INDUSTRY. LED ROUND TABLE
T he ingenuity of our beloved tools at hand, and invent more when they’re no longer enough. True movie magic comes from the inspired minds of individuals on all sides of the camera – but there’s no denying it’s a process that’s entirely reliant on technology. Today, LED is the newest shade in the artist’s palette. Having seen an impressive rise to prominence, continued advancements promise an even brighter future. Here, the experts answer pertinent questions, outline current product offerings and reveal a glimpse into the future. To paint a picture of overall LED industry never ceases to amaze. Creatives do all they can with the development, where did you begin and how do those origins compare to more recent innovations? MICHAEL HERBERT: Litepanels is the original pioneer in LED panel lighting for the television and motion-picture industries. We have built on the phenomenal success of the original 1x1 LED panel, launched 20 years ago, to develop ever-more innovative lighting solutions. Our latest product is the Gemini 2x1 Hard – the brightest RGBWW LED panel on the market – delivering up to 23,000 lux at 10ft/3m of output. At
400W bicolour LED Sumospace unit was added to the line-up in 2015. Both unique fixtures are still used across many studios and locations today. Inspired by lights designed and rigged by DOP Haris Zambarloukos, and his gaffer Dan Lowe, we launched the Sumosky system in 2021 – a full-colour, high-CRI reactive backdrop or softbox, consisting of Sumobars in a vertical wall or horizontal ceiling configuration. This year saw the award-winning Sumomax: a full-colour, IP65, high-output fixture – and bigger big sibling to its predecessors. With 19 pixel zones, full pixel mapping, super-high resolution and over 20,500 lumens at 3m output, it’s a truly modern LED lighting and VFX tool. It serves as a key light, hard light, punch light, space light, soft light or multimedia projector, with a native 20° beam angle – going up to 120° via interchangeable lens sets. Also in 2022, we launched the Sumolaser. It’s a world first, with no inverse square law fall-off, as well as a 3° parallel pencil beam and extraordinary level of illumination. DAVE AMPHLETT: Our most recent innovations in LED lighting are found within our growing range of Panalux
over 50% brighter than any other 2x1 panel, Gemini 2x1 Hard’s output and power efficiency offer many benefits to productions. Cinematographers and gaffers can control and modify set-ups, without compromising on source. JAVIER VALDERRAMA: The story of Velvet began in 2008, when two experienced cinematographers decided to create the luminaires they had dreamed of at the film school where they met: robust, autonomous, versatile and lightweight, with almost instant colour-temperature variation and green-magenta white point adjustment. We travelled the world presenting our pioneering, new articulated LEDs. This adventure culminated in the launch of our Velvet panels, loved for their soft texture of natural light and ease of use, combined with weatherproof protection. At present, with the eruption of RGB sources in the world of television and cinema, Velvet has developed an ecosystem of soft panels, hard panels, fresnels and asymmetrical fixtures – for maximum versatility. SIMON EVANS: Sumolight launched the Sumo100, a small 90W bicolour LED unit with interchangeable lenses, in 2011. A
DAVE AMPHLETT Technical director, EMEA, Panalux
ROELOF BOUWMAN Managing director, Roe Visual Europe
SIMON EVANS CEO, Sumolight UK Ltd
MICHAEL HERBERT Product manager, lighting, Videndum Production Solutions
BRANDON LE Product marketing manager, Aputure
JAVIER VALDERRAMA CEO and co-founder, Velvet
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