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New ZELo Accessories Add Versatility to Brightline’s Desktop Studio Light
Bridgeville, Penn. – Sept. 27, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced two accessories for its ZELo desktop studio light for videoconferencing. Both the ZELo Clamp and ZELo Grip are designed to save desk space and provide versatility for lighting workspaces for videoconferencing.
With the ZELo Clamp, the light’s base plate is replaced by an adjustable clamp that requires significantly less surface space at a workstation. The light’s main body housing includes ZELo’s on-board controls, which are still accessible when using the ZELo Clamp.
The new ZELo Grip raises a mobile phone off the desk to provide a more flattering camera angle for videoconferencing. It attaches to ZELo’s adjustable telescoping arm, and its positioning rod can be raised, lowered, rotated, and adjusted to hold the phone closer or further away from the subject. The camera mount, which can be independently adjusted as well, provides a snug hold for mobile phones and various-sized cameras.
The new ZELo Grip (left) and ZELo Clamp save desk space and provide versatility for videoconferencing workspaces.
“We have had an amazing response to ZELo. It was designed to meet the demanding specifications of broadcasters, but professionals from a variety of industries are using it to improve their appearance for online sales meetings, conferences, classes, and more,” explained Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “These new accessories bring even more versatility, making it easier to position a mobile phone for videoconferencing use and add ZELo into an office environment without taking up valuable desk space.”
ZELo delivers broadcast-quality, enhanced personal lighting in any workspace for business professionals, educators, broadcasters, and more. With its variable color temperature, ZELo blends with any ambient room light environment. Change brightness and color temperature with manual controls, or make adjustments, save presets, and more using Brightline’s free app for iOS and Android portable devices. ZELo also supports voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant devices.
The ZELo Clamp has a list price of $25 and is now shipping, while the ZELo Grip has a list price of $45 and will ship in late October. Both can be ordered at brightlines.com/brightlineshop.
About Brightline
A leading manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting systems for broadcast, videoconference, e‑learning, and government, Brightline’s mission is to enable communication through clarity. With more than 5,000 customers in over 35 countries, Brightline specializes in enhancing the presentation of visual images by providing high quality, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective evolutionary lighting solutions. Get enlightened at brightlines.com.
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Press Contact:
Mark J. Pescatore
Pipeline Communications
(561) 561-3106
mark@pipecomm.com
Brightline Hires Dennis Dillinger as Global Product Manager for Desktop Lighting Solutions
Bridgeville, Penn. – Sept. 21, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced Dennis Dillinger has returned to the company as the global product manager for desktop lighting solutions, effective Sept. 7. Based in San Diego, he is focused on sales efforts for the ZELo and desktop studio lighting solutions.
Dillinger previously worked with Brightline as its western regional sales manager. Most recently, he spent more than four years as the district manager for western states for Yamaha Commercial Audio. He has also held sales management roles with RGB Spectrum and Premier Mounts, among others.
“ZELo has become a very popular product for us, but it’s also a unique part of the professional lighting space. We’ve brought Dennis back into the fold to grow this particular market segment,” said Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “His knowledge of the industry will help us maximize our potential across the corporate and professional video spaces.”
Contact Dillinger at ddillinger@brightlines.com.
Joey Clayton Joins Brightline as Sales Operation Manager
Bridgeville, Penn. – Sept. 7, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced Joey Clayton has joined the company as sales operation manager, effective Aug. 23. Based out of the company’s main offices in Bridgeville, she will be responsible for organizing order logistics and post-order customer communication for the company. Erin Nath, who previously served as sales operation manager for Brightline, has been promoted to AV account manager.
Clayton has extensive sales and customer service experience. She recently spent more than seven years at West Penn Wire, most recently as inside channels sales manager. She also spent almost three years as general manager of sales and staffing at Commercial Employees, as well as more than 10 years in the banking industry.
“Joey has a diverse background in sales and support, which provides a strong foundation in several of the vertical markets we serve,” said Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “She also has a knack for business development, so we expect she’ll not only support our sales staff and our customers, but enhance our sales efforts as well. She’s a great fit for Brightline and we’re happy to welcome her to the team.”
Contact Clayton at jclayton@brightlines.com or call (412) 206-0106, Ext. 117.
Lupo Expands Dayled Product Line with Dual Color PRO LED Fresnels
Bridgeville, Penn. – June 28, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems and a premier broadcast distributor of Lupo lighting fixtures in the United States, today announced it is now shipping the new Dayled 1000 and 2000 Dual Color PRO LED Fresnels. Designed for studio and location shoots, the new models offer variable color temperature and built-in DMX, and can be powered with mains or batteries.
