22 March 2012
– Special thanks to Simon Deiner from SDR for the stunning photos Dream Sets provided the full technical supply and sets for the successful Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg, presented by African Fashion International (AFI) at Hyde Park Shopping Centre’s roof top, where a 120m marquee was raised, held from 7 – 10 March 2012. The Philips Selecon SPXs did a sterling job, getting a thumbs up from the lighting meter!
For the fifth consecutive year, Mauritz Jacobs from Dream Sets oversaw the project and was also the Lighting Designer of this spectacular event which included 20 fashion shows, over 25 designers and elaborate set changes on two fashion ramps.
“This is probably one of the hardest weeks of the year,” commented Mauritz. “There are set changes between every show and these are major changes! The one show will be white and an hour later the ramp will be red.” The shows are about 20minutes long and there’s a show every hour. 
The set-up started on the 4th March with each day beginning at 6am and usually ending after midnight. Dream Sets provided a 500 KVA generator for the air conditioning units used to cool the tents, a 200 KVA generator for the technical supply and a 200kVA generator for the kitchen and dressing room areas (aircons). “We supplied everything including power to the laptops, ramps, AV in the VIP tents and plasmas,” explained Mauritz. Rehearsals were held in the morning and the shows took place from 6pm each day. 
“It was hectic and I was limited with weight restrictions but the end result was awesome,” said Mauritz. He used 72 Philips Selecon SPX units and 36 Source Fours. Each ramp had a 35m truss, one purely with SPXs, the other a mixed bag of Source Fours and SPXs. When photographer Simon Deiner from SDR took out his light meter to measure light from face to shoes he was pleased with the final result. “The SPX are the best profiles on the market for fashion,” said Mauritz.
One of the sets also included Robin 600s to up-light the models. “They were awesome!” he said.
Each of the fashion designers worked with one of four show producers, the big names in the industry such as Jan Malan, Mary Reanolds, Deon Redman. The producers presented their designs and ideas for their sets to Dream Sets, and Sean Hoey and his team ensured that every detail was meticulously carried through.
Two sets of crew worked on Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Joburg. Mauritz commended his team saying they were hard workers and absolutely fabulous.
Up-coming events for Dream Sets:
· Congratulations extend to Robert Hoey who was awarded the set and lighting design for this year’s South African Music Awards (SAMAs). The rig is expected to include over 200 intelligent lights. “It puts Robert in another league, he has tremendous talent” commented Sean Hoey of Dream Sets.
· Namibian Music Awards will see Dream Sets providing the lighting and set. They will work closely with DB Audio who provides the technical on this show.
· SA Idols season 8 has already kicked-off. Well done and all the best!
· SA Fashion Week will take place at the end of March and Mauritz Jacobs will once again be project managing, he has been involved with this event for the past ten years.
· Basically Branding, a printing & branding company, and Dream Sets, are forming a new venture called BBDS Exhibitions, which will target the exhibition market. All the best with this venture.
· Robert Hoey hopes, within the next two years, to form a design team and school. Watch this space!
