Gian Carlo Vannetti transforms stages with Onyx
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Gian Carlo's passion for lighting design began early in his career when he found himself attracted to the lighting console, despite starting out with more basic tasks such as prepping cables and loading trucks. “I really love all the features in lighting control software and all the lovely things you can create with cues and timing,” he states. “I try to follow the music and re-create somehow that feeling so people can also participate visually. That’s what makes me shiver and feel good! Trying to create something that makes sense in that moment.”
Over time, he gained experience operating a variety of consoles, including Coemar, Avolites, Martin Case, Whole Hog, GrandMA, Jands Vista, and ChamSys. This eventually led him to Obsidian Control Systems’ Onyx platform and he now owns several Onyx-driven products including an NX Wing, NX Touch, M-Play, NX DMX, and Netron EP4.
Currently, Gian Carlo works on the theatre side of the industry, collaborating with a dance company that has a creative approach to light. He explains, "There is a lot of 'dark' so a light at 5% has and makes a huge difference!" He began exploring Onyx in 2020, intrigued by its features and capabilities. He states, “I started studying Onyx a bit deeper, looking at it with curiosity, clicking on everything and trying to get answers to my questions so I could achieve my way of programming. I discovered that inside the software it has qualities that other consoles don’t.”
Gian Carlo is using Onyx on three productions, Indaco, Boomerang and Canova Svelato, with a fourth, H2 Omix, coming in May. They all feature transparent screens that reflect video and imagery but also create a mirror effect when dancers are near, complementing the choreography with stunning visuals. Two on-stage projectors pass effects through transparent screens toward the audience with one at FOH for mapping of the entire theatre. “My way of creating these types of shows is through Onyx with a cue list that has a lot happening, delays and timings on fixture parameters, and if I need some unique FX I have DyLOS. It has really given me the chance to be more creative.”
