INDUSTRY. LED ROUND TABLE
on-camera objects, so less post-production work needs to be done. EVANS: When we consider ‘the crossover’, we ask where lighting stops and VFX or sets start. We see our Sumosky system, the Sumobars and Sumomax all being used to create reactive, animated sets and images on camera. We see the line between lighting and VFX departments is beginning to blur. As technology advances, these units work closer, overlap and combine. The previous expectation of LED is long gone. The progress being made in lumen, watt or nit value is marching on, with more output, control and illuminating distance being made possible with every new product we launch. LE: At its core, LED is a light-generation technology that can be modified to reproduce varying wide or narrow bands of the colour spectrum. Its ability to adapt to the hyper-specific needs of our industry is one of the technology’s key strengths. The versatility of the technology and the fact that every LED fixture is, in part, a miniature computer also allows for deeper integration with all of the other production tools in our practice. With virtual production, or XR, growing in prominence, filmmakers are able to
OUT WITH THE OLD The Panalux Sonara 4:1 is a good option for those looking to replace traditional fluorescent heads
ideal alternative to traditional fluorescent heads, which are now being retired in compliance with legislation in the UK. LE: Our Light Storm series is our most prolific, with modifiable point-source lights ranging from compact 60W fixtures to powerhouses like the full-colour 600c Pro, or the 1200d Pro, which has been replacing many HMIs on set. As these utilise the Bowens Mount for accessories, they are capable of shapeshifting between specular hard and soft lights, using accessories. We’re also constantly improving our optical offerings and have another projection mount in the works. It will be suitable for these large- chip point-source LEDs and allow them to work together with, or even replace, ellipsoidal projectors. There is still a need for high-power HMI PARs and tungsten fresnels, as approaching those intensities through non-conventional means will face limitations. However, with lights like the LS 1200d Pro, LED technology is approaching a level of intensity and control that many technicians and cinematographers prefer. They provide more versatility than many sub-2kW HMIs – given the increased level of difficulty in intensity control – while maintaining acceptable colour fidelity. Creative potential is the driving force of all production technology. What can filmmakers expect with LED? BOUWMAN: A set of LED panels gives filmmakers a green-screen replacement, with content that can be seen in the real world. Scenes set in multiple places around the world can be shot in one day, inside one studio location. A sunset lasts for 24 hours if needed, when presented on an LED background. Compared with green screen, there is no green spill. LED volume also adds real reflections to
and consistency of colour rendering that Geminis achieve has persuaded many gaffers to switch fully to the lower-energy LED option VALDERRAMA: The remote beam angle control capability of the Velvet Kosmos fresnels offer an added advantage over other equivalent lights. We have also launched the Velvet Cyc line, which provides the possibility to create fixed or moving colour gradients on backgrounds and cycloramas, like no other luminaire can generate. EVANS: Globally, purely based on numbers across years of service, the Sumospace is our most popular fixture. These are used as space lights, cyc lights, softbox fills, key lights and in many other capacities all over sets. There is no other product delivering the same output, coupled with interchangeable lens options. When these are used in place of a traditional space light rig, the power, weight and energy savings are huge for a production. We have recently seen these units used in two-level arrays as main fill lights, with low-energy fluorescent cyc lighting behind them and a few key HMIs on stands below – so they can mix with multiple sources on camera. As the uptake of Sumomax surges, we see these being used in a similar mixed way, with the addition of full colour and the ability to animate imagery or effects. This is leading to what we have labelled ‘the crossover’. AMPHLETT: We’ve seen our customers quickly embrace each form factor within the Panalux Sonara range. With the initial 4:4, we identified a need for a large format soft light that would feel familiar to crews used to working with large 4x4 frames. More recently, the 4:1 brings the same offerings to a form factor that provides an
UNLEASH CREATIVITY Find the opportunities for mixing light intensity and colour, as shown in this Litepanels set-up
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