ROUND TABLE LIGHTING SPECIAL
lighting systems, ensuring we’re purchasing quality products which support developing user requirements, and guarantee a return on investment for years to come. Def: How are advancements in lighting technology addressing concerns around operational efficiency and the safety of production teams? DA: There are a number of new products that can help crews reduce the use of towers and ladders, allowing for changes in fixtures’ position and focus to be achieved remotely. For example, Litemover enables remote pan, tilt and spot/flood control with a wide variety of fixtures, and the Kosmos LED Fresnel offers wireless control over its motorised zoom, colour output and other features. RK: Moving fixtures, especially, are improving efficiency and safety at the
same time, as set up and changing lighting fixture positioning works without safety risks. TK: Advancements with LED lighting technology have drastically reduced heat emissions and tied more lighting control variables to remote control. Both advancements reduced the need for physical lighting changes and thereby reduced lighting technician exposure to dangerous physical working conditions. For example, remote pan and tilt moving yokes can now rig and aim lighting fixtures atop 15m cranes instead of requiring a set lighting technician to directly sit and babysit lights in a bucket perched precariously at that height for a full 12-hour work day. Def: Looking to the future, what do you imagine to be the next frontier for lighting products in film production? SJ: Achieving greater power, brightness and lighter weight will always remain desirable goals. However, in a broader sense, the transition from larger HMIs to LED lights is still pending. We also anticipate the emergence of new niche solutions for underwater lighting, Image- Based Lighting (IBL) and specialised reflector systems. Furthermore, we expect further advancements in automation and control systems to enhance ease of use. This is an effort across the broad technology spectrum, and stakeholders in professional filmmaking. This ongoing
trend will indeed continue to confront us with technical hurdles that demand innovative solutions. There is still so much to learn ahead and, personally, I wholeheartedly embrace the opportunity for growth and discovery! DA: At this point, I believe we’re in a phase of evolution rather than revolution. Incremental improvements will continue to be made, driven by manufacturers keen to differentiate themselves. There remains a need for a range of large focusable sources with quality optics that will replace larger tungsten and daylight sources in a manageable package – and also contribute to a smaller carbon footprint. TK: Democratisation and cost reduction of implementing IBL techniques with lighting fixtures will indelibly transform the lighting craft as it currently exists. With this normalisation, I envision the further convergence of post-production workflows into lighting control. Therefore, the current position of lighting programmer will transition into being a lighting digital imaging technician (lighting DIT) as the craft further synthesises VFX compositing and colour-grading methods with lighting control tools and networking systems. This continuing integration will strengthen collaboration across multiple film production crafts, as entire crews approach final pixel sign-off sooner after principal photography due to improved IBL practices.
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