World's Largest Digital Lighting Install

[BluePlanetLighting]

February 2007 - World's Largest Digital Lighting Installation at Evangel Cathedral in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Lighting Design and Installation by Blue Planet Lighting, Inc. of Hollister, Missouri.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snImnv0c6k8[/media]

Mike Gormley
Blue Planet Lighting, Inc.
www.blueplanetlighting.com

[maccalder]

May seem like a silly question - but 10 (or was it 12 or even 8... anyway...) DL2's is hardly "Worlds Largest" - what else was there?

Added to that - was the sole purpose of the DL2's for the rear edge blend? if so (again, maybe silly question) but why the extra expense for DL2s when static projectors would give you a better image for less cost.

Regards

Mac

[DaveySimps]

I agree, hardly the world's largest moving light install.

~Dave

[gafftaper]

Looks good but I'm sure that there are clubs out there with more than DL2's than that.

Alex/Porkchop do they have a bunch of DL2's at that big Mormon facility with all the ETC gear(I can't remember it's name)?

Davin/Derek what about major Vegas shows?

[derekleffew]

...Davin/Derek what about major Vegas shows?

Aliante Station just opened on Tuesday with four DL.3s in their 700-seat showroom/lounge. I believe both Red Rock and Green Valley Station have DL.2s in their main rooms. Central Christian Church has four DL.2s. To my knowledge, none of the major shows are using digital fixtures--yet.

[BluePlanetLighting]

As of February 1, 2007 when this video was shot, this project was the largest number of DL.2's / Digital Lights ever installed into a permanent installation on one of the largest stages on the east coast.

The fixtures in this config were used for the upstage projection as well as for aerials and house wash per the LD.

Mike Gormley
Blue Planet Lighting, Inc.
Blue Planet Lighting - Professional Entertainment Stage Lighting, Service and Design

[icewolf08]

As of February 1, 2007 when this video was shot, this project was the largest number of DL.2's / Digital Lights ever installed into a permanent installation on one of the largest stages on the east coast.

The fixtures in this config were used for the upstage projection as well as for aerials and house wash per the LD.

Do you want a cookie?

The LDS conference center doesn't own and DL fixtures, they just don't use the functionality.

As far as large digital light shows and venues, I have heard of many much larger installs of DL fixtures. Possibly not permanent, but still, much more impressive. Didn't they just do a larger digital light install for the Olympics in Beijing? I have also heard of a bunch of indoor arenas that have been putting in digital light systems, I know that I have seen a video of one with at least 8 fixtures in some basketball arena, and that was not recent. I am also pretty sure that the Energy Solutions Arena here in SLC just bought a bunch of ShowGuns and DLs.

So, it's cool, and I bet it was cool for you guys to install, good. You might have to try harder to impress us though, we are pretty shrewd. Oh, and unless that stage compares to the MET, then you've got nothing close to one of the largest stages on the east coast. While not on the east coast, I would also be interested to know how the venue compares to the LDS conference center here in SLC, 21000 seat indoor venue with no obstructed sightlines and a minimum throw distance from any fixed position to the stage of 50 feet.

[icewolf08]

Maybe I should apologize for my cynicism. It just strikes me as an odd first impression to plug your company like that. Maybe a title like "Really cool digital light install" or a qualifier like "Largest East Coast DL install" or "Largest Digital light install for a house of worship" would make it seem like a less crazy claim that we all jump on.

[BluePlanetLighting]

No worries on my end... I apologize if some are getting the wrong idea, but the fact of the matter is, this install, AT THE TIME, was the largest purchase of DL.2 fixtures as well as the most units installed into one venue. Additionally at 90' wide, it was the largest collage being done at the time with these fixtures.

As far as entertainment stage lighting was concerned, this was a top digital lighting project at the time....(Early 2007) While many of you may not be impressed, my company was 5 months old at the time and we are VERY proud of this job and the press we received on it. The credit for the "worlds largest permanent DL install" was given to us via High End Systems and we are very proud of that as well....

So yes, I suppose a DO want a cookie.....

[SerraAva]

I have to agree with just about everyone else. While it is a cool use of toys, the seams are driving me crazy. I think it would have been much better with projectors. DL.2s are 5300 lumens? What happens we stage wash is turned on? 5300 lumens isn't going to stand up to 750w or 575w Source Fours. Unless they are overlaid, which I don't believe they are because I can count projector 'blocks', they don't stand a chance I am sorry to say.

This was 8 Christie DLP 8k's or 10k's, forget which, blended seamlessly with an Encore for a 10' high x 40' wide screen. This was done back in 2006, the company has since done larger, 10' x 60', 20' x 60' and I think we even did 10' x 80' one time.

[BluePlanetLighting]

Great pictures Serra! Very clean look, I like it alot.

