i-Pix Has The Pop Factor

i-pix-pop-factor-pop111406317.jpg

Lighting designer Tom Kinane used I-Pix BB7 LED wash lights for the first time whilst filming the final episode of the Peter Kay talent show Spoof “Britain's Got The Pop Factor ... And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice”.

Kinane, again working closely with moving and digital lighting programmer and operator Svend Pedersen utilised 12 of i-Pix' new BB7 wash lights during the 3 week shoot, complete with live audience, which took place in Studio 12 at Granada TV in Manchester.

The BB7s were used for low level effects lights, their aesthetically pleasing flower like shape (dubbed the ‘Daisy Lights' by Kinane) proving a great look on camera in their own right. "They are fantastic and I look forward to incorporating them in a big LE rig soon," states Kinane.

He also used 80 i-Pix Satellites on the show for set dressing, 40 flanking the stage illuminating a series of silvery grey set pieces. "Once again the satellites were great tools," he commented, particularly good for tucking into odd corners and concealing in small spaces.

To complete the picture, Kinane used some i-Pix BB4s as side washes both sides of the stage. "Creatively the whole lighting idea was to mimic those big reality TV show looks," says Kinane, “With lots of colour and movement and plenty of depth of field for the cameras".

The BB7s, along with all the other LED lightsources and surfaces on Simon Kimmel's set were driven by a Hog 3 lighting console.

Equipment for this show was supplied by a combination of HSL and Automated Lighting, plus Granada's own stock. Crew included gaffer Brian Owen, console operator Taras Kochan, Richard Jarvis and Graham Ramsdale.

A few weeks ago, Kinane first had the chance to maximize the wash capabilities of the BB4, used to illuminate a cyc wrapping 180 degrees around Studio TC8 at the BBC's London Television Centre in Shepherd's Bush, west London for "Noel's HQ". He used 70 BB4s in a floor line configuration for this.

He also persuaded leading film and TV lighting rental company Panalux to invest in 60 Satellites for the upcoming ITV1 "Spinstar" show which he's lighting, "They are fantastic" he enthuses, "You can put them anywhere very easily".

On the i-Pix team he says, "The BB7 and BB4 really have taken the developments of show LED fixtures to new levels of creative possibilities."