About Us

{contentTitle}

Accessory

{name}

Account Removal

User Account Update

Account Update

User Activation

Activation page

Amortization Calculator

{title}

Application Picker

Job Detail Page

Career Page

Case Studies

Case Studies Page

Cookies Bar

Cookies

Cookies Info

Cookies Page

Cookies Info (CZ)

Cookies Page (CZ)

Disclaimer

Error 404

Error 500

PDF Error

Event

Expos&Events

Expos&Events Page

FilePage

File

User Forgotten Password

Forgotten Password page

Gallery

General Translations

General Spot On

Gobo

Happy Hours

Homepage

HP Slider

Homepage Slider

Innovation

Innovation Page

Inquiry

Key Feature Category

{intDes}

User New Password

New Password page

News

News Detail

News Detail Page

News Page

Office

Offices Page

Products Parameters

Param Or Feature

Patent

{number}

Patents Page

Person

{firstName} {lastName}

Podcast page

Privacy

Privacy Policy

Privacy (CZ)

Privacy Policy (CZ)

Product

Product Detail

Product Detail Page

Product Overview Pages

Products Page

Product Security Incident Reporting

Rental Region

{region}

User Registration

Registration

Rental

Rental Finder

Search Page

Short Video

{internalDes}

Slide

Smart Links

Spot On Index

Support

Support Project Registration

Support Rma Form

Sustainability

Technical Training

Technical Training Calendar

Technical Training Type

{subtitle}

User Thank You

Thank You page

Trademark

{trademark}

Trademarks Page

Unavailable Locale Error

User Login Modal

User Login

User Login page

Video

Video Spot On

Wheel

System and Method for Controlling the Humidity and Pressure in a Luminaire

Systems for a Luminaire

Coating for a Framing Shutter for a Luminaire

Removable Lens System for a Luminaire

Lighting Control Console

14070420-01

99016015-9

99016015-8

99016015-7

99016015-6

99016015-5

99016015-4

99016015-3

99016015-2

99016015-1

 on Instagram and never miss a story again!

The browser you are currently using is not supported. To prevent glitches and functionality issues, switch to different browser.

Blond’s owner and MD Christiaan Ballot has retained all his full-time staff and wants to look after everyone as best as possible, which is challenging given the scenario, involving some nimble and creative thinking to try and make “the best” out of a grave situation.

Something that immediately sprung to the minds of Christiaan and Blond’s head of show lighting Ryan Lombard was to utilise the enforced ‘down’ time to engage the staff in various technical training.

“While we all wish this was over, it has presented the perfect opportunity to do all those things we never get time for around the office,” Christiaan declared.

Ryan added, “Training and education on the kit are always on our ‘To Do’ list and although it’s also always high on the agenda … as a busy company, availability for both me and the crew is a big obstacle as we are almost always out on site somewhere working on active productions”.

So, Blond has turned the lockdown into a time asset with everyone stuck at home and only connected via the internet.

Ryan is presenting the lighting sessions.

The primary focus so far has been on lighting equipment and console education, and they train on a grandMA 2 with the two full-time lighting department staff – Donavon Blomerus, and Lucky Lewele – each taking a grandMA OnPC home for the duration.

Blond purchased some new Robe ESPRITE LED profiles – with the transferable engine – in January, which went straight onto lighting the South African and Ghanaian editions of Family Feud in Johannesburg.

However, they are so new that not all the crew in lighting operations has yet had the opportunity to work with them or even sus them out.

“This is an awesome chance to learn all about these new fixtures and find their true potential, even though it’s via a virtual platform,” enthused Christiaan, who believes that every lighting technician should know each fixture “inside out” before taking them on a show.

Ryan has put together a teaching agenda that starts with the key topic of ‘Lighting Profile Creation’.

“Knowing how to build a custom fixture in the library is a skill people often don’t acquire because the personality is either in your lighting library or there’s someone in the company creating and distributing them so the knowledge stays with that one person.”

Once created, another mission is to ensure that all understand how to use the ‘custom’ fixture as there are numerous pros / cons to knowing how to make / edit fixture profiles on the fly.

As Robe is Blond’s main moving light brand – with around 250 in rental stock – they take DMX protocol date from the Robe manuals and recreate the fixtures from scratch.

By looking at miniPointes, CycFX 4s and ESPRITES, etc., they can compare the assorted ways in which looks and effects are accomplished …  which ties in with the next section, ‘Lighting Design’.

In addition to getting familiar with ESPRITES and how they are a great creative tool, they are learning about general lighting design.

“Knowing the proper capabilities and functions of the lights is essential!” explains Ryan. “For example, being aware of the fact that a Robe MiniPointe has two prism wheels, and by keeping one static and rotating the second … we can create cool effects that open up a world of creative options – things like that are important”.

He also highlights how to position and angle fixtures in different production scenarios – from a TV show environment to a corporate event.

Deeper topics include ‘Lighting Tricks and Setup’, where Ryan uses his vast fund of experience to illustrate techniques that speed up programming, enhance the creation of elaborate effects and demystifying the configuration of certain equipment when connecting to the console.

The ‘programming’ section deals with the basics of “establishing a standard workflow and operational methodology”.

The logic behind all of this is that if they are all trained to use a system that is implemented company-wide at Blond, if one person has to leave a production, any of them can be competent and confident to walk in, take over and be familiar with the layouts and workflows.

“It’s proving a good and satisfying method of learning directly from one other and sharing tricks and experiences picked up along the way … and who knows what else we will add as the cabin fever sets in!” he concludes.

Blond Training Moments

Discover more

Six NRG Students Joined the ROBE Team at ISE 2026

How ROBE iBOLTs and WTFs! Shaped the Visual Identity of Lucie’s 40th Anniversary Tour

Anolis Appoints Eloise Reed

LSD Takes on Robe Distribution for whole Balkans Region

Navigate

Support

Follow Us

Stay in Touch

Navigate

Support

Follow Us

Stay in Touch