The new ESPRITES were purchased at the end of 2021 and boost the company’s inventory of Robe fixtures. They were sourced specifically to help facilitate Setlight’s increasing television work. “ESPRITES were constantly being requested by TV lighting designers and directors, so having them available has immediately made us more competitive and cost-effective in that sector,” stated owner and general manager Przemek Wrembel.

The new luminaires are primarily used for front light in studio scenarios, and Przemek thinks the quality of light and range of colour temperatures is “impressive,” and that ESPRITES are a compact and easy-to-use fixture.

The fixtures utilise Robe’s unique TE (TRANSFERABLE ENGINE) technology, a powerful, intelligent, and eco-friendly lighting solution enabling different engines – high powered, high CRI, ‘tungsten’ etc., – to be used in the same fixtures and changed quickly and easily.

The first Robe moving lights were Pointes, which Przemek and his team saw initially at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt a few years back, whilst looking for something new and “a bit more” than just a beam light.

“We thought ‘WOW!’” when they saw the Pointes he recalled. “It was small, cost-effective and so much better than anything else around at the time.”

He was also very proud that Setlight was among the first companies in Poland to have a rental stock of Pointes, and these luminaires still work constantly on various jobs. “Our clients are still spec’ing Pointes, so they have been an excellent value purchase,” he underlined.

After great experiences with the Pointes, there was no hesitation in purchasing MegaPointes when that product was launched a few years later, and these have also proved to be one of the busiest and hardest working lights. Once again Setlight was the first in Poland to commit to MegaPointes, after which a host of other rental companies followed.

Other popular Robe products in the house include LEDWash 1200s and Spiider LED wash beams.

“Spiider is a great and super-precise wash light,” stated Przemek, “and these have also been a solid investment.”

Like everyone, Setlight was initially impacted by the pandemic as everything halted in March 2020 and slowly started to pick up. They used the additional time available strategically to think and plan for the years ahead and believe that LED lighting fixtures are definitely the future and that Robe – having been an early adopter of this – is now a clear market leader.

“It’s not just for the immediate environmental advantages of using LEDs,” explained Przemek. “The LEDs are constantly getting brighter and better, they last longer, are more reliable and efficient” – all vital considerations for a busy rental operation.

The new ESPRITES have already been on several shows including a break-dancing competition for Red Bull staged at Gdansk Ergo Arena - by LDs Matteus Gostkowski and Przemek’s brother Mirek. They were also in action on the Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych (The Polish Festival of Fiction Film) Awards event, staged at the Musical Theatre of Danuta Baduszkowa in Gdynia.

Przemek and his crew – handpicked for their characters and personalities as well as their technical skills – offer a vast fund of experience and all appreciate Robe’s consistency as a manufacturer and their commitment to quality products with greater longevity.

He also mentions the physical proximity of the Czech Republic which borders Poland, and he appreciates a gravitas that is associated with the genuinely ‘Made in Europe’ luminaires.

Setlight is a full-service production and technical supplier – delivering sound, lighting, rigging, staging and video – and working across all entertainment sectors, from music shows and concerts, television productions and corporate events. All aspects of service are offered, from design and conceptualisation to technical planning, building and delivery.

The company was founded 20 years ago by Przemek whose passion for all-things-technical started whilst still at school. It is a family business also involving Przemek’s father and brother and is based near the busy port town of Gdynia near Gdansk. As the company has grown, all the profits have been ploughed back into developing the business.

“We hope that after pandemic we will spend many more years initiating new ideas, working on great jobs, and using excellent technology which allows us to achieve more imaginative work and much more satisfaction!” concluded Przemek.

Photo Credit: Louise Stickland