Images from the prize-winning
The Peep Show
Now in its third year, the competition was opened up this year to allow entries from anyone studying lighting design in the UK, rather than just from students at Rose Bruford College as in previous years. As before, students had to produce a proposal detailing how they would light a scene from a play, a piece of music, an item of architecture or a live event - all within a theoretical budget! - as well as a live 'pitch' for that proposal. Six finalists were selected to make their presentation to a judging panel consisting of White Light's Managing Director John Simpson, lighting designer and Association of Lighting Designers Chairman Rick Fisher and freelance Production Manager Rodger Neate.
Despite the newly-expanded field of entries, the overall winner of the competition was once again a student at Rose Bruford: Kristina Hjelm, with a production entitled The Peep Show. Kristina was presented with a certificate, a cheque for £500, and will also receive full sponsorship to attend Showlight in Edinburgh later in the year.
Two further prizes of certificates and cheques for £500 were presented: to Kelly Hendry of LAMDA, for her production of Waiting for Godot set in Westminster Underground Station, and to Peter Jackson, also of LAMDA, for his production of Not About Heroes. As John Simpson wryly noted while presenting the prizes, Jackson's presentation was full and complete "to the point of even including an alternative quote for the lighting hire!"
"It was extremely hard to decide the winners," comments Jason Larcombe, who co-ordinated the competition for White Light. "All of the entries this year were of a very high standard, with excellent concepts backed up by appropriate research and good delivery of presentations to the panel, who were extremely impressed with everything that they saw and heard."
The White Light Lighting Design Bursary is part of White Light's Training Initiative, its successful and wide-ranging education programme. Details of forthcoming Training Initiative events, including a series of courses covering the Strand 300- and 500- Series lighting consoles, can be found here on the website or by calling White Light on 020 7731 3291.