PL Series LED luminaires Inspire Students at Cal Arts to Create Unique Lighting Designs

	They Are Dying Out Cal Arts, lighting designer, Seth Chang.

With a curriculum that strives to use the latest systems and technology in numerous productions, students in the Cal Arts lighting design program refine their design skills led by theatre and architectural lighting designer Anne Militello, who recently worked with Forman & Associates to bring in a new a stockpile of PL Series LED lighting tools from Philips Entertainment, which included PLProfile1, PLCyc1, PL3 Wash, and PLProfile4 LED luminaires.

"It all began when we brought Forman & Associates in to speak about LED luminaires for the theatre," Militello says. "They then called me back a few weeks later with a proposition from Philips Entertainment that would allow us to get the PL Series LED luminaires into the hands of our students, and we were very eager to accept. We don't own any LED fixtures and so we could sometimes rent a few, but at those times, the student designers would essentially use them for color fills as opposed to their main theatrical fixtures."

"This was my first time to use LED fixtures, and before this, I didn't really like LED because I thought the color was sort of fake and the color temperatures were never quite right," says Cal Arts senior Seth Chang. "I was a little worried about how they would actually perform for us, so when we first got the lights, I spent two afternoons in the theatre playing around with them. I have to say, the colors they can create are truly amazing. They can literally provide any color you want, plus because they are RGBW, I was able to not only adjust the color, but I could also adjust the color temperature if needed, which to me is absolutely fantastic."

While first being used in the classroom environment, it was when the student designers got to use the PL Series LED luminaires in an actual performance that the real test would come. Built on the proven Philips Entertainment LED technology, this was a test that the new fixtures passed not only based on their colors, but their power as well.

"I have done a few shows with the PL Series luminaires, both as a programmer and also as the designer of my own shows," says senior Nicholas Diaz. "For the designs I've created, I used them in a large concert-type event, which had a lot of energy, and I wanted the fixtures very specifically for their power. Since we were in one of the smaller venues and space was a concern, I used the PL3 Wash, PLProfile1, and PLCyc LED luminaires. I had lit this event before, and in using the PL Series, I was able to have more color options with less hang time and eliminate all incandescent fixtures. Plus, with the physical size of the room as a challenge, by using the PL Series, we significantly cut down the heat generated from the lighting and it kept the room a lot cooler."

"When I was functioning as the programmer, we used a combination of the PL3 Wash and the PLProfile4 fixtures in our largest venue because we needed their punch and power for the throw distances. I love the lights from a programming perspective because I was able to give the designer the exact look he was going for. As we were building color palettes, it was important that we could get any color we wanted out of the PL Series fixtures. It was amazing to be able to pick a color on the console and then have it render beautifully with the lights."

In a theatrical environment it is not only the performance of the lighting tools on a particular show that matters but their consistent performance throughout a full season. This is no different at Cal Arts, where 15 - 20 productions each year means 50 student technicians work an almost continual basis, giving the students the opportunity to find their favorite light.

"Personally, I am a huge fan of the PLCyc, and I have recommended them to several people who are trying to upgrade their systems," Diaz says. "I love how the reflector provides a gradual disbursement of the light, which makes it a much more natural cyc wash. In the past, we may have only had enough incandescent cyc lights to do a ground row for a particular show, but with the PLCyc, because of their wide and even wash, we can now do a ground and top row. They really illuminate a lot of space."

Now immersed in a new year with new productions ahead, the students at Cal Arts are enjoying the fulfillment of the school's creed to provide them with the latest in systems and technology. With the PL Series LED luminaires, they now not only have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of proven LED technology in their own theatrical environment, but they are also eager to share with others just how the PL Series LED luminaires can enhance any lighting design.

Militello says, "When you bring in new technologies, the students are always a bit skeptical until they get their hands on them and start working with them, but I believe we have many converts now. As LED technology continues to become more commonplace, it is a tremendous advantage that the kids are getting to use the PL Series fixtures now instead of only hearing about them. It's fun to see the students start to push the envelope with what the lights can do, and I have seen them start to use some whites that are not in the traditional color spectrum of a tungsten and that you can only get with the LED fixtures. It is an interesting and wonderful experience to watch them create these great lighting looks for their shows."