Live television demands an impressive visual spectacle, but it also imposes technical challenges of considerable magnitude. In the reality show La Casa de los Famosos México, where emotions and drama are captured without pauses, lighting design becomes a key tool to enrich the experience of both contestants and audiences. At the forefront of this mission is Miki Molina, director and lighting designer, who has managed to transform every corner of the set into a stage of emotions thanks to the innovative technology of ELATION Professional.
Molina, born and based in Mexico City, has come a long way in lighting design from his beginnings in art galleries in Paris to his outstanding career in film, theater and television, collaborating with giants such as Amazon, Disney, HBO, Media Pro, Netflix, Sony, Telemundo, Televisa, TV Azteca, Univisión and Viacom CBS. For Molina, lighting design is not just technical, it is “painting with light,” and his work on La Casa de los Famosos México has elevated this reality show to surprising visual levels that have captivated the audience in every gala and intimate scene.
Since the beginning of his collaboration with EndemolShine Boomdog We Are Banijay, Molina has worked to capture the key moments of La Casa de los Famosos through a design that uses color psychology.
Lighting can influence the emotions experienced by the audience. And the design applied to La Casa de los Famosos México is an example of how lighting enhances sensations. Through the lights generated by ELATION, moments of tension, joy or surprise are accentuated during the program.
“With color theory it is not about reinventing the wheel, as they say. It is about playing with the psychology of colors to create emotions in the audience and in the participants. For example, it is about having colors that create tension and on that bed of color, creating a harmonious and powerful composition, which at the time of generating Cue’s is coordinated with the stage mechanics based on the parameters of video control, camera direction shots,” explains Molina. To achieve this, he relies on the composition of chiaroscuros and shades of gray on the main stage, and uses intense tones and subtle lights in more intimate spaces of the house to enrich the scenes with naturalness.
Since it is a television show, the technical requirement of the luminaires is very demanding. Miki Molina highlights the qualities of the ELATION products that helped him make his design a reality: “The recording in front of television cameras, the sharpness, the colorimetry, the frequency synchronization and the temperature regulation of the equipment.”
The creative process to design the lighting for a reality show like La Casa de los Famosos México requires the consideration of key aspects to differentiate each environment. The lighting designer acknowledges that “I had to make the show as spectacular as possible and the design impressive. It had to exceed the highest standards and be part of the great success that this format has been on television. I looked for several possible ways to make the stage look as big as possible based on the camera shots, including leaks and depth traces. In that aspect, the choice of ELATION was simple. It was my only tool needed for this design.”
“Efficiency for a live show is achieved by using reliable luminaires, added to an optimal wiring design, a correct distribution of loads and the incorporation of generators in excellent condition and finally, thanks to the technology of the luminaires, it makes our work much easier to be able to maintain the levels and colorimetry from show 1 to the grand finale,” describes Molina.
For a show of such magnitude, where the cameras are constantly recording, the reliability of the luminaires is essential, and that is where the choice of ELATION becomes a crucial element. Molina says that he began using the brand that is part of the ADJ group in 2017, when, motivated by recommendations from colleagues, he decided to try the luminaires in his projects. Since then, he has been a loyal user of the brand, highlighting that ELATION luminaires are “innovation, technology and trust.” This commitment to quality is also reflected in the collaboration with AVITMX, Molina’s supplier, who maintains constant communication with the ELATION support team to ensure the optimal operation of the equipment in each show.
One of the most outstanding features of the luminaires designed and manufactured by ELATION is their low energy consumption without sacrificing performance. “The technology facilitates the speed of assembly, the low energy consumption in generators, and the low heat generation. Being integrated with the ELATION brand, we can achieve this by using the ELATION brand in a variety of ways, and by using the ELATION brand in a variety of ways. Because it is a live show, this means that we need less air conditioning,” says Miki. This, in addition to being a technical advantage, contributes to the sustainability of the show and allows the team to work in safer and more controlled conditions.
The Proteus Maximus, KL Panel and Six Bar luminaires from ELATION, used in conjunction with the gramdMA-3 console from MA LIGHTING, guarantee the sharpness and colorimetry required for a continuous show, maintaining unmatched consistency during the three or four months that production lasts.
Miki explains; “Because it is a live show, I use around 600 luminaires, which cover the main show, the house, the zoom, the garden, as well as other sets, including pre-galas, galas, sales and other activities.”
Working on a live reality show presents multiple challenges and, in Molina’s words, requires “emotional intelligence” to react to unforeseen events. Given the spontaneous nature of the show, the lighting team is often faced with last-minute changes and must adapt their design in a matter of seconds. Thanks to ELATION’s advanced technology, the LD and his team can adjust light levels and colors in real time, without compromising image quality or altering the visual balance of the show.
“If the set changes from one moment to the next, it is vital that the fixtures respond quickly and efficiently so as not to lose synchronization on camera,” says Miki Molina. This level of flexibility is key in creating immersive and memorable experiences for the audience, who live every moment as if they were inside the house.
Referring to the design software used to plan his shows and how he integrates this software with the chosen ELATION fixtures, Molina indicated that “before putting them into software, I like to continue designing on paper and a pencil, this allows me to feel more relaxed and be more creative. After that, he uses Wysiwyg and Vectorworks Spotlight. “I use these softwares as soon as I finish the design.”
“To design, I consider the final render of the set, which once I know the textures and shapes I can design to complement and enrich the show. Sometimes modifications are requested to the set to integrate the light with the stage. In the part of the stage mechanics, it is very important to have the dialogue with the showrunner, executive production and camera direction in order to make a comprehensive, functional and aesthetic design,” says Miki.
The advancement of lighting technology not only facilitates production, but defines the standard of what is possible in live television. For Molina, Elation represents the versatility that a designer needs: “I expect more versatility and less energy consumption from Elation technology.” As new creative challenges are faced, Molina is confident that ELATION will continue to offer solutions that enhance the visual narrative of his projects.
Miki Molina summarized his experience working with the ELATION staff: “My experience has been very good, since everyone is very professional. It is a brand that cares about seeing the needs we have when designing and thus being able to achieve feedback and evolve from both sides. I always have someone from ELATION accompanying us so that we do not have any eventualities with the equipment. That is priceless.”
Ultimately, ELATION’s contribution to the success of La Casa de los Famosos México is not limited to technical quality, but extends to the emotional and environmental aspect of the show, making each light an essential component of the story told on screen. As Molina concludes: “The stability of the ELATION luminaires gives me the peace of mind that I can reach the parameters I require and the security that the equipment will not fail, maintaining the emotion of the show in each broadcast.”
