France Télévision lights up with LEDs; PAG supports DSLRs; Production Management explained; and Lowel speeds lights into Europe.
Little space – Lots of light
France Télévision has equipped its Bordeaux studio with eleven Litepanels 1×1 flood lighting fixtures fitted by the supplier, K5600 Lighting.
“We decided on the Litepanels 1×1 LED lighting fixtures as the studio is very small. We faced the challenge that there is very little space between the studio decor and the journalists. Being extremely flat, the fixtures are well suited to our studio. The speakers’ faces are perfectly illuminated and yet the decor is only faintly lit up,” explained Didier Gorbaty, DoP and technical consultant for France Télévision in Bordeaux.
Colour temperature was also an important factor in the choice. “There are a lot of plasma displays with a colour temperature of 5600K. Therefore, it is an added advantage to have Litepanels lights working at the same temperature. As TV news is produced in the studio, it is important that the faces be lit softly in a clear light, without any noticeable effects. The 1×1 fixtures are perfectly suited to this purpose.”
The 1×1 fixtures can be combined with different frames into 2×2 or 4×4 configurations, produce little heat (saving on air conditioning), and use little power.
They are available in 3200K and 5600K, can dim from 100% to 0% with minimal colour shift, and are flicker-free.
www.litepanels.com
www.k5600lighting.com
PAG offers shoulder support for DSLRs
The PAG Orbitor was originally designed for use with handheld camcorders, but it is now also available for HD DSLRs.
The Orbitor’s shoulder assembly has a counterbalance weight to offset the weight of the camera and accessories. The weight of the entire assembly is supported from underneath by a sprung telescopic suspension rod that slots into a waist belt. The rod absorbs any bounce created by walking, reducing camera shake.
The shoulder assembly is secured to the waist belt using two shoulder straps, to prevent movement of the rig during use. The system is simple to set-up and adjustable for differently shaped users.
It has a quick-release camera mounting plate, compatible with Manfrotto tripods, for quick interchange between supports, or for switching from DSLR to a camcorder.
The Orbitor accommodates such camera accessories as a follow focus system, a monitor and an audio recorder, and costs £425.
A Guide to Production Management
A Production Manager is a key role in any film or TV production, with responsibilities ranging from budget, to planning, hiring crew, liaising with facilities, and much more. However, there isn’t a lot of training available for anyone seeking to become one, nor is it an easy area to get into, which is why the Production Managers Association and Methuen Publishing have got together to bring out: Production Management for Film and TV, The Professional Guide.
“There really is not much specific training for people wanting to be PMs, and I saw this as a great opportunity to pass on all that I had learnt in the last 20 odd years,” said its author, Linda Stradling, a Production Manager and professional trainer.
The ever-increasing pressure on budgets is making the PM’s job more vital to a production’s successful completion, she believes. “You can’t know all the answers, but you do have to know who to ask the answers of and not be afraid since asking questions is the key to being a successful production manager.”
Besides being a training manual for anyone wanting to become a production manager, the book would also be useful for people working in other production areas, especially those who want an insight into why a PM might be interested in hiring them for their next project.
Lowel increases light speed for Europe
Lowel Lights, part of Tiffen International, has improved its delivery times to European customers, thanks to new warehousing and distribution systems offering next-day delivery and local currency payment.
The warehousing has been located at BBP Light in Amsterdam to take advantage of the city’s fast transport connections throughout Europe. “Now that European customers can order duty-paid goods in their own time zone, pay in their own currency and get next-day delivery we hope our Lowel lights will be as successful here as they have been in the USA,” said Kevan Parker, Tiffen’s European Sales Manager.
Its portable lighting includes: the versatile Blender LED fixture (pictured) that mixes daylight and tungsten to match ambient lighting; Softcore, which brings soft, high colour rendering index (CRI) daylight fluorescent to most softboxes; and the Trio three-lamp fluorescent for studio quality daylight or tungsten lighting.
