What type of equipment will the llghting designer of the future be using? Will it be something as complex as running the lighting cues of a Broadway show from a Palm Pilot on a beach in Maui? Or as simple as comfortable chairs and tables? With our time machine temporarily out for repairs, ED recently invited a distinguished group of lighting designers to discuss with us their deepest desires and thoughts about the kinds of tools they'd like to see in the coming years. Twenty of these designers from all over the world, and from a variety of disciplines, accepted our challenge.
They include: Chris Akerlind, Steve Brill (Lighting Design Group), Jason Cooper (Lighting Design Alliance), Michael Finney (Michael Finney Lighting), Rick Fisher, Brian Gale (Walt Disney Imagineering), Thomas Hase, Nigel Levings, Peter Maradudin (Light and Truth), John Martin (Light and Truth), John McKernon (Lightwright), Chris Parry (Axiom Lighting), Rui Rita, Tom Ruzika (Ruzika Lighting Design), Norm Schwab (Lightswitch), Mark Stanley, Marsha Stern (Marsha Stern Lighting Design), Clifton Taylor (Design Curve), Donald Thomas, and Hugh Vanstone. Pull up a chair, grab some coffee and join us as we take advantage of this unique opportunity to pick the brains of some of the top designers in the lighting industry.
ED: Many of you mentioned the need for further progress in moving lights and projection fixtures. Would you share some requests?
Marsha Stern: A maintenance-free automated fixture-or is that an oxymoron?Hase: I would just like a reliable, low-end moving light with a 1,200W HMI lamp that moves smoothly, has six colors, six patterns that rotate and can iris, focus, or strobe without costing a mint. Most theatre people find it hard to deal with the complexity of current automated fixtures when we don't need half of their features
Michael Finney: I have high hopes for more products along the lines of the Icon M, such as an architectural grade moving fixture with CMY color mixing, beam shaping, video input options, and all- weather performance. I'd settle for an affordable theatrical version, too
Nigel Levings: Or a smart linear fixture, such as a parallel beam sidelight that is the same height as a human being, capable of color change, pan, tilt, and some minor beam control? Along the lines of a DHA light curtain, but lighter, smaller, and smarter
Brian Gale: How about smaller, more powerfUl automated video projectors
Jason Cooper: Don't forget low cost, too. Sort of a SeleconlFinelight combination with an LCD accessory attachment. And add an automated yoke. Very cool.