With COB LEDs and exclusive True Color Technology, the new Dual Color PRO fixtures have a high CRI rating of 97. Both models provide variable color temperature from warm tungsten (2800K) to bright daylight (6500). The 1000 is equipped with a 110W single LED array that delivers 1000W output (tungsten equivalent), while the 2000 includes a 220W single LED array that delivers 2000W output.
A control panel with integrated LCD display on the side of each fixture makes it easy to adjust brightness, color temperature, effects, and DMX operations. Plus, a USB port can be used for firmware updates. Built-in effects include paparazzi (flash bulb), strobe, and lightning.
The back of each fixture includes a focus knob that adjusts the beam angle from 10-60 degrees, DMX input and through ports, battery connector (male three-pin XLR), and PowerCON ports to connect multiple Dual Color PRO fixtures for space and power savings. Barn doors are also included for additional light control.
For improved shock and heat resistance in the field, the compact Dayled Dual Color PROs are housed in carbon fiber reinforced technopolymer shells. Available Lupo accessories include a filter holder, softbox and egg crate, padded bag for storage and transport, stands, and V-mount battery power supply kits.
“With variable color temperature as well as features for studio and location applications, Lupo’s new Dayled Fresnels provide a great deal of lighting flexibility,” explained Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “When coupled with Brightline’s LED SeriesONE studio fixtures and our BL.16 long-throw LED spotlights, these new fixtures allow us to provide our customers with complete broadcast studio lighting solutions.”
Brightline’s ZELo Desktop Studio Light Helps Mizzen Marketing Sales Team Improve Customer Interactions
Bridgeville, Penn. – May 25, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced its ZELo desktop studio light is being used by the sales force of Mizzen Marketing, an independent manufacturers rep, to improve interactions with potential customers during videoconferencing meetings.
“ZELo gives the Mizzen Marketing team a consistent look across all of our offices,” said Dave Taylor, owner of Mizzen Marketing. “The lighting is even and diffused, which is what you’re looking for when lighting a person’s face.”
Mizzen’s six-man sales team works from home or small individual offices, and each team member is now equipped with a ZELo. Between intra-office meetings and client interactions, Taylor estimated his company uses their lights 100 times a week. “Brightline knows lighting for video,” Taylor said, “and they’ve leveraged their decades of knowledge for the benefit of those of us working from home.”
Last spring, like many other companies, Mizzen had to shift quickly to a sales model built around virtual meetings via web-based videoconferencing platforms. Before the COVID-19 shutdowns, its sales team frequently visited dealers, integrators, consultants, and end users.
“We went from being behind the windshields of our cars traveling to meetings and on-site demos to not being able to do any in-person activities virtually overnight,” Taylor recalled. “But we still had a responsibility to our manufacturing partners to help them find opportunities for their products to be sold, installed, and used.”
While some companies have employees returning to their offices, many are not yet allowing in-person visits from outside agencies. As a result, Taylor expects to maintain a hybrid business model moving forward, which means continued reliance on videoconferencing platforms for sales efforts.
Based in Mansfield, Texas, for 16 years, Mizzen is the sales and marketing arm for about a dozen AV, audio, and video equipment companies, including Absen, AtlasIED, and TASCAM. Taylor said he wants potential customers to focus on the content of his presentations, not be distracted by poor video quality.
“Brightline lighting is what we use to remove the distractions from the stories we are here to tell,” Taylor added. “Good lighting can make up for the sins of bad cameras and poor camera positioning. ZELo has been critical for the survivability of our business.”
Taylor also appreciates the flexibility of the ZELo. The light itself can be tilted and rotated, and its telescoping arm can raise or lower the light to provide clearance over most desktop monitors. Plus, the light offers variable color temperature control, so it blends with any ambient room light.
“One of the things I really love about it is that I can manage it from an app,” he said. “I can adjust the color temperature and brightness, and that allows me to make my video look however I want it to look. It’s incredible.”
Interactive Audio Visual Distributes Brightline in Ontario
Bridgeville, Penn. – May 4, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced Interactive Audio Visual is now distributing its products in Canada throughout Eastern and Southern Ontario, as well as Western Quebec.
Based in Ottawa, IAV is a systems integrator that specializes in video-enabled meeting spaces. The company offers complete AV solutions, from needs analysis and custom design to integration and after-sales support, including remote monitoring and analytics.
