Dennis Size Lights GOP Presidential Debate

By Ellen Lampert-Greaux Dec 13, 2023 9:54am

After eleven months of Live Designs' 'Plot Of The Week,' and a few years of '31 Days Of Plots' each December, this year we are presenting our '12 Plots Of Christmas,' to get everyone into the holiday spirit, whichever holiday you celebrate! These will run on December 13-24, 2023 featuring a dozen projects from throughout the year. First up, a GOP Presidential Debate lit by Dennis Size and his team from the Lighting Design Group...

On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, NewsNation presented the fourth GOP Presidential Debate “Live” from the Moody Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

NewsNation, the three-year-old “new kid on the block” cable news network, owned by Nexstar Broadcasting, hosted it’s first Presidential Debate. The reviews in the trades were excellent, many saying it was the best debate in this cycle, making this broadcaster a serious competitor to the established Cable News Networks. The event was broadcast on NewsNations Network and simulcast on the CW Network and Sirius XM, with an audience of over four million viewers. It was anchored by Megyn Kelly of Sirius XM, Elizabeth Vargas of NewsNation, and Eliana Johnson of the Washington Free Beacon.

A mere two months ago NewsNation called upon Dennis Size of the Lighting Design Group to tackle the task of designing the lighting for six different locations to broadcast from on the U of A Campus. At a site survey to the Alabama campus on October 17, Size learned the Debate would take place in the 36-year-old, 1000-seat Concert Hall of the Moody Music Building.

Since it was designed as a pure concert hall, with two balcony levels, and no fly space or proscenium, the space was a challenging ‘box’— with excellent acoustics and a beautiful three-story-high Holtkamp organ, with more than 5,000 pipes as it’s major upstage centerpiece.

NewsNation executives decided to “embrace” the organ as a focal point and made it clear to Size and the scenic designers, Anthony Ferguson and Glenn Anderson of Z Space Creative, that it was not to be blocked/hidden in any way. The scenic design successfully accomplished that using a geometric arrangement of video panels to wrap the debaters in, while Size flew lighting pipes to 55’-0” trims to allow the audience and cameras a full view of the organ and it’s pipes — which were enhanced by ethereal blues and whites produced by Hight End Systems Lonestars.

At the site survey, Size learned there would be five additional areas needing lighting design:

1) the Broadcast Spin Room (often called spin alley) where reporters from all branches of news outlets can assemble and speak with debate participants.NewsNation also broadcast several of their daily shows from a stage erected there.

2) the north lawn of the Moody Concert Hall, which would be used for a NewsNation reporter “stand-up” broadcast position and wide establishing “beauty shots” of the venue building.

3) the east lawn of the Moody, where a dozen various broadcast network and local affiliate platforms would be erected, using the venue building as the establishing background.

4) the huge exterior “Quad” lawn of the campus, with the famous U of A “Denny Chimes” tower and the President’s Mansion in the background. For three days around the debate, NewsNation would be broadcasting many of it’s daily scheduled shows from a large stage erected on the Quad — beginning early in the morning and ending late at night.

5) the lobby of the Moody Concert Hall, where the audience would also be treated to a graphic display of NewsNation’s various shows and on camera talent.

Immediately after the survey Dennis and his Lighting Design Group production manager, Carolyn Szymanski, and co-designer, Alex Kyle-Dipietropaolo assembled the “Size lighting team”... all of whom were trusted professionals from many other projects.

Lighting crew:

• John Reynolds, Production Gaffer

• Teddy Sosna, Programmer

• Ben Granucci, Location Gaffer/Programmer

• Neal Morton, Location Gaffer/ Programmer

• Lee Donaldson, Rigger/Gaffer

• Justyn Davis, Moving Light Tech

• Leon Virgo, Best Boy

• Bob Katz, Best Boy

The large on site crew of electricians/technicians required was supplied by the IATSE Local 78.

Because Size also has a commitment to mentoring those studying lighting design at our universities, and want to pursue that as a career, several students from the Department of Theater and Dance were hired on the crew as well.

The lighting equipment rental was arranged through two different vendors.

Patrick Bellino of Main Light was contacted to provide the bulk of the lighting package due to their extensive inventory of High End Systems Lonestars and Halcyon moving lights (Size’s favorite “weapon of choice”, and almost 100 were planned for), along with their equally extensive inventory of Astera AX-9’s and AX-5’s (almost 200 were needed).

A fair amount of HMI fixtures would also be needed for the three outdoor venues being lit during the days surrounding the debate, so ‘nearby’ Cinelease (in Forest Park, Georgia) was brought on board. Rental agent Angel Arias worked with the Lighting Design Group to provide the exterior packages.

Due to a University concert on stage November 27, NewsNation could not begin load-in until November 28 …. seven days before shows would start broadcasting “cut-a-ways” from the Concert Hall.

With approval from the University, on November 20 & 21, production gaffer John Reynolds scheduled a partial load-in/pre-rig of all the moving lights being hung over the stage – out of the way of the concert event. This allowed Z Space Creative to begin loading in scenery immediately on the 28th …. while lighting began rigging truss around the theatre/hall. With only one extremely steep and relatively useless lighting cove in the hall, lighting positions needed to be established (and hidden) wherever possible on the balconies in the all-white environment.

During a fast-paced few days the Debate Hall was rigged and hung with lights mounted on trusses all around the space, followed by cabling, focus and programming. As you can see from the light plots, a mix of ellipsoidals (Source Four Lustrs) and moving lights – along with battery powered Asteras – comprised the entire rig.

Twelve cameras loaded in on December 1 for rehearsals to begin on December 2. "The biggest challenge for lighting was the special “Spider Cam” (a cable-suspended camera system used in arenas and big concert/sporting events) brought in by show director, Jeff Winn," says Size. "The 70’-0”+ height of the ceiling, unencumbered by any verticals or lighting coves, allowed for some seriously incredible flying camera moves/shots through the air – but required lighting and the Spider cam to fight for “air rights”!"

Once the Hall was up and running Size and team lit the Spin Room, and then Dipietropaolo and Granucci split off to work “serious miracles” at the Quad – where a stage with a self-climbing 18’-0” grid was being erected that weekend in the rain! "They spent the debate week making lighting magic for show after show, from morn ‘till night, in the mud! The most difficult task was not only lighting the on-camera talent for both day and night, plus lighting a dozen trees and buildings in the background … but also dealing with the sun setting directly in the background over Bryant-Denny Stadium behind the stage," Size adds.

After the debate ended Wednesday night the Network cut to post/debate analysis in the Spin Room and at the Quad until midnight ….. and continued with the various NewsNation show schedule on Thursday, while the Moody venue was knocked down and loaded out.

"On Friday, December 8, the Quad stage was knocked down and lighting left a very happy and proud University of Alabama host behind," concludes Size, having added one more presidential event to his resume.

Lighting Plots (click to view);

Selected lighting gear list:

54 High End Systems Lonestar LED Profile

6 High End Systems Lonestar LED Profile

23 High End Systems Halcyon Titanium High CRI Engine

4 High End Systems Halcyon Titanium High CRI Engine