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I do not believe there is huge demand for light engineering. If you really want to make money, you have to be in the business of distributing cheap and efficient fixtures, as widely as possible.

Can you begin by giving us a basic understanding of lighting as a service?

Viraaf Pocha Landmark Events, is a lighting design veteran and has arranged the lighting setup for many fashion shows. He serviced clients like The Times of India, Mercedes Benz, World Gold Council, Smirnoff, SSC&B Lintas, ITC, and many more. He spoke to DARE to give insights of the industry - A primer for entrepreneurs on the segments worth considering in this field.

There are two main categories in lighting—entertainment and architectural lighting. Architectural lighting at the simplest level is the bulb on your ceiling all the way up to lighting on streets, bridges, etc. The former, however, is vast in its scope as it covers lighting in small discotheques, weddings, as well as highly sophisticated television shows.

While being sort of similar, each type has a very different approach for business. For architectural lighting the bulbs burn for many hours at one go and the focus is more on energy efficiency and illumination levels. In entertainment, by its very nature, lighting plays a supporting role to many other things, and therefore it is relatively one of the low cost ingredients. For this the focus is more on the atmosphere created by the positioning of the lighting, type of fixtures used and the intensity of the lighting.

Typically, entertainment lighting and equipment has to be delivered on a particular day, on a huge scale, along with backup and more. For better understanding, if two bulbs in a lighting setup of 40 bulbs on a bridge burn out and are not replaced for weeks together, it won’t really make a difference. However, the same situation for a television shot matters a lot.

As a service in the entertainment industry, what is the scenario for lighting in India?
The entertainment industry is booming in India. The scope of business is vast. As for providers, there are not many people in the field who know much about lighting. These providers might have seen couple of videos and DVDs to get their basic knowledge of lighting. However, their actual level of exposure, as compared to people in Europe and other western countries, is minimal and hence lack the discipline that is required in this field. There is a tendency in India to replicate everything possible. And the problem is taken to an advanced level when even the usage of certain fixtures are questioned saying the same result can be got using a much cheaper set of light bulbs. And even when it comes to clients, the ideal level of sophistication is not existent.

Industry: Entertainment / services Business: Lighting and lighting equipment rental Scope: Fashion events, television shows, music concerts, business conferences, trade shows, weddings, etc Where’s the money? Distribution of cheap and efficient fixtures in volumes

The role of a light designer is to study a project and decide what kind of fixtures and equipment is needed. It is somebody else’s job to obtain and install that. However, this business also works out on a turnkey basis, where it is sensible for the client to get everything from one single provider. Clients prefer going for a provider who, along with light designing, arranges for the hire and setup of the equipment and fixtures. This is because not many clients pay too much attention to lighting. In the western countries, however, since there are clients who are more sophisticated, these functions are clearly divided. The trend in India will surely head to the same direction some day. As of now though, people use bargaining chips such as offering free lighting for a particular contract, and so on.

For instance, if one looks at what happens in these television serials and sitcoms, the common perception is to focus the lights on the main characters and the background is lit in a stray fashion. Then there are shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, where the lighting design was integrated with the scheme of the show. In most cases, the former or conventional kind of lighting equipment is used, since most choose not to be sensitive enough to figure out that there is a noticeable difference that creates an impact.

What are the challenges faced in this service?
As the years progress, we are seeing more and more fashion weeks happening. In this field, the production value (in this segment of business) keeps suffering. Everybody is impressed by shows in the United States and Europe, and wants the same effects here for their show. However, when it comes to arranging for equipment that is required to pull off that effect, everyone takes a step back.

If you ask me, we are already at the minimal cost, and as the frequency and number of such events keep increasing, we are under a constant pressure of doing what we do in the ever so tight budgets.

The main problem is that the people going for the services of a light designer are not well aware of what is possible and can be done, and the cost factors. The second hurdle, if the first one is tackled, is that the monies required to do it is not what they budgeted for.

So where is the money?
The field of light designing is fairly small. There are many players in the market, and even though not many are equipped with the requisite sophistication and expertise. The clients choose to not go for the top-shelf Italian optics recommended to them, as the cost runs above Rs 3 lacs for just this one equipment.

Lighting needs to have a certain theme, a certain purpose. It is a tool to get the required effect on the stage or ramp. Often what is asked for today is bright, flashy, trash lighting! The way the market is operating, where there is a requirement for five lights, they bring in 40 lights, point them in the right direction and hope for the best.

I do not believe there is huge demand for light engineering. If you really want to make money, you have to be in the business of distributing cheap and efficient fixtures, as widely as possible.

In India, this business is personal driven than industry driven. A lot of business happens depending on personal contacts and networking. The revenue scheme, therefore, is again at a personal level. Unlike in an industry, where a clear cut credit period is defined, in this line of business it really depends on the kind of relation you build with the client.

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