Working from upstage automated ladders, one of the reasons lighting designer and show director Eric Wade says he turned to the high-energy hybrid effect was for its intensity and brightness when compared to the overall rig. Powered by the new 132W Philips MSD Platinum 2R lamp, the Sniper delivers 45,010 lux @ 16.4' (5m), enough to hold its weight among bigger lights.
Associate LD Eric Marchwinski and assistant LD Jason Winfree both worked extensively incorporating the Snipers into the UR Experience show. "Eric Marchwinski dealt with making these lights do everything possible for me and Jason found places in the system to put them and relentlessly made sure they were in position each day and looked right. My team is amazing," stated Wade, who has been working with Usher since 2001.
Elation sales director Eric Loader introduced the effect light to him "and he has never steered me wrong on any new light that I should see," Wade said. "We came up with some suggestions that the light should do or wouldn't do and John Dunn [Elation rental & production market manager] would come back a few days later with a software update and low and behold! Changed!"
With the ability to produce beam looks, spread scanner and laser-like effects at dizzying speeds, and with 14 dichroic colours and 17 static gobos to choose from, the Sniper gives designers a lot of design options. But for Wade it is the support he has received that has really been the determining factor. "The support I have received from Elation has been amazing," he stated. "It is like working with support I used to get back in the day when everyone jumped on a problem as soon as it happened or helped make changes to things when we threw out an idea or improvement."
(Jim Evans)
