JOHANNESBURG – LD Robert Hoey used Vari*Lite VL4000 Spot and VL4000 BeamWash fixtures for South Africa’s Naledi Theater Awards this year. The ceremony took place at the Lyric Theater in Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City amusement park. The Awards, which have been running for 12 years, honor excellence in the performing arts. They also aim to raise the profile of live theater in South Africa. Hoey had to ensure the ceremony was perfectly lit for broadcast, so positioned the VL4000 Spots in a Front of House position for maximum cover.
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“The Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 Spots’ framing shutters and super bright output made them ideal for Front of House,” explains Hoey. “The shutters allowed the looks to be nice and clean as they cut off unwanted spill and there was loads of headroom for the cameras.
“I used the Philips Vari-Lite VL4000 BeamWash on the floor to help fill in the background of each shot and for some striking beamwork in the entertainment sections of the night, which they were perfect for.”
Hoey’s design was inspired by the vibrant Naledi logo set piece, which he used to inform his color palette for the varying looks.
“I have always loved the color mixing system of Philips Vari-Lite products and these latest additions are again top of the range,” says Hoey. “I was very impressed by the output and color temperature. The speed is also impressive for such large units.”
The Philips Vari-Lite luminaires were supplied by South African theater rental company Gearhouse Splitbeam, which sponsored the lighting system for the event.
“I’d like to say a big thanks to Alistair Kilbee from Gearhouse Splitbeam – the fantastic products they supplied made such a big difference to the event and it was brilliant to have the opportunity to work with such a great rig,” says Hoey.
This year’s Naledi Theater Awards recognized a broad range of talent from both established performers and up and coming stars. Taliep Petersen and Alvon Collison won the Lifetime Achievement Award for their dedication to South African live theater.
