ETC a blog of bright ideas

Since 1975, ETC has always been dedicated to backing our products with the highest quality service and support. As the company expanded its product portfolio, user base, and global reach over the course of 50 years, education came forward as one of the central pillars of ETC's service philosophy.

In a career spanning fifty-three years, defying the law of averages, Broadway lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes made it till 2024 before lighting his first production of Thornton Wilder’s fabled American drama Our Town.

ETC has improved century-old rigging technology through innovative engineering to encourage safer backstage environments. We found a way to make rigging safer and easier for staff to use and teach. Meet Prodigy Balance.  

Lighting designer Amanda Zieve knew that lighting Broadway’s reimagined production of Tommy would inevitably invite comparisons to previous stagings of The Who’s musical as well as the band’s own spectacular shows.

In the new ORF Center on Küniglberg, Vienna, the most modern technology was used to illuminate the multimedia Newsroom and ETC’s Austrian partner, Preworks was brought on board as an experienced consultant in the lighting industry. A large number of ETC fos/4 Fresnel spotlights were installed in...

Lighting Designer David Sexton employed High End Systems Ministar fixtures for Broadway Workshop productions of Head Over Heels and Beauty and The Beast, held in New York City’s Baruch Performing Arts Center. Funded through Project Broadway, Broadway Workshop produces full scale Main Stage youth...

Looking back over the past 50 years, ETC is proud to have made such an impact on the industries we serve. As we’ve grown, we’ve continued to be inspired by those who bring the arts to their communities. Whether you are lighting theatres, bridges, or aquariums… whether you’re working weekdays or...

The Austin Independent School District Performing Arts Center (AISD PAC) is on track to host 193 events this school year, catering to AISD’s 73,000+ students and the wider Austin community. As it approaches its 10th anniversary in January, the PAC remains highly active, typically booked six days a...

Henrick Ibsen’s audacious classic An Enemy of the People was given new life on Broadway in 2024 with a fresh adaptation written by Amy Herzog, directed for the stage by Sam Gold. Earning five Tony nominations, the production starred television greats Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli as two...

As we look back at 2024, it’s fun to see which of the et cetera articles you were most excited about. And this year, the numbers were clear!

In 1975, Fred Foster, his brother, and two of their friends from college started ETC with their work on a lighting console. In 1990 ETC acquired LMI and added dimming systems to their portfolio of products. In 1992, the iconic Source Four fixture launched, giving ETC the market edge. They were now...

Before we say goodbye to 2024, ETC made its rounds at several industry trade shows to share the latest innovations from ETC. In case you missed out on any of the action, we’re providing a recap of the events that took us to Las Vegas, Orlando, London, and Nantes, France!

Lighting designer Natasha Katz added to her impressive resume in the last Broadway season with two Tony Award-nominated lighting designs; one for the quasi-horror play Grey House and another for the musical Hell’s Kitchen based around Alicia Keys’ music.

For Brooklyn-based and five-time Tony-nominated lighting designer Japhy Weideman, it’s all about the angles.

What comes to mind when you picture the rigging from your high school theatre experience? A few overhead pipes tied off to wall-mounted cleats? If that is your memory, then you are not a graduate of the Utah school system.

This summer, the National Ballet of Maresille literally set the Vieux-Port harbor on fire, transforming the space into a dance stage for the occasion. In this "concert" configuration—and in front of an audience of 23,000 people—Éric Wurtz's lighting design was controlled by ETC’s Eos Apex console,...

Greece has been the target of invaders since around 3000 BCE. In a modern and more welcome invasion, ETC fixtures and control have recently taken that country’s television and live events industry by storm.

Since its premiere in 2000, the international medical education congress has established itself as Europe’s most important platform for the exchange of scientific and clinical information. Held annually in different European cities, this year’s prestigious and demanding educational program took...

We recently announced that we're saying goodbye to Source Four PAR and PARNel, Source Four jr, and Source Four Fresnels. As we sunset these iconic incandescent fixtures, we thought it would be fun to go way back to the beginning where it all started. Here is a look at some of the first print ads...

A true gem lies at the heart of Cary, North Carolina. The recently completed Downtown Cary Park spans seven acres of stunningly designed public space. Green space, water features, and recreational facilities fold together to create a gathering place for residents in all stages of life, all...

Full Compass Systems, an ETC dealer, is located just a stone's throw away from ETC's Middleton Headquarters building. The company (which has been in business nearly as long as ETC!) is an accomplished supplier of audio, visual, and lighting equipment. When the Full Compass team asked for a...

There is much we don’t know about Mars but thanks to a creative design team, we have a good idea what a Mars rover looks like on the Red Planet. Luckily you don’t have to make the 140-million-mile journey, (roughly 40 years by car at 100 MPH if you could drive). Using an ETC Unison Mosaic system, ...

Atlanta’s The Weber School has installed High End Systems Halcyon Titanium, SolaFrame 3000, SolaPix 7, and SolaFrame Theatre fixtures, as well as HQ100 Performance Hazers and an Eos Apex 10 console to create an absolutely gorgeous theater rig in their space. 36 ColorSource Spot V’s and 36 Fresnel...

