There are a few dreamers at DWR Distribution, and when three of them were recently put together, voila, out came a simple yet innovative lighting boom or lighting stand!
DWR’s Jaco Beukes and Michael Taylor-Broderick recently worked together on an installation for Empower Church in Durban. “Jaco loves coming up with all kinds of things for churches and he is a pleasure to have around,” said Michael. “When he comes to a gig he has such an incredible energy and dedication that you get the same vibe and feed off that.”
The pair were trying to find a solution to hang Phoenix bars in a vertical position, instead of horizontal, for the stage area. “I had an idea to create a stand, but it was Keith Pugin in our manufacturing department who made it a reality,” said Michael. The modest design comprises a 2m tall pipe that screws onto a standard top plate. It enables the user to clamp lighting fixtures such as a Phoenix bar, Astera Titan Tube or even up to three parcans, to the stand and provides flexibility to position the unit wherever needed. “Keith has come up with a clever design that works as a versatile lighting boom, is easy to erect, take down or move about.”
Lighting fixtures such as the Phoenix bar create an eye-catching effect on a stage. “The ease of placing the lighting stand anywhere you like makes the stage look different and that’s the benefit,” Michael adds. “Multiple stands would create a larger effect, or the stand could be used for side light.”
While the lighting boom would not accommodate hefty loads such as moving lights, the base plate could be weighted down to support bulkier or heavier lighting fixtures.
DWR Distribution’s manufacturing department regularly creates customized items. “It’s the first time we’ve ever been asked to make something like this,” said Keith Pugin. “It’s just a simple item, but being 2m long, it enables people to position a lighting fixture either lower or higher up on the pole or is useful to hang more than one fixture.”
