Frankston Arts Centre’s Update LX Rig

Melbourne’s Frankston Arts Centre hosts close to 270 performances each year. Until recently, it was seeing to this feat with a rig that consisted of conventional Selecon Rama Fresnels and some generic LED Pars. “We had the ability to do multiple colours, but it was a very old design from the nineties,” says Supervising Technician Glenn Parry.

While they certainly won’t be retiring their trusted conventional fixtures anytime soon, the lighting rig has received a major upgrade with the addition of 12 Ayrton Diablo Profiles and 12 Ayrton Levante wash fixtures.

The choice of fixture was made collaboratively by Glenn, fellow Supervising Technician Samantha Crawford, and Team Leader of Production & Technical Operations Damian Clarkson. Input was also sought from other departments, such as the sound technicians – particularly those working from within the auditorium – because while they may not specialise in lighting, anybody with a pair of eyes has a valid opinion.

The benefit of being a touring house when shopping for new gear is that the team were able to road test the different fixtures that came through with various hirers and make an informed choice. “We settled on the Diablos for their output, their weight and their features,” says Glenn. The investment was a long time coming, but Glenn is thankful for this. While the team were getting their ducks in a row there were advancements in what was on the market. “The LED stuff these days is so much better and a lot lighter than the arc lamp fixtures,” he says.

The initial purchase was of six Ayrton Diablos back in 2024. “The range of Ayrton lights is phenomenal for what they do, and they seem to be quite reliable,” says Glenn. So when they received funds to expand, they added another six Diablos and the Levantes.

The team chose the Levantes over an array-style fixture, as the need to light very close to the cyclorama requires the use of shutters or barn doors. For the same reason, the profiles also needed zoom capabilities to achieve tight specials on performers. Glenn is particularly pleased with the level of control and the fixture’s ability to create intimate, more ‘moody’ lighting looks. “I tend to light people as opposed to lighting the space,” he says.

The range of hirers Frankston services is broad – from mainstage companies, like the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Ballet School or MICF Roadshow, to live music, amateur theatre companies and school shows. The rig’s functions now match that versatility. The team can light a 16-piece band or 300 school kids using the same set-up. “We have seasoned shows that come in and they want the same look everywhere they go. As a semi-regional venue, we are now very well equipped.”

In addition to new and improved lighting looks, the team are working more efficiently thanks to the ability to have pre-saved palettes and looks that can be recalled quickly. Returning to a standard rig no longer requires manual focussing. “It’s been an amazing change,” Glenn says. “We’ve had some really good compliments.” When Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells performed at the venue, they told Glenn of the 64 venues they’d previously toured, Frankston had supplied the best lighting.

Alongside the 800-seat main stage is Cube 37 – a black box space with a retractable seating bank – and The Function Centre. These venues also received a glow-up with twelve ShowPro R3 wash fixtures. Each venue got six fixtures that are run through an MA dot2.

The wide zoom range on the R3s – from a wash to a pin spot – has allowed the ability to produce a discreetly lit show. “When we have only two performers we can create an intimate feel, as opposed to Pars that just wash the whole space with light,” says Glenn. The spot is also perfect for focussing a lectern special. Glenn is happy with the speed at which the moving head’s functions – zoom, pan, tilt – are executed and the warm white he is able to mix. He favours their additive RGBW colour mixing. The alternative subtractive CMY mixing, more commonly used on discharge lamps, can lose a lot of output when using dark colours. Glenn finds the R3s retain their brightness even in dark blue.

Invigorated by their new toys the team are now setting their sights on more upgrades, with the hope of adding a floor package and hopefully one day an MA3 console. Glenn may favour moody looks, but Frankston Art Centre’s future is shining bright.