With the on-going buzz of the Olympic Games taking place in the heart of Paris, our French office decided to join the hype with games of their own at an event in their building - ETC France’s 'Light Games’.

Earlier this year, a new museum installation was created at the ETC headquarters building. This installation includes several of the very first consoles designed and manufactured by ETC. These are the consoles that launched ETC into the theatrical lighting market. 

ETC Workshop 2024 gave extra value with the creation of dealer excellence awards in a variety of categories. Corey Cascio, Field Project Coordinator for ETC Germany put forward Sonus Exsertus for their work on the Lithuania Symphony Orchestra congress Hall and National Drama Theatre (Main hall) in...

Founded in 1920, the Salzburg Festival is regarded as the world's most important festival of classical music and performing arts. The six-week cultural spectacle that takes place every year in July and August offers over 200 events and is attended by more than 250,000 guests. The program highlights...

Tampa based Event Resource Group, renowned for cutting-edge lighting designs, successfully completed an impactful and immersive lighting project for the WWE WrestleMania XL Teaser Trailer. The project, which was led by Lighting Designer Marc Reed, was commissioned by Diamond View Studios and filmed...

ETC has built its legacy on combining the art and science of light into useful tools for live events around the globe. The video below tells the story of nearly five decades of inspiration, technology, and the industry.

The newly launched Grandeur is the sixth luxury ship to come from Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With 10 decks that can host up to 744 guests, the cruise ship promises a deluxe vacation experience with beautiful design throughout. In the search for best-in-class, the ship landed on many ETC solutions...

Happy Juneteenth! This day commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, while also celebrating Black culture. It’s a reminder to learn from our history, while paving a brighter future. ETC believes that we all have a responsibility to listen, reflect, and act to ensure that our industry is...

On April 16, ETC opened the doors to its new Innovation Centre. Nestled amongst the stunning scenery of Squamish, British Columbia, the Innovation Centre is home to the engineering team behind ETC’s Echoflex line of wireless distributed lighting control products as well as other architectural and...

During the month of June, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community while also advocating for their rights. At ETC, we recognize that LGBTQ+ folks have made countless contributions to our industry and within our company. In celebration of Pride, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the LGBTQ+...

With a dozen Tony nominations including ‘Best Musical’, The Outsiders is a true sensation on Broadway. Debuting at The Bernard Jacobs Theatre, the musical is based on S.E. Hinton’s classic novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s motion picture. The Tony nominated lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and...

The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio is a world-class venue hosting national and international touring entertainment. It is also the home of the Dayton Ballet, the Dayton Philharmonic, the Dayton Opera, and numerous local productions. Dayton Live, the organization...

Theater Regensburg was looking for a powerful and bright solution when they decided to replace their halogen spotlights with LED. Martin Stevens, Head of Lighting at the German venue, noted, “You can’t do a one-to-one replacement with LEDs. But converting to LEDs has become essential. Additionally,...

In the winter of 1975, a planning committee began forming the first-ever Illinois High School Theatre Festival. This state-wide festival has been bringing students and teachers together from around the state for this non-competitive event ever since. The 2024 festival featured a production of She...

We thought for Earth Day, we would take you behind the scenes for a look at a pretty cool packaging change we started rolling out a few years ago. Our manufacturing team went looking for a more sustainable alternative to the plastic foam that is used to cushion some products for shipping.

In the world of stage lighting, designers rely on a multitude of technical terms to create stunning visual effects. However, understanding these terms can sometimes feel like navigating a maze, with their multiple meanings and interpretations. While delving into every single one would be quite the...

Based in Irving, Texas, Inspire Solutions is a service event, creative, and digital production company serving many clients, ranging from local, regional, and even international touring to corporate events and beyond. Inspire Solutions’ National Director of Lighting for Show and Event Services,...

This article appears in the 2024 Spring issue of ProtocolIt all started with a group of students who had a dream. Fred Foster, his brother Bill Foster, and two friends James Bradley, and Gary Bewick were students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when they invented their own lighting control...

ETC has stayed busy this spring with a round of phenomenal industry trade shows. From Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, to LEDucation in New York, to USITT in Seattle, we’ve had a great time showing customers our latest solutions.

There is no off-season for sports coverage, just a constant competition to be the best.

Welcome back to our journey through the world of stage lighting design! In our previous installments, we explored the fundamental concepts of lighting, its key objectives, the versatile properties of light, the diverse types of lights available, and the role of lighting angles, colors, and lighting...

Every venue in need of new lighting comes with a unique set of challenges and opportunities. This is especially true for churches, spaces that require special attention to accessibility, consistency, and visual simplicity. ETC sat down with Chris Rynne, OCS Lighting + Control’s Director of...

The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center is an iconic performing arts venue and has been a New York City cultural landmark for over a century. Home to the world’s top tier operatic performances, the venue recently upgraded their lighting plot with High End Systems Halcyon Gold and Platinum...

Welcome back to our exciting series on stage lighting design! In previous parts, we covered the basics, introducing the concept of lighting and its objectives. We also discussed different types of lights, the controllable properties of light, and the importance of lighting angles, color, and ...

“I started Preston Productions with an ETC Ion, a few thousand dollars and a credit card,” Justin Preston says when we meet with him in the unlikely setting of downtown Los Angeles. 

Olbrich Botanical Gardens, located in Madison, Wisconsin, is just a few miles from the ETC headquarters building. For the past six years, in late summer, a team of lighting designers, artists, marketing/branding specialists, and horticulturists collaborated to produce a community art exhibit called...

Riverside Theatre’s lighting supervisor, Will Gibbons-Brown, recently found himself in the middle of every lighting designer’s most commonly recurring nightmare: he had 48 hours to light a musical from scratch. With only two days until previews for the first show of the season, the production...

Welcome back to our exciting series on stage lighting design! In previous parts, we covered the basics, introducing the concept of lighting and its objectives. We also discussed the controllable properties of light, the importance of lighting angles, and color. Now, let's move on to lighting...

The tightrope act of outfitting a high school performance space with new lights is not a task for the weak of heart. Theatre educators in need of new lighting equipment must jump through countless hoops to secure funds, and when they do, the pressure is on to make it count. “You have to make sure...

We find ourselves once again at the end of the year. This is the time when we look back and take stock of what we’ve accomplished, the milestones we’ve hit, the people we’ve met, the music we’ve listened to, and recount our favorite memories. We at ETC are, once again, jumping on that bandwagon...

Winter in England means it’s getting closer to the holiday season. It means shorter days and longer nights. It means wrapping up warm against the cold. It also means mince pies (my favorite), mulled wine (not my favorite), and festive light trails. These gained popularity during lockdown as it was...

It was another action-packed show for ETC at LDI 2023! Our booth featured the latest ETC solutions, including conventional fixtures, moving lights, consoles, rigging, and much more. Here is a quick recap of what we were up to in Las Vegas.

Welcome back to our ongoing series on stage lighting design! In the previous installments, we set the foundation by introducing the concept of lighting and exploring its objectives. We also delved into the various controllable aspects of light, examined the different types of lights available, and...

The Cincinnati live / special event market came back strong in 2023, and in a bold, calculated move for their future, three production companies in the area – MAC Productions, Cincy Entertainment Services, and Prestige AV - simultaneously decided to invest in Halcyon, the latest High End Systems...

In part one of An Array of Choices, we looked at red, green, and indigo LEDs. In Part 2, we explored additional LED colors.  In this third part, we’ll discuss individual emitter colors with mint and then transition to white light.  

Welcome back to our stage lighting design series! In the previous parts, we laid the groundwork by introducing lighting and discussing the objectives of lighting design. We also delved into the controllable properties of light and explored the different types of lights available. Now, it's time to...

A beloved Michigan tradition for over 40 years, the 2023 Detroit Jazz Festival featured over 60 performers, spontaneous late night jam sessions, and 350,000 attendees; online viewership of the festival topped 2.5 million live views. Now a division of Display Group, Fantasee Lighting has been...

Hermès, the famous French luxury design house, unveiled its annual theme as “astonishment” for 2023. During the grand event, Lighting Designer Mathieu Cabanes chose Eos to work with the sunset and the collective (LA)HORDE in a series of performances scenographed by Julien Peissel.

Get ready for the next exciting chapter in our stage lighting design series. Building on the foundations laid in Part 1: Introduction to Lighting and Part 2: Objectives of Lighting Design, as well as exploring the intricacies of the Controllable Properties of Light in Part 3, we now turn our...

Buckle up for a deep dive into how to control your followspots on an Eos console!

The New National Theatre, Tokyo (NNTT) is Japan’s first and foremost national theatre for the performing arts, including opera, ballet, contemporary dance and drama. Over the years, they have had an incredible array of 771 productions, with 6404 performances to 4,553,416 attendees (as of March,...

Dave Young, ETC’s Architectural Regional Manager – West, received the Illuminating Engineering Society’s Presidential Award. The award recognizes Young’s hard work to keeping the annual IES conference a success “during unprecedentedly difficult times.” Fittingly, the award was presented at the...

Welcome to the third installment of our series on stage lighting design! Following on fromPart 1: Introduction to Lighting and Part 2: Objectives of Lighting Design, in Part 3 we will delve deeper into the controllable properties of light and explore how they can be manipulated to achieve the...

In the summer of 2023, Seoul was abuzz with excitement as C&C Lightway, a prominent ETC dealer in the Korean market, hosted an open house event that brought together friends, customers, and industry professionals. This four-day extravaganza attracted over 300 attendees eager to witness the latest...

The software behind the Eos family of consoles is world renowned when it comes to lighting control. With over 20 years of software development behind it, it’s not a stretch to say the consoles are feature rich! So much so, it’s sometimes easy to forget just how many options you have at your...