Ian Smith, president and owner of IAV, said recent industry trends have shifted away from full-size meeting spaces to smaller (and multiple) huddle rooms. “You have to adapt huddle spaces for uniform illumination,” he explained. “Nobody thinks of the necessity of bringing up illumination in a given space, and it’s really quite important for visual cues. Without lighting, people just look like shadows.”
Beyond Brightline’s more traditional videoconferencing lighting solutions, including Flex-T, Stealth-T, and VideoPlus in-ceiling fixtures, Smith is also excited about the new ZELo desktop studio light. “The meeting space has become a desktop – and often from home,” he noted. “That’s not optimal for the video collaboration experience, especially for remote participants. That’s why ZELo is so interesting.”
“We’re excited to work with Interactive Audio Visual, because they place a strong emphasis on the importance of lighting for workplace videoconferencing solutions,” said Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “Through the partnership, we look forward to expanding our sales across the significant portion of Eastern Canada that they service.”
Contact Interactive Audio Visual at (613) 748-9388 or visit interactiveaudiovisual.com.
Tod Bush Leadership Center Improves Live, Online Presentations with Brightline Presenter Lighting Kit
Bridgeville, Penn. – April 5, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced the Tod Bush Leadership Center in Addison, Texas, has installed a Presenter Lighting Kit in its main training room to help deliver better presentations for live and online audiences.
The TBLC offers faith-based training, retreat hosting, and affordable office space for churches and nonprofits. In early January, the center hosted an online seminary class focused on the mental health of full-time ministers. While the event was well received, Brian Summerall, director of the TBLC, was not happy with the “dull” presenter lighting.
“Lighting makes all the difference,” he said. “We have studio lights, but they’re obtrusive. We needed to find a solution – and Brightline was the solution.”
In late February, the Presenter Lighting Kit was installed in the main training room, which holds up to 35 people and is equipped with two PTZ cameras for live streaming. “We love the new lights,” said Summerall. “They are compact, easy to install, and they look great, especially with the back lighting.”
According to Summerall, the Presenter Lighting Kit delivers focused lighting that does not overwhelm the instructor or distract from the aesthetics of the room. “No one knows they’re there. They blend into the room until you turn them on,” he added. “The instructor is not going to notice, but the people online are going to see a big difference.”
“The Tod Bush Leadership Center installation is a perfect example of how the Presenter Lighting Kit can help speakers in live and remote settings,” explained Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “Videoconferencing and streaming content will continue to be important for business and educational applications. Teachers, company executives, and others need good lighting that’s focused on them, where it belongs, without washing out presentations on nearby screens.”
Introduced last year, the Presenter Lighting Kit uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) and wireless control to deliver simple, affordable lighting for single presenters. It is designed around a familiar three-point lighting design, and uses Flex-T recessed lighting LED panels for drop ceilings or drywall. The PoE control unit allows for IP control for reduced installation costs, while its COR-TAP Wi-Fi hotspot allows access to system
Launch of New WZVN Set Includes Brightline LED Lighting Upgrade
Bridgeville, Penn. – Jan. 25, 2021 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today announced WZVN, the ABC affiliate serving Florida’s Ft. Myers-Naples market (DMA #53), upgraded its studio lighting with Brightline LED fixtures to coincide with the debut of its new set.
According to Bob Hannon, senior production engineer for Waterman Broadcasting, the updated lighting grid is daylight balanced (5600K) and features a mix of Brightline L1.2 and L1.4 LED SeriesONE studio fixtures, BL.16 long-throw beam compact fixtures, and Lupo DayLED fresnels. WZVN launched its new on-air look on Nov. 18.
“Brightline has taken WZVN into the DMX world and also the LED world,” said Hannon. “They look fantastic. The lighting is very consistent; we’re not dealing with color temperature variations across the set. It’s a really nice setup.”
One of the biggest lighting challenges of the new set was the openness of the space, which was designed to accommodate a variety of programming beyond standard newscasts. “What we tried to do was eliminate all risers, all furniture that give you obstacles. The main anchor desk is moveable,” Hannon explained. “This set is made for you to move around and interact with anything.”
“That’s a little more challenging when you’re trying to prepare a lighting plot,” added Dan McKenrick, who served as lighting designer for the project. “They wanted the flexibility to move the news desk and bring in stand-up positions and other setups. Uniformly lighting a whole space can look too flat. What’s nice about Brightline fixtures is they have the brightness and flexibility to carve out lighting as needed to give the room some depth.”
