In the live production industry, we only get one chance to produce a flawless show.
There are no retakes.
When the curtain goes up, we have to be ready.
That’s why we hire and rely on the best professional lighting designers in the business, like GPJ Lighting Designer Alex Grierson.
At GPJ, Grierson is responsible for designing and producing the overall “look and feel” for an entire experience, whether that’s lighting a stadium rock concert or illuminating the world’s tallest building – both of which he’s done. His experience allows him to own a wide range of projects from general sessions to expo floors and even live broadcasts, all with the showmanship of an entertainment industry veteran.
Most recently, Grierson and his GPJ team of lighting professionals designed and executed all lighting aspects for the Dodge Demon press reveal in New York City.
“We had over 500 people in attendance for this press reveal, and over 75,000 more watching through live streams,” Grierson explained, “As lighting designers, we had to focus on creating an experience for the people that were in the room but also conveying the story to the people that weren’t.”
But that wasn’t the only challenge.
“Believe it or not, we had to execute everything in just 48 hours, with only 6 hours to rehearse.”
Whether Grierson and the GPJ team are executing a design in 2 days or 20 days, one element is always top priority: the client.
“To provide the best experience for our client, we start by collaborating with fellow GPJ production designers to get an idea of what the client expectations are. And then we talk with GPJ creatives to better understand their vision for actually conveying the message.”
The client’s intended message for the event plays an integral role in the lighting design plan.
“The key with lighting is that we want to reinforce the client’s brand or message through our design. We don’t want attendees to notice the lighting because then we’ve distracted from the experience.”
So what’s next for the event lighting industry? To know that, Grierson and his team focus on analyzing recent lighting design trends in the world.
“Previously, our work has been very one-sided. Designers viewed lighting from the perspective of an audience looking at a stage. But now, we’ve taken into account that the event is viewable from 360 degrees. There’s no longer just one viewing point, so now the goal is to ensure lighting translates to all platforms.”
To learn more about how GPJ is doing just that, send us an email here.