Lighting in a lift is usually fairly unforgiving, but a new show proves that it can be so much better - provided the lift is as big as a stage.
Lighting designer Andrew Voller used ETC Source Four LED Lustr+ luminaires to light Lift at the Soho Theatre, a musical by Craig Adams and Ian Watson, which explores the feelings and thoughts of eight strangers who happen to be in a lift together.
Voller was first introduced to the Source Four LED by the Layers of Light demonstration at the ETC PLASA stand in September. During the presentation, ETC's Tom Littrell explained how different types of fixtures - such as LEDs and incandescents -- can seamlessly work together, then demonstrated the power and versatility of ETC's newest lighting product, the Source Four LED.
"As I had no experience of the units before," says Voller, "I opted to use them as my backlight wash, placing them with 36 lenses upstage in a fanned backlight focus, using a cool blue palette.
"Having the ability to change colour proved invaluable. In particular, I loved the range, and was able to get colours not easily achievable without a much larger rig. Being able to get cold whites, which you can otherwise only really get from discharge moving lights, was incredible.
"I have a top light wash in conventional Fresnels but am finding we have to change the colour filter in these units frequently as, like all blue washes - and especially deeper blues, they quickly burn out - something which obviously isn't an issue with the x7 Color System employed in the Source Four LED profiles."
The virtually noiseless operation of Source Four LED fixtures was a big bonus for the theatre, as Voller continues: "The show is in a small studio theatre with only a five metre grid height. But the Source Four LEDs were totally silent. I'd been aware that noise could be an issue, which was a reason I stayed away from using conventional lights and scrollers for the show."
