This month marks a significant corporate landmark for Elstree Light & Power (ELP) and a personal milestone for Managing Director, Ronan Willson, as he celebrates a quarter of a century of pioneering.

It's 25 years since Ronan Willson first launched his lighting production company, then known as Meteorlites, and began an evolutionary process which would first impact upon the live concert production industry and go on to change the way TV productions were lit and rigged.

Willson's journey began at Hitchin College in Hertfordshire back in the mid-1970s when ran ran a mobile disco supporting local bands with a small PA and a few lamps. As the college circuit began to attract better known bands such as Dire Straits and Ultravox so his sets grew and an interest in production lighting design took hold. "Landing a Judas Priest tour through management company Arnacarter was one of the key moments which propelled my career forward," explains Willson. "They were at an early stage themselves and gave me, pretty much, a free hand in the design of the shows."

Influenced by the new wave of industrial, 'loft' style interior designs coming out of New York, particularly those incorporating stainless steel and metal structures, Willson began to create some radically different stage structures much larger in scale and complexity than anything being used at the time. "The main problem was that the touring industry and supporting infrastructure was still inventing itself. Much of the equipment needed to actually turn the designs into reality did not exist. That's when I decided to form Meteorlites Productions Ltd. in 1978 in order to supply and build equipment for my lighting and set designs."

Touring across the UK and Europe with heavy metal bands like Saxon, Iron Maiden, and the Michael Schenker Group provided practical insights into the requirements of lighting and production equipment on the move. "Venues in the USA were often easy to load-in. They were purpose-built arenas, whereas in Europe we had to cope with quirky old fashioned buildings, so naturally we had to be more innovative over here. Productions became more and more demanding in terms of the compactness and speed at which a show had to put in and taken out."

These 'hands on' lessons learned out on the road during the late 1970s were translated into pioneering innovations by the early to mid-80s. In response to demand from a booming heavy metal market, Meteorlites pioneered the use of trussing and custom fabricated aluminium structures as an aesthetic but practical rigging method. Innovations included the first moving truss structure used as a show effect and, in 1982, the development of a new free standing ground support structure with 16 hoist moving lighting rig for Iron Maiden's world tour of that year.

In 1983 came the design and launch of pre-rigged lighting truss, developed for rapid deployment of the giant lighting rigs on AC/DC's American and European tours. This product later became known as Thomas PRT following the licensing of the design to James Thomas Engineering.

Three years later, the revolutionary self-climbing ground support towers, now industry standard worldwide, were designed and launched. Developed to cope with the problem of lifting rigs in venues with insufficient flying facilities, the product was also licensed to James Thomas and named Thomas GST.

Later, in 1988, Meteorlites designed and launched the 'Wembley Grid', the first self-climbing, heavy duty, free standing flying grid. With a payload of 16 tons, the 60' x 40' x 45' high grid paved the way for the now standard open-air stage roof systems used worldwide.

METAL MOMENTS
The importance of a popular heavy metal market in supporting company growth is not underestimated by Willson. It was a time when many of the bands were graduating from small concert venues into large theatres and stadiums.

There was one significant moment during the early days which changed everything and Meteorlites took a quantum leap into the big league, as Willson explains: "AC/DC, one of the biggest rock bands in the world at the time, had my design proposal for a tour lighting rig. One night I got a phone call from Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas, where the band were recording, congratulating me on getting the job. They loved the design and wanted me to begin work straight away. Then one of the most extraordinary things happened - they immediately wired £100,000 straight into my bank account! To put this in context, we were still operating from a shed with only a couple of staff. I am sure this kind of thing would never happen today but it gave us a fantastic opportunity."

With credibility firmly established, a string of big name US tours followed including Paul Simon, Phil Collins, Fleetwood Mac and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Meteorlites Productions Inc. was subsequently established in the USA to handle the large and complex US tours and to provide clients with identical rigs on both sides of the Atlantic.

TV LEARNS FROM ROCK'N'ROLL
The slowdown in the US touring market in the early 1990s triggered a corporate decision to migrate towards the film and TV industry. Now based close to Elstree Film Studