ETC High End Systems Zeo na HalfTime Show podczas Super Bowl LIX

On Sunday, 9 February, High End Systems Zeo fixtures lit up the long-awaited halftime show in New Orleans. The talented team behind the world-class show included lighting designer Al Gurdon, lighting director Ben Green of 22 Degrees, lighting designer Mark Humphrey of TruCreative Design and lighting director Eric Marchwinski of Earlybird Visual. The lighting package was supplied by PRG.

"We had a very clear aesthetic approach to the show in between games this year, which was in line with the wishes of the artists 'camp," says Gourdon. "The idea was to aim for contrast and lighting angles that are different from those used in conventional television lighting. We wanted to put drama above the "light of beauty". It was supposed to feel monolithic and synchronized with heavy rhythms, without the "sparkle".”

To support this approach, 88 Zeo moving heads were placed on the central audience guide, at the top of the stage, at the point of view of the main camera. Zeo features a unique square lens design. In high-intensity moments, the Zeo is capable of producing more than 30,000 lumens. Humphrey summed it up succinctly: "Zeo has a good color range, zoom, and versatility. It can be thought of as a simple wash device or a multi-pixel device. I love being able to have a device with or without a matte lens, because it can create a completely different look”"

"The Zeos government offered a universal option for creating effects and lighting a large area," notes Green. "Having a pan and tilt function also made it a good choice, because we could make it more 'sweet' for the camera than a static strobe. It works both as a space filler, seeing the lens on the camera, and as a spectacular light”"

Both the surface design and the output of the Zeo proved beneficial for the televised event. Marchwinski adds: “Zeo gave us a dense lighting system with a large aperture and a noticeable visual signature on camera. The distinctive look of the fixture’s face on camera lends itself to backgrounds in smaller-scale shows. This show demonstrated the fixture’s density and throw, as well as its excellent output.”

Summing up this prestigious event, Gourdon says: "Zeos have been a great asset in creating the 'heavy' dynamics of the show. They are a bright element with good colors and have proven themselves well as the intended effect on the camera. Because of the scale, we used them in the halftime show quite simply, but we can imagine that they will have more versatility in other contexts as well. I would definitely choose them again"”

Photo with part of the design team, from left to right: Wyatt Mailloux (Product Support Specialist, ETC), Nick Couaette (Pre-Vis Tech), Mark Humphrey, Harry Forster (lighting director), Al Gurdon, Bobby Hale (Regional Sales Manager, ETC), Ben Green and Eric Marchwinski