Birds of Prey Brought to Life with the Help from SolaFrame and Hog 4
PDF VersionBefore movie theaters went dark, pun intended, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), was released in February 2020. High End Systems (HES), an ETC company, gear was used to supply their own set of superpowers.
The Gaffer and Programmer are no rookies using HES lighting and controls, they’ve used the HES fixtures on at least six major sets. Mike Bauman, Gaffer, deployed SolaFrame Theatre and SolaFrame 3000 LED automated fixtures from his rental inventory from Lux Lighting, while Programmer Scott Barnes chose Hog 4 consoles for control. This established team also used the exact same equipment for their 2019 award winning film, Ford v Ferrari. “We used them for Key lights, bounce sources, accents and off-camera lighting effects,” said Mike Bauman.
The most appealing superpower of the SolaFrame Theatre is its fan-less, silent operation. The SolaFrame Theatre and SolaFrame 3000 share common attributes making them the perfect couple. From the power of their brightness, color temperature, color correction, reduced power from LED and the benefit of being a moving light is a critical component in cinema lighting.
During the pandemic, cinema industry is conforming to a stricter timeline requiring a fast-paced production with minimal time for changes. Luckily, the Hog 4 console gives programmers the ability to make changes with a bat of an eye. Barnes mentioned the director of photography, Matthew Libatique, shoots at a fast pace, with many changes on the fly, and Hog 4 gives him the ability to deliver what he needs without waiting. “The Rack Hogs are true workhorses. Using them as a console servers and networking in the consoles is the best workflow for me and Hog does it at ease. Hog 4 continues to deliver the functionality I need to make these movies.” (High End 2020)
Check out the movie trailer for Birds of Prey and how High End Systems products gave their lighting its wings!