This month, I'm going to do a little scatter shooting on some lighting and industry topics that have been hot on my social media feeds.  So, let's get started with:
 
The Super Bowl Halftime Show
 
Robert Barnhart and his team did another great job with the halftime show this year.  Juggling the needs of lighting for television with wanting to provide a dynamic lighting design in the entertainment mold, while all the time making it work and the limited time allowed for the halftime show, is undoubtedly a mind-numbing challenge.  
 
Having to deal with all the variables - changing outdoor ambient light, stage lighting, follow spots and stadium lighting - while all the time thinking in terms of cameras taking both tight and wide shots makes this an event that is different from most any other televised live event.  Robert takes his time and does the math, and it shows in all of his work.  Kudos to him and his team on another Super Bowl success.
 
Lighting at the Grammy's
 
My hat is off to Robert Dickinson and Jon Kusner of Full Flood for their lighting design at this year's Grammy Awards.  I felt like their design did a good job of filling a really large space for the wide camera shots while still allowing for some intimate moments.
 
Their rig was able to provide high-powered, kinetic lighting when the acts called for it, but never lost sight of it's most important purpose - lighting the acts and presenters for the television cameras.  I thought the lighting team did a wonderful job, particularly in the more subtle moments in the show.  It is always nice to see lighting designers who are willing to let the talent carry the moment, and I think the lighting on the Grammy's this year showed that kind of commitment to the process.  

So many times, when shows have these types of monster rigs, I find myself wishing that the LD at the helm would just pull back and let the game come to him.  At this year's Grammy Awards, I didn't feel that way at all.  It was, overall, a gorgeous show with a lighting rig that artfully ran the gamut from classic rock and roll lighting to subtle, intimate looks. 
 
ExhibitorLive 2016

Finally, as I am writing this - I am 5 days away from traveling to Las Vegas to attend and present at the ExhibitorLive conference.  For those of you not familiar with it, you should check it out at: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/live/2016/index.asp

It is a great place to network and get training on what it takes to produce events and exhibits in today's ever-changing technological world.  Having gone through the process of becoming a speaker this year for the conference, I can assure you that you will not find a better, more committed organization to providing their membership with the best training available.

If you are going to be attending, please do look me up.  I will be on site every day and would love to meet and speak to you.  I'd also like to invite you to attend my talk (R621) on Thursday afternoon at 3pm.  I'll be speaking on the process of using flown elements in an exhibit or event setting.  Hopefully, not only will you leave with a better idea of what goes into the planning for such a project, but that you will also leave with a lot of great ideas on how to apply lighting, audio and video elements to the vertical space in your exhibits and events.