USA - When veteran lighting designer Tom Kenny was called on to light a reimagined NHL Draft at the Las Vegas Sphere - the first live TV broadcast from the venue - he chose multi-dynamic Pulse Panel FX lights from Elation to back the all-important look.
Evolving from a traditional convention-style draft to a 21st century show at arguably the most talked about venue in the US, the NHL dazzled players and fans 28-29 June with a visually striking broadcast.
“The NHL Draft at the Sphere was just amazing and out of this world,” Kenny enthused. “This was really a historical show and we needed a modern look for this new way to hold a draft. I knew I wanted something that was epic and futuristic looking in that main television shot, and even though you’re up against the biggest backlight in the world with its amazing content, the Pulse looked beautiful and won over a lot of hearts.” Kenny reported widespread praise from NHL executives, teams, and the TV network for a job well done.
Already familiar with the venue from his early consulting work on the Sphere project, Kenny also has long-time associations with Willie Williams and the entire U2 crew (including Allen Branton and Felix Peralta), who opened the Sphere last fall, while his own experienced crew provided the designer with valuable venue insight.
Featuring arrays of RGB and cool-white LEDs across its large face, the Pulse Panel FX is suitable for direct view applications like TV visuals, while zone control opens up design possibilities. Panel rotation ensures flexible positioning and continuous 360° pan/spin and 180° tilt add an extra level of dynamism.
Supplied for the NHL Draft by Fuse Technical Group, the fixtures generate a powerful 100,000 lumens, though Kenny only needed to use them at a fraction of that output. “We didn’t have the chance to show them off as much as we could have,” he said, referring to their multi-functional strobe/blinder/wash light/eye candy capability, “but with that amount of power, I can see it being used on big events, tours, and stadium/arena type shows.”
Kenny continues, “I have always enjoyed moving forward with new technology and knowing Elation has launched some beautiful, high-tech lights of late, I was eager to incorporate them into my design.
“Especially in TV, the backgrounds are very important so I was happy to get a new and interesting product in that upstage position, right in the main frame where it can be seen and make an impact.”
Characterising the modernised NHL Draft as an “artistic and elegant show”, Kenny placed 14 Pulse Panel FX fixtures upstage in a semi-circle, prominently displayed throughout the two-day event for “subtle eye-candy bling” in camera shots. Additionally, Kenny created more energetic looks for camera shots when players were drafted.
“Whenever there was a pick, programmers Scott Cunningham and Han Heinz gave us some great ballyhoo looks for the in-house audience,” Kenny said, noting that it wasn’t visible on camera as they cut away to the draft pick. “But it looked great in-house and cut through the heavy lumens of the giant screen, which is very difficult.”
