A quick-look at using GVM SD300B moonlights in a variety of production environments
As a company that is driven by innovative products, we are constantly searching for products that fit into our solutions based inventory. We consider solutions to be innovative when they meet some of the following characteristics: Saving cost while exceeding in quality; Saving time during setup/teardown; or saving critical space both in the warehouse or during shipping.
We brought in moonlights from GVM, specifically the SD300B. This has a seemingly inexpensive price point while including many features that make this light very versatile for our operations such a variety of modifiers, control options such as APP, DMX and on light control, and AC and battery power options.
The problem
Production companies that inventory their own products face the need to cover many different products to provide the best possible solution. When It comes to lighting, a production company needs to have many different styles of lighting instruments to cover stage washes, stage textures, soft fill lighting and lighting for photo and video to name a few.
In the past, we were constantly adding fixtures to inventory to serve a specific need. Over time, our shelf space became full of lekos for stage washes, softboxes for video, pars and fresnels, and the list goes on. What’s more, certain instruments were used less frequently than others, which made us ask why we were investing in them and storing them in the first place.
To find a solution that was versatile enough to cover a variety of needs became something we were very interested in. We were looking for a lighting instrument that could provide focusable light for basic corporate events, but could also provide lighting for photo and video for purposes such as interviews, green screens and soft room lighting.
The solution
The $300 price point of the GVM SD300B made us bite, initially bringing in a few for testing. We also brought in Amaran Bowens Mount lens tubes, Amaran lanterns, and softboxes.
Since our initial investment, we’ve used these lights during corporate conferences, interviews, podcasts, and more. We had a number of events where we used the lights with 19 degree lens tubes to provide a stage-wash. We made use of the fixture’s DMX control to automate and control lighting from the tech table. This control was necessary to adjust levels on the fly, turn the lights on and off, and match the lights to the color temperature of the lights within the room.
In another instance, we recorded a podcast with a live audience. We used the SD300B’s with the Amaran lanterns, as we were able to hang the fixtures in the steel over the stage. Similarly, we were able to incorporate the lights with DMX control to program lighting cues that affected both the ‘studio’ lights and plights on the backdrop.
When using the lights in basic interviews, the softbox modifiers provided excellent soft light for key, fill and hair light. In a situation like this, APP control made the lights easily controllable from a central location without the need to wire them up with DMX. Gone are the days of incessantly walking around to each fixture to make minor adjustments!
Are there any downsides?
While we haven’t currently had any issues with failure on these lights, there is one interesting characteristic that we have identified as being possibly less than ideal. That characteristic is the nature of the external power supply. While we recognize the need to have the power supply external (for simply powering via battery rather than AC power), this is a concept that can make lighting for stage a bit more cumbersome in comparison to other LED Leko products with internal power supply such as the Chauvet Ovation.
However, many smaller basic corporate events are not rigging truss lights with large numbers of lighting instruments. Therefore, these fixtures certainly will not replace the typical stage lights on larger events, concerts and theatrical productions. However, for a day to day workhorse on smaller events, so far we are very optimistic that these lighting fixtures will provide us with lots of service.
The bottom line
We feel using moonlights such as the GVM SD300B will equip us with many options in our lighting approach on the majority of all of our projects. At a fair price, this will enable us to reduce cost to our customers while simultaneously providing a new approach to exceeding expectations and making events looking their best!
Contact us if you would like to find out more about how our approach to lighting your event will exceed expectations while reducing cost!
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