Sean Shay, creative director at Sound Image, a Clair Global Brand, reached for Astera Hyperion and Titan Tubes to help imagine a spectacular and dramatic piece of light art highlighting a ‘hero car’ for the launch of the Porsche Macan Electric car presented by Porsche San Francisco at their showroom in the city’s downtown Design District.
Sean used 20 Astera Hyperion tubes rigged at different heights and angles in a fan shape behind the car coupled with Titan Tubes underneath the vehicle to enhance the depth and dimension of the space. As the car was revealed, a series of ‘sparkling’ kinetic pixel-chases created by video content running through the Hyperions and bouncing off the polished bodywork gave the impression of rapid speed and movement … enabling impressed guests to enjoy a truly WOW moment.
“I wanted to match the style, elegance and innovation of the occasion with a memorable lighting installation,” Sean explained, after he and his production team were asked to light the project by Riley Sims, the West Coast marketing lead for Porsche, for whom they had worked on previous successful projects, some also involving Astera products. For the aesthetics to work as I envisioned, I needed a fully wireless solution,” stated Sean, explaining that his starting point was taking a deep dive into the Porsche style guide and an extensive recce at the dealership.
He was struck by a large, curved window, architecture which inspired this unique look fusing a runway fashion show with a futuristic journey. “I immediately thought of straight neon lines as a basic structural framework but obviously wanted a light source that could also be hugely flexible and dynamic.” Effectively, he wanted straight lines that could also shift, re-shape and appear to make the car move, and that is where he thought Astera!
The Hyperions were a perfect length and were meticulously positioned behind the car, rigged using a combination of monofilament and magnetic hooks secured and tensioned via a steel beam in the roof just in front of the window, and two vertical beams on either side of where the car was parked. A couple of additional tubes were clamped magnetically to the vertical steels. This out-of-the-box method worked a treat. When dark and with the Tubes illuminated, the monofilament was nearly invisible, so they appeared to be floating in thin air upstage of the car.
The flickering effects – created running video content through the Hyperions – were also reflected in the glass window, which, combined with the luminescent glow coming from the Titans underneath, further ramped up the impact.
As the presenter built up to the reveal, Sean ran the movement chases, and, once revealed, this slid into a more subtle ‘standby’ effect so the exclusive invited audience could marvel over the Macan Electric without distraction.
Sean blends beauty with purpose, and as Sound Image’s full-service Event Productions division expands, he uses Astera extensively on his creative projects. “Reliable battery-powered products are fantastic tools, and Astera has become a ‘no-brainer’ for me on so many occasions, especially when lighting site-specific special events like this,” he noted. He also appreciates Astera’s excellent quality of light and the refined color control thanks to the Titan LED engine. Before Astera’s Tubes were popular, he worked extensively using fluorescents and gel sleeves, but that world now seems a long time ago, as Astera has become a go-to over the last five years.
He is also a big fan of Astera’s AX9 PowerPAR, which has been “hugely helpful” for the realization of many designs, which, like Astera, are constantly innovating in their use of light to enhance stories and experiences for their clients.
Creativity was a big element of the evening’s theming for the Porsche Macan Electric event which featured fabulous music by violinist Rose, live painting by artist Ed and a stunning on-site gallery of Porsche related works by artist Beau Robinson … all complemented with Sean’s beautiful lighting scheme helping evoke the buzz and energy of a cool and visually interesting environment.
Photos: Courtesy Sound Image
Further information about Astera LED: https://astera-led.com/
