Robe for Drawing the Line

24 March 2009

      24 Robe units feature in the second series of Drawing the Line, the televised game show on SABC 2. Blond Productions, who also did the first series, supplied all the lighting and trussing for the show. The thirteen episodes were shot over one and a half weeks during February at Atlas Studios.        

 

“The challenge we had is that there was nothing. The studio was an empty warehouse,” said Christiaan Ballot from Blond. “We used a ground support and basically made our own lighting grid running 6ml poles across the trussing. It was a daunting job but it was fun.”

 

    Peter Rieck and Christiaan Ballot   Mauritz Neethling from LCD Productions* was the Lighting Designer while Peter Rieck from Blond Productions operated the show. “The lighting was very involved,” said Christiaan. There were a lot of cues with ever changing “moods” and effects.” The lighting changed dramatically as it moved from one aspect of the show to the next.

 

“The lighting for the first season was very basic,” explained Christiaan. “The client, Jane Lipman from Current Affairs Films, wanted more of a WOW look for the new series, clean cut with smooth beam work. We used 12 x Robe 700s and 12 x Robe 250s, with some of the Robe 700s standing on the ground for beam work. The 700s are nice to work with – they are so bright and have punch.” The Source Fours were also very useful, and were used as backdrops to isolate or enhance different areas.

 

     

  Drawing the Line, presented by local poet Lebo Mashile, focuses on moral issues and is an exciting show covering hot topical subjects like racism, respect for parents and cosmetic surgery. An improvised theatre sees actors role playing a scenario and then two debate teams, one led by Michelle Constant, SAfm radio personality, and the other by writer Ndumiso Ngcobo, swaying a live audience to vote for the final outcome. The show can be viewed on Sundays at 12h30 on SABC 2.

 

     

  Equipment List:

12 x Robe 700s

12 x Robe 250s

8 x ADB Softlights

12 x ADB 2ks

36 x Parcans

30 x Source Fours

1 x DF50 Haze Machine

1 x Compulite RAVE

 

*LCD Productions is a new company formed by Christiaan Ballot, Maurtiz Neethling and Peter Rieck and which concentrates on television work and supply of television lighting equipment.