Yes, the 10 DL.2's were collaged "seamless", however most of my footage was prior to Scott setting them up and doing his collage magic... even then those DL.2's were early in production when the collage and seaming feature/software was still iffy, especially with certain graphics. The DL.3's are so much better in this aspect now.

[porkchop]

Well right off the bat I was going to just on the cynical band wagon, but I'm actually not going to do that. As you have tried hard to point out this was at a time when a lot of people that weren't lighting geeks would ask you "DL what?" There are certainly a few things I would ask questions as to why the decisions were made. Like why moving fixtures for a mostly static shot, and why really expensive digital fixtures for a potential house wash when cheap scanner units would do it, etc... But in the end you convinced a customer that you wouldn't normally think of that large format projection and the use of a media server were a useful tool that they should invest in. I'm sure that whatever the standard of performances was before this install was that it has really gone up since then. Basically I really think that projection is going to be a large part of the future of lighting and every venue that buys into that idea excites me.

As a side note given that you have now shown your hand in knowing a bit about projection, maybe you could help out a little in the all too often ignored Multimedia and Projection forum (although responses do seem to have grown in number since I first asked a few questions there)

[Pie4Weebl]

Do you guys do just install work or production too/ what gear do you guys use?

[BluePlanetLighting]

We provide complete entertainment lighting design, sales and service. Not a rental house right now as we operate debt free. Once the gear comes, so do the loans, etc.

We are dealers for HES, Vari*Lite, ETC, Clay Paky and many others.

For more complete information, visit us online at Blue Planet Lighting - Professional Entertainment Stage Lighting, Service and Design

Take care,
Mike Gormley

[gafftaper]

For the skeptics I do want to also point out that he has over and over said PERMANENT installation. The Olympics in Beijing used WAY more projectors than this but it was not for a permanent install. I guess when you think about it there may be concert tours that use more DL2's than that but they aren't permanent. Most large screen projections like that use static projectors. And although there are a lot of DL2's out there in really expensive clubs they are going to mix them with static video and moving head lighting fixtures to save money. Then when you add the "at the time factor" it becomes very likely that his claim is exactly true. Is it still the largest permanent install? Probably not but that isn't what he claimed is it.

Give the man a break. You're all just jealous that you don't have 10 of them in your home facility.

[TRRHINO]

Maybe I should apologize for my cynicism. It just strikes me as an odd first impression to plug your company like that. Maybe a title like "Really cool digital light install" or a qualifier like "Largest East Coast DL install" or "Largest Digital light install for a house of worship" would make it seem like a less crazy claim that we all jump on.

Here Here....

[Pie4Weebl]

pictures like this on the website really don't help your case too much though:

[BluePlanetLighting]

That picture as well as many others were taken during rehearsal and the collage setup... You can see some of the final looks of this install in the video as well as in the media gallery where this install was covered by quite a few media outlets.

Additionally, as you have browsed in our gallery section, there are many other photos showing the various stages and final look of the install. The multiple looks and stages of the install was exactly what we wanted to depict in the photos and video we took.

As I have said before, I apologize if this install or the design regarding it bothers anyone, however myself, the customer and our vendor are all extremely happy with it nearly 2 years later. This video was merely posted for interested digital lighting peeps, not for us to stick our chests out. The title sounded impressive and was legit at time of video, so I rolled with it....

Thanks for checking out the website, and the criticism, as we truly appreciate every bit of it as it helps us grow.

Mike Gormley
Blue Planet Lighting, Inc.
Blue Planet Lighting - Professional Entertainment Stage Lighting, Service and Design

[Pie4Weebl]

oh I saw the final pictures and I've done DL2 collaging so yeah I know how slick it can look, I'm just making the point that putting pictures like that on the website might give potential clients the wrong impression about what it looks like when finished and might not be in your best interest.

[TimMiller]

I remember comming across a press release about this install. This was done back when the DL2's were just released, and the AXON had just been released. I thought it was really cool. It is one of the biggest DL2 installs. Yes, there are lots of bands out on the road with them who can flip the 1400 dollar a day pricing. I am specing 12 for an upcoming event.

[elite1trek]

As a Murderland...erm....Maryland resident myself, I am going to have to go up and see this place. It looks awesome.

[BluePlanetLighting]

The church is amazing... In addition to the DL.2's, they have over 75 moving lights, hundreds of dimmers, Hog III, Hog II, Axon Media Servers and a slew of other gear.. They also have an amazing Vortek Flyrail System.

[fredthe]

...They also have an amazing Vortek Flyrail System.

I've heard tales of that system, from one of the installers. Did they ever get it fully working?

[BluePlanetLighting]

We were not involved in that one, however I believe the problems all stemmed off the wireless controller programming or software on the Vortek... Not 100% sure, but I do believe that was the culprit.