Life can be tough for aquarium-bound fish. Their days are spent patrolling the confines of their tank, staring back at the young faces pressed against their glass walls. On the upside, there is companionship, regular meals, and freedom from predators. For the denizens of the Suzanne and Walter...

Welcome back to our captivating series on stage lighting design! In this second installment, we'll explore the essential objectives of lighting design and how they work together to create a mesmerizing theatrical experience.

In part one of An Array of Choices, we took a look at red, green, and indigo LEDs. In this second article, we’ll dig deeper into the library of additional colors available and what that means for color perception.

Imagine having the power to manipulate color on the fly – quickly and easily being able to tweak and adjust your fixtures to make the costumes pop or the scenery really come to life or add just a little more warmth into skin tones. Now you can.It is a wonderfully exciting time to be working in...

Headline Productions provides turnkey services of audio, video and lighting equipment in southwest Missouri and neighboring areas; the company recently specified and installed High End Systems lighting and Hog 4 control in Connect2Culture’s new indoor performance hall located in the Harry M....

Are you ready to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of stage lighting design? In this series, we'll take you on a journey through the essential aspects of lighting design, from the very basics of light and color to the technological innovations that allow you to bring your artistic vision to...

No matter if you are trying to comply with Title 24v, ASHRAE/IES 90.1, or IECC, there are many energy code requirements your lighting system will have to meet. Small requirements like the ones we highlighted in our first post in this series (How ETC helps you meet energy codes, part 1: What are...

Title 24, IECC, and ASHRAE 90.1 are building energy codes that provide minimum standards for the design and construction of energy-efficient buildings. Each of these codes has specific requirements, which are designed to reduce energy consumption, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and improve...

Lighting People understand that more color in each fixture is better, but it’s not often you get to see all those colors grace your TV screen. This is unequivocally (and appropriately) not true for RuPaul’s Drag Race.

“Our show lives in color palettes that are not common,” says Gus Dominguez,...

Theatrical Lighting Designer, Museum Assistant Preparator, Sound Designer, Eagle Scout: Matthew Russell’s background is as colorful as the projects they’ve worked on.

Phil Vilar is a first-generation Latino American working as a lighting designer and educator. Born into a traditional Catholic family, Vilar felt a deep sense of duty to become successful in whatever career they chose. This just so happened to be a career in lighting and projection design. “Theatre...

At ETC, we’re always creating new and exciting things – including new ways to teach you all about those exciting things! Recently we unveiled our new online training outpost: LearningStage. It’s packed with all the courses and resources you need to take your understanding of ETC gear and software...

This four-part blog series will give some introductory insight into creating a template show file to use while programming on an Eos family console. The Eos line of consoles and, thus, the software has been around since 2007. The family has grown and evolved over the years and has become a robust...

This four-part blog series will give some introductory insight into creating a template show file to use while programming on an Eos family console. The Eos line of consoles and, thus, the software has been around since 2007. The family has grown and evolved over the years and has become a robust...

A collaboration between production designers Seth Jackson and (programmer extraordinaire) Nathan Alves, The Darkroom Creative is a full-service design firm that leverages the partners' experience in the entertainment industry to create impactful designs across a variety of price points. The firm...

NEC section 210.70 covers the requirements for “Lighting Outlets” and their control in certain specific occupancies and locations. Recent internet articles have created some confusion regarding this section. This blog post is meant to clear up where 210.70 applies.

Covenant Communications completed a major renovation of High End Systems and ETC products in Cornerstone Church, a San Antonio based mega house of worship. Founded by entrepreneur Shawn Mullins, Covenant’s unique business model involves being a full-service design/build integration firm, including...

This four-part blog series will give some introductory insight into creating a template show file to use while programming on an Eos family console. The Eos line of consoles and, thus, the software has been around since 2007. The family has grown and evolved over the years and has become a robust...

This four-part blog series will give some introductory insight into creating a template show file to use while programming on an Eos family console. The Eos line of consoles and, thus, the software has been around since 2007. The family has grown and evolved over the years and has become a robust...

Recent changes in the 2023 US National Electrical Code and UL standards have significantly changed the rules for emergency lighting in the US. We explore those changes in this blog.

At ETC’s recent tour of global Roadshow events, we presented a variety of interactive seminars which were focused on the Entertainment and Broadcast markets. Today we are going to look at one of those sessions in a bit more detail: ‘The Art of Lighting the Audience’. Why bother making the...

There are millions of incandescent Source Four fixtures out in the world. 3.5 million to be exact. Because of their high-quality design and robust technology, a majority of these fixtures are still running strong and are revered as the dependable workhorse fixtures of their venues.

On this International Women's Day, we thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some of the amazing women in our industry. 

The Chengdu City Concert Hall is the government’s initiative to promote Chengdu City as the national hub of the music industry. The up-and-coming music development hub is dedicated to bringing a classic and best-in-class musical experience to the world. The design of the Concert Hall integrates the...

