Wisconsin Town honours unsung heroes
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Local businesses, The Wharf Manitowoc, Powerhouse Productions and Brennan Seehafer Productions, came up with the idea of lighting the tower, along with another landmark, the decommissioned WWII submarine, USS Cobia, to honour these unsung heroes.
“They are making great sacrifices to ensure that things continue to function during the pandemic, and this is a way for our community to say thanks,” said Brennan Seehafer, who owns The Wharf Manitowoc, a popular seasonal music venue next to the grain tower.
Providing the richly coloured light for the display was a collection of Chauvet Professional Rogue fixtures supplied by Powerhouse Productions. Brandon Zinn, owner of the lighting company, used four Rogue R2X Beam and six Rogue R2X Wash fixtures to achieve the powerfully moving effect.
Zinn positioned the six wash units on the ground about 75ft from the tower, arranging them so each side of the structure was bathed in light. To light the submarine, he relied on the four beam fixtures, positioned across the river from the vessel, about 300ft away. In both cases, the fixtures had ample throw distance to do the job.
“The two things that stand out to me about the Rogues are their versatility and power,” said Zinn. “When we went to light the submarine, I was a little worried about the blue showing up against the dark vessel. Using the blue with a frost filter and prism, I worried that it might not be super impressive with all the filters. But once we did that shot across the river the units completely impressed me.”
Both business owners, Seehafer and Zinn say that they feel like the workers they honoured make them optimistic about the future. “The selfless healthcare workers who are on the frontlines are true heroes, so are all the first responders, and truckers,” remarked Seehafer. “The act of lighting up a city in blue is a small, but highly visible, way to express our thanks for what they’re doing to ensure that all of us have a brighter tomorrow.”
