Andy Ciddor

Although I love to ride the wave of technology that is our industry, I have to admit that I initially overlooked the implications of the World Wide Web for lighting.

Lighting for electronic field production (EFP) must surely date from the first portable broadcast-quality video camera system: the Ampex VR-3000.

I suppose that it's just another example of market forces at work, but still I'm troubled by the constant escalation of what are usually referred to as "production values" in the shows that we make.

One of the great joys of working with complex equipment is the total unpredictability of the ways that it may choose not to work as expected.

It was impossible to imagine that these dim, monochromatic, red indicators could ever become a useful source for illumination.

Even though lighting for television is an insignificant portion of one of the more minor uses of energy, we have an unfortunately high public profile.

After struggling with the more complex mathematical aspects of the topic, I finally came to appreciate the beauty and simplicity of three phase wye-connected power distribution.

My proclivity for hanging about on Internet lighting discussion forums is not something that I'm ashamed of.

Despite all the revolutionary, paradigm-breaking shifts in production formats, the human face remains the pivotal element of almost every production.

Getting your ideas across to directors, producers, clients and production managers is vital to getting access to resources such as time, crew, and money.

Because it's so unexciting, it's just too easy to put off equipment maintenance until another day

Despite having been a part of the lighting scene for almost 20 years, the DMX512 control protocol still seems to be shrouded in mystery for far too many of its users.

Building, configuring and troubleshooting Ethernet networks in a production environment is imperative as we migrate from traditional technology-specific data formats to commodity IT protocols.

Model numbers are just numbers and spec sheets have tended to become works of speculative fiction.

I finally found the light source I was looking for when I stumbled across heavily diffused nine-light minibrutes (molefays) used in TV commercials.

Recently I was approached for some (free) advice by a group of young enthusiasts who were setting up a video production facility.

One sure sight that remote-controlled, motorized lighting has just about made it into the mainstream is its most recent name change.