Two video arrays and an area with three vertically hung video screens were also challenging. A small forward tilt for the on-set monitors was essential for avoiding lighting issues. “Think of a monitor as a mirror. When it doesn’t display video, it reflects whatever it sees,” McKenrick explained. “You always need to tilt your monitor so the reflection of lights is not on the screen.”
Owned by Montclair Communications, WZVN is operated through a local marketing agreement (LMA) by Waterman Broadcasting’s WBBH, the market’s NBC affiliate. The stations are co-located in the same facility, but have separate studios and control rooms. Combined, the stations produce 19 newscasts per day, including competing morning shows from 4:30 to 7 a.m. The WBBH studio is primarily lit by older Brightline fluorescent fixtures.
“I have worked with Brightline for nearly 25 years,” Hannon said. “They’re one of the few companies that take care of their customers the right way – and they give us a quality product, which is more important than anything.”
Brightline Introduces ZELo Desktop Studio Light
Affordable personal video light with smart app control
improves videoconferencing for meetings and more
Bridgeville, Penn. – Dec. 1, 2020 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of video lighting systems, today unveiled ZELo, its new desktop studio light for videoconferencing. Designed for business professionals, educators, broadcasters, and social media influencers, ZELo delivers broadcast-quality results that enhance personal lighting in any workspace.
With variable color temperature, ZELo delivers everything from warm light (2700 degrees) to daylight (6500 degrees), so it blends with any ambient room light environment. When paired with Brightline’s free app, iOS and Android portable devices can adjust brightness and color temperature, build and store settings, and set timers. ZELo even supports voice control through Alexa and Google Assistant devices. Plus, built-in manual controls make it easy to change settings.
ZELo can be adjusted to create a flattering lighting angle, and a telescoping arm raises and lowers the light to provide clearance over most desktop and laptop monitors. Position ZELo lights on either side of a video monitor to replicate studio lighting for remote broadcast news reports or webcasting. ZELo also folds for easy transport and storage.
“The ever expanding use of Zoom and other videoconferencing tools brought on by the rapid growth in remote video has shown us all how important it is to have high-quality personal lighting,” said Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “ZELo can be adjusted and customized to work with any office or home office setting. Whether you’re teaching an online class or conducting virtual meetings, use ZELo for every on-camera hello.”
ZELo is priced at $199 and will be shipping in 60 days. Brightline is currently taking preorders for ZELo at brightlines.com/ZELo.
New Brightline Presenter Lighting Kit Offers PoE, Wireless Control for Customized Installations
Bridgeville, Penn. – Oct. 27, 2020 – Brightline, a leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting systems, today announced its Presenter Lighting Kit, which uses PoE (Power over Ethernet) and wireless control to deliver simple and affordable lighting packages for single presenters. Available for corner or straight installations, the new kits feature Brightline’s Flex-T recessed lighting LED panels for drop ceilings and drywall.
Designed around a familiar three-point lighting design, the Presenter Lighting Kit uses two single module and one double module Flex-T units for key, fill, and back lights. The patented design of Brightline’s T-Series allows the lighting carriage to rotate for a higher level of control, and spot optics avoid lighting spill on nearby screens or video monitors.
“Ambient lighting is generally not good enough for presenters to be seen clearly, especially with today’s growing emphasis on videoconferencing for remote employees or students. Broadcasters are also looking for clean, affordable lighting solutions for smaller spaces that are dedicated to streaming content,” explained Kathy Katz, Brightline managing partner. “Our new Presenter Lighting Kit delivers a plug-and-play, personal three-pointing lighting system that is easy to install and control. Proper lighting ensures PowerPoint presentations or graphics on nearby screens don’t wash out the speaker, and protects presentations from being washed out by presenter lighting.”
Available in a rack mountable 2 RU chassis or standalone enclosure, the PoE control unit allows for IP control and reduces the cost of installation. Two internal drivers support the four Flex-T modules, while two LINC (Local Intelligence Node Controller) units allow each light to be controlled individually.
In addition to a wireless controller, the Presenter Lighting Kit also includes the compact COR-TAP (Centralized Operational Resource – Technology Access Point) Wi-Fi hotspot. Accessible through any web browser, it allows access to system configuration and usage web pages, while serving as a technology firewall that isolates the user experience.
Priced at under $5,000, the Presenter Lighting Kit is available now.
