The versatility of the Clay Paky lighting family was demonstrated when lighting
designer Stefan DeWilde, of DeWilde Design Group LLC in Burbank, selected an
array of Clay Paky fixtures for two projects that couldn’t have been more different:
the glittering 40th birthday party for Michelle Damon, wife of two-time World Series
champ Johnny Damon and a philanthropist and businesswoman in her own right,
and the exterior effects lighting for a popular theme park attraction.
DeWilde used Clay Paky Alpha Spots, Sharpys and Sharpy Washes from PRG to give
a high-end Las Vegas nightclub look to the Orange Ballroom at the Orlando Hilton
for Michelle Damon’s celebrity-filled birthday party. With all the lights ground
supported by truss towers he needed lightweight fixtures with a small footprint and
high output – all attributes of the Clay Paky products.
DeWilde used eight Alpha Spot HPE 300 and eight Alpha Spot HPE 700 spotlights to
provide aerial rotational effects and texture around the room. “In any club you
want to layer the lighting, and the Alpha Spots gave me both room texture and tight
beam effects,’ he says.
Six Sharpy and six more Sharpy Washes delivered high-intensity, colored beam
effects and illumination to alternating DJ sets and dance numbers on the room’s
performance stage. “These were club-style dance numbers,’ says DeWilde. “The
lights had to move quickly, cut through the general wash and enhance the overall
production value of the performances.’
A very different project involved refreshing the exterior effects lighting for a
permanent attraction at a well-known California theme park. DeWilde, who served
as technical director on the job, was tasked with replacing the existing 1800w
standard flash bulb arc units with a more eco-friendly choice.
“The existing strobes required a lot of energy and didn’t provide a lot of output,’ he
says. “They were barely perceptible in daylight. The new strobes had to meet the
company’s eco requirements for low energy, high output and a long duty cycle since
they would be running day and night.’
Francesco Romagnoli, Clay Paky Area Manager for North and Latin America, added,
“Stefan is an excellent designer and has been a great partner. It’s rewarding to see
him using our gear on such high profile projects as these.’
