Matthews Studio Equipment has launched the MICROGrip Master Rigging Kit, an ultra-compact, precision-engineered system, designed for mounting lights, cameras, and a wide range of accessories. Built for versatility and easy use, this comprehensive selection of rigging tools makes mounting, rigging, and hanging straightforward and efficient for smaller equipment.

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The Kit also provides a new-style MICROGrip Head with dual 3/8” holes for rod mounting and a low-profile knob, offering a secure grip in tighter spaces. Also included is the new Micro Pin. This 3/8” pin provides an undercut for added safety, tapped with a 1/4”-20 thread to integrate seamlessly with industry-standard gear.

To assure accessory compatibility the 148-piece also Kit includes: MiniMatthellinis, Drop Ceiling Scissor Mounts, 3/8” rods, Micro Magnets, Baby Pins, D-rings, BM1 Bulb Mounts, hanging safety cables and a generous variety of bolts and nuts.

For a limited time, each MICROGrip Master Rigging Kit includes a complimentary Craftsman case. MICROGrip Master Rigging Kit is now available from Matthews dealers around the world. For the complete list of components and to get more information visit: https://www.msegrip.com/collections/microgrip-kits-accessories

LINCOLN, Ne.—Nebraska Public Media has overhauled its Ron Hull Studio, a 100-by-60-foot space on the campus of the University of Nebraska here, that saw a complete revamp of studio’s light rig and lighting system.

Built in 1968 and commissioned in 1970, the studio’s original rigging design with 109 motorized lighting battens was an engineering marvel more typical of major media hubs like Los Angeles and New York City than the Midwest.

While the original lighting system, designed for incandescent loads, was revised over the years, it was clear that a more comprehensive retrofit was necessary to meet the demands of modern production. Nebraska Public Media’s Doug Carlson, former director of production services, and Nancy Finken, chief content officer, recognized the studio needed a full overhaul. Carlson came out of retirement to help manage the project.

The new design had to retain the flexibility that made the original studio so versatile while incorporating the latest rigging technology. One of the country’s top lighting designers, Norman Russell, principal consultant and lighting group leader for NV5, served as consultant designer for the project. Russell designed the rigging and lighting systems with design and engineering support by NV5 senior lighting designer Steve Cooper.

"The original rigging system, while a marvel in its time, didn’t fit their current and future needs,” said Russell. “We created a design that preserved the studio’s incredible flexibility while anticipating the challenges of the next few decades.”

All of the lights were taken down, the pipes lowered and the old motors and rigging systems removed. Rows of package hoists, each about 12- to 14-feet wide, were installed along the studio’s 100-foot length, with three hoists per row, arranged in 20 rows. This setup provided ample support for lighting fixtures, scenic elements and other production equipment, which a wide range of configurations available depending on the needs of the production. In total, 60 new hoists were installed, Brightline, which supplied the fixtures, said.

While the rigging system forms the bones of the studio, lighting design is crucial in creating the new look. The studio’s lighting system upgrade marked a significant shift from the old dimmer-per-circuit system to a state-of-the-art network driver system with LED fixtures, it said.

Each LED fixture in the network is equipped with its own driver—a small electronic device that controls the output of the LED from zero to 100%. A Local Area Network was installed to distribute DMX control signals to all luminaire mounting positions to address drivers, it said.

Lighting designers can now place fixtures wherever they like and adjust settings with precision, dialing in the exact intensity, color, and beam angle required for each shot. This level of control is especially important in a studio like this one, where different productions have their own unique lighting requirements. Lighting designer/director Chris Boyd installed the fixtures and programmed the lighting’s DMX controllers, alongside Lighting Designer Erik Rodgers.

“The Ron Hull Studio hosts about a dozen different productions with multiple sets,” said Boyd. “Some are weekly, some seasonal, but they each have a slightly different look. But each production needs to say Nebraska Public Media while retaining its own character. Now, we have so many fixtures, angles and options for producers. With the new lighting and rigging we’ve employed, they can achieve a wide range of lighting effects that were not possible before.”

The public broadcaster brought in Brightline, a top name in the lighting business. Brightline’s Series One L1.4 and L1.2 LED studio fixtures were key in the new lighting system. Russell described them as superior “directional soft lights. It’s not at all your typical directional light. They don’t create a real sharp edge. Typically, you put a profile spot on the subject, and boom, you’ve got a big drop shadow. It can be hard to get rid of that edge. But with a soft light with a soft edge like the L1.4 and L1.2’s, you can accomplish a long throw without that hard edge--even with an intense amount of light. Adding an intensifier with a narrow angle, you get a nice, tight field that’s very bright but still has a soft edge. For my money, Brightline provides the best studio lighting for TV available today.”

