Robe BMFLs on Call at CCI Awards

	2015 CCI Call Centre Awards with Robe

Gearhouse South Africa (GHSA)'s Ryan Dunbar became the latest South African lighting designer to be impressed with Robe's new BMFL fixtures after using the Bright Multi-Functional Luminaire at the 2015 CCI Call Centre Awards staged at Durban International Convention Centre (DICC).

The annual event welcomes 2,000 guests for an evening of entertainment and fun. This year the organizers asked GHSA to design a custom stage -- complete with runway leading from the main to a circular satellite stage where awards were presented mid-audience -- as well as supply the lighting, audio, and video.

As well as the BMFLs, Dunbar also used nearly 100 other Robe moving lights -- 24 Pointes, 48 LEDWash 600s, and 24 LEDBeam 100s, together with 48 Robe LEDForce PARs -- and a selection of other lights.

The BMFLs were positioned at the four corners of the stage on the floor and used to project massive gobo patterns in the air above the audience, taking the onstage excitement right to the back of the arena. "The zoom function is fantastic" states Dunbar. "The coverage is simply amazing."

When not in action for gobo projection and cool aerials, the BMFLs were panned and scanned as tight fat-beams of light around and across the audience just above head-height. "When in narrow focus, they resemble searchlights," said Dunbar, adding: "They are truly impressive and instantly bring a big arena / sense-of-occasion atmosphere to any room."

The backdrop at the back of the main stage comprised three trussing "diamonds." The inside of each diamond shape was toned with four LEDForce PARs. LED panels were rigged in the center of the diamonds fed with graphics that gave the effect of movement.

The front of the DJ booth was clad with a semi-triangle of truss fitted with LED battens which accentuated the general triangular design including the double triangles of the diamond trusses. The 24 x LEDBeam 100s were suspended just below the truss diamonds and Dunbar said he made the most of their "fast movement and punchiness" to create potent mid-air beam effects.

Overhead were four randomly angled raked "finger" trusses which added an edge and a bit of chaos to the picture, and on these were the Robe Pointes, the LEDWash 600s, and more LEDForce PARs.

The Pointes shot their piercing beams from all angles and directions: "They are quick, bright, and the six-facet rotating prism layered over the gobos is just fantastic," enthused Dunbar.

A 9m diameter truss was flown directly above the satellite stage, rigged with 12 LEDWash 600s around its perimeter. "The LEDWash 600 is a major 'workhorse' LED wash light for The Gearhouse Group" explains Dunbar. "They are used constantly on all our shows."

Alternating LEDWash 600s were positioned on the two rails of the truss to give full 360 coverage on the circular stage.

Dunbar comments that the LEDWash's CTO whites are "a superb feature and look great on numerous skin tones. The functionality of the LEDWash 600 means it can be used as a front key-light making it a really versatile 'all-rounder'".

More Pointes and LEDWash 600s were also dotted around the circular truss which made a handy lighting position for both projecting lights out across the crowd or tilting them back to a center mark on the stage below. "All highly effective eye candy," the lighting designer concludes.

He ran the light show on an M1 lighting console.

Dunbar has been fascinated by lighting and visuals since he was at school and used to sneak into clubs to DJ and organize parties. He's been working for GHSA for two years now and been using Robe products in his design work for the last 10 years. He comments, "they are solid, reliable, high-quality workhorses that never disappoint."