BOXXER - First Direct Arena, Leeds

BOXXER’s ‘The Future Now’ headlined by Callum Simpson vs Troy Williamson took place just before Christmas - a high profile British/European title fight broadcast live and free-to-air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.

The lighting design focused on clean broadcast readability, brand reinforcement and dramatic separation between fight moments and walk-ins. 👁️

Truss mounted GLP X4 Bars were positioned evenly around the ring perimeter, angled precisely to downlight the branded ringside carpet. These beams created a crisp shaft of light that framed the ring without spill into the audience, ensuring BOXXER logos remained camera-sharp throughout the broadcast. The fixtures were programmed with subtle intensity modulation rather than colour changes, maintaining a premium, boxing specific aesthetic.

Complementing Hybrid floor beams integrated at head height either side of the ring walk entrance played into the cameras. These fixtures project tight, high-intensity beams horizontally across the entrance corridor, sitting just above performer eye line. This placement allows the beams to cut cleanly through haze, forming a luminous tunnel that frames the talent as they enter. Because the beams are aligned laterally, they register strongly in side-angle and three quarter camera shots, producing defined shafts of light that add depth and scale without obscuring faces. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

Promoted by: @boxxer @benjshalom
Whisper: @wearewhispertv
Vivid: @instavivid
BBC: @bbc

Director: Adam Sparrow @immortal.creative

BOXXER Production Management: @gengland
BOXXER Event Management: @northernlamb

Lighting & Production Design: @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting
Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks
Depence3 Multimedia Previsualisation Software: @syncronorm

Control: @chamsysltd
Lighting, Video & Rigging Vendor: @coloursoundexperiment
Lighting Fixtures: @ayrtondigital @germanlightproducts @acmelighting @titan_tube
Gaffer: @rickcarr87
Console Operator: @tomblanco
Screen Content: @charliehen.1
Boxing Ring: @ringcraft.uk @mikegoodall.boxing
Facilities: @timeline.tv @instavivid
OB Power: @tsl_lighting

Richard Hawley - Coles Corner, Sheffield City Hall

Across three sold-out nights, Richard Hawley marked 20 years of Coles Corner with deeply felt performances rooted in nostalgia and hometown pride.

The lighting and video scheme reinforces the nostalgia, intimacy and personal connection at the heart of Coles Corner - an album about memory, love, place and time. 👁️

By using warm tungsten lighting, relaxed ambience, mirror ball highlights and personal visual content - the production design mirrors the emotional landscape of the music and enhances the audience’s immersion in this 20-year celebration of timeless night-time storytelling.

The video imagery is edited to feel organic and slightly imperfect - lightly flickering flames, soft colour grading and grain - like watching home video on an old projector. These lend a personal, documentary feel that complements the music’s introspection. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

Lighting & Production Design: @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting
Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks #madewithvectorworks
Management: Graham Wrench/Electric Canyon Management #electriccanyonmanagement
Tour Manager: Jon Trier @jontempi

Richard Hawley @richardhawley
Guitar: Shez Sheridan #shezsheridan
Bass: Colin Elliot @colinelliot111
Keys: Jon Trier @jontempi
Drums: Dean Beresford @brummieberesford
Guitar: Bryan Day @jazzhotsix
Strings: Charley Beresford @charley.beresford.violin Caroline Bodimead @carolinebodimeadviolin Josie Wells @josiegoynes Liz Hanks @lizhankscello

LX Control & Media Servers: @chamsysltd
LX Vendor: @limelightps
Video Screen: @reelproductiongroup

BOXXER and BBC Sport - Vaillant Live Arena, Derby

After 20 years, boxing has returned to BBC Saturday night primetime TV!

The deal between BBC Sport and BOXXER marked a historic return of major professional boxing to BBC television after more than two decades.

The chosen headliner for the revival night on Saturday 29 November, was Frazer Clarke @frazerclarke vs Jeamie TKV Tshikeva @jeamietkvboxing - a British Heavyweight Title fight at the Vaillant Live Arena @vaillantlive with a main support bout between Fran Hennessy @_franhennessyy and Fabiana Bytyqi @bytyqifabiana

The brief was to deliver a dramatic, TV-friendly heavy-weight spectacle that reads as big and cinematic in-venue while meeting the BBC’s strict broadcast requirements. That meant a dual-purpose design: one look for the live audience (atmospheric, brand-forward) and one for camera (even, flicker-free, high definition). 👁️

BOXXER’s visual identity (teal/green accents) was used as the primary accent colour, with the BBC’s editorial clarity and Whisper’s and Vivid’s production expertise shaping the technical approach.

