White Light is providing production support and stadium lighting effects for the Rugby World Cup, which began on 18 September and continues until 31 October.
White Light’s role in the Rugby World Cup production follows the company’s recent expansion in audio and visual technology having acquired video and lighting technology firm Shock Solutions earlier this year.
Andy Hook, founder of Shock Solutions and now technical solutions director at White Light commented: “This year, we’ve helped to build three studio and two pitch-side sets for the ITV Sports Team which will be toured to each stadium around the country. As well as providing both the lighting and technology to create each set, we are travelling across the UK to oversee the logistics of each setup.
“Prior to building the set at Twickenham in time for the first broadcast, we were able to use our state-of-the-art facility Studio15 to help construct the sets, try out various lighting setups and ultimately ensure that the layout was as visually impressive as it could possibly be.”
Earlier this year White Light also announced the launch of its very own audio department, appointing an expert team and investing significantly in new audio equipment. As well as helping to construct the studio sets at the Rugby World Cup, the company is also providing its audio services.
Lee Dennison, White Light’s head of audio, explained: “This Rugby World Cup draws on our strengths as an audio supplier. We’re delivering to the largest on-site hospitality structure, which includes providing a bespoke soundscape for the client entrance tunnel and full audio reinforcement for the match day hosts along with guest presenters and pundits. This will see us deploy in the region of 100 loudspeakers and 50 channels of amplification, something we are now in a position to offer.
“Our sole role in this particular area of the Rugby World Cup is to provide the audio, meaning that the strength and reliability of our audio services is now being recognised and we can consistently deliver to big events such as this.”
White Light is also providing the production support for ‘Home from Home’, which sees the tunnel beneath Twickenham’s South Stand transform into an immersive experience for those attending a match. ‘Home from Home’ features different colours schemes for each games along with a live AV feed from the stadium above.
White Light’s project manager Richard Stirzaker said: “We were given the brief of transforming an ordinary tunnel into something which would become a unique part of the Rugby World Cup and give the fans something to remember.”
The lighting effects are created by using equipment from Elidy, Martin Professional and Chroma-Q while the audio support includes 22 EM Acoustics EMS-61 Speakers. Stirzaker added: “This is something that has never been attempted at Twickenham before and is a prime example of how White Light can now draw on its vast resources to help make an already special occasion even more unforgettable.”
White Light director Richard Wilson concluded: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase the vast array of skills we have at White Light. This year has not only seen us rapidly expand our expertise but also support a huge array of unique projects, which will now pay in dividends as we work on the Rugby World Cup. Added to the fact that we have the very latest technology readily available to us, we are really excited to help make this year’s Rugby World Cup a spectacle to remember.”
