Reading-based Version 2 helps Duncan source PROLIGHTS LED Fresnels range to meet his technical and creative requirements - high luminosity, creative flexibility and quality build
Bob Allen from AC-ET provides a demonstration of the capabilities of the PROLIGHTS Fresnel range at its High Wycombe product demo room
New lighting design installed at Wimbledon tennis championship TV studios
Successful broadcast series results in ESPN and Version 2 entering into long term partnership
When US sports broadcaster ESPN wanted a new look for its broadcasting studio at the Wimbledon tennis championships it appointed Duncan Elsam as its new lighting director to oversee a complete new look and feel.
Commissioned to source new lighting Fresnels for the new look studio, Reading-based lighting specialists Version 2 Lights introduced Duncan to AC-ET's PROLIGHTS range.
We explore how our PROLIGHTS LED Fresnels range helped deliver a new lighting design in a tight studio space, where high luminosity and creative flexibility within a compact unit were essential.
PROLIGHTS LED Fresnels - maximum creative output in a compact minimal space
With space always at a premium in these small pop-up broadcast studios, one of the key challenges for compact lighting design is achieving the right premium quality look, without the lighting tech getting in the way.
ESPN is one of many broadcasters that occupy the various studio spaces at Wimbledon, and each studio has its own signature style to reflect both broadcaster and viewer preferences.
For ESPN, Duncan was very clear on the textured multi-layered look he wanted to achieve - one that also chimed with the lighting aesthetics of US broadcasters, which tend to veer towards warmer, honey tones. The challenge here was to break the mold a bit with a studio lighting design that brought the outside in, but gave sharp, crisp clarity to the presenters.
With a presenting lineup that included US tennis veterans John McEnroe, Chris Evert Lloyd and Pam Shriver, this was a studio that had some big names in the limelight.
An introduction to PROLIGHTS Fresnels by Reading-based Version 2
When it came to sourcing new lighting tech to meet the design brief, lighting rental specialists Version 2 were tasked with a particular challenge from Duncan - namely to specify a lighting solution that brought illumination power, clarity, and creative flexibility with a compact, robust design.
“With Wimbledon, it’s all about greenery, foliage and the freshness of the grass courts. For the new ESPN broadcast studio we wanted to create a fresh organic feel - one that reflected the aesthetics of these iconic grounds, but with crisp defined lighting in the studio. We needed to show each of the presenters in their best light, and create layers of texture around the minimalist set, with the added challenge of natural light streaming in behind.”
