Elation's Paragon Meets the Dual Demands of Broadcast and Show Lighting at Gran Turismo World Series in Milan

	Drivers, racing seats, presenters, commentators, and the audience must be reliably illuminated to meet the requirements of the global broadcast; but the live audience also requires a dedicated show presentation. Photo: Julian Siewertsen

For the Gran Turismo World Series, the demands of an international broadcast production must be combined with those of a live event. For the esports racing series' Milan stop, technical production company APL specified 25 Elation Paragon S and four Paragon M fixtures as key components of the lighting system. The Paragon S fixtures illuminated the individual racing simulators and additional camera positions, while the Paragon M units provided flat front light for the stage and awards ceremony. Technical implementation and support were handled by btl next GmbH through its sports brand, btl-xsports.

The Gran Turismo World Series comprises four live events held in various parts of the world throughout the year. Gran Turismo aims to simulate real-world motorsport as accurately as possible, with drivers racing in simulators equipped with racing seats, steering wheels, pedals, displays, and physical steering feedback for a realistic driving experience.

This results in two distinct tasks for the lighting design: on the one hand, drivers, racing seats, presenters, commentators, and the audience must be reliably illuminated to meet the requirements of the global broadcast; on the other, the live audience requires a dedicated show presentation. The event begins with an opening show, then transitions into a broadcast production featuring races, interviews, and hosting segments from various locations within the venue.

The simulators themselves presented a particularly demanding lighting challenge. The drivers had to be clearly visible to the cameras without being dazzled or distracted by moving light during the race. Key light must therefore be precisely controlled while simultaneously providing sufficient output for the camera image.

Paragon S fixtures were positioned above the racing simulators and at other key lighting positions to illuminate each racing position individually. This ensured the drivers and simulators were clearly defined in the camera shot while allowing the lights to be integrated into the production's show looks.

Paragon M units provided flat front light and key light for the stage and awards ceremony. Thanks to their higher light output, they were able to illuminate these areas evenly, even from a greater distances.

"I was genuinely surprised by the output," says Julian Siewertsen, designer and production operator from btl next. "Even with the Paragon S it is substantial, not to mention the Paragon M and LT. Another very convenient aspect is that the color spectrum behaves identically across the different models. That makes color matching significantly easier."

Another advantage of the Paragon platform is its proprietary TruTone technology, which enables precise tailoring to specific applications. The CRI is adjustable up to 93, enabling a balance between maximum light output and the exceptional color rendering quality essential for camera work and illuminating people. Further accuracy is possible via a full-blackout, indexable framing shutter system that allows for precise shaping of the light beam.

For additional lighting tasks, APL deployed Elation KL Fresnel 8 FC units and KL Panel full-color-spectrum LED soft lights. The KL Fresnel 8 FC fixtures served primarily as front lighting for the audience, ensuring faces were clearly visible during camera shots directed at the crowd. Thanks to their full-color system, they could also be seamlessly integrated into the show's color schemes. The KL Panels were positioned at the central presenter location, producing a soft, even light for the presenters.

For a production with rotating venues, the international availability of Elation gear was crucial, as APL prefers to use fixtures that are readily available in the respective markets. The KL Fresnel 8 FC and KL Panel had already proven their worth at production events across Europe and North America.

APL was responsible for the production's technical concept and coordinated the technical disciplines involved, spanning broadcast, infrastructure, and racing simulators. The company also handled set, lighting, and sound design, as well as media-server operation and programming. APL was additionally responsible for lighting fixture selection and operation.

btl-xsports handled the technical implementation and support for the Milan stop. The sports brand of btl next GmbH has already been working successfully for several years as one of the production's technical partners in Europe. As the commissioning agency, the Austrian company Juli GmbH is responsible for the global implementation of the Gran Turismo World Series.

With the Paragon S and Paragon M, APL had two complementary fixture options in a tiered system covering a wide range of key-light distances. The high output, precision capabilities, and consistent color spectrum across the models enabled the drivers and stage to be effectively lit for the cameras while integrating the fixtures seamlessly into the live production.

Elation is distributed exclusively in Germany by LMP Lichttechnik.