Claypaky Introduces Sharpy X Frame

	The Sharpy X Fame features a 550W arc lamp for extreme brightness and vivid, uniform colors, including an unmatched deep red, the company says.

Claypaky's Sharpy X Frame is billed as one of the most versatile, compact hybrid fixtures available, ideal for bright spotlighting, dynamic aerial effects, and precise framing. It features a 550W arc lamp for extreme brightness and vivid, uniform colors, including an unmatched deep red, the company says.

Giovanni Zucchinali, Claypaky project support, says: "Hybrid floodlights were, and still are, a kind of fixture where LED light sources have not yet matched the performance of arc lamps. When we decided to develop this model, we chose to enhance an arc lamp-powered fixture with all the most advanced technologies our industry could offer in terms of optical features, effects, colour production and beam shaping."

Alberico D'amato, Claypaky's commercial director, says: "The Sharpy X Frame combines the features of a spotlight with a powerful, uniform beam, a beam moving light with an ultra-focused penetrating beam, a versatile, precise beam shaper and, when needed, a wash light. It is a hybrid fixture that performs each of these functions without compromise. Its extensive effects, color production system, lightweight design, compact size and excellent value for money quickly made it one of the most innovative, sought-after lights by professionals in our industry."

The Sharpy X Frame began making headlines as early as May 2022, shortly after its market debut, when 120 units were deployed by lighting designer Mario Catapano as key lighting in the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, as part of a larger rig with over 400 Claypaky fixtures.

The show went down so well that, the following year, lighting designer Tim Routledge used as many as 194 Claypaky Sharpy-X-Frames at the Liverpool Arena. He explains, "The X-Frames were used in the main architectural look of the show -- the huge scenic arms that extended out into the audience as a 'hug' to the world."

In December that year, Sharpy X Frames were widely used by lighting designer Durham Marenghi during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Opening Ceremony. Marenghi remarks that the "Sharpy X Frame is the most versatile, compact hybrid fixture on the market addressing the needs for a bright spot, aerial effects unit, framing fixture, and everything in between in an affordable, compact package."

Claypaky decided to expand the range with the Sharpy X Frame FD, designed specifically for broadcasting. This version features gobos equipped with a lighter, camera-friendly magenta filter, and a light frost filter for soft-edge effects, together with a framing system.

Since then, the Sharpy X Frame has been chosen across all market sectors and in numerous countries. Noteworthy uses include the Bollywood film industry for the production of several music videos, the performance of Kiss at Hellfest in France (one of the world's most important metal music festivals), popular rapper SDM's show at the Olympia Hall in Paris, the Catedral Music Festival in Romania, the Star Academy Show in France, Post Malone's show in Mumbai, and the theatrical production Raffa in The Sky at the Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo. Raffa in the Sky's show lighting designer Alessandro Anderoli comments that "Sharpy X Frames were used as backlighting on the backing singers' podiums, and placed upfront to create a spotlight effect. I placed five of them to backlight the backing singers because we needed a different light for when the podiums appeared, since they were on a different physical and directorial level. Discharge lights served this purpose exceptionally well. The potential to shape them led to that part of the stage being illuminated in its own unique way."

In 2024, Sharpy X Frames were notably used at Ed Sheeran's concert in India and for the performance of popular local artist Ishal Mishra, as well as on the world tour of four-time Grammy Award winner Gary Clark Jr., the Extra Ordinary Celebration in Singapore, the Australian singer-songwriter Missy Higgins' tour, and various national editions of the Eurovision Song Contest, most conspicuously in Luxembourg, where 205 Claypaky hybrid models were installed.

"In keeping with its renowned reputation, the Sharpy X Frame has become the favorite hybrid moving head of many a lighting designer, rental company, and international production, cementing its ongoing global success. Further developments are on the horizon - stay tuned!", the company says.