Judging Panel Announces Winners of WYSIWYG Lighting Design Video Challenge 2014

CAST Software announces the 10-judge panel's decision for the top three places of the WYSIWYG Lighting Design Video Challenge 2014. The Challenge highlights and promotes the outstanding work of budding and experienced lighting designers who used R33 WYSIWYG for preparing their short video submission. The Challenge specified the number of automated lights and capped the amount of equipment to focus the submissions on creative lighting design.

For the jury stage, judges included lighting designers from Spain, France, and Canada who rated the videos based on innovation, creativity, visual appeal, content, communication, and relevance. The judging panel announced the following four winners, which emerged from very tough competition.

First -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikZy5260r80
Denis Hessberger, media and lighting programmer/designer, bright! Creative event solutions - Germany and Qatar
One year free WYSIWYG membership

Second -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50WRbo0EHJg
Nicolas Bailly, Stage Lighting Technology Asia - Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
Nine-month free WYSIWYG membership

Third -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Ewb6pOnEk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcvP1Z_8hPw
James Simpson, UK, and Andre Flaßpöhler, Pre Concept, Germany (tied for third place)
Six-month free WYSIWYG membership

"This is the third year we have run this competition and really wanted to focus the Challenge more on a real-world situation where a project has a budget and equipment limitation. We felt this approach would test the contestants' creativity and prove it is possible to do a lot with a little."

"We got what we were looking for! We proved that, thanks to WYSIWYG, you can test, tweak, and perfect your design before even setting a foot on the venue. Look at the submissions -- the results are great. I never expected such a fantastic and creative range of videos," said Igor Silva, marketing manager at CAST Group. "What's more, I am amazed by the creativity and motivation of the industry professionals who entered."

"The Judges admitted that choosing the winners was difficult because each design and video was unique and captivating in its own way," added Silva.

Some quotes from winners

"I am very happy to have won the Challenge again - it is a big honour, especially because well-known industry professionals have judged the videos.

"bright! uses WYSIWYG a lot in pre-production and the design project phases as well as providing complete preprogramming solutions for shows of any size. WYSIWYG has always been an enormous timesaver and a valuable tool - the last few releases have made it useful and quicker to use. A recent WYSIWYG project was 'Rock in Rio' and we have supplied WYSIWYG suites for this event since 2004."

Denis Hessberger, media and lighting programmer/designer, bright! Creative event solutions - Germany and Qatar, www.bright.de

"The Challenge comes at an extremely important time in my life as I'm relocating from Paris to Asia to launch a new company called Stage Lighting Technology Asia based in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore."

"Inspiring my work was Lorde's Tennis Court, remixed by DJ Flume. It's very dynamic with lots of highs and lows, with strong feelings, that allows for massive effects with light. The lighting effect is mostly to appeal to the EDM audience. I hope it also appeals to a performance by Lorde and DJ Flume. My best wish is to actually see this stage in real life and to hopefully work together with the artists one day soon!"

Nicolas Bailly, Stage Lighting Technology Asia - Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, www.sltasia.com

"The WYSIWYG Lighting Design Video Challenge is an opportunity to showcase creative and professional work. I took my five years experience in using WYSIWYG for previsualization of presentations, rock n roll and sporting events and came up with a stunning car show! I am very pleased with achieving third place. Thank you to the judges who voted for me."

Andre Flaßpöhler, Pre Concept, Germany www.pre-concept.net

The Challenge is not yet over. Entries judged by the panel now flow to the second part of the WYSIWYG Lighting Design Video Challenge 2014. The public is invited to register their vote for BEST Lighting Design, at CAST Software's Blog -- http://tinyurl.com/o7bn2nw -- and vote by noon Wednesday, October 8, 2014 (EST - Toronto, Canada).

All awards will be presented online via social media.