Show me the money…
Doha- Singapore, 14th May 2014
Show me the money…was the famous catch phrase of the movie Jerry McGuire. I think we can safely say that (unfortunately) in today’s world, certainly in this era of LED technology, money is what it is all about. Spending money, collecting money and for all parties involved what remains at the end of the journey as the bottom line. Our business as lighting designers is becoming increasingly more complicated because of the huge opportunities (whether you really want them or not) that the LED technology offers. LED brings in an element of theatrical lighting effects, a huge tool to attract people, suddenly we have this lighting that can be modelled and manipulated to create thing previously never thought of or impossible to realise. Never mind that we are uncontrollably splashing all colours of the rainbow onto our architectural environment, it can all be justified under the sustainability banner and most of all the lure of money. LED technology has in many cases become a tool to also make money; at least that is the explanation for sometimes spending incomprehensible amounts of money on lighting. Nice if you are the designer and supplier, but is it really bottom line justified? Spending 10 million dollar or more to light up a bridge…maybe it is? The bridge or building now illuminated may (!) become an iconic structure that is identified with the country, possibly swaying people to travel to that country or spent time in that city…but these revenues are hard to measure if at all. Sometimes I feel it is an ego trip of the respective owner, developer, mayor or government…look what I have done for our city…but let’s face it, it is still all about money one way or the other…
Light Watch 5-80: The Eurovision Song Contest was controversially won by a bearded man performing as woman, while the song is probably forgettable the man/woman figure is probably not. The songs were performed against a multi-million dollar LED staging background in which at times the lights and effect were in my opinion overwhelming the actual performers. But who cares…it is all about the money in the end, the commercial success of the song, the tourism interests in the winning country who gets to host the next event. The contest is just a means to an end really, beard or no beard 🙂
The long awaited book compilation of Martin's first year of blogging is available. Order now.
Feedspot Top 100 Lighting Blogs