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Queen Rock The School!
Though perhaps best known for its work in large scale theatrical, corporate and event productions, entertainment lighting supplier White Light aims to offer the same quality of service - support and equipment - to any size or style of production, from the biggest West End musical to those just starting out in lighting at school. For a recent project, the challenge was to bring the spectacular style of the biggest shows to Clapton Girls’ Technology College in Hackney, for their production of We Will Rock You - The Schools Edition.
“The challenge was creating a design that looked bigger than it was - the school wanted the lighting to replicate the West End Show, with that rock-and-roll feel and wow factor - but all within their budget,” explains Joss Gamble, White Light’s Hire & Schools co-ordinator, who liaised with the school and then worked with them to realise the design. “Plus they kept getting new ideas, asking for increasingly complex things, including pyro!”
To achieve all of this, White Light supplied a versatile rig including eight Martin MAC500 moving spotlights, eight LED ChromaQ ColourBlocks, 24 PAR cans, ten CCT Minuette Fs and 26m of trussing spread across four truss stands. “We only had three days to fit-up, plot, tech and dress the whole thing, so I used a grandMA Lite console, which enabled me to plot very quickly and to alter and add a lot of information ‘on-the-fly’,” Gamble explains. “The truss and stands were also invaluable as they let me create a rock-and-roll feel without the hassle of creating a ground support structure; we couldn’t use any of the school’s existing rigging as it had been condemned. The ColorBlocks acted as truss toners and looked stunning, and the Macs were fantastic.” A Unique 2 haze machine and two Viper NT smoke machines completed the rig, ensuring the beams of light were clearly visible in the air, while, ever versatile, White Light also assisted the school with the set-up and operation of the sound rig!
"The Expressive Arts Department here at Clapton likes to think big and believe that nothing is impossible,” explains Ray Pinch, Head of Expressive Arts. “This ethos was whole heartedly taken on board by Joss and the folks from White Light who provided a design which went beyond even my big ideas to give us a real West End feeling – can’t wait for next time!"
After the excitement of lighting the show, Gamble is back at White Light ready to help other schools with their lighting, his role as White Light’s School’s co-ordinator being to work with schools and colleges to offer any assistance he can, whether that be handling a hire order for a rig designed by the school, helping with the choice of equipment, or carrying a design through from initial concept to completed lighting.
In picture: the ‘We Will Rock You’ cast at Clapton Girls School photo Joss Gamble
10th August 2007
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