Popular game show stays current and colorful
To mark its 21st season with a new look, the world's #1 syndicated game show turned to the cutting-edge capabilities of Color Kinetics' intelligent LED illumination. Wheel of Fortune unveiled its artfully illuminated set to television viewers in September 2003, with Color Kinetics' LED-based systems performing to rave reviews.
"We're thrilled with the impact of Color Kinetics' systems and the creative liberties they allow for future lighting designs and effects," said Renee Hoss-Johnson, Art Director, Sony Pictures Television. "From show authoring, to installation, to control, we couldn't have achieved this level of sophistication and intensity with another lighting solution—all while reducing maintenance concerns for the set."
The popular set features several applications of Color Kinetics' LED-based illumination, including the famed wheel itself. The 1-inch thick plexi decks that surround the wheel are illuminated by concealed ColorBlast units and edge-lit by iColor Cove (now specified with PureStyle). ColorBlast also lights the wheel's spokes and pointers. The state-of-the-art, electronic puzzleboard and two large TV monitors are framed by plexi panels that are edge-lit and back-lit by iColor Cove. The compact, low-heat, low-maintenance nature of Color Kinetics' systems allows their installation in concealed or hard-to-access spaces—a key consideration for the project's design team.
Each ColorBlast and iColor Cove unit is individually controllable to allow for intricate, uniquely designed effects, including color-chasing patterns that sync with the spinning wheel, or gradual single-color changes that unify the distinctive set elements. All of the effects are programmed and controlled with a combination of Color Kinetics' ColorPlay authoring software, iPlayer 2, and a third-party control system that easily integrates with Color Kinetics' products for an end-to-end solution.
Color Kinetics' LED-based lighting systems are increasingly used for television applications that call for highly efficient, low-heat, noise-free systems that can generate saturated color on camera and allow for customizable effects in set design. Unlike conventional light sources, Color Kinetics' systems require no gels or filters to add colored accents to background and fill lighting for added dimension. On top of these practical benefits, LED-based systems enable a new realm of creative possibilities for set and lighting designers by marrying the inherently digital nature of LEDs with the intelligence of a microprocessor, generating high, colored output with sophisticated control.