As automated lighting technology entered the 21st century, moving yoke LED luminaires became the de facto choice for most designers and applications. While moving mirror fixtures are inherently larger and difficult to hide in a rig, they did afford a much longer optical path.

After celebrating Johnnie Walker’s 200^th anniversary in 2020, the brand kicked off a new century of whisky making with the flagship Johnnie Walker Princes Street visitor experience in Edinburgh. Spanning 8 floors in one of Edinburgh’s historic buildings, Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers...

Thirty years ago, ETC began selling the Source Four incandescent fixture. That timeline means that many of you reading this article have grown up with Source Four and may not remember the time when it was not standard in every theatre. But the fixture’s success did not happen overnight and there...

For over 20 years, ETC has connected with lighting technology students through the Fred Foster Student Mentorship Program. With the group of program alumni now reaching a count of hundreds, the ETC team is always thrilled to see more and more familiar faces finding success in the industry.

The LG Arts Center SEOUL is the new landmark of contemporary performing art which was recently relocated to Gangseo-gu of Seoul, the western part of the capital of Korea. The Center is the first venue in Asia to install the signature Eos Apex console. The venue also includes additional ETC products...

Before we fade out on 2022, ETC is taking a look back on the highlights from the year. Check out the complete list below for some of this year's biggest moments and a couple of fun stats along the way.

The ETC France team had a very busy few weeks gearing up for the 2022 JTSE trade show in Paris… and what a jam-packed couple of days they had!

While Mathieu Cabanes has spent many hours programming Eos consoles for opera and theatre, this was the first time he used this desk for a grand symphony orchestra performance. Les Folies Broadway, held this past summer at the Domaine D'O in Montpellier, France, was a journey through the great...

Musco Lighting, a pioneer in the design and manufacture of sports, transportation, and infrastructure lighting solutions, welcomed the holidays in their home state of Iowa with the help of ETC Mosaic controls. The team partnered with the City of Muscatine, Iowa, and Muscatine Power and Water to...

Nantong Grand Theatre is a signature landmark that was newly established in 2021. It is the largest project invested in by the China government in an effort to boost art and cultural development in Nantong of the Jiangsu Province. The theatre is situated in the city center, a central hub for...

Throughout the year we’ve interviewed some incredible women in the entertainment lighting industry. This week we feature a woman who, like others, has ties to the theatre, but unlike the others, makes a living as an architectural lighting designer. This segment of lighting design is lesser known,...

Just after ETC's big fixture launch event, the team packed up our gear and headed off to LDI! It was an action-packed weekend in the ETC booth, with demos of all our latest products, including Halcyon, ColorSource V, and the legendary Eos Apex. If you missed the show, here's a quick recap of events.

ETC has partnered with one of the US Department of Energy’s national laboratories to conduct field research related to Human Centric Lighting (HCL.) The project kicked off with measuring lighting conditions throughout the manufacturing areas in ETC's Middleton headquarters.

We always love to meet our ETC fans and customers in person. Talking and interacting with all of you inspires us. Thank you C&C Lightway and Korea Lighting Designer Association for organizing the International Lighting Seminar on August 17-18, at the LG Arts Center SEOUL. Here they shared the...

Color temperature and Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) describe the warm or cool appearance of white light. Color temperature refers to white chromaticities (color points) that are technically on what is called the blackbody curve on a scientific diagram. CCT uses the nearest color temperature to...

Last year, ETC Color Specialist Wendy Luedtke sat down with Senior Colorist, Rory Gordon and Cinematographer, Craig Kief to discuss the benefits of, and science behind ETC’s Lustr X8 array. This array can be found in several ETC fixtures and, for a number of reasons, is ideal for the on-camera...

Well known for its annual folk music festival, Kerrville, Texas is also home to Impact Christian Fellowship. A growing, non-denominational house of worship, Impact’s services stand out for their message and their worship music. Weekly services, their ‘kids church’, and annual Vacation Bible School...

We've talked about color temperature in architectural applications before on this blog. Both in terms of what color temperature is and how human-centric lighting works with physiology to create environments that are well suited for their purpose. What we haven't talked about before is just how...

Suzhou Bay Cultural Center is located at the shore of Lake Tai in Suzhou of China, and adjacent to the Taihu New Town CBD. It is one of the signature development projects initiated by the city through the Wujiang Lakefront Masterplan. The 215,000 square-meter center consists of two wings, the...

In an industry centered on the arts, it's no surprise that we've come across some amazing theatre tattoos and lighting themed ink over the years. Here, we've gathered tattoo submissions and stories from our fans. Thank you to everyone who contributed. We're inspired by you and your artists'...

It was such a wonderful time to meet our friends and customers in person during the open house event held from June 29 to July 1 in Seoul, organized by C&C Lightway, our very supportive dealer for the Korean market.

When executing a successful lighting design, the question of color is often considered near the end of the process, and in some ways, it seems to make sense. We first ask ourselves, what’s my budget? Which fixtures do I have? What are my hang positions? And then, finally, what color should those...

