J.T. Rooney Selects Kino Flo Lighting Systems

Kino Flo Lighting Systems has announced that its MIMIK 120 full-spectrum, image-based video lighting tile has been chosen by creative producer and virtual production specialist J.T. Rooney, a well-known pioneer in immersive technology for entertainment.

Working in conjunction with wild walls — LED side panels used to create effects such as reflections — Rooney and his creative team utilise multiple MIMIKs to light talent and foreground subjects with full-spectrum colour.

Optimised for virtual production environments, the MIMIK 120 mirrors video content, delivering extended spectral bandwidth and cinematic colour fidelity when lighting talent and set elements. The patented Kino Flo matchmaker algorithm converts the incoming RGB video wall signal into four or more individual emitters generating synchronised foreground lighting that delivers the utmost realism on virtual sets.

"As more and more productions utilise LED walls to light talent and other subjects in the foreground, there has been a growing need for a solution to work hand in hand with wild walls to add full-spectrum white light and deliver a more realistic look," explained Rooney. "Furthermore, it can be difficult to achieve natural skin tones with wild walls alone, and their price tag can make them cost-prohibitive to use only for reflections. The MIMIK 120 was created as a complementary solution to LED volumes and walls that meet all these needs. My teams have used the MIMIK on many industry-acclaimed projects, such as music videos for will.i.am and J Balvin's 'Let's Go,' and ABC/Disney's 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 32 open. In addition, it's unique in its ability to genlock to the volume, which is important when synchronising lighting effects with the volume image on the camera."

Controlled by the Megapixel VR Helios LED processor, the MIMIK 120 integrates seamlessly with LED volumes in a Megapixel infrastructure, making it simple for gaffers, DPs, and lighting directors to use. In addition, the versatile tile offers optional control from a lighting desk, providing workflow flexibility. With their lightweight carbon fibre frame, MIMIK 120s can be used in several configurations — individually, stacked like a video wall, flown as a ceiling, or put on traditional lighting rigs. With their high brightness of 10,000 nits, the tiles are also an efficient solution, especially when stacked together — allowing Rooney to do more with fewer units.

"Virtual production stages worldwide are known for embracing the very latest in immersive technology for entertainment," said Frieder Hochheim, president of Kino Flo. "So, it's an honour to have our MIMIK 120 being utilised by technology professionals like Rooney — who are on the leading edge of virtual production — to create unique and colour-accurate images. This close collaboration is exactly what inspires Kino Flo to continuously innovate and provide the best possible lighting solutions."

"Since I began using the MIMIK 120, there hasn't been a project in which I haven't utilised Kino Flo's lighting tile," added Rooney. "And not only have my clients been blown away by the realism they deliver, but crew members find them very easy to use, while talent reports that they improve their experience filming takes. They play a key role in delivering the best possible end product for some of the biggest brands in the world."

kinoflo.com