Popular Belgian TV show “Is Er Een Dokter In De Zaal?” (“Is There A Doctor In The Room?”) uses studio lighting by Jim Mattheus of ICP Belgium, featuring a collection of CHAUVET Professional Maverick and COLORado fixtures.
“We have worked with Philippe Geubels and his production company, Pretpraters, on projects in the past, so when he asked if I would be interested in being DOP for the new show, I was happy to oblige,” said Mattheus. “Because of our previous relationship with the producer, we were totally free in choosing our fixtures.”
In keeping with the uniquely creative spirit of Is Er Een Dokter In De Zaal?, Mattheus opted to move away from traditional incandescent studio lighting and build his rig around the Maverick MK2 Profile. “We didn’t want old-school Fresnel TV spots or profiles with external dimmer and color correction gels, because it’s not always efficient,” he said. “Working with LED source lights like the Maverick reduces heat in the studio and consumes less power. Also, since our Mavericks are moving profiles, they give us a great deal more flexibility.”
Mattheus hung 19 Maverick MK2 Profile fixtures on his light grid. From this position, the fixtures are used as key lights, filler lights, and back lights. The fixture’s advanced four-blade framing system and wide zoom range make it easy for Mattheus to focus precisely on the panelists as well as the doctor and host, while its CMY + CTO color mixing system allows him to create a variety of looks on the set.
Drawing on the versatility of the 440W Maverick units, Mattheus also uses them to accent special moments in the program by using them to do things like create backlight effects on scenic windows.
Most valued by Mattheus, however, is the Maverick MK2 Profile’s consistent color temperature. “This is a very stable fixture with a good light output and a good CRI,” he said. “Most important of all, though, is its stable color temperature. In the past, I had some problems with arc light sources. They would work fine, but if you ran a TV show for many hours with rehearsals they would lose it. Then I would have to ‘add’ minus green in the fixtures to compensate for the green skin effect in camera shots – or add magenta in the colors. We also had situations with bulbs having different lifespans, so the operator would have to adjust each light separately, which takes time – and time is essential for us. The Maverick solves this issue.”
In addition to his Maverick MK2 Profiles, Mattheus is using a collection of COLORado fixtures to color accent the brick building scenery on the set. The COLORado fixtures add vivid color and contrast without spilling over and affecting the key lighting.
Photo Credit: Picturesk – Frank Lambrechts
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