Humans move faster than plants, but we still respond to daylight. We also respond to paychecks, which is why many of us find ourselves indoors for large parts of the day, cut off from the cues daylight naturally tells our body about when to be active and when to rest. We find ourselves sluggish in...

The following is a conversation between Sherrice Mojgani, lighting designer, and Venus Gulbranson, assistant lighting designer. Read as the two discuss their own thoughts on the professional process, expectations, and assumed duties of both lighting designers and their assistants.

France TV, the nation’s public broadcaster, recently expanded its premises near Montpellier in the South-East of France, with the addition of a cutting edge 600 m² green screen space: Studio D. To satisfy the demanding requirements, France TV’s technical teams equipped themselves with 46 fos/4...

ETC has spent decades refining the technology that goes into our lighting and rigging systems. While our roots are in theatre, our extensive product suite has grown to find a home in concert stadiums, convention centers, film studios, cruise ships, theme parks, office buildings, houses of worship,...

We continue our conversations with female lighting designers with this week’s feature on Mextly Couzin. Couzin is a Mexican American designer with a passion for opera, a BS in pure mathematics, and an associate design credit on a show currently running on Broadway. Read interviews with other...

If you’ve ever wanted to pursue a career in professional theatre, there’s a good chance that you’ve spent some time working summer stock or at a repertory theatre. Designers, actors, stage managers, and backstage crew from far and wide come together for a few months each year to learn, experiment,...

Miami University in Oxford, Ohio held its 16th Fashion and Design Program’s Fashion Show on April 30th, where High End Systems lighting offered beautiful illumination of the 75 student models on the catwalk.

All of the designers, models, and volunteer staff are students in the school’s fashion and...

Moving to LED fixtures is a big decision–and one that should be viewed as a long-term investment. In addition to looking at what LED fixtures can do, specifiers should also consider how long they will last. But finding long-lasting LED fixtures is easier said than done. That’s why ETC Sales Manager...

The Marlene Boll Theater is housed inside the Detroit Metropolitan YMCA; a 2500-foot black box space, the theater regularly hosts plays, social events, film screenings, and award ceremonies.

The Tony Awards are happening this coming weekend and as an industry built on live theatre, we thought it would be a missed opportunity to go without mentioning the history of this award, all the amazing talent that is recognized year after year, and how ETC is proud to play a role in many of these...

Professor Kathy Steppe from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering at Ghent University conducts light research focusing on how light affects plant growth—and the impact of the findings could reach as far as space.

Sharon Remartini and Fabio Passerini are two young lighting designers from Italy, specializing in the discipline of dance. Like many of their colleagues, Eos is their preferred console. Their recent work includes a project with the Kataklò athletic dance theatre company, directed by the famous...

 After three long years we finally made our way back to Frankfurt for the much anticipated 2022 edition of Prolight + Sound (April 25-28). There was a great deal of excitement at returning to the Messe Frankfurt and being able to connect with our customers and visitors in-person once again. Around...

Like so many designers in this industry, Erica Lauren Maholmes says she came upon her career by accident. And like so many students, the momentum of her young career was dramatically impacted when the world shut down in 2020. Despite the unfortunate timing, however, she is an inspiration to...

Earth Day is April 22 and we at ETC continue to look at what we can do as a manufacturer to increase our sustainability efforts and decrease our carbon footprint. During CUE 2022, a team from our London office did a deep dive into the data behind our product manufacturing, shipping, and end-of-life...

Eos Apex consoles offer the luxury of complete control, engineered for your comfort. But then we thought – what if we made them even more comfortable? Meet the Eos Apex body pillow. Nearly spanning the width of the flagship Eos Apex 20 console, this body pillow provides peak comfort to programmers...

With just over 2100 people registered in 80 countries around the world, Virtual CUE 2022 was definitely our largest event to date! As you might expect with an event that spans most of the time zones, and many of our ETC corporate offices, it took a small army to pull it all together.

Product training opportunities have increased significantly over the past several years as ETC continues to grow. Having recently celebrated its 45^th year in business, ETC has gone from modest beginnings to become arguably the largest manufacturer of lighting and control products in the world....

When Amber Whatley decided to study lighting design in college, she quickly realized that many of her peers were coming to the program with prior training because of the programs that existed at the high school level. Unfortunately, in the majority of Black communities in the United States,...

ETC and Korean dealer, C&C Lightway, were invited by Busan Cinema Center to organize a product demonstration seminar on October 25. The Busan Cinema Center is the exclusive venue for the largest film event in Asia, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

The end of the year always calls for reflection. Before we bid 2021 adieu, we’re having one last curtain call of some of our greatest hits of the year. Check out the full list below for some of the fun stats and fan favorites you may have missed over the past year.

In less than one day, 400 people from 40 countries around the world had already registered for CUE 2022! This 24-hour event is slotted for February 17th, begins in Asia, and makes its way around the world, wrapping up in North America. Come join students, educators, designers, technicians, and...

