Compulite Vector Controls The Voice UK

The Voice is a multinational singing competition reality show started in the Netherlands as The Voice of Holland in 2010. Since then, many countries have adapted the format and began airing their own national versions adding some major competition to shows like Idols and The X-Factor.

Currently there are 21 winners of The Voice title. The Voice UK is currently nearing the end of it first season which began its eleven week run in March 2012 on the BBC UK. The judging panel features Danny O'Donoghue, Jessie J, Sir Tom Jones, and Will.i.am with Reggie Yates and Holly Willoughby as presenters. The winner of The Voice UK is said to receive £100,000 and a record deal with Universal Republic.

The lighting for The Voice UK is controlled exclusively by six Compulite Vector consoles -- three working live on the show, and due to the scale and live nature of the show, a further three have been set-up as back-up systems. Under the control of lighting director Mark Kenyon are console operators Roger Williams on a Vector Ultra-Violet controlling the media servers, Tom Sutherland on a Vector Green controlling the moving lights, and Darren Lovell on a second Vector Ultra-Violet controlling all generic lighting.

Also being used are two Hippotizer media servers, with two more running as synchronized back-ups, driving an array of screens built into the set via 24 layers spread across seven outputs. There are a total of 1,093 fixtures that make-up the moving light part of the rig, consisting of Clay Paky Alpha Beam 300s, Spot 1500s, and Sharpys; Vari*lite VL2500s; High End Studio Colors; Robe LED Beam 100s; and numerous Chauvet LED heads. The generic rig consists of 120 dimmers with some old favorites -- 12 High End Cyberlights, plus a mixture of Clay Paky Alpha Wash 575, Stage Profile Plus, Stage Zooms, Vari*lite VL1000s, and some LED devices.

Tom Sutherland, moving light operator, said, "The rehearsals for the show are very fast paced and it is vital that we are able to react quickly in real time. The ability on the Vector to be able to have everything you need visible and where you want it and being able to toggle between groups, snaps, cue lists, etc. using tabs on the touch screen is invaluable when working at speed."

"I record a snapshot of all the playback assignments and settings for each song, which enables me to quickly and easily change to the right setup for each song at the touch of a button" said Sutherland.