Bytecraft shine on New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour has become an Aussie icon, with over 1 million people turning up each year to watch the ‘coat-hanger’ become the focus of massive fireworks displays and sound and light extravaganzas. 2003 was no different, with Bytecraft Entertainment being asked to add some moving light punch to the visual feast, as part of the ‘City of Light’ project.

One variable each New Year’s Eve is the weather. While most associate New Year’s with the best that Summer has to offer, there are no guarantees, and as any experienced tech will tell you: Outdoor Gig = Rain.

With this in mind, Bytecraft knew they would need to protect their vast inventory of moving lights from any potential downpour. When Beau Southey, Managing Director of Brown’s Welding, got the call, he was told he had 3 weeks to design and build weatherproof enclosures for 96 Mac 2000 and Studio Beam moving heads.

The enclosures were to mount via scaff clamps to 300mm Tri Truss, rigged apex down in the steel supports of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Steel frames were covered with clear plastic polypropylene sheeting, sewn to form a sock, providing a clear 270 degree sightline for the lights. The polypropylene ensured the lights would be kept dry, and kept the weight of the enclosure to a minimum.

The weight was an important factor, as the enclosures were rigged with the fixture in place, on the ends of sticks of Tri Truss hanging out over the harbour. This provided great coverage of the bridge and the water below, but also caused a few tense moments for the crew!

For further information and some spectacular photos, go to:
http://bytecraftentertainment.com/displaynews.phtml and click on the Sydney Harbour Bridge link, or go to www.sydneynewyearseve.com.au