The World Expo in Dubai has returned with over 200 participants taking part and presenting their latest and greatest innovations and technology on a variety of pavilions. ETC products are installed in several of the pavilions in the Expo which, after being delayed by the pandemic, has opened the...

Today we take a look back at the history of PENKO Engineering B.V. and where it all began. The company which has been a part of the global ETC Inc. group for over 17 years, originally started as a trading business which sold weighing equipment. Today however, PENKO delivers a range of customized...

ETC’s logo has evolved through the years. While it started as a college project, it soon shifted into something very artistic and intentional. There have been a handful of iterations through the years, but you’ll see that many of the original elements still remain over 40 years later.

Emanuele Agliati and Oscar Frosio are two lighting professionals from Italy with an abundance of experience, especially in the world of musicals. Emanuele is an esteemed lighting designer and co-founder of k5600 Design – an associate studio of lighting designers focusing on visual lighting design...

High End Systems has been making dichroic color filters for the live event industry for over 30 years. But what is a dichroic filter, how is it different than gel, and what are the benefits of using this stunningly beautiful glass that’s also found in artwork, jewelry, architectural accents, and...

Independent filmmaker and owner of UpHill Cinema, Levi Whitney, has been featuring ETC’s fos/4 and Source Four LED Series 3 fixtures in a variety of projects over the past year.

Pink Floyd could never be accused of half-hearted productions. In the mid-seventies when their contemporaries were still using carousel projectors, they created a 32-foot-diameter circular screen lit by two 10,000-watt Xenon 35 mm projectors with custom lenses ground in France. When other bands...

One of the most significant ways ETC has grown is through acquisitions of companies that already had great people and great products. From one end of the globe to the other, it's been an impressive journey.

The National Museum of the United States Army tells the story of more than 245 years of Army history. Much of the information throughout the exhibits is relayed through the eyes of American soldiers. From macro-scale artifacts to immersive A/V presentations, the museum required sophisticated and...

On Christmas eve 1975, ETC was founded, and a tale of impressive growth and expansion began. As we wrap up our 45^th year in business, we thought it would be fun to look back at the moments that have made us who we are today.

Today we’d like to introduce you to the latest office space of ETC France! The team officially moved into a brand new building in Saint Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, early last year. When you walk into the office you can instantly see just how spacious it is: at 1400 m2, the modern space is...

A great salesperson, the late Stan Schwartz of Rosco, once said, “Nothing happens until someone sells something.” Some of the most innovative inventions failed because there was nobody to sell them!

Technology enhances so much of what happens in your church, synagogue, or house of worship venue as you’re preparing for services each week. The lighting, recording, and filming equipment, projections, and slide shows… it all adds up to a lot of time and money. Maybe your congregation doesn’t...

The word “iconic” is often used to describe the natural amphitheater in the grounds of Stanford University. Joan Baez, The Grateful Dead and Crosby Stills and Nash are a small sampling of the seminal acts of the ‘60s who performed on what some call “that hallowed stage.” Opened in 1937, Frost...

Leonardo Benetollo is an Italian lighting designer and owner of Pro Service SNC, a company specializing in technical installations for dance and theatre. His talent and experience in the dance arena make him one of the most sought-after professionals in his field. Leonardo has long been linked to...

ETC founder Fred Foster instilled his passion for education in the company’s corporate philosophy early on.  For over 20 years, ETC has facilitated career growth for lighting students through its Fred Foster Student Mentorship Program; a program that helps Fred’s spirit of giving live on.

The Orthodox Educational Society (OES) in Jordan is a charitable organization that serves communities across the Middle East including the education and training of students. In the midst of the pandemic, ETC dealer, Girhoma worked with OES to supply lighting equipment for its latest 450-seat...

This continues to be a disruptive year for our industry, but thankfully, with technology being what it is, we did not have to forego the much-loved summer conference for our ETC dealers and reps. Workshop took a modified virtual platform for the second year in a row, but attendance was high,...

A treasured destination in Winnipeg, the Manitoba Museum recently completed a multi-phase renovation over the past four years to bring new life to the museum’s beloved galleries. Among the largest upgrades was the Nonsuch Gallery. The Gallery is now equipped with more than two dozen ETC...

Anne Valentino retired from ETC in October of 2020. Before she left, however, Steve Terry (ETC Director of Standards and Industry Relations) and Dennis Varian (ETC Vice President of Research and Development) sat down with her in a virtual interview to capture the stories and memories of her time...

When you walk into the Orlando office, you’re greeted by a barn wood-wrapped front desk, a few comfy chairs, and the smiling face of the lovely Amy Poole. The environment is laid back professional, just like the corporate culture encourages it to be. Add in the frenetic energy of High End Systems...

ETC’s Mosaic architectural system and Source Four fixtures have been selected for Austrian amusement park Prater’s latest attraction: the new, rapid rollercoaster ‘Gesengte Sau’.

ETC recently launched two new fixtures for the theatrical market. The Source Four LED Series 3 and the Desire Fresnel. Separately these fixtures are incredibly useful. But together, they can revolutionize how your stage crew runs a load in, how your designers create art, and how your audience...

