High End Systems' Halcyon Gold Illuminates Miss North Carolina PageantHigh End Systems Halcyon Gold fixtures were the workhorse moving framing fixtures on the Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina Teen Beauty Pageants, held last month in High Point, NC. Platinum Live Productions handled the lighting production, also bringing a Road Hog 4-21 console and HQ-100 hazers out for the competition. The festivite also held the Miss North Carolina Teen pageant. A multi-functional production company, Platinum (PLP) works extensively in the House of Worship and festival markets, as well as corporate work, sales, and installations. The company has provided lighting for the pageant since 2018; the show is produced by Jacob Godwin with Jacob Godwin Productions and Rob Snyder with RSP. PLP owner Anthony Congdon created the lighting and stage design with input from Snyder, who also handled Production Management duties. Lighting director and programmer for the show was Kurt Wilson. For this year's competition, PLP used 16 Halcyon Gold in the rig in four rows of four. Congdon says, "We put them in a 4x4 formation to keep the design integrity of the LED 'sky.' They were used to add aerial effects and beams throughout the stage, as well as used to shutter off the runway in certain productions throughout the pageant. We painted the Marley floor with various gobos to add a nice texture to the stage. The saturation from the CMY flags helped compliment the contestants' talent and various other sections in the competition amazingly!" PLP has always been an HES exclusive house, using the ETC brand as their 'go-to' rental inventory. Anthony explains, "We purchased SolaSpot 3000, SolaPix 7, and HEX, taking ownership of the new lights a week before the COVID shutdown. Unfortunately, they sat for 18 months without use, and upon return there had been a shift in the types of shows we were doing, as a result we became a very heavy corporate production company. When the Halycon series launched, I found a new home for the 3K's and called my sales rep, Clint Wingrove. I said, 'I need those Halcyon.' We loved the size / weight to lumen output and the feature set, along with the staples that have made High End Systems lights what they are today. We decided to purchase the Halcyon Gold and haven't looked back since. The colors are ridiculous, the framing shutters are great, the gobos are awesome, but the weight and size are PERFECT for the applications that we use them in." Wilson adds, "We purchased 20 Halcyon Gold, primarily because we really liked the size and features of the fixture. We do a lot of different types of shows, and the Gold's weight and size are perfect for all of them. The output is great for smaller venues and ballrooms, but we could use Halcyon Gold in an arena setting as well. The colors are great, and the framing shutters are awesome -- especially when we use them for key light." Platinum Live Productions holds a similar brand loyalty to the Hog 4 platform. Anthony enthuses, "We've been onboard since the Hog 500, and use Hog 4 as our 'go-to' install console due to its simple interface, ease of use for volunteers, and robust feature set. We love the Road Hog 4-21, and feel that is the best value for the screen size and output. For the corporate shows, it's easier than carrying a Full Boar or Hog 4-18." For atmospherics, PLP used High End Systems HQ-100 Hazers. Congdon says, "The HQ-100 is just awesome! It is our preferred water-based hazer; it creates a nice even, white haze that perfectly highlights the Halcyon's features." The High End Systems lighting rig helped to create an environment that truly did justice to the beautiful North Carolina contestants. When the "haze" cleared, Taylor Loyd, representing Statesville, was crowned Miss North Carolina 2023 at High Point Theater. Joining Congdon and Wilson on the show were L2/LED tech Suttyn Barrett and V2 Stephen El Homsi. Jacob Godwin was producer, director, and video director for graphics and all content on the screens. 
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