Icy Stage Design Tributes Lightning at Fast 50 Awards

Yesterday was all about lighting for the Lightning (try saying that 10 times in a row)! We had the privilege of creating an “icy” stage design for Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Fast 50 Awards Luncheon, held at A La Carte Event Pavilion.   

The lighting design for this event revolved around the event’s keynote speaker, Jeff Vinik, Chairman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the club’s Governor on the NHL’s Board of Governors.

Working alongside A La Carte Event Pavilion and Audio Visual Support Services (AVSS), we created a perfect “cool blue stage tribute” for the hometown hockey team.  

With Color Kinetics ColorBlast 12 LED fixtures, along with ETC Source 4 Lekos and Pars, intense shades of blues washed the stage and enhanced the “cold ice rink” ambiance. A Rosco X-Effects projector used with a slight motion simulated ice to complete the stage tribute.

We have done many events for Tampa Bay Business Journal, and it’s always a pleasure designing their events. Also, working with professional and reputable vendors like A La Carte Event Pavilion and AVSS, allows for a flawless production and that desired audience reaction.

Congratulations to the Fast 50 award winner, Dynamix Mechanical with 733% growth; which makes them the fastest-growing company in Tampa Bay.  

New Decor Frames Are Here! Perfect for Corporate Presentations and Weddings

Our two new custom décor frames are here! The two frames are identical, so they can either be used together, for presentation purposes, or separately as décor elements, like shown below.

The new frames have a whimsical look to them and have the same gold-leaf finish as our large 14’ x 16’ frame. Similar to our other frames, they are lightweight and can be rigged or ground supported. However, they’re ideally to be used as screen surrounds, due to their thinner, more ornate sides.

Each frame comes in four separate, 12” wide pieces. When put together, each frame has the total (outside) dimension of 9.5’ x 12’. The inside dimension measures 7.5’ x 10’, which is the standard size for a Stumpfl fast-fold screen (for all you AV people). The frames were sized so that they could be used universally. A 7.5’ x 10’ screen is used widely amongst venues and AV companies, and is the standard screen size for corporate meetings and large presentations.

Although these frames were sized for presentation screens, they still make for great décor elements at any kind of event. As I mentioned before, high-end wedding planner, Sandy Rule, used the frames for a wedding seating chart.  Photographers can showcase pre-wedding photos of the bride and groom in a new way; or can use the frames as a prop in a photo shoot.

These frames are designed to be used for anything. So if you can think it, these frames can do it! They are now available for rent. They can be rented individually or as a pair. And don’t forget, we have smaller and larger frames available for rent as well. Pricing for our custom décor frames start at $150. To see more, click here.

Event planner, Sandy Rule, used the new 9.5' x 12' frame to present her bride and groom's seating chart.
Names have been blurred to respect the privacy of the bride and groom, and their guests. 

Large, gold decor frame

Small, gold decor frame
Courtesy of Sandy Rule Events, Inc. 

Small, silver decor frame

Lighting Trends & Misperceptions

What are the latest lighting trends?

LED up-lighting is new and very common for events. Bay Stage Lighting has been recognized as LED innovators due to their expertise with the fixtures. Here are 4 reasons why LEDs are perfect for any event:

1.)          Each fixture uses the combination of three colors, red, green and blue (RGB) to produce over 16 million different colors. 

2.)          Cost and energy efficient as well as safe, generating little to no heat.

3.)          Small and compact while illuminating high intensity light (keep in mind this doesn’t always mean “bright” light)

4.)          Fixtures can constantly be controlled, changing lights throughout an     event, with a click of a button

Are there any misperceptions with lighting?

Many people don’t consider lighting as a necessity for event design, but it is. Even the simplest lighting can transform any space. No other décor element can evoke guests’ emotions or create dramatic ambiences like lighting can.

We also hear “I don’t have a large enough budget to incorporate lighting,” when in reality, funds just 

need to be reallocated. Top event planners around the nation are advising their clients to forgo expensive accessories and spend on lighting, which is cheaper, since lighting has a larger impact. With good lighting, no one will think twice about where the expensive linens or centerpieces went.

These pictures from the 2010 Sun Coast Hospice Ball, showcase the LED trend and that no matter what, a room doesn't look complete without lighting. 

Ballroom complete before LEDs

Ballroom transforms with LEDs. 

Different colors create different ambiances

Event Lighting 101: Budget & Common Mistakes

Okay, so now that you know lighting is important (at least we hope you do after reading our past blog posts), you will need a strong foundation/ knowledge base when consulting lighting providers.  

Budget and quality are two important aspects to consider when shopping for event lighting. To get a better grasp on the two, we have provided answers to common questions regarding budget and quality. 

What should a client budget for lighting?