A project in the making for several years, Toronto-based York University went LED in its house lighting system with the help of ArcSystem Pro fixtures. After working with Horizon Solutions to install new on-stage fixtures as well as a Paradigm control system, the university’s School of the Arts,...

Many movie theatres of the 1930s, like the starlets who graced their screens, have faded away. Time – and real estate developers – wait for no one. But in Vancouver’s west side the art deco Hollywood Theatre was rescued from demolition by an enterprising team who turned the classic ‘30s palace...

For anyone who has ever worked in live theatre, you understand the massive amount of time, energy, and materials required to put up a single show. The costumes, lighting, scenery, marketing materials, and travel considerations for audience after audience each night add up quickly and have a...

When Syracuse University decided to renovate the legendary Carrier Dome, one of the key components was a rigging system that would support their scoreboard. They wanted a scoreboard that would provide a “wow factor” for their fans and players. With four sides that are each 62.5 feet wide and 20...

Lighting designer Daniella Beatie discusses the world of lighting design for theatre-in-the-round in this latest blog article. She is based at the New Vic Theatre Stoke-on-Trent and has worked on over 100 productions in-the-round including, Prince and the Pauper, Much Ado About Nothing, The Wind...

When Przemysław Waszkiewicz, owner of Offstage rental company in Poland, was asked by 1 venue recording AUDIO-WIDEO to provide gear for a video shoot, he immediately thought of ETC’s camera-friendly fos/4 Fresnel. “There is a lot of variety in LED fixtures, and I’ve seen many venues purchase RGB...

Twenty-two SolaFrame Studio fixtures have been selected to light the Marstall Theatre, a venue of the famous Residenztheater (or New Residence Theatre) in Munich for their precise framing, dimming, and especially silent operation.

Blake Hottle is a freelance Director of Photography/Camera Op whose work has been seen regularly on 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, CNBC Documentaries, and more. On his latest shoot for 60 Minutes, ETC’s new ColorSource Spot jr impressed him. “It’s fast, versatile, and has plenty of power for how we shoot...

Spread the ETC love with some printable Valentine’s Day cards featuring the gear you love most. Or, save a digital copy and send it to that special someone near or far!

With a 4,000-seat auditorium, Gateway Church’s Southlake Campus had their work cut out for them when going LED. As the LED upgrade started to become a reality, ETC’s ArcSystem Pro fixtures quickly became the standout luminaire choice for the project.

The Dingledine Music Center is a part of Bradley University in Illinois. The University’s music department uses the hall to host more than 100 local and collegiate performances per year.

Education is fundamental to growth and development. Esplanade Academy in Singapore held a series of lighting design workshops in September 2020 while respecting social distancing guidelines during this challenging time.

San Diego Opera used creativity and all the tools at their disposal to stage a full run of the opera classic La Bohème recently. Presented as a drive-in experience in the parking lot of a local sports arena, the opera came together under tight constraints. Luckily for the lighting team, ETC’s...

Maintain the quality of light. That was the company message in 2011. Global energy conservation laws were coming fast and furious and the world was asking questions about the long-term impact of incandescent lighting. Commercial and residential facilities began swapping practical lighting from...

Billed as Spokane’s most popular amusement, the venerable Looff Carrousel has been re-housed, re-painted, and re-lit with ETC gear. This 110-year-old attraction is also the newest addition to ETC’s Project Portfolio.

ETC’s new project portfolio (https://portfolio.etcconnect.com) showcases some of the most impressive, boundary-pushing, and industry-defining installations we’ve been privileged to be a part of. Visitors can scroll through a photo gallery and click on whatever image strikes them to learn more...

Even before there was electricity, people were looking for ways to dim their stage lights. This sketch from 1650 shows the pulley mechanism used to lower cans over candles to dim the output from the flame. Technology has come a long way since this early sketch, but it’s clear that the ideas to...

With much of our staff still working from home, many ETC employees find themselves working with new officemates—except these ones have four legs and a tail. To celebrate our furry companions on National Dog Day, we’ve compiled a slideshow of some of our team’s friendly helpers. To all of our...

Recognized as the world’s tallest building in 2004, Taipei 101 is the landmark building of Taiwan. The building recently created a French-themed art installation in the 4/F atrium, featuring an exquisitely designed garden in the style of Monet. ETC’s Source 4WRD II was selected to light up this...

As a part of our Study Hall educational efforts, we’ve been hosting Instagram Story Q&A’s with ETC experts over the past few months. With so many questions coming in from our amazing followers, it’s simply not possible to get to them all in a day, or within the confines of an Instagram S0

tory!

How do you teach lighting design without any lights? Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators around the world have had to quickly and creatively shift their classes online. One such story comes from Clemson University in South Carolina, where lighting instructor Tony Penna faced a conundrum...

We’re lucky to have so many intelligent people in this industry with an aptitude and willingness to teach. Over the past couple of years, many of these people – lighting designers, programmers, and researchers have given their time to help explain some of the industry’s trickiest topics.