Ask the Experts: Event Lighting
We gave you a vocabulary lesson about gels and gobos last week with our Lighting Your Event post. This week, we’re turning our eyes and ears to a couple amazing lighting designers for some great advice. Todd Finch is the President of MAGNUM, a production company based in Atlanta, and Julian Bradley is the Owner of ESP Lighting, a company that specializes in LED lights in the Denver area.
WM EVENTS: What is the most common misconception about event lighting?
TODD FINCH: That it is expensive. Just like anything, it can be expensive, but you can also use it in subtle ways that don’t cost a fortune. Simple uplights of color add a big effect, which is not expensive. It more like an accessory.
JULIAN BRADLEY: That it’s too expensive. Even some basic well positioned light fixtures can add a huge amount of excitement and energy to an event.
WM: How can people get the biggest bang for their buck when it comes to lighting?
TF: Color. Uplights add nice splashes of color that linen or chairs or other things just can’t do. It really takes the otherwise ‘neutral’ space and brands it with the event colors. Similarly, gobo/pattern with color and texture can do the same. Many of the event spaces are neutral for a reason. If you want it yours, add color. (The pink at the High Museum was a great example of this!)
JB: Plan as far ahead as possible or be prepared to pay more for “last minute”. A creative, well thought out lighting design that fits within your budget will take time to create. MORE TIME = BETTER DESIGN.
WM: What is your biggest frustration as a lighting designer?
TF: The ‘budget question’. Anytime a ‘design’ comes into play, a budget matters… large or small, it is a perimeter that must be taken into consideration. I think we are so conditioned in other areas of our life to shop price, negotiate down, don’t show all your cards, etc., but when it comes to ‘designing’, designers are really on your side- building a vision of what you want, what you envision and what you can afford.
JB: Champagne dreams with only beer budgets to pay for them.
WM: What is the biggest help you can get from a client about their event?
TF: Know as many of the outside perimeters as you can- time frames, logistics with other vendors, other design elements. Tahe more information the better. Designers can always throw out the information that is not relative, but having more can bring to light a key piece that helps lead you to the end result.
JB: Great question! I would say prior to consulting with any designer, start by writing down some basic details or ideas about your event and then work up from there. Put in as much thought as possible into the type of event you want to have or what kind of event is it. A serious corporate meeting that requires the speakers on stage evenly lit in white light? OR A celebration that needs a more creative approach? Have the venue and the event date been confirmed yet? Do you have any favorite colors that you would like to see used at your event? Will there be dancing? Or a performance that will need to be lit? The more details a client can provide earlier on – the more realistic I can be with creative suggestions, price quotes, etc.
We hope that helps you prepare for the lighting portion of your next party or wedding. Let us know if we can answer any questions for you. Don’t hesitate to call us, using the number on the contact page, or leave a comment section below.
-William Fogler
WM Events
WM Events’ Halloween Hollywood Heaven!
We’re talking Old Hollywood for this gruesome celebrity costume party- like OLD old Hollywood- like DEAD old Hollywood. In this party inspiration we’re taking to the hills to create a scary soiree guests will never forget. Invite your closest friends and family to join your frightful fete by dressing up like their favorite dead celebrity, keeping in mind the way in which they actually kicked the bucket; it’ll be more fun if everyone stays in character!
Welcome guests to your home with a blood red carpet regal enough for Hollywood royalty, and creepy enough for an October 31st night. As they strut their zombie stuff, you can offer red paint for walk-of-fame handprints. Blood orange martini’s, severed lady fingers, and chocolate covered insects are perfect treats for an undead guest. They can also enjoy a spooky display of candy pills, candy rope, and sour candy arsenic with accompanying coffin gift bags for a Pick Your Poison Candy Bar.
Guests will have a blast acting out their celebrity deaths in a game of Creepy Charades. Or have a friend dressed up as a tabloid reporter interviews your visitors for some chilling coverage of the corpse crowd. While you’re partying it up with the deceased, make sure your dance mix includes these favorites:
-Heads will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
-Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult
-Janie’s Got a Gun by Aerosmith
-Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People
-Goodbye Earl by The Dixie Chicks
-Cellblock Tango from Chicago the Musical
-I Shot the Sherriff by Bob Marley
With the right makeup, food coloring, and red paint, you’re on the fast track to a murderous monster mash.
-William Fogler
WM Events
150 Posts on the WM Events Blog!
Guess what!?! This article marks our 150th blog post!!! How exciting? It’s been a fun and interesting road. With great comments from our readers, excellent advice for your parties, and innovative products to try, the WM Events blog is here to please. We’ve been through so much together and hope to experience so much more with all our readers. We laughed. We cried. We drank milk. So, without any further ado, here are a few of our favorite blog posts over the years. Leave comments below about your favorite post or what you would like to see us talk about. Enjoy!
1. Behind The Scenes In Las Vegas With WM Events
2. WM Events Top 10 Denver, Colorado Venues
3. Spicy and Sweet Irene’s Pepper Jelly
4. Composting For A Greener Lifestyle
5. Gift Basket Inspiration Fall Colors
-William Fogler
WM Events
WM Events on Mitzvah Market
Wow! Our CSI – themed bat mitzvah last year really impressed. Not only were we featured on Occasions Magazine website, but now we’ve got a top spot on the Mitzvah Market website. It truly was an unbelievable mitzvah for an extraordinary mitzvah girl. Go to our contact page so we can help you plan your next party.
-William
WM Events
WM Events on Occasions Website
The friendly faces of Occasions Magazine recently featured the bat mitzvah we did last year, correctly explaining that it’s “not exactly your typical bash.” We loved planning the jaw-dropping CSI themed mitzvah at the Denver Ritz Carlton. So go see what Occasions has to say. More pictures after the jump.
-William Fogler
WM Events
CSI Themed Bat Mitzvah- Denver, CO
LSI:Denver was a theme was a curious theme bat mitzvah celebrating a young ladies love of the popular show CSI.
WM Events designed a contemporary scene incorporating sleek plexi glass sets, elaborate LED lighting, and Lab elements all with a touch of hot pink and orange.
Details included invisible ink escort cards, a candy lab, handwriting analysis and mug shots. A studio make up room provided faux wounds and groovy do’s for everyone photos. Wow factors were ”real” video footage of the honoree as a detective and a shout out from the CSI:NY cast were amazing.
All service staff wore custom LSI:Denver branded lab coats while microscopic menus with magnifying glasses offered the dinner selection.
The main suspects on the scene were:
David Wegwart’s Photocraftz, Newberry Brothers Florist, Scenographics, StarPro Productions, ShowTek Productions, and A Custom Look Photography.
-William Fogler
WM Events
Inspiration: C.S.I. Themed Bat Mitzvah
C.S.I. the iconic television series presents a variety of fun, interesting motifs to work with. The following is evidence of the many directions this investigative party theme can go. The event for my client was dubbed L.S.I (Lily Shelanski Investigates) to honor our curious honoree. We used many of these ideas in the event design but some did not make the cut.
Stay tuned for the upcoming post of the actual event.
These vignettes were presented to represent all of the cities of C.S.I.
The proposed stage set would incorporate truss, lucite and bold graphics.
Guest seating will be an interactive experience using invisible ink and black light to solve the mystery of where to sit.
The following clip is potential content for the video screens.
Each image below provided inspiration for different elements of the event.
A custom logo incorporating a finger print and the Denver skyline.
DNA candy
Lab coats for the serving staff to wear.
-William Fogler
WM Events
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