Twelve Robe ColorSpot 250 AT fixtures welcomed 12 new housemates from 12 different countries into the Big Brother house for the second African series of the world’s most famous reality TV programme. The House is located at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the show was broadcast on DSTV Channel 198, with lighting directed by Peter Rieck & Christiaan Ballot.

Christiaan Ballot and his team from Pretoria - Blond Productions - won the contract from Endemol South Africa to provide lighting, sound and AV for all the events outside the Big Brother House during the series, including the weekly evictions and the Grand Final. They also assisted with shooting inserts before the beginning of the production.

To cater for all the technical requirements, Ballot purchased 6 new Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs, and 12 Robe ColorSpot 250 ATs.

“They are awesome units!” he comments on the new fixtures, “They definitely work for this production, particularly as it’s TV. What sold me the most was the zoom, the optics and very definitely the brightness, particularly of the 700’s.”

He adds that the fixtures are also extremely reliable. This plus the great backup and support from Robe’s South African suppliers, DWR Distribution, meant “They definitely couldn’t go wrong.”

The new ColorSpot 700E ATs were rigged in the roof of the stage outside the house and used as bright back lighting effects and to play back into the camera. The 12 ColorSpot 250 ATs were lined up down the red carpet to welcome the contestants at the start of the series.

PARs and Fresnels were also used for the main stage lighting and for the interview stage which was based in the centre of the red carpet. They also illuminated the surrounding trees and buildings for additional ambience.

Ballot comments, “The shows have received really positive feedback and have gone like clockwork technically. It’s been really exciting being part of a world-wide phenomenon like Big Brother.”

An additional 10 ColorSpot 1200E ATs were also used for the final.