LightenUp Inc. (LUI), a Los Angeles-based professional lighting company, has added 48 Ayrton Rivale Profiles to its extensive inventory of Ayrton fixtures and quickly put them to work on a cross-country Paramount+ project. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting products in North America.
Owned and operated by skilled and experienced technicians, LUI supplies a full range of lighting equipment and power distribution to all types of productions. It also offers lighting rentals. The Rivale Profiles join a roster of Ayrton fixtures that includes Diablos, Perseos, Zonda 9 FX and Zonda 3 FX units.
Rivale Profile, a unique projector that boasts performance, creativity, subtlety and power, is the most versatile fixture Ayrton has created to date. Rivale is a 450W 6500K LED IP65-rated moving head profile with four to 52-degree zoom developed for mixed use indoors and outdoors, in all conditions. Surprisingly lightweight, it offers continuous rotation of the pan and tilt movement, a new high-definition progressive CMY color-mixing system for perfect color reproduction as soon as the filter is inserted, framing shutters and a large selection of gobos and effects.
“We were one of the first to get Diablos, which have been our workhorse fixture, and now we’re one of the first with Rivales in our push to find IP-class fixtures,” notes LUI Lighting Designer, Joe O’Neill. “When I saw Rivale on paper, it looked like a very cool, IP-rated light that wasn’t much bigger than Diablo. In person, after comparing a lot of IP fixtures from different companies, I knew we had to have them.”
“We are not afraid to be the first to jump in if we believe in the product,” adds LightenUp Founder, Nathan Megaw. “We have a history with Ayrton and know first-hand about the brand’s quality, craftsmanship and performance.”
O’Neill cites Rivale’s form factor, high output, continuous pan and tilt, 270-degree tilt option for achieving steep angles, color wheel for mixing, multiple layers of color correction, gobo wheels, animation and frost as big selling points. “It has everything we need, all the features of the highest-class Ayrton fixtures in a compact form factor that’s rock solid,” he says.
Megaw concurs and explains that LUI plans to “eventually switch everything over to IP-rated fixtures that work well in all environments. That’s where our investment in new fixtures will be focused.”
The Rivales will see cross-country action when LUI teams with 15|40 Productions for “The Lodge: A Paramount+ Experience,” a four ski-slope-stop experiential event that’s part of the company’s Mountain of Entertainment campaign, which plays off the brand’s iconic snowy mountain logo. The event expands on its 2023 debut, which LUI supported in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Mammoth Mountain, California.
This year’s “The Lodge” production travels to Winter Park, Colorado; Stratton, Vermont; and, Steamboat Slough, California; and Lake Tahoe, California. It welcomes skiers of all ages on the mountains to a rustic lodge featuring interactive displays and activations spotlighting shows such as “Halo,” “Frasier,” “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” “Mean Girls” and fan-favorite franchises “Survivor,” “Spongebob Squarepants” and “Star Trek: Discovery.” Apres-ski evenings add a party atmosphere after sundown.
LUI will build ski lodge tent structures on the slopes at the four resorts, complete with indoor fireplaces and antler chandeliers, to host the activations and après-ski performers. “We will have eight Rivales outside the tent since they are able to handle moisture, snow and cold,” explains O’Neill, who acts as Lighting Designer for the series of stops. “They will paint and give texture to the snow during the daytime then transition to a party vibe at night. I’m extremely excited about having the Rivales on these mountain-top jobs—their size and weight will make a difference working in the snow and their IP rating is a necessity. Inside the lodge, a dozen Diablos will frame set pieces, layer texture on the ground and light the performers.”
The Rivales were also deployed in an open-air pavilion at The NFL Commissioner’s Party, one of the highest-profile events of the Super Bowl LVIII weekend in Las Vegas with members of the league’s inner circle among the invited guests.
In addition, Rivales will be on hand for an upcoming high-end social event in Baja California featuring numerous outdoor locations. “Rivale is on track to become one of my all-time favorite fixtures,” O‘Neill declares. “ACT bends over backwards to get us the products we need for shows. “It’s nice when people have your back, and tech support is always responsive.”
Megaw says he considers ACT to be “our partner as we continue to grow our company. We appreciate their professionalism and attention to client services.”
