Visions Lighting of Brea, CA created a lighting design that looked right at home with this on-stage glitz by using a visually powerful combination of video panels, strobes, and moving fixtures, along with some unique "light diamonds" created with 64 Nexus 4x4 LED panels from CHauvet Professional.
"We rigged the Nexus panels in diamond shapes to create a different look and project an image of glamour in keeping with the character of this event," said Todd Roberts of Visions Lighting, which built the lighting and trussing system for the BET concert. "This was a big stage with big stars, so the lighting had to make a powerful statement. Brandon Dunning, our LD, did just that; he got the most impact out of each fixture."
Dunning positioned 32 Nexus panels on each side of the turntable stage in "columns of diamonds". The columns featured descending numbers of Nexus panels as they moved closer to centre stage. Used as audience blinders and as set pieces, the Nexus panels were controlled by DMX.
"The Nexus panels provided a great visual element throughout the three nights of performances," said Roberts. "We used a variety of different colours from the panels to accent different songs, and they worked out very nicely. This was true not only for the live audience, but on video as well. The panels are very camera-friendly."
Roberts also praised the Nexus panels for their intense output, a quality that was essential given the high-impact design Visions Lighting created for the three-day concert series. Concentric rings of overhead truss, LED ribbon wrapped around curved truss and multiple layers of video panels were used along with the Nexus panels create a powerful visual impression, while also providing the flexibility needed to accommodate the wide variety of artists who performed on stage.
(Jim Evans)
