Incorporating Lighting at Your Next Event By Cameron Wicks
“All that attention to the perfect lighting, the perfect this, the perfect that, I find ter- ribly annoying.”
This quote has been attributed to Meryl Streep, perhaps the greatest film actress of the last 30 years. Ms. Streep may be a leg- end in Hollywood, but with all due respect to my mom’s favorite actress, if that is how she feels about lighting, I’m glad she is not a director. Can you imag- ine Kramer vs. Kramer, Mamma Mia or The Iron Lady without the right lighting?
I’m also glad she’s not an event or meet- ing planner. After all, lighting should be an integral part of any event. It highlights performers and presenters, allows for spe- cial effects, creates impact, and influences the look, feel and mood of any venue.
Again, try to imagine a concert, an awards ceremony or a general session without lighting. You can see everything at a con- cert during the day, but it doesn’t draw you in like one at night - with spotlights, colors and searchlights adding to the musical experience.
All too often, though, I see people plan- ning events without taking lighting into account. There are several reasons for this. First of all, some people see lighting as less important than the sound and pro- jection at an event. Other people seem anxious over their lack of lighting knowl- edge. Still others believe that lighting will add large additional costs that their budg- ets can’t handle. Therefore, when it comes time to plan the audio-visual aspects of the event, lighting is left off the agenda.
Yet, there are many compelling reasons for planners to always seriously consider the proper implementation of lighting for their events. Any large corporate event, concert or social event should incorpo- rate lighting in some way.
Projection and sound are both very important. Without them, presenters and organizations can’t convey their messages or teach their attendees. Lighting, though,
54 September October 2013
is just as important. It wasn’t long ago that AV companies and lighting companies were generally distinct entities. The need and demand for lighting became so great, however, that AV companies started incor- porating it into their inventories, thereby changing the industry.
While being able to hear the presenter and see a PowerPoint is great, attendees aren’t going to connect with a speaker unless they can see him. Until then, he’s just a faceless voice. You don’t need a lot of lighting on the presenter. A single spot- light or a gentle stage wash will do the trick, but you’ve got to give your attendees something to watch besides slides.
You don’t have to stop at stage washes and spotlights, though. At some events, especially fund raisers and larger confer- ences, Visual Sound has been asked to bring in intelligent lighting. Intelligent lights, sometimes called moving lights, are lights that can be programmed to move in certain patterns or change to cer- tain colors. They’re used to give events more flair and excitement. Often, when a convention includes an award ceremony, we’ll use moving lights when an award winner or presenter takes the stage.
Now, you might be thinking that you can use a camera to magnify the presenter and project what he’s doing onto large screens or plasma TVs. That’s a good idea, but without proper lighting, you’re going to end up with a dark image that is hard to see. The same goes for using cameras for recording or webcasting. Digital cameras don’t require light like film cameras do, but you’ll still have a grainy image if you don’t light your subject.
You also may want to think about the mood or tone of your event. Maybe you want to host your company holiday party in a hotel ballroom.
This might not
require specific stage lighting, but how fes- tive is a plain room going to look? Using uplighting on columns or projecting images onto the walls with lights can go a long way toward changing the look and
feel of a room. Red, green and blue lights will make an event feel more like a jolly holiday party rather than just using the overhead lights already installed in the function space.
In the same way, lighting can be used to enhance the features of a space. Maybe you’re having your event in an older build- ing with ornate design elements. Using some spotlights or uplighting to highlight these designs can really show off the beauty of your venue. Just putting some colored uplighting on columns or statues in an older building can give it a whole new look that accentuates its natural charm. It’s inexpensive, but still can give your space dramatic impact.
Lighting can be a good way to incorpo- rate branding into your event, too. You can use lights to highlight logos and signs, whether they’re already installed at the venue or you’ve brought them on site. You also can equip your lights with gobos, metal or glass frames, which, when placed inside the proper fixture, will display a logo or picture on the wall or the floor. This is a great way to highlight your event’s sponsor or sponsors.
As stated earlier, many people stay away from lighting because they think it will exceed their budget. And it’s true that lighting can be expensive - but it doesn’t have to be. Cost estimates vary according to the event and the venue, yet lighting isn’t as cost prohibitive as some people might think. You can light a small stage for as little as $500, or add decorative lighting to a small party for roughly the same amount.
In all, it’s important to consider adding lighting to any event, whether large or small. It can really enhance how an event looks, how it feels, and how it draws in attendees. A great lighting setup can help take any event to the next level.
Cameron Wicks is an Account Manager for Visual Sound, an audio-visual services company headquartered in Broomall, PA.
www.visualsound.com
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