NBC affiliate WXII, serving the Greensboro / Winston-Salem / High Point area of North Carolina, used 40 Brightline L1.2 and L1.4 LED SerisONE studio light fixtures for its news set which debuted in early August, according to be a release by Brightline.
Designed by Devlin Design Group, the station’s new news studio received its first complete overhaul in almost 20 years, including “stacked natural stone accents, wood-look flooring, and a backdrop highlighting the region’s Sauratown Mountains.” These nature-inspired decisions were provided by Diane “DiFi” Fiolek, DDG’s Creative Director.
The lighting director for the project was Dan McKenrick, who said that “beyond the warmer tone of the set, understanding shot blocking and the impact of social distancing on talent locations were crucial to providing an ideal visual result.” This meant lighting for two separate blocking scenarios, one for the new COVID-19 restrictions and another for when newscasts can return to “normal” in the future. Although the new WXII anchor desk can accommodate four people, it currently separates the on-camera talent to maintain social distancing.
McKenrick explains: “I look at the set overall and decide how to add dimension and balance. I’m very much looking at the mechanics of the room. The particular set, the shape of the room, and the grid height and camera type determine how you’re going to make it work.”
Creating the “daylight balanced” set involved using the Brightline lights for the base lighting with the L1.2s mainly used for side lines and the L1.4s a the front. Lupo DayLED Fresnels were added to create crisp lighting for eight specific talent positions around the set. “Brightlines are very effective. They put out a substantial amount of light and it’s controllable,” he said about Brightline’s versatility especially in avoiding reflection on the nine LED monitors behind the anchor desk.
You can learn more about Brightline’s light fixtures, including the L1.2 and L1.4 SeriesONE, at the company’s official site.
