Central London-based lighting and event technology and services specialist Halo now has one of the most extensive stocks of Astera products in the UK. Halo’s total count of well over 400 Astera luminaires includes Titan Tubes, Helios Tubes, Hyperion Tubes and many others.
Halo’s extensive Astera inventory also features AX2 PixelBar, AX3 Light Drops, AX5 PixelPARS, Hydra Panels, NYX Bulbs, PixelBricks and PlutoFresnels. All of which feeds a never-ending demand on a diversity of events and projects, explained Halo CEO Yann Guenancia.
All the Astera products in the inventory are useful in different ways but apart from the workhorse Titan Tubes of different lengths, Yann singles out Pixel Bricks for a specific mention. He admits that initially, they were a little surprised at how popular these have become and how “people never stop coming up with creative ways of using them!”
Large UK lighting rental and concert touring companies frequently come to Halo for Asteras, while smaller companies benefit from Halo’s extensive cross-rental services.
When it comes to Halo’s own productions, 90 per cent will have an Astera element included in the lighting design.
Halo’s own shows will typically be boutique-style events and often in cool and more off-beat site-specific environments. The kind of scenarios where battery-powered fixtures are completely indispensable!
The company is also the lighting and event technical services provider for an entire range of interesting small-to-medium studios and venues of up to around 500 capacities where assorted Astera combinations can be used to rapidly create nice ambient lighting systems.
The Asteras are especially handy for places with low ceilings which are being utilised for product launches, brand activations or fashion shows, complete with bespoke staging.
“The beauty is that they can be used equally well for ambient, direct or accent lighting. The possibilities are endless,” noted Yann.
Halo’s Equipment Hires Manager, Aryan Goudarzi, thinks, “Astera products have made a significant impact on the industry” through their smart design, quick charging capabilities, and the “elegant, seamless App that empowers consumers with precise control.”
Functionality – like the long battery life – is a winner for Halo together with the quality of the light output, an aspect on which Astera has concentrated the R ‘n’ D over the years.
Aryan also highlights other features like the fixtures being light in weight, portable, and with numerous rigging options.
He appreciates the Titan LED Engine, which provides “comprehensive colour replication over the spectrum and caters to the diverse needs of professionals working in film, TV, events, and venue lighting.”
Naturally, the use of LED technology can also reduce costs over time, and Aryan reckons that – at least for Halo’s clients – Astera tubes, PixelBricks, and AX3s have all gained immense popularity, “swiftly becoming essential must-haves in our hire inventory.”
“It’s due to this high demand that we are continually investing in Astera, and continuing this commitment and expanding our product line and range of accessories is a strategic priority.”
Among the most recent Astera purchases are PlutoFresnels, which have been excellent for red carpet events and film premiers in London’s Leicester Square, providing a perfect solution with no cabling and rapid deployment.
NYX Bulbs are another busy Astera product for Halo, and while the AX2 bars are quite large compared to some of the others, they are good for larger studio jobs.
The AX5 PixelPAR is THE Astera product in Halo’s rental stock that everyone can simply not get enough of!
Halo has also invested in many of the accessories, carry cases, etc., all of which assist in making their Astera packages imaginative and even more viable solutions.
Yann thinks back to the start of his professional career 30 years ago with raised eyebrows and comments that it was hard to imagine then … how things would be today!
