Finland - Let's Dance Finland is the spin-off of the highly popular British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide. Currently the format has been licensed to over 42 territories. As a result, the series became the world's most popular television programme among all genres in 2006 and 2007, according to the magazine Television Business International, reaching the Top 10 in 17 countries.
Running for the seventh season, Finland's version received a lighting and set design by Mikki Kunttu who again relied on an MA control system consisting of two x grandMA2 light and an MA NPU (Network Processing Unit).
Kunttu says about his design, "It is the third season running with this set design. Although the lighting setup changes from season to season, the main principles stay the same. It's a show with a lot of glitter and eye-candy keeping the performers in focus. We're aiming for a good mix of elegance and glamour.
"For a front row live TV production, reliability counts for basically everything", continues the lighting designer. "The grandMA2 delivers the most reliable network and control environment. With the busy production schedules it's also necessary to make quick adjustments 'on the fly', for which the grandMA2 is perfect. As we're controlling lights, media servers, stage smoke effects and set pixels from the same console, the interface needs to be fast and straight forward - this is exactly where the grandMA2 comes in."
The backbone of the rig is Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 1500 and Clay Paky Sharpy moving lights. "They have made a big impact this season. Everybody loves them," Kunttu says. Also Robe, Showtec and Green Hippo products are in use as well as a bunch of conventionals, mostly ETC Source Fours. An LED starcloth is draped around the studio.
Pekka Martti worked as programmer and operator. Akuntehdas supplied the lighting and sound. RGB Oy delivered the video. Mikki Kunttu Oy provided the MA equipment.
