It was a challenge for the technical crew of Fuji Television Network (Fuji
TV) and Fuji Media Technology (FMT) to find the right fixture to light a set
built in the globe shaped observation studio located on the 24th floor of
their building. But in the end, they realised that ETC's SeladorR DesireR
D60 Daylight luminaires were the perfect fit.
"Our task was to light this set built in a space that was once a coffee
shop, with minimal power," says Hitoshi Hoshino, the executive manager of
FMT. "The space also had only 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) to the ceiling, so it
was impossible to use incandescent lights, not only because of the power
restrictions, but also the heat."
The set was built for the live morning breakfast show Mezamashi TV ("Alarm
Clock TV"); behind the cast are windows with a view of Tokyo that creates a
backlight that changes with the time and weather. The biggest challenge was
balancing the natural light from the windows and the front light on the
cast. Fuji TV's chief lighting designer, Atsuhiro Kobayashi, had to put a
filter on the window to tone down the natural light. "After testing multiple
LED fixtures, we found that the Desire Daylight with a filter gave us the
best balance on camera," he says.
Sold with the help of Syncro-Rise, a dealer for Ken Production Service, FMT
provided the lighting package, which included 12 Selador Desire D60 Daylight
fixtures. Kobayashi also used some flat-panel LED fixtures for front light
and some small HID floodlights for backlight to fill in areas that had no
light from the windows, to create the total look he wanted. The Desire
luminaire had the best colour balance of all the fixtures they tested and
the D60 format gave them the coverage they needed.
With the low ceiling and the lights being so close to the cast, they needed
fixtures that would not overheat. "When tall guests come onto the set, they
have to duck under the fixtures. By using LED fixtures, we did not have to
worry about people touching the fixtures and burning their fingers or
scorching their hair," Hoshino laughs. "We are happy with the choice we
made."
For more information about Selador Desire luminaires and all of ETC's
products, please visit www.etcconnect.com.