Good, professional lighting doesn’t come packaged (or at least it doesn’t at Bay Stage Lighting) so there are rarely “set” prices to go off of.  We say to commit at least 30% of your event budget to lighting. When sitting down with a lighting designer, they can develop a custom design to maximize your budget.

What are the most common mistakes clients make with lighting?

Going off the topic of LEDs, we want to give you a word of advice when choosing a LED provider. Many event entertainers will offer their own lighting as a part of their entertainment package for a cheaper price, but like they say… you get what you pay for. There are good quality LEDs and bad quality LEDs out there. Think of it like using a camera vs. a camera phone. At the time using your camera phone to “capture that moment,” will do just fine, but when looking back at the quality of the photo, it’s nothing but disappointing and that “moment” wasn’t captured like you wished. The same goes for LED lighting, stick with lighting professionals for best results because if you don’t, you are going to wish you had.  

We demonstrate the "camera phone mistake" here, when we were setting-up for the 2011 Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Coronation Ball and tried to capture the magnitude of this event.   

Camera phone snap-shot 

Actual camera captures the magnitude of the Ball

The Event Planning Process and Lighting

At what point in the planning process should lighting be introduced?

Preferably, as soon as the event’s overall décor theme is determined. When meeting with a lighting designer, you really need to have some idea as to what you want the design to accomplish. Details like venue and entertainment should already be decided upon, so a LD can ensure the design covers event specifics.

However, we know event planning is notorious for last minute add-ons. Find a well-established lighting company equipped with a large inventory of lighting equipment, and last minute orders shouldn’t be a problem. For example, Bay Stage Lighting’s Customer Service Counter located within the 15,000 sq. ft. warehouse provides professional, face-to-face assistance to customers.

Unique design tools like Bay Stage Lighting’s Dream Theater, has the technology to digitally walk clients through a 3D rendering of their event design. Not only is the event design seen with realism and accuracy, but design changes can be made with a click of a button and seen instantly; making last minute event design changes easy as pie. 

Dream Theater at within Bay Stage Lighting's Tampa warehouse

 A Dream Theater digital rendering 

The actual event

Event Lighting Basics: Spots & Washes

What kind of lighting should a client consider when designing their event?

Here are simple explanations of some fixtures commonly used for event design. Keep in mind, that most lighting designers will know what to use to best accomplish a client’s desires.

If you want the room to change colors throughout the event, consider LEDs as they can be pre-programmed to automatically change. LEDs are great for up-lighting a room, don’t use much energy and generate little/to no heat. They are also small and compact making them easy to hide.

Lekos and Parnels are static lights, meaning they don’t move and can only change colors by placing gel sheets over the lamp. So if you want to project an image in the same spot, Lekos are the way to go. If a single color is desired for the event space, Parnels can accomplish such.

Lekos (spots) can be used to project a static image, like a logo or  pattern on a wall. A metal or glass Gobo (stencil) is made to create the image that will be projected and is placed inside a Leko fixture.   

Parnels (washes) create a solid “wash” of color on a surface. This is another way to up-light or down-light a room; however, they are larger than LEDs and cannot change color.   

Here you see Lekos projecting a static pattern. LEDs are up-lighting the area.

Venue: St. Pete Museum of Fine Art
Wedding Design: Sandy Rule
Photo: Lockwood Studios
There are also moving fixtures (called moving-heads) spots and washes.

Moving-Head Spots also use Gobos to project an image but has the ability to move it around the room. They can also interchange between different images, patterns, etc. with a click of a button. This fixture can produce many different kinds of special effects; all of which can be programmed to synch with music.   

Moving-Head Washes do the same thing as Parnels but are able to change the wash color and control the movement of the wash, with a click of a button. These fixtures are mostly used for stage design (the moving beams of light).

Here is an example of the effects moving-head spots and washes can create.

Tampa Bay NACE meeting
Photo: Pezz Photo

Moving-head washes are great for stages, as seen here.

2011 Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Coronation Ball
Stage design: Greg Utley, Bay Stage Lighting
Photo: Amber Wolcott, Bay Stage Lighting

Reinventing the Disco Ball

If something is good then don’t change it, just make it better…like we did with the infamous disco ball. I’m sure you’re probably thinking “with all the lighting technology out there, you’re talking about disco balls?” But think about it…disco balls, a staple in the 70s, combined with today’s LED technology, can create effects like never before.

Bay Stage Lighting offers 4 different size Mirror Balls (today’s term for disco balls) to rent, a 12”, 16” 21” and 36”; the larger the ball the larger magnitude of effects.

We have used mirror balls for a lot of recent events and when guests realize that it’s not some high-tech piece of equipment, they are blown away.

Our Colorblast 12 LEDs illuminate the Mirror Balls with high-intensity, producing a dramatic effect projected all over an event space.

Here at the Florida Aquarium’s 2011 Sea Grapes Festival, the 36” Mirror Ball created a fun, yet elegant ambiance.