[ad_1]
Visual Connection has been providing entertainment lighting services to cruise lines since 2002, helping to put on big shows on cruise ships.
David Horner, chief executive and director of lighting at Visual Connection, said the first cruise project was the Holland America line and set up an entertainment stage lighting system on board the Zuiderdam.
“Since then, I have provided similar services as an independent contractor for more than 50 brand new shows, including Holland America Line and Carnival, among other cruise lines. As a company, Visual Connection has provided lighting design and programming, video design, and video media server programming as services of myself and other independent contractors,” Horner said.
Horner shared some of the steps in the process of organizing a light show on a cruise ship and the associated challenges.
“A cruise ship show is different from any other light show in that it is usually performed in a multi-purpose venue that must be able to provide many functions as well as a variety of different shows during the cruise. Regular land shows often have lighting systems designed for that particular show . Therefore, we had to design a light installation that is versatile and accommodates any performance or event that may occur on stage.”
Horner said the show is not just working with the entertainment department, but with all departments, including hotels, restaurants, and even decks and engines.
“At one of my recent shows, I spent hours talking to air conditioning engineers to be able to get the airflow perfect to enhance the lighting effects of the theater smoke.
An understanding of how the ship’s structures and systems work is necessary to safely produce these shows.
“During the installation, I made several trips to the bridge to review the smoke warning zone plans and discuss what would be required to perform the show and maintain safety,” Horner added.
Horner said Visual Connection was contracted late last year to provide the complete lighting design and setup for Carnival Luminosa since the pandemic ended.
Among other projects, Horner said, the brand provided the lighting design and programming for four new production shows installed on board Saga’s new ships.
“Visual Connection has also been contracted to provide lighting design for Carnival Cruise Line’s new and upgraded shows. These installations will take place in March, April, May and June,” he said.
Horner explained that the biggest challenge in providing entertainment on a cruise ship is creating a visually spectacular design and allowing the ship to keep its lighting systems maintained and operating at full capacity.
“In 2010, Visual Connection was one of the first companies to introduce LED-sourced moving lights that were not only more relevant, but also more energy-efficient because, unlike older cubicle-source lights, they only moved when the unit was outputting light. Only use the maximum power required to get maximum power even when there is no light in sight on stage. We have worked with Holland America to implement these types of fixtures in their fleet and we are happy to report that the large Most major cruise lines are now also using LED-sourced entertainment lighting, saving a lot of unnecessary fuel usage.”
Horner added that the lighting process for each show takes about a month, while the show itself takes about two years from start to finish, from concept to premiere.
Horner explains how cruise shows differ from onshore shows.
“The theater is part of this huge mobile structure with the overall responsibility of the captain, which is definitely very different from performing on land.”
Horner also added that time at the venue can also make a huge difference in the process.
“The time at the venue is the biggest difference because in a newly built venue, where the venue is still under construction, the time between delivery and passenger sailing is very limited; it’s much more important to get the passengers ready for a show compared to a land show Time is more limited.
“For this reason, Visual Connection started using ‘previz’ software to create a 3D virtual venue with all the lights that could be pre-programmed to give the same effect as the real lights in the venue. Thanks to this process, we were able to take time off the front end of the project Sitting down and presenting different ideas to the creative team and drawing on each other’s creative skills to make the best show possible and always trying to push the visuals to generate ideas for concepts that haven’t been seen before.”
[ad_2]
Source link