The event was positioned not just as a single ‘big fight’, but a reinvestment in free-to-air British boxing creating access for long-time fans and newcomers alike. @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting

Promoted by: @boxxer @benjshalom
Whisper: @wearewhispertv
Vivid: @instavivid
BBC: @bbc

Director: Adam Sparrow @immortal.creative
MC: @official.bigmo

BOXXER Production Management: @gengland
BOXXER Event Management: @northernlamb

Lighting & Production Design: @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting
Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks #madewithvectorworks
Depence3 Multimedia Previsualisation Software: @syncronorm

Control: @chamsysltd
Lighting, Video & Rigging Vendor: @coloursoundexperiment
Lighting Fixtures: @ayrtondigital @martinprofessional @germanlightproducts
Gaffer: @rickcarr87
Console Operator: @chrisfoot1
Screen Content: @charliehen.1
Boxing Ring: @ringcraft.uk @mikegoodall.boxing
Facilities: @timeline.tv
OB Power: @tsl_lighting

#tvlighting #televisionlighting #lightingdesigner #lightingdesign #lightingprogrammer #lightinginspiration #showdesigner

Bridge of Lies - BBC One. Quiz Show presented by Ross Kemp @rosskemptv

Series 5 of Bridge of Lies, has been commissioned by the BBC and STV Studios for 25 new daytime and 10 primetime Saturday night episodes planned to air in 2026.

The recommission underscores the show’s continuing popularity and success, as the team in Glasgow Pacific Quay Studios #bbcpacificquay returns with fresh contestants tackling the bridge’s risky truths and lies under high tension. 👁️

This year, lighting designer Max Conwell led the transition of the key lighting system from traditional fixtures to LED-based Ayrton Khamsin automated units. The change was driven by the need for greater flexibility, improved energy efficiency, and tighter creative control during live and recorded segments.

The Khamsin delivers very high lumen output from a compact unit - a single Khamsin can provide powerful key light for a host or contestant line where older fixtures needed multiple units to achieve the same output. This gives more headroom for contrast, stronger separation, and keeps the studio rig neater while giving a sharper, more cinematic studio aesthetic and keeping the show punchy and TV-friendly. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

Director: John Smith @smithj70

Lighting & Production Design: @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting
Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks #madewithvectorworks
Control: @chamsysltd @ma_lighting_international @ambersphere_solutions
Lighting Vendor: @4wall @4walleurope
Lighting Fixtures: @ayrtondigital @chauvet_pro @robelighting @arri @martinprofessional

Keylighting: @alexpococklighting @martinhiggins
FX Lighting: @colinpps @jonesrobertsmark
Vision Supervisor: Kerry Gordon

Client: STV
Production Manager: Elena Miles
Producer: @garychippington
Head of Production: life.as.gem
Set Designer: @paulhoustondesign
LED Ribbon: @tell.e.d
Gameplay: Marvellous Machines
Remote Camera: @alanwellscamera

#tvlighting #televisionlighting #lightingdesigner #lightingdesign #lightingprogrammer #lighinginspiration #showdesign #showdesigner #concertlightingdesign #concertlighting

Six Kings Slam - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Six Kings, one crown - the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis players took to the court in Riyadh for a star-studded live tennis showcase. #SixKingsSlam

Extremely privileged to be appointed lighting designer for this showdown, a key part of Riyadh Season @riyadhseason and His Excellency Turki Alalshik @turki featuring six of the biggest names in tennis. 👁️

The 2025 tournament opened with a dazzling hologram show and is framed as much more than a tennis match: part sport-event, part premium entertainment. The lighting design aligns with ‘showtime’ rather than purely sports functional.

Brought in by TSL Lighting @tsl_lighting and collaborating closely with IMG @img Netflix @netflix and Sela @sela - the design delivered a dynamic, visually striking environment that celebrates the energy, speed and emotion of the game.

The event was lit predominantly with Robe @robelighting Forte and Spiider fixtures supplying a consistent high ISO giving a flicker-free, uniform court illumination with strong contrast on player faces and minimal glare that the broadcast required.

Supported in the UK by Barry Denison of TSL, in Riyadh by lighting director Mark Gardiner @markgardiner4422 and gaffer Will Gallegos. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

#tvlighting #televisionlighting #lightingdesigner #lightingdesign #lightingprogrammer #lightinginspiration #showdesign #showdesigner #concertlightingdesign #concertlighting

The Inner Circle - new BBC gameshow hosted by @noholdenback

Saturday 4th October saw the launch of a brand-new Saturday night primetime gameshow, with a daily daytime show starting Monday 7th.

A privilege to work with the amazing Amanda Holden and her fantastic team for the first time. 👁️

The lighting rig supplied by Limelight Lighting features Robe MegaPointes, chosen for their huge variation of beam and colour looks. AVL Retro Lights are spaced around the set dressing, these vintage gold reflector lights used on the pilot were updated with the addition of Astera NXY LED Bulbs tying them into the various gameplay colour states, while Colorforce 72s were a perfect fit for the grill backlighting. A combination of Martin Viper XIPs and Varilite VL2600s were used for keylighting.

Overall, the lighting design is flexible, colourful and dynamic - complementing the show’s lively entertainment style and Amanda Holden’s charismatic presence.

Special thanks to producers Nick Gunaydin and David Marshall for their constant support, director John Smith for his steady hand at the helm and Rob Bradley for LD cover. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

Term TV @terntv
Director: John Smith @smithj70

Lighting & Production Design: @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting
Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks #madewithvectorworks
Depence3 Multimedia Previsualisation Software: @syncronorm

Keylight Console Op: @alexpococklighting
FX Console Ops: @sebwilliamsld @euanodd
Vision: @tracetheace007 Kerry Gordon
Gaffer: David Wilson

Lighting Vendor: @limelitelighting
Control: @ma_lighting_international @ambersphere_solutions
Lighting Fixtures: @vari.lite @martinprofessional @robelighting @asteraofficial AVL Retro
LED Ribbon: @lightinitiative
Screens: @prg_uk

Set Designer: Rudi Thackray @rudithackray
Art Director: Paul Drake
Gameplay: Marvellous Machines

#lightingdesign #lightingdesigner #tvlighting #televisionlighting #lightingprogrammer #lightinginspiration #showdesign #showdesigner #concertlightingdesigner #concertlighting

Heart - Royal Flush Tour 2025

Legendary rock band Heart, are back with their acclaimed Royal Flush Tour delighting audiences with their iconic sound.

Collaborating with Carl Burnett, the lighting design strikes a compelling balance: it supports the theatrics and emotional resonance of a band returning to the road after hardship - elevating each spotlighted moment with thoughtful, intentional illumination. 👁️

Robe fixtures feature at the forefront of the design. 95 x Fortes provide both profile and wash lighting capabilities, alongside 12 x LED Beam 350s and 38 Tetra 2s delivering uniform colour temperature and seamless fixture performance.

Chauvet Strike Ms and Array 4s add punctuation at key moments establishing visual unity and the black sparkling Austrian backdrop creates layered visuals without overwhelming the stage. #maxconwell #nakedeyelighting

#heartband
@annwilson @nancywilson

Management: @redlightmgmt

Lighting & Production Design: @carlburnettdesign @maxconwell @nakedeyelighting

Drafted in Vectorworks Spotlight Software: @vectorworks #madewithvectorworks
Depence4 Previsualisation Software: @syncronorm
Control: @ma_lighting_international
Lighting Fixtures: @robelighting @chauvet_pro
Media Servers: Disguise D3
Lighting & Video Vendor: @gatewayproductionservices
Account Manager: Paul Owen VP Business Development
Project Manager: Adam Ellis

Production Manager: Tony Moon
Production Coordinator: Suzin Moon
Stage Manager: Chris Olivieri
Head Rigger: Derek Stiles @d.stilesrigs
Rigger: David Church
Lighting Crew Chief: Bryan Marks @iknowthewayyoucanget
Video/Projection Tech: Steven McClain
Dimmers/Power Distro: Ian Fanning @ian_tayl0r
Lighting Techs: Jonathon Tosado @noklu4 Amanda Burns Neil Tesh
Set Carpenter: Sam Hooker

#tvlighting #televisionlighting #lightingdesigner #lightingdesign #lightingprogrammer #lightinginspiration #showdesigner #showdesign #concertlightingdesign #concertlighting