Rise Nation Lighting Effects System - NYC & Chicago
I was hired by Jason Walsh, founder of Rise Nation and celebrity fitness trainer, to create a custom lighting effects controller for the LED ceiling installation at Rise Nation gyms that could deliver a light show on par with any night club or concert.
The control system was built using Touchdesigner and featured dozens of different lighting effects, with a unified system to control speed, color and brightness that allowed for seamless transitions between lighting looks. The custom effects engine was built used a mix of generative 2D and 3D effects, pre-rendered textures, and audio-reactive effects. The effects and patterns were built in a generalized way so that the system could be deployed in a studio of any size within a useful range for the business. The visuals all followed cyclical patterns to allow for a universal tempo to be set so that any effect chosen would match the pace of the music and the workout. Most effects were built around a two color shader system, allowing the patterns and textures to be re-colored in a universal way, and to simplify the choices for the instructor. All of this came together in a streamlined touch screen control interface with large thumbnails of the lighting effects patterns, as well as a tap sync and some buttons and faders to control brightness, speed and color.
Rise Nation’s brand focuses on creating an innovative one of a kind fitness experience. Each studio is built with a concert quality sound system, and an array of mapped LED strips, setting the canvas for an exciting and dynamic light show to carry you through the full body, high intensity climbing workout.
When Jason approached me, he shared with me how his passion for amazing concert design inspired him to found Rise Nation, and that he needed a streamlined system that his fitness instructors could use with minimal technical training to create the same type of compelling experience as any of his favorite concerts.
This pre-vis rendering was made as part of the creative review process, and used the lighting effects engine built in Touchdesigner, and Notch as a 3D pre-vis tool
Evan Gannon -- gannon.evan@gmail.com -- (516)635-4067