ROUND TABLE
FANTASTIC FIXTURES See Aputure’s exciting new NOVA II 2x1 (left) and how Universal Production Services helped light the world of Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet (above)
LED wall. Fixtures are no longer expected to live in just one lane. The better tools must now support multiple production environments without compromise. That doesn’t mean they are used in the same way everywhere. In many cases, the same fixture can work across all three, but it will be used very differently depending on the application. We see that with Vortex all the time. It can be a rugged workhorse on location, a highly controlled source on stage or a precise, camera-conscious tool in VP. Lighting technology is adapting by giving crews more flexible inputs with which to achieve a consistent output. The end goal remains the same, but the tools now need to be versatile enough to lend themselves to a wider range of shooting environments. DEF: How do you see the skills required in the lighting department evolving over the next five years? TK: All lighting technicians – young and old, gaffers, sparks and everything in between – must understand: basic colour control theories such as hue, saturation and brightness/value/ intensity; how to build and run Ethernet networks dedicated to lighting control signal transmission; how light spectrum corresponds to the specific colours they desire on-set, not just abstract colour
control language; how to use lighting control software to control full lighting set-ups instead of direct manual controls; and how to control colour fixtures with video plates and other computer-based colour interfaces. RG: As lighting infrastructure becomes more integrated to wireless technology, the needs for crews to be more literate in technological advancements will continue to evolve. DW: With DMX over IP networks becoming common place, often all the way to the fixture itself, lighting crews need to double down on their data and connectivity knowledge. Most of the fixtures we now use on-set are computers that conveniently emit light out of the front. IP Addresses, dimmer curves and low end modes are all a far cry from a conventional tungsten fresnel. JA: Lighting crews are continually being asked to do more with less: less budget, less crew and less time. I think the skills required over the next five years will evolve in response to that reality. The good news is knowledge is becoming more democratised through the internet, social media and to some extent, AI. That is already helping crews become more nimble and better equipped to adapt under real
JA: Lighting technology is adapting by becoming more versatile, precise and responsive to context. Whether lighting a traditional stage, real location or virtual environment, the desired output is still the same: something realistic, immersive and grounded. The fundamentals of good lighting have not changed. What changes is the input required to achieve that output. Each environment asks something different of the fixture and workflow. On location, the input may be speed, portability, battery operation and weatherproofing. On a traditional stage, it may be repeatability, rigging flexibility and control. And in a VP environment, that input shifts again towards colour accuracy, spectral quality, sync-ability and how the light interacts with both the camera and the
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