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LD Profile: Alex Ares

Posted on November 1, 2012

Six questions with Alex Ares, lighting designer for the TV show “Duets” on ABC channel, for the Country Music Awards, and programmer of our own CHAUVET Professional booth at InfoComm 2012 in Las Vegas.

1. How did you get into this field?
I got into the lighting industry about 14 years ago. I used to work in the Air Force as a graphic designer but I still needed a job so they hired me to do things around the stage at Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. One day they fired the lighting designer and they gave me 24 hours to figure it out — which I did.

2. What do you think is the next big thing in the lighting industry?
I think next big thing will have to do with LEDs. Soon they will be as bright as VL3500 Spot or Shogun. Also, we will probably see networking systems with Ethernet cables, using RDM.

3. Do you have a favorite fixture (and why)?
My favorite right now is Shogun. Legend 412 from CHAUVET is my second favorite one.

4. What has been your favorite design/project?
It was a band project for Stone Temple Pilots in South America. The music and the people were great, and the best part was I didn’t know what I was going myself into, but it all worked out in the end.

5. What was the biggest unforeseen obstacle that you’ve faced in one of your designs, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge always is the time. You want to do more and usually there isn’t enough time. This teaches you how to accomplish a project and make the most out of your ideas, while trying not to overthink everything.

6. Complete this thought: A show without light is like…
… blah …