High End Systems’ new DL2 digital light fixture is making its U.S. debut on Sheryl Crow’s current “Wildflower” tour. XL Video supplied the first units off High End’s production line for this tour.
Lighting Designer Paul Guthrie chose 4 DL2s not because he wanted to be the first to use it on tour, but because “it was the best tool for what we were trying to do.”
The 4 DL2s are hanging up in the rig next to the Barco projectors. From that position, Paul uses the DL2s to project over the audience’s head, shoot over Sheryl and on to her as well as onto the screen behind her and the band.
He went through several design ideas until he decided on the DL2. “I came up with the idea of wanting to use a line of imagery on the riser,” he explains. “At first, I was going to use 11 rear-projection screens. It was going to be horrifically expensive to create this two-foot underworld under the riser. It would also be a technical challenge. Then I thought of using the DL2s. It fit perfectly.”
He was already using 3 Catalyst media servers (supplied by tour lighting contractor PRG), but didn’t want to add extra projectors. He needed what DL2 could do – which combines an integrated media server and projection abilities in one unit.
The aluminum mesh riser – which serves as the “canvas” for DL2 projections – is in a constant “rippling, groovy motion,” he explains. The effects have piqued the audience’s interest. “People come up to me after the show and ask me how I’ve done it – they can’t figure it out.”
Sheryl and Paul collaborated on the visual elements of the show. Most of the content, which Paul created through his company Toss Film & Design Inc. of Minneapolis, features textures, non-descript patterns, blocks of text and elements from Sheryl’s new music video and album artwork – all to create a mood or a “visual texture.” One of the more distinct pieces of art features gold fish in motion, which Paul shot, to “swim” along the riser to enhance undersea art being projected by Catalyst on the screens.
The LD admits the DL2s do “a million more things” than they’re using them for, but for this show, there are a few main features of DL2 he was enthused over.
“The global keystone correction is awesome. For example, in one part of the show, I have one word of text I’m projecting on the riser and it expands perfectly all the way across the riser. With the keystone correction I can project it perfectly and expand it out. This word is on one video clip across the four DL2s – so each DL2 is projecting just one-fourth of the clip – and it all syncs up perfectly. I love the unit’s ability to sync together naturally. The playback is very frame accurate - rock solid.”
Sheryl Crow’s tour runs to Nov. 4 in London, and possibly extends with a few random one-offs.
Media Contact: Debi Moen, HES marketing communications specialist, phone 512-836-2242 x 1204.
