CHAUVET Professional Helps David Horner, Ben Rogers, and Paul Miller on Diana Ross Times Square NYE Show

	"We curated Miss Ross's video content -- a mix of abstract visuals and iconic images and footage -- to fit a precise map for the stage design," says Rogers. Photo: Lev Radin

The beloved icon, Diana Ross, was true to form during her much-anticipated headline performance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Wearing a red sequined gown, she moves gracefully across a raised platform stage above the crowd, performing a medley of some of her classic hits, concluding just before the big ball began its descent with her recent upbeat anthem "Tomorrow."

The glamor and emotional energy that made this event so special were reflected in a smartly done production design by David Horner and Ben Rogers, working on a stage lighting package created by LD Paul Miller, that featured a collection of CHAUVET Professional fixtures supplied by 4Wall Entertainment in a rig from The Lighting Design Group.

Discussing how the mood of the production evolved, Horner says, "Miss Ross was very clear, she wanted a celebration and a sense of joy to be shared with the audience at Times Square and around the world. Her connection with the crowd was an instant symbol of that and the staging was all in service of her connection with her audience."

The set's vertically oriented video panels on the wall and rectangular floor panel contributed to the upbeat mood of the performance with their festive imagery that flowed with the music.

"We curated Miss Ross's video content -- a mix of abstract visuals and iconic images and footage -- to fit a precise map for the stage design, which helped connect the audience in the square even without direct line of sight to the artist," says Rogers. "The animations were worked to emanate from the LED floor outwards as she shared the music with the world." Complementing the video display were the COLORado PXL 16 batten fixtures that outlined the performance area, changing colors to match the images on the LED screens. A collection of Maverick Storm 4 Profile units and COLORado par fixtures added to the colorful panorama.

For some songs, these fixtures contributed to a soft engaging mood on stage with their rich monochromatic colors. "The movement, dimmer chase and color moves were aligned to the video content design to enhance the dynamic set by the video and further frame the performance," says Horner. "It was great to have the confidence in these IP rated fixtures, knowing that the performance wouldn't be compromised by any inclement weather.

"We separated four Maverick BeamWashes to provide a rich blue rear key for the artist to help enhance her profile within the environment," continues Horner. "Paul Miller's comprehensive design, built on years of experience with this unique environment meant we could achieve all the requirements for this presentation with the inventory provided."

Being situated in Times Square, the performance stage posed some special challenges for the design team. The surrounding billboards kicked out 180fc or more of content without any control, according to Horner. Standing out against this backdrop required powerful output from the event's lighting rig.

"Paul Miller and his team did a great job," says Horner, "The lighting came off beautifully."