Dame Edna
LD: Tom Kinane
Lighting designer Tom Kinane specified 64 i-Pix Satellite LED fixtures to
illuminate the set of the current series of the Dame Edna Everage Show.
The
series, directed by John F D Northover, is being produced by Tiger Aspect
productions and recorded at London Studios. It sees the triumphant return
of housewife and self-confessed ‘gigastar’ Dame Edna to the UK’s
small screens in this brand new ITV1 spring series.
The striking set was designed by Dennis de Grout. It features two sets of sweeping staircases and an overall epic movie star feel to match Dame Edna’s flamboyance and charisma, together with some classy deco-style architecture. It’s crowned by 5 jaunty, eye-catching pairs of large scenic Dame Edna spectacles.
Kinane collaborated closely with de Grout to ensure the lighting both compliments and contrasts perfectly with the scenic elements, resulting in a beautifully colourful and visual backdrop for the show.
Kinane comments that the extremely tight budget was his department’s biggest challenge, and he therefore needed to choose his lighting instruments very carefully to ensure they could be squeezed creatively to the max.
Satellites are rigged on the ends of the stair treads, shooting up the walls of the set, and also in front of and behind all the sets of spectacles. “It was absolutely the right tool to use – they are the fixtures that I am currently happiest using” Kinane confirms, adding, “Lighting the entire set with them has also proved to be the most cost-efficient and effective option”.
The satellites at the rear of the spectacles are beaming through polystyrene baffles which act as diffusers to attain an even spread across the whole area.
The fixtures are being supplied by a combination of HSL and Automated Lighting (who are also supplying the moving lights).
Kinane adds that another great advantage of using Satellites is their neat and streamlined appearance, “They look so good and are practically invisible anywhere, so there’s never a problem with having them in camera shot” he said, which helped massively in this case with the ones on the end of the stairs.
Kinane first used Satellites on the National Lottery Show – where they are again lighting the entire set – as part of a 3 year studio installation.
Satellite features include ultra smooth dimmer response, an easy-to-read LCD user interface and easy address and set up. Easily attachable clip-on beam adjusters make the fixture yet more versatile, ‘hirable’ and very engineer friendly – so the crew love them!
The Satellites and moving lights for the Dame Edna show were programmed by Svend Pedersen on a WholeHog II console. Working with Kinane on the series are moving light gaffer Richard Jarvis, vision controller Steve Williams and gaffer Micky Sullivan.
13th April 2007.
Photos © Louise Stickland courtesy of HSL
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