Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
18/12/2013

Litepanels In Free Fall

News Image
Musician Douglas Spotted Eagle also doubles as an aerial camera operator. One of his most recent shoots for a mobile phone manufacturer entailed an unusual lighting challenge; a unit that would work during a free fall. He chose Litepanels Sola ENG and MicroPro LED lights.
"The project involved lighting a model in free fall," Spotted Eagle explains. "We had to transmit the photograph to social media before any of the skydivers had landed their parachutes. The first challenge in lighting was choice of instrument. Power is restricted by battery weight, as is the instrument size.
"A major challenge of aerial lighting is that there is nothing from which a bounce can be utilised," he adds. "Additionally, the wind and speed conspire, making direct lighting difficult, and so the lighting must be diffused to not to create harsh contrasts."
Spotted Eagle's director wanted a specific style of light. "The instrument in the shot had to look big, be aesthetically pleasing, and needed enough throw to light up the subject," he explains. The original decision was a cheap hurricane light. This had the profile the director required. But, the instrument didn't throw enough light once the diffusion was attached.
"I tried my Litepanels MicroPros, which I love, but they didn't fit inside the now-gutted hurricane light. Not enough coverage. But, when I used the Sola ENG, it fit in the housing perfectly.
"I've always chosen Litepanels in most every production situation, simply because I've been using the product for so many years," he adds.
"I guess you call that 'habit'. Originally, I used them as accent lights but today they are my main/primary instruments in more situations than I can count. That the colour doesn't vary from instrument to instrument, that they are reliable, and the brilliance of the product design, has caused them to be the icing on the cake.
"No other lighting instrument could have been used in this situation, simply because of the size/shape/output considerations," Spotted Eagle said. "I could not have done this project without the dimmable feature found on both lights, and the focus-ability of the Solas. I needed to spread the light out as much as possible within the housing I had to work with.
"Working with large batteries was simply not an option here; the lights are head-worn, with batteries either head-worn or chest mounted. Weight was critical, because if the weight on the top of the head is too high; deployment of the parachute can become a safety issue if the wearer's neck snaps back.
"Ease of mounting was another reason that the Solas and MicroPros were chosen," he adds. "Any video pro should have a couple of the MicroPros in their walkabout kit. They mount anywhere, provide excellent light for their size, and have an amazingly long battery life. I am replacing batteries in cameras 4 to 1 over the Litepanels."
www.litepanels.com
(IT/MH)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

19/02/2024
Pixel Mapping And Lighting Control With Hippotizer
Media Servers are traditionally used to playback and manipulate video, graphics, and generative effects in real-time on large displays, but did you kn
01/12/2023
Software Upgrade To LightShark Range of Multiprotocol Lighting Consoles
The LightShark range of DMX-based hardware lighting consoles from Spanish manufacturer Equipson has undergone an exciting software upgrade that introd
23/05/2023
ACT Entertainment To Offer Lighting Controllers From Visual Productions
ACT Entertainment is to begin offering lighting controllers from Amsterdam-based manufacturer Visual Productions to customers in the United States. Th
31/10/2023
ATG Danmon Completes Virtual TV Studio Set And Lighting System
ATG Danmon has announced the completion of a virtual TV studio set and lighting system for one of Britain's leading universities. Located in London, t
15/03/2018
Version 2 Obtains Litepanels' Gemini 2x1 Soft Panel Lights
Version 2 has acquired a number of Litepanels' new Gemini soft panel lights. Gemini is to be Version 2's multifunction lighting solution for both stud
04/08/2009
Anton/Bauer USB Battery Management System Makes IBC 2009 Debut
A brand of The Vitec Group, and a premier provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, vid
11/03/2024
J.T. Rooney Selects Kino Flo Lighting Systems
Kino Flo Lighting Systems has announced that its MIMIK 120 full-spectrum, image-based video lighting tile has been chosen by creative producer and vir
19/01/2024
ARRI Named Official Lighting Provider
ARRI has been named the Official Lighting Provider for the prestigious 40th edition of the Sundance Film Festival. ARRI, together with wholly owned su
04/01/2024
AIR LUX: The New And Unique Inflatable Lighting Balloons
Cirro Lite has announced its latest offering in professional film lighting - the AIR LUX. This cutting-edge range of inflatable light balloons is set
09/10/2023
ARRI Appoints VP Product Management Business Unit Lighting
Michael Huelskemper has joined ARRI as Vice President Product Management Business Unit Lighting. In this role, he is responsible for further developin
24/07/2023
Astera To Display Full, Integrated Range Of Lighting Solutions At IBC 2023
Astera are using their presence at IBC (Booth 12.G44) to showcase their full, integrated range of lighting solutions, and in particular, demo their ne
30/04/2012
Litepanels Debut Sola ENG LED Fresnel Lighting
Litepanels debuted the Sola ENG LED Fresnel lighting kit in an FAA Carry-on size case at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas on April 16-19, 2012. "Our ne
30/10/2012
Hu Nan TV Chooses Litepanels For All LED Lit Studios
The second largest Chinese television network, Hu Nan TV, has recently completed an upgrade to its TV facility in Chang Sha City, Hu Nan Province, whi
22/08/2016
Switronix Brings Hypercore Range To IBC
Switronix will highlight the latest additions to its Hypercore battery series at IBC2016 next month. Products that will be on display at the show incl
28/08/2012
Litepanels To Showcase New LED Lighting Products At IBC 2012
Litepanels is returning to the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) with a line-up of new LED lighting products. The LED lighting pioneer, part