Chauvet Ovations light France 24 studios
- Details
Given the varied programming broadcast by France 24, cameras on this set are arranged very differently, depending on the show. Indeed, sometimes camera axes are reversed by 180-degrees. Also, since various news and editorial teams require their own looks during broadcasts, the studios have not one, but five different sets, all of which are rolled on wheels.
Working within this set of circumstances, Jean-Louis Rousseaux, director of photography for France 24, was seeking a compact and very versatile projector, with a relatively wide focal length, as well as the ability to illuminate several subjects at very short distances. Additionally, he wanted a projector that delivered the precise control necessary for isolating a subject on the set, an essential requirement for any TV broadcast light.
Looking for a lighting solution that could meet these requirements and modernise the studios, Rousseaux turn to his trusted advisor, Alain Lheriteau from Dushow. Lheriteau provided him with the answer, a fixture that offers the performance features he was looking for in a compact size: the Ovation E-2 FC ellipsoidal from Chauvet Professional. A collection of 168 of these RGBA-Lime colour-mixing ellipsoidals from Dushow were installed on the two sets, with an equal number of projectors in each studio.
“Alain and Dushow have always been extraordinarily helpful,” said Rousseaux. “The fixture I wanted had to be, above all else, compact, since the sets are small with low grill heights. We also work within different lighting situations, so I had to be able to install a lot of them all around the set. It's true that installing small moving heads would have been a more judicious choice, but in the context of France 24, it was an impossible choice because there are no console operator positions on the teams.
“Another detail on this ellipsoidal that was very useful to us was the possibility of reducing the height of the fixture, thanks to the various adjustments provided on its bracket,” continued Rousseaux. “The precision of this ellipsoidal also enabled me to isolate a subject. So, the Ovation’s cutout was very welcome. Its possibilities in terms of colour temperature presets, as well as the use of all its LED modules for more power, work wonderfully well.”
The infinite colour possibilities offered by the Ovation E-2FC are also useful on the music programmes broadcast by France 24.