Brightline Mako and Minnow profile spotlights and Lupo Fresnels are also included in the lighting redesign. “They offer a comprehensive package,” said Russell. “And all the fixtures are very competitive in terms of cost and performance. Sometimes there could be several luminaires listed on a job. But with all your gear coming from one source, communication is so much simpler. I really appreciate that Brightline has an array of luminaires.”

Devlin Design Group (DDG) did a major overhaul of the studio’s set design. DDG worked closely with Nebraska Public Media’s producers and Brightline to create a set that could accommodate an exciting range of productions.

IES Commercial & Industrial served as general contractor, and Heartland Scenic Studios provided demolition, removal and installation services.

Lighting updates included:

• Brightline L1.2X variable white with DMX control (6x) 
• Brightline L1.4 variable white with DMX control (57x)
• Mako/2 variable white profile spotlight with DMX control (31x)
• Minnow/2 variable white profile spotlight with DMX control (15x)
• Mako/5 RGBAL profile spotlight with DMX control (10x)
• Lupo 650 DMX variable white Fresnel (8)
• Lupo 1000 DMX variable white Fresnel (33)
• Lupo 2000 DMX variable white Fresnel 
• Flex-T1 with DMX control (14x)

More information is available on the Brightline, NV5, Heartland Scenic Studios, IES Commercial & Industrial and Devlin Design Group websites.

Having the ability to light in new directions from new positions truly allows for more creativity and possibilities with the look of a scene. Cinematographers starting out, I’ve noticed, have a tendency to point lights directly at subjects from the ground. It is only when someone has shot a bit more that they work with more competent crews who can do some useful rigging and get units in new, exciting places—above the set.

LIGHTING FROM ABOVE

The beauty of lighting from above is that you get a supply of ambient light, which many sets and locations naturally call for. It easily acts as a fill light. In a way, it can help you light 360° and for two reasons. One, you are able to spread light across a large surface area depending on how omnidirectional and large the unit is. Two, top light usually comes from rigging from above, so you are able to avoid stands on the ground. Lighting from above allows you to not have to hide much. Not only that, but you cast shadows straight to the ground and can easily knock light off walls if you want them to fall off into darkness and keep attention on the subject.

In a series of music videos for Saro, I had my gaffer and key grip set up a beautiful soft top light above the main performance. We were consistently on steadicam and wanted to move around as freely as possible, so we were able to be free of grippage on the ground of the warehouse. On this project, the light was such a large source that it caught the eyes of the performers and each of them an eyelight at the right moments. When a light from above isn’t catching, it’s helpful to bring in a bounce from below and return a soft shape into the eyes.

Another example of successful top lighting, from personal experience and aside from the countless examples out there, was for a film titled “Tubby Hook.” There was a lot of action and many eyelines inside a bar location and the main characters stay somewhat stationary at a particular booth inside. To accommodate the variety of eyelines and not have to dance around stands as the camera flipped around the space, we placed a Litemat 4 above the booth. It was diffused through a couple different rags and skirted so as to knock it off the walls and keep the attention on the characters. We could bounce back the Litemat into the shadows and compensate for the lack of units on the ground. We also had 1-3 characters in the booth at different times so we were able to be ready for all different scenarios without needing much reset time.

EXPANDING THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES

Top light can be created with almost any unit. Usually a soft Litemat 4 or Skypanel is great, depending on how much weight you can rig up. Something like a panel is nice for spreading light further and keeping it even across a scene.

Other examples for even light from up top are balloon lights or Jem balls. If you’re after a specific narrow beam, then a fresnel makes more sense so you can direct the source. It also becomes a dance in terms of where you place subjects below. Depending on the blocking, you can strategically position top light to hit faces in different ways or key someone while edging someone else, all the while creating a pocket of ambient light. You’re able to get moodier with top light, too, and create pools of light very easily the more you kill light off the walls and shape the source.

On the last feature, we had a large warehouse location and the thing I attribute to saving us the most time was the fact that we had a few ARRI Skypanels up above, equipped with their chimeras. We could skirt them, angle them and dim them as necessary. We could also add or subtract rags of diffusion and change color temperature from the remote. When using top light it’s good to have wireless control too, as to avoid having to use a ladder to make adjustments. The only thing with huge soft sources coming through very large frames is that it looks dramatic. They’re great for news studio and comedy work, but if you want to add a more dramatic tone, getting more specific and shaping will help.

There are so many lighting techniques and so much lighting technology. Top light really expands the realm of possibilities and allows for a lot of flexibility on the ground. Even if there is nothing to rig to, it’s worth building out a menace arm to get light above the subjects to really create an atmosphere within the space. If you’re keying from the ground, even a touch of toplight can help fill in the shadows. It’s a great technique that spans many genres and tones depending on your tools.

Julia Swain is a cinematographer based in California, whose narrative films include “Killing Animals,” “Jilted” and “Cassidy Red.” She continues to shoot on a variety of formats, seeking to create compelling visuals for every story and brand. She can be contacted throughTV Technology.