Mastering d.o.o. is a busy Croatian rental and show production company based in Đurdevac in eastern Croatia, founded in 2018 by Đuro (Djuro) Kucelj, who was – and still is – also running a successful construction business and has been an active musician for the last 40 years, playing keyboards with various bands and mixing music in clubs.

(Above): Đuro (Djuro) Kucelj flanked by his two sons, Matija (left) and Lovro (right). Photo Louise Stickland

Earlier this year, Mastering made its first purchases of Robe moving lights – a goal that had been in their sights ever since the company was founded! It was a massive milestone, and everyone involved – including all the clients and crew – is delighted with the results!

Music has always been a big part of life for Đuro’s two sons, Matija and Lovro, but as they were growing up, Đuro reckoned they should have the possibility of running a business more directly related to shows, concerts and performance – and more fun – than construction! Luckily for all involved, they relished the idea, and both are now particularly interested in lighting and visuals as well as all the other areas of production.

Mastering started with an undertaking to provide the best kit, production values, and service for all clients, and almost immediately found themselves renting in Robe products to service the higher profile concerts and music events. However, with so many other costs involved in the start-up, they could not make the stretch to purchase these at that time, and instead started with some of the plentiful unbranded moving lights from Asia, always with the intention to build the business up sufficiently and change up to better quality lights.

(Above): Courtesy Mastering

These grand plans then went on hold as they steered their way through Covid and gradually built the business back.

In early 2025, they landed the job to supply production for one of Croatia’s most famous bands, Parni Valjak, which had Robe moving lights on their lighting rider, so Đuro knew it was the right time to make their first Robe investment.

Twenty MegaPointes and 24 x Spiider LED wash beams joined the Mastering inventory, which have been working constantly ever since.

They were so excited about the purchase that they drove one of their own trucks – they also have a transport and logistics division – to the Czech Republic to collect the products themselves.

Thanks to the proactivity and hard work of Robe’s long-term Croatian distributor, LAV Studio, Robe is in demand in the region, and several of the country’s most prominent bands use – and specify – Robe fixtures regularly. Needless to say, it’s an enormous help and influence when artists themselves are asking for a specific product or brand.

Mastering’s client base covers a lot of live music, concerts, tours, and festivals plus some high-end corporate and industrial shows, but music is where their heart is.

Being the largest rental company in this part of Croatia, they work across the whole Balkans region and have a base in Malta. Currently there are 20 full-time staff plus an array of regular freelancers, and in summer they take on additional students interested in production for the festival season. The construction company built their current warehouse, which is modern and purpose-built, and especially with the trucking and logistics, the whole operation is highly self-sufficient, and a great bonus for production and event managers who only have to deal with one entity for all technical requirements.

With the MegaPointes and Spiiders in such high demand, Đuro also believes they are a building block for future business, and they are currently considering more investment in iFORTES and Spikies.

Đuro believes that Robe is a “market leader” and Matija and Lovro comment on the reliability and continuity of the products: “You know exactly what you are going to get with Robe.” They also appreciate the beam characteristics of the Spiider, the colour mixing and the general quality of the light output, which is “vastly better” than other fixtures they still use from time to time.

They all regard the importance of the local support provided by LAV Studio as “essential” and comment that it is “excellent – quick, efficient, always friendly – basically everything a busy rental operation needs.”

With these MegaPointes and Spiiders in stock, as a company they are much more flexible. The quantities are sufficient to be able to mix-and-match on at least two major shows simultaneously.

They work regularly with a number of leading Croatian LDs, including Zvonimir Borovec, Domagoj Stefanović, Dino Petrina, Goran Petrovčić, and Matija Kucelj, who are also all relishing the experience of working more with Mastering’s new lighting technology, helping to make it an outstanding year for this hardworking company.