Lighting Up Don’t Look Down
Don’t Look Down was the latest Channel 4 reality show in aid of Stand Up to Cancer that followed nine celebrities as they took part in six weeks of vertigo-inducing high wire training. In their sights was the ultimate high wire challenge – to complete a tightrope relay, 100ft high and 650ft across the iconic London Stadium.
The show commenced with host, Paddy McGuiness, welcoming nine nervous celebrities to the Austrian Alps for a series of physically and mentally demanding challenges designed to conquer their fear of heights. Each with their own personal stories of how cancer has impacted their lives, the contestants felt emotionally compelled to raise significant sums for cancer research by giving every challenge their all.
Among the brave contestants were soap legend Beverley Callard; footballer Anton Ferdinand; presenter and Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt; sports presenter and Love Island finalist Chris Hughes; French football icon David Ginola; motoring expert Charley Boorman; TikTok star GK Barry; content creator and comedian Fats Timbo; and Olympic champion cyclist Victoria Pendleton.
After a gruelling six-week training schedule, and only three weeks to practice the high wire, the celebrities were ready for their final challenge at the London Stadium - home of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Supporting the show’s location shoot in the Austrian Alps, the final studio training period, and bringing dynamic showmanship to the grand finale was Lighting Designer, David Bishop, who was supported by Limelite Lighting with kit and crew.
David and the team at Limelite have established a close working relationship over the years. Together, they have undertaken a wide range of royal engagements and broadcast productions.
Knowing the team’s dedication to delivering high quality kit, attention to detail and their exemplary crew, David confidently handed the reigns for the delivery of his stadium specification to Limelite’s Gaffer, Matthew Mountier.
“During the planning stages our main priority for the lighting scheme and specification was to ensure that we gave the tightrope challenge the grand finale it deserved,” explained Bishop.
“Working with Matthew and the wider team at Limelite, we needed to address three key factors. The first being the immense size of the stadium; the second was the height of the tightrope; and the third was that we were filming overnight during autumn, when the weather is very unpredictable.”
The choice of the main key light fixture played a critical role in ensuring Bishop and Limelite could achieve an even light across the high wire and transform the stadium from sports venue into a setting for an entertainment show.
“The space was undoubtedly our biggest challenge,” explained Matthew. “With a seating capacity of 80,000, the London Stadium is not your average filming location!
“The tightrope itself spanned the full length of the stadium and it was important to convey the full scale on camera, while capturing the expressions of the contestants. Therefore, nowhere could be in darkness.”
To evenly light the tightrope and contestants at 100ft above the ground, Bishop needed a luminaire with a powerful zoom, framing system and exceptional optics. Working with Limelite, the team’s final fixture of choice was the Ayrton Domino Profile S.
“It’s great for all outdoor conditions, including the unpredictable autumn weather,” said Matthew. “Plus, the powerful white light has an output of 51,000 lumens at 7000K colour temperature. In total, we installed 80 units, which proved enough to evenly light the full span of the tightrope.”
To ensure the contestants expressions were accurately captured as they were lifted from the ground and transferred, mid-air to the high wire, Limelite mounted Astera Helios tubes to all edges of the cherry picker baskets that transported them.
Throughout the stadium’s grandstands and around the pitch, Limelite also installed 152 Showtec Helix S5000 LED and 24 SGM P5 floods. While the trusty Cream Source Vortex8 provided a soft light when filming links-to-camera at different locations around the stadium.
Undoubtedly, the pièce de résistance for the lighting scheme - and one of Bishop’s favourite fixtures for large-scale outdoor events - was Limelite’s latest investment of 56 Ayrton Cobras. This luminaire delivers a speckle free laser source with incredible definition. Positioned around the pitch, the Ayrton Cobras were coupled with MDG ATMe haze generators to provide intense aerial beams from the stadium floor to high above the canopy.
“Ensuring all the equipment ran efficiently, we positioned six Stage Smart 72 Way distros and a Luminex fibre network around the entire stadium. We also linked into the stadium house rig (installed by Stadium FX). Controlling the full system was Adam Marshall, using a GrandMA3 Light,” concluded Matthew.
On completion, Bishop said, “I chose Limelite for this job based on their existing good relationship with South Shore (the production company), but also for their outstanding track record in delivering large-scale events to the highest standard. They didn’t disappoint, providing me with a one-stop-shop for project management, kit hire, and staffing - they were always on the ball. The patience and professionalism of the team during some testing hours was also hugely appreciated.”
Overall, the production was a huge success and most importantly, the celebrities accomplished their once-in-a-lifetime challenge. In doing so, they managed to raise a significant sum for Stand Up to Cancer.
