When the producers of The Simpsons Movie premier party wanted to incorporate eco-friendly technology into the event, they turned to Kinetic Lighting, Inc. The company supplied components of its Green Package for the blockbuster party.
Kinetic arranged for power generators that ran on biodiesel, a fuel made from renewable sources. In addition to "green" power, Kinetic also provided lighting, large-format projection, and audio services.
Guests entered the party—held on the grounds of LA's Wadsworth Theatre—through an inflatable dome and were greeted by the sounds of the Springfield choir. Once inside, they were treated to an array of eye-candy.
Kinetic Lighting’s principal lighting designer, James Schipper, used the film's signature yellow, blue, and pink colors throughout. This represented a design challenge, as these colors combine to produce white light.
“We carefully balanced light levels so that each color could penetrate the space,” explains Schipper.
Fixtures we're mounted on boom lifts around the event’s perimeter, providing 40’ overhead lighting positions. From these booms, a pink wash provided general area lighting, blue polka dots were sprinkled across seating areas, while a yellow wash bathed the party’s four large dome structures.
Within each dome, Kinetic Lighting supplied a circular truss representing the Simpsons’ iconic donuts. The main dome featured cutouts of the film’s characters, illuminated with LED lighting. The silhouettes appeared 3D and could be seen on the dome’s exterior.
The LED fixtures were a part of the energy-efficient equipment package supplied by Kinetic Lighting. The main bar—encased in a giant donut—sat underneath a glowing pink circular truss. Other bars and food stations were located under similar structures. Lights from these trusses projected gobos across the floor.
Finelite® fixtures projected images of rotating donuts and characters’ silhouettes onto 16'-diameter circular screens. The images and screens were designed by David Corwin of MegaVision Arts.
Inna Poncher, of Poko Event Productions, produced the event. When asked about her thoughts on the technical elements, she recalls, "We are thankful for the professionalism of the entire Kinetic Lighting staff. We have received tremendous feedback."
