Dushow, the French technical production company, has invested in 20 of Robe RoboSpot remote follow spotting systems.
Dushow Commercial Director Christian Lorenzi, commented: “We see this as a big innovation in the follow spotting world. It’s very flexible and gives everyone involved in staging all types of shows many more options”.
The Robe RoboSpot system comprises a BaseStation and a MotionCamera that communicate via DMX with no latency and enable several of Robe’s most popular moving lights – including, currently, the Robe BMFL Spot, Robe BMFL Blade, Robe BMFL WashBeam, Robe DL7S Profile, Robe DL4S Profile, Robe MegaPointe and Robe Pointe.
The Robe RoboSpot MotionCamera is available either as a separate unit or integrally on the BMFL Follow Spot fixture, a modified version of Robe’s signature high powered luminaire. A video stream sent to the Robe BaseStation allows the operator a ‘first-person view’ of the performers onstage. This can enhance the look of the show or presentation by enabling very tight and controlled spotlight beams and enables Lighting Directors, designers and show directors to position follow spots in positions where it would not be practical or physically possible to have an operated follow spot. The 20 Dushow BaseStations’ and 20 MotionCameras’ – each of which, using the latest software release, can control up to 6 Robe fixtures – were purchased for 3 specific tours, and will now be available in rental stock.
Lighting Designer Thomas Dechandon utilised 3 Robe RoboSpot BaseStations to control 6 BMFL Blades (running in conjunction with 6 separate Dushow MotionCameras) on the most recent tour by French rockers Indochine. For French singer/songwriter Vianney’s tour, LDs Alex Bucher and Benjamin Gottini used a Robe RoboSpot base station to control a single Robe BMFL Follow Spot (with the Dushow MotionCamera camera onboard). On the Shaka Ponk tour, lighting designer Alex Bucher specified a pair of Robe RoboSpot BaseStations to control 2 BMFL Follow Spots. The feedback from all of these 3 initial tours for Dushow was excellent.
All the LDs involved could realise designs where using a traditional follow spot would have been a major challenge. In each case, the Robe RoboSpot operators reported that they quickly picked up the essence of operating the system, whether they were experienced or complete novices in the art of follow spotting. The technicians in each case and the local crews were also delighted as they didn’t have to manoeuvre quantities of heavy kit up stairways and in service lifts into some of the less accessible corners of various venues!
Following a series of demonstrations arranged through Robe France, Dushow first purchased 6 RoboSpot BaseStations and MotionCameras to trial and road-test the system thoroughly. This was a great success, so 14 additional systems were ordered and delivered in record time by Robe’s Paris-based French subsidiary to service these three popular tours.
Dushow already has a substantial amount of Robe equipment including stock of around 1000 Robe moving lights comprising Robe BMFLs, Robe MegaPointes, Robe Pointes, Robe Spiiders, Robe LEDBeam 150s and Robe Spikies. Lorenzi concluded: “For me right now, Robe is the brand to have on-board. The products are high quality, reliable, versatile and well-engineered… and Robe is what LDs and specifiers are asking for constantly”.