Mexico - In designing the reality show La Casa de los Famosos, the Mexican version of Celebrity Big Brother, lighting designer Miki Molina uses innovative Elation lighting technology to transform the set into an impressive visual spectacle that blends aesthetics with emotion.
For Molina, whose career in film, theatre and television stretches to collaboration with giants such as Amazon, Disney, HBO, Netflix, Sony, Telemundo, and more, lighting design is not just technical but more akin to “painting with light”. His work on La Casa de los Famosos, which airs on TelevisaUnivision, has elevated the reality show to remarkable visual levels while tapping into the emotive facets of the show.
Since beginning his collaboration with Endemol Shine Boomdog, Molina has worked to capture the key moments of the show through a design that uses colour psychology.
“With colour theory it is not about reinventing the wheel, as they say,” explains Molina. “It is about playing with the psychology of colours to create emotions in the audience and in the participants. For example, it is about having colours that create tension and on that bed of colour, creating a harmonious and powerful composition that is coordinated with the stage parameters of video and camera.”
Since it is a television show, the technical requirements of the luminaires are quite demanding. During the three to four months of production, Molina turned to several broadcast-optimised Elation luminaires, including the Proteus Maximus profile moving head, KL Panel soft light, and Sixbar batten. He says these luminaires guarantee the sharpness and colorimetry required while maintaining unmatched consistency.
The designer used around 600 luminaires for the main show, house, zoom, garden, and other sets, including pre-galas, galas, sales and other activities.
The Elation lighting allows the LD and his team to adjust light levels and colour in real-time, without compromising image quality or altering the visual balance of the show. “If the set changes from one moment to the next, it is vital that the fixtures respond quickly and efficiently so as not to lose synchronisation on camera,” says Molina.
Ultimately, the success of La Casa de los Famosos is not limited to technical quality but extends to the emotional and environmental aspects of the show, with each light an essential component of the story told on screen. Molina concludes: “The stability of the Elation luminaires gives me the peace of mind that I can reach the parameters I require with the security that the equipment will not fail. That is essential in maintaining the emotion of each broadcast.”
