The Robe BMFLs have been leading the action in various events in South Africa, and Tim Dunn, production designer at Gearhouse South Africa, was the very first South African-based lighting designer to use them.

Dunn used them on the Krone Music Festival at the Grand Arena, Grandwest Casino, in Cape Town. The event is one of the most popular South African showcases for Afrikaans music, and this year Dunn’s in-the-round concept brought a new standard of presentation to the 5 000 capacity venue.

Dunn positioned the four BMFLs on trusses above the stage and used them throughout the show mainly for a variety of interesting gobo looks onto the white stage floor. “It’s an absolutely beautiful light,’ he declares. “I think Robe have listened to what was needed and produced a high powered signature fixture which is highly flexible and versatile and ideal for many applications.’

These sentiments were also shared with lighting and visuals designer Joshua Cutts of Visual Frontier who used BMFL Spots for the first time on the 2014 Final of Idols SA at the Carnival City Arena in Johannesburg. Rigged on the front truss, they could both light up the audience and be used for specials onstage as well as key lighting the presenters when they were roaming around in the audience. The strings section of the band, positioned on a satellite stage in the audience, was also lit with the BMFLs.

Robert Grobler, one of Gearhouse’s lighting designers used them for the first time on the final of the first-ever South African edition of the X-Factor singing talent show, which was staged at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban. His rig was hung on a ground support system and he used the BMFLs as part of a very steep back-light wash and for rear gobo effects. He also used them highly effectively with narrow zoomed-down beam as a feature for runner up Eliezer Hilmer’s rendition of Marvin Gaye’s classic, “Let’s Get It On’. He adds that they look stunning’ on camera, even at 50 %. The latest SA shows by rock super group Kings of Chaos played at the Grand Arena, Grandwest Casino in Cape Town and at the Sun City Superbowl, had lighting design by Gearhouse’s Willie Bothma and equipment supplied by Gearhouse Cape Town, supported by the Grand Arena team. Bothma used the four BMFLs on the back truss for big looks and specials. They were in action extensively throughout the set and really enjoyed the experience. “They are a revolutionary fixture due to the brightness and the fact that nothing gets lost no matter what you put in the light-path. The zoom is great and they are extremely fast.’

Robert Hoey from Dream Sets had the pleasure of using BMFLs on a very special “Republic of Extra Cold’ event for Castle Light beer, produced by Omage and staged on Stanley Island in Plettenberg Bay.

Robert used the BMFLs as floor units spread out along the back of the stage and commented, “I was absolutely blown away with them they are phenomenal tools for beam work and I would also be happy to use them at the FOH position as they have such a huge zoom.’