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Ayrton’s Ghiblis join Kieran Healy’s lighting rig for “American Idol”

After 15 seasons on FOX, American Idol moved to ABC this year where the show’s longtime lighting designer, Kieran Healy, added 50 Ghibli fixtures, Ayrton’s first LED spot luminaire with a factory-equipped framing system, to the rig.

“This year’s design for the American Idol studio shows has a moving ceiling with eight different panels,” says Healy. “I don’t have fixed lighting positions to key the judges since the ceiling can be in many different positions. I was looking for a new moving head spot fixture with an even field to put in the rig so I could take any pair of lights and key the judges from any angle.”

Healy opted for 50 Ghibli fixtures, five of which are dedicated to keying and backlighting the judges while the balance serve as performance lighting. The fixtures were provided by PRG. ACT Lighting, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Ayrton lighting in North America, arranged a demo of the new Ghibli and other moving head spots for Healy at Volt Lighting.

Healy uses other Ayrton fixtures on American Idol as well.  “The upstage vertical screen splits four ways horizontally and vertically to expose three different light walls when the screens are in different positions,” he explains. “Ayrton MagicBlade and MagicPanel fixtures, hung vertically, are revealed to create beam effects and eye candy for various numbers.”

Healy’s team on American Idol includes Programmer Harry Sangmeister and Lighting Director Don Winters.

(Photos: ABC/Eric McCandless)

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