“This event was a very sensitive subject for a lot of people because of the tremendous loss of life during the Civil War,” said Jeff Nickles, PDA president. “As a result, it was important that the event be remembered in a solemn manner. As the first time Fort Sumter had ever been theatrically lit, it was critically important not to turn this into some sort of celebration. Eventually, the decision was made to use two searchlights to illuminate the night sky.”
“As the lighting designer for this event,” Nickles added, “I quickly realized there was very limited power available on the island where Fort Sumter is located. During my research, everything pointed to Strong’s Brightlight 7Ks. After speaking with a variety of folks, including several lighting designers, I was convinced the Strong Brightlight was the right tool for the job for this application.” Nickles then proceeded to rent three units, including one for backup, from Trilogy Entertainment of Atlanta, GA.
“The Brightlights were extremely reliable,” Nickles added. “This was a tough environment — we were in the middle of the harbor for about four days with salt air. These spotlights also traveled well, and this was critically important. We had to transport them by boat and then move them a good 300 – 400 feet and carry them up stairs to get to the place where they would reside. The fact that two guys could manage all this was terrific. Equally significant was the ability of these spotlights to produce the light we envisioned.”
During the event, Fort Sumter was bathed in a wash of light and a single beam emanating from the Fort up toward the sky. At 4:30am on April 12th, coinciding with the exact moment of the first shot was fired in Charleston 150 years ago, the beam of light split into two beams-signifying the division of the nation.
After the display, Nickles credited the Brightlights for delivering “the visual punch I was looking for,” noting that the beams “were clearly visible from downtown Charleston and the surrounding Barrier Islands.
“Nothing of this nature ever occurred at the Fort before, and gaining the necessary clearances was quite an involved project,” Nickles added. “When all was said and done, we received compliments from Charleston’s Mayor Riley, the Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Historical Trust, and gained national media exposure in the process. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
For more information, please visit www.strong-world.com.
