have at least 3 fixing points so that the bar can remain in position if one fixing fails.

Safety Chains

Always fit a safety chain directly between the luminaire and the bar or suspension point. You should also be sure the never simply rely on just a hook clamp or bolt and check that all accessories such as barn doors, color frames, and color changers are secure and cannot fall out of the guides.

Fire Precautions

Some lights can get incredibly hot and pose a risk of catching fire.  That is why you should never enclose a spotlight in scenery, and always ensure that the spotlight is at least 0.5m from the nearest flammable object. To protect yourself further, you should always be belt o locate the position of the nearest fire extinguisher when working on stage and find out how to use it in an emergency.

Fuses

When a theatre lamp reaches the end of its life, the filament frequently collapses on itself, causing a short circuit which blows the fuse. When this happens, you must never replace it with a larger one.  Always replace the fuse with one of the same size. If a fuse does fail, there could be a problem with the circuit so be sure to investigate this further before you change the fuse.

  1. Cable safety

Even if your electrical lighting equipment is in tip-top condition, having a performer trip over an exposed cable can result in injury and upset your production.  Always ensure that extension cables are tidy and are not left trailing across an entrance on stage. It is particularly easy to trip over a trailing cable in the darkness, and if that cable is connected to a spotlight on a tripod stand, it could result in an accident.

  1. Rigging Procedures

Climbing up high above the stage, with a spotlight in one hand and a color filter in the other is never a safe way to proceed.  Climbing rigging should be left to professional lighting crew only, but even then, they should look to use a tower that can be firmly locked in place, or at the very least a secure locking ladder with a fellow crew member stood at the bottom to prevent it slipping.

Call in The Professionals

Of course, the safest way to ensure that your lighting equipment is 100% safe for any event is to hire a team of lighting professionals to supply and work the lighting for you.  Here at Frank Gatto & Associates, we can provide top of the range lighting equipment that is planned and operated by fully qualified and highly experienced members of staff.

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 Evolution Of Broadcast Lighting

Posted on by J3551CA

From the earliest days of television, lighting has been used to enhance the way a picture looks on camera.  What started out as a simple transition from stage to studio, has become a multi-million dollar industry that offers a huge range of powerful tools and advances in lighting technology.

As far back as the 1900s at the birth of television, the best source of illumination was considered to be natural sunlight. As technology moved on, studio lighting became a standard fixture in studios the world over.  Large lighting rigs that involved lots of heavy fixtures, plenty of power to illuminate them all and a heap of air conditioning to keep them cool, became an intrinsic part of studio filming.

In recent years, however, the lighting industry has found ways to produce lighting tools that illuminate entire studios and sets perfectly, but in a far more efficient and cost-effective way.

From Traditional Tungsten to LED – An Innovation In Studio Lighting

Traditionally studios were lit using tungsten lighting instruments.  These heat inducing, power guzzling lights were famously hot and difficult to work with. They were also potentially hazardous in the wrong hands or in cramped environments.

Tungsten lights were also renowned for producing off-white lighting meaning that color correction was often necessary after filming.

Innovations in studio lighting meant that more efficient light sources such as LED lighting became more readily available, leading to a new generation of lighting tools for both indoor and outdoor usage.

Another major advancement in studio lighting was the ability to operate lights remotely.  DMX control panels offer technicians complete control over every element of set lighting without them having to interfere with the action in front of the camera.

While the original LED lighting was not infallible,  advancements have been made since their introduction into. These days lighting crews have access to some of the most advanced and efficient lighting tools ever seen.

These include:

Punch Lights

Punch lights are one of the most powerful, daylight- balanced LED white light solutions available on the market today. These high-intensity luminaire lights flood an area with light whose color temperature is approximately that of daylight, making them perfect for studio filming.

Space Lights

Space Lights are usually used in concert with multiple other space lights to provide an ambient, soft lighting source from above.   They help to create a base daylight ambiance or an overall soft base exposure.

Fresnel Lights

 These are very common in studio environments and use a special type of lens that is divided into concentric circles, resulting in a much thinner lens than a conventional lens of the same power that evens out the light.  Lighting technicians can then easy vary from floor to spot by changing the distance between the lamp/reflector unit and the lens.

Practical Lights

 A practical light is considered any light source that will appear in the scene such as a table lamp, a car headlight or even just a handheld flashlight. Existing bulbs can be swapped out for those of a different wattage or color temperature depending on the needed effect and desired contrast ratios required within the scene.

Fluorescent Lights

Fluorescent lighting is much more efficient than incandescent light and is capable of generating up to 100 lumens per watt, similar to the output of HMI. Fluorescent film lighting is most often used in fixtures containing banks of tubes, that are either tungsten or daylight balanced to produce a soft, even light that can be used in close proximity to the subject.

Frank Gatto & Associates – The Lighting Experts

Whatever your event or production, the team at Frank Gatto are all about harnessing innovations in lighting technology to ensure that we continue to offer the finest lighting direction in the business.

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.

            

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 

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