The skyline’ Bristol lights up with SGM washes during the 'crane dance'’

The IP65 washes from the manufacturer SGM, specifically the P-5 and P-2 models, have faced one of the most difficult challenges in Bristol during Crane Dance Bristol: illuminate a synchronized 'crane dance' in the port for more than 10.000 personas.

The setup for the Crane Dance Bristol lighting show has been directed by Nick Read and controlled wirelessly over a network City Theatrical and a console ETC Element, located at the other end of the port of this English city; a spectacular project that has had the support of Ian Kirby (SGM UK).

Laura Kriefman, Wired creative fellow this year, contacted the creatives Howard Eaton and Emma Chapman to carry out this event, of Studio Three Sixty, to light up their inaugural gala for Crane Dance Bristol, with set designer Lucy Osborne, also belonging to this company.

The team previously defined the selection of the best luminaire that would adapt to the budget. Theatrical specialist Howard Eaton chose a combination of the P-5 and P-2 lighting projectors from the manufacturer SGM, which were the perfect complement for the almost a thousand meters of rope with LED chips used on these iconic cranes, Located opposite the M-Shed Museum in Bristol.

Bristol Harbor Cranes, that normally act as fixed luminaires in the skyline of this city in the southwest of England, They returned to operation in an exquisitely illuminated choreography routine perfectly synchronized with the music.. The so-called 'Crane Dance Bristol' surprised all attendees thanks to a spectacular combination of boats, choirs, live music and moving illuminated cranes, which were operated and restored by Bristol M-Shed engineers.

As surely Howard we, “The P-5 projectors did a perfect job because they can be used outdoors, while the compact size of the P-2 allowed us to place luminaires in difficult to access areas. Both washes worked incredibly well”.

Those responsible for Studio Three Sixty illuminated the cranes with 18 P-5 units with lenses 43 degrees; 28 P-2 units also with lens 43 degrees, and others 34 P-2 with a smaller angle of 21 degrees. “We used the wide angle of the P-5 as nadir luminaires around the base and the shorter legs, while the narrower angle lenses helped us reach the upper structures with force, both internal and external. As these are RGBW devices, you can not only mix the color you want; You also have a perfect target”, explica Eaton.

To create a certain suspense at the beginning of the dance, A light transition was programmed from a cold tone to a warmer one., just before the show explodes with an eruption of color as cranes swing above the audience.

Little by little, The light of the cranes evolved into the seven colors of the rainbow, changing up and down in a constant cycle. A rather impressive statistic indicates that throughout the event (including lights, feeding for cranes and tests) they were consumed 2,4 kWh of electricity.

As Emma Chapman explains, “We had seen the P-2s previously and we already thought they were wonderful. We are very surprised with such power, considering how small the luminaire is, and all the control it offers for color change”.

When the project was confirmed, “The P-2 was the obvious choice thanks to its incredible power and the ability to change the angle of the optics.. We could have also used its strobe effect, but it seemed too much to us. The mere fact that we were able to program such a fluid ‘rainbow effect’ into these SGM washes is fantastic.”, underlines this creative.