Robe BMFLs on parade for Basel Tattoo
- Details
The BMFLs were part of a lighting scheme by Rolf Derrer for the week-long Tattoo which features 10 shows and capacity audiences of 7500 for each one. Working closely with Rolf was programmer and his right-hand person Reto Engler, who has worked on the event since 2013.
The BMFLs were supplied by Winkler Multimedia Events AG from Wohlen together with the rest of the lighting kit and the full technical production. Winkler’s technical director Roni Huber first started looking for new and more powerful fixtures after the 2016 show, when Reto and Rolf decided that it was time for a fresh, different look and approach to lighting the event - utilizing less fixtures, but brighter lightsources.
The 70 x BMFLs made a massive difference to how they could light the parade ground, which benefitted from a large boost in lumens to cover the whole space and the featured military bands plus three dance troupes, one horseback troupe and a motorcycle display team. The two-hour all-action show was directed by Erik Julliard, producer and CEO of the Basel Tattoo.
Left and right of the field-of-play were two MiTrix video screens and the front of the Kaserne building was mapped with large format projections, 66m wide by 11m high, fed by six Panasonic 31K machines.
Rolf and Reto had to ensure that lighting was kept away from the projection on one hand, while it also had to hold its own against the brightness and ambient lighting emitted by the LED screens, presenting a ‘double edged sword’ scenario for which they needed the proper ‘multi-functionality’ of the BMFLs.
Each side of the performance space three Layher lighting towers were installed and most of the 48 x BMFL Blades were rigged on these.
At the front of the parade ground, all the BMFL WashBeams were positioned on trusses at the back of the seating platforms, together with a few BMFL Blades. The fixtures were all used to illuminate the huge field-of-play and for key lighting some of the acts.
The BMFLs on the side towers were used for accurate side lighting and to create striking gobo patterning on the floor.
“The output of the BMFL is excellent” commented Reto, “We really need the intensity of this show. The accuracy of the pan/tilt movement is also crucial, as we’re often up to 100 metres away from the point-of-focus.”
(Jim Evans)
