VIDEO TECH BEN CHAISSON WORKING CAMERAS DURING AN ALBERTA JAZZ ALLSTARS REHEARSAL previous lighting consoles were also an Ion and Eos , but they were older ,” says Ladd .
In terms of fixtures , those purchased for this project are meant to complement rather than outright replace their previous inventory . Except for their orchestra wash and [ fixtures ] hung in slots in the acoustic canopy slots , the overhead lighting above the stage is hung on trusses and therefore temporary . “ There ’ s no house hang – fixtures are hung on a per-show basis to meet that show ’ s specific needs ,” he adds .
The new fixtures purchased provide more effective lighting for any type of show , add capabilities to provide for more varied acoustic / orchestral setups , and allowed Ladd to repurpose pre-existing equipment for use in Arts Commons ’ other venues .
In all , JSCH purchased a dozen ETC Source Four LED Series 2 Lustr fixtures to light the pipe organ , 14 Selador Desire D22 Lustr + to light areas within the organ , as well as 42 Source Four LED Series 3 Lustr X8s for side-lighting the stage and choir loft , and four Ayrton Diablo-S units mounted in slots in the acoustic canopy . Additionally , they acquired 16 each of the following : Ayrton Huracan-Xs , Clay Paky A . leda B-EYE K10s , and Chroma-Q ’ s ColorForce II 72s .
“ The Series 2 and Series 3 are permanently focused . The Series 3 will hang on the side balcony rails and replace some Series 2s we bought when they debuted .” At the time of our interview , Ladd was still waiting on the delivery of the Series 3s . “ They will provide a nice increase to the intensity of the side wash , especially in red .”
Typically , the Ayrton Diablo fixtures will be used in orchestral applications . For example , he says , “ When we do a show where they don ’ t want truss in the air , or when there ’ s a singer ( or singers ) in front of the orchestra and we want to separate them from the orchestra ; if they choose to , they can add a follow spot but those four fixtures are going to hang discreetly in the canopy so we ’ ll be able to light someone downstage and give them their own backlight , or Gobo break up . So , when we don ’ t have truss in the air , that will be a nice addition for us .”
The Huracan , Clay Paky , and Chroma-Q elements will be deployed as necessary on a show-by-show basis . “ But we ’ re going to try to keep half of the ColorForce up on truss . Their primary purpose would be to light a cyc for dance performances , but they can be used for other things . So , we ’ ll have half of them on the truss upstage of the canopy , use the other half of them as a groundrow to light the bottom of a cyc , or for footlights , or on a truss tower facing the audience .”
With the new fixtures in play , some pre-existing lighting fixtures will be deployed elsewhere – typically , Ladd says , when a floor package is required . “ We bought some lights back in 2015 – a few B-EYEs without the lens rotation , and a dozen Robe DLX spot fixtures . Then , the DLX was about as bright as you could get for a LED spot fixture , but not bright enough to do a full stage wash , whereas the Huracans are excessively bright , so we ’ ll have no further limitations there .” Also , increasingly , Ladd says , incoming artists are less likely to haul a lighting rig and expect more lighting options to be provided in-house . “ And I think we ’ re going to see even more tours just having a floor package and a console with them .”
Beyond upgrading the systems and streamlining workflow for lighting at JSCH , the new inventory allows for greater options in terms of customizing any type of show coming into the venue . “ Being able to light the organ ( with any colours ) at will . Before we ’ d have to get out the ladder , focus some lights , and toss a gel in . And now , with the increased intensity and expanded colour range of the Series 3 , I ’ ll be able to do the same with the choir members when they ’ re there .”
Ultimately , in terms of lighting , electrical , and the broadcast rig , JSCH has installed systems that allow them to fulfill Arts Commons ’ multi-purpose and ever-evolving mandate more effectively than ever . With that done , going forward , Beaulieu looks forward to adding additional functionality across the board at Arts Commons to serve both incoming artists and patrons alike even more effectively . “ If we can prove the success of this in the concert hall and demonstrate the demand for the hybrid events , what I would like to do is to extend this level of technology throughout the entire facility so the audiences of other companies would benefit from it as well .”
Kevin Young is a Toronto-based musician and freelance writer .
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