When the lighting needs intensified for the Rockefeller Center outdoor concerts hosted by NBC's "Today" show, Kaufman Astoria Studios provided a grandMA2 to handle lighting control duties. A.C.T Lighting is the exclusive distributor of the grandMA in North America.
"Emmy Award winning Lighting designer Howie Strawbridge began getting into heavier lighting with ColorBlazes, Showguns and HMIs, and he wanted to start using the grandMA2," says Kaufman Astoria vice president Mike Spera. "So we've been providing the board for concerts featuring Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Carole King. The grandMA2 not only controls Howie's lighting but several DL3 projectors on the set, too." Brian Davis is the board programmer.
When "Today" wraps its concert series in December the grandMA2, which has been housed at NBC in Rockefeller Center, will go back to Kaufman Astoria, one of New York's premiere studio complexes, for use on the feature, "Men In Black 3" and other shows.
"We furnished the grandMA2 to 'Today' the day after we received it, and they have been very happy with it," Spera reports. One of the key components in ensuring this immediate success was that the studio's staff was comfortable with the console; the entire Local One electrics' crew form the Today show was trained at A.C.T's Hackensack, NJ facility. "A lot of things are built into the grandMA2 and its software that previously had to be accessorized. Now the core system has a lot more capabilities. And it's working excellently."
About A.C.T Lighting
A leading importer and distributor of lighting products, A.C.T Lighting, Inc. strives to identify future trends and cutting-edge products, and stock, sell and support their inventory. The company provides superior customer service and value for money to all of its clients.
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