South Africa – An arsenal of Clay Paky Sharpys have helped light up the night sky in Durban this summer for the annual Kwa-Zulu Natal Military Tattoo.
Durban rental based company Black Coffee supplied 12 Sharpys – known for their powerful laser-like beam – for the event, held at the Natal Mounted Rifles (N.M.R.) parade grounds in Durban 11 – 13 July 2012.
“The brief was to light up a castle set and to make sure the parade ground was lit beautifully too,” said Black Coffee’s Lighting designer and Operator, Llewellyn Pieters. “The lighting was rigged on 5 x 5m high scaffolding towers and on the castle wall. The lighting handled very well considering it was out in the open – the beach was just across the road, there was sea air – and the Sharpys penetrated into the night sky during the pyro display and looked great.”
Weighing just 16 kg, Sharpy produces a perfectly parallel beam with an incredible output of 59,760 lx at 20m. Sharpy is also groundbreaking for the purity of its beam, which is sharply defined and free of any halo or discoloration around the edges. It offers 14 different colours and 17 gobos, allowing you to change the shape of the beam and create an array of spectacular mid-air effects.
“The Sharpys did a great job of the gobo work on the field,” continues Pieters.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal Military Tattoo is an extravaganza of all things military. Based on the ongoing success of military tattoos worldwide and the popularity of the Durban Military Tattoo during the eighties, it was decided to revive the local tattoo in 2008, and has been held annually since then.
The event was organised by Themi Venturas Productions and the South African National Defence Force.