Dorsett Productions Illuminates Massive Event With Elektralite LEDs

Dorsett Productions was contracted by a commercial and defense vessel builders in Mississippi to handle the production of their 2011 holiday event at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center. The annual gig presented multiple challenges, including: creating a lighting scheme for the massive interior party area that encompassed two stages, audience seating for 2,500, eating zones, and a dance floor area in an approximately 100,000-sq.ft. area. In addition, the client wanted the 150'x300' shipyard doors on the exterior of its corporate headquarters-located 900' across the Mississippi river from the convention center-up-lit and visible from across the water.

For the interior space, Mike Dorsett specified a combination of Elektralite fixtures including: eight LXE700 spot fixtures, 30+ Paintcan 575s, and eight Paintcan 750s. "We added the Paintcan 750s for their extremely bright and saturated color," offered Dorsett. "They're ideal for long throw distances where wide angle washes of color are needed, but are also adjustable to smaller beams if needed using the fixture's barn doors and 20 to 40 degree electronic zoom. With the 750s 3,200K lamp, it offered colors that were warm and ideal for flesh tones, the perfect fixture to use on the audience as well as the artists."

Tackling the challenging exterior space, Dorsett Productions purchased 12 Elektralite LED Pancake fixtures, featuring custom lensing unlike other moving yoke LED fixtures-108 three-watt RGBW combined with the White LEDs-which offered output throws exceeding 200'. "The Elektralite Pancakes are incredible and were the perfect fixture for this application. We first saw them at LDI and were impressed by the saturated colors and punch of the 3W profile. Not only could we run eight on just one 20A circuit, but also they have Power-con connectors, both in and out, for quick setup. So it literally only took us a half-hour to get the 12 fixtures operational. Once they were up and running, seeing the deep red and green striped beams bouncing off the soffit at the top of the doors from across river was incredible."

"We've worked with this particular client for the past several years," said Dorsett, "and they entrusted us with this enormous job because they were confident that we'd make everything look and sound good. We've worked with Elektralite for many years and knew we'd get the quality, intensity, and the value, with the new LED fixtures. Also Elektralite's after-sales service is excellent. They look after us which means I can concentrate on my client. Needless to say, the client was extremely pleased with what we presented."

Recently, Dorsett announced plans to add more Elektralite Pancakes, as well as the new 5W Dazer LED fixtures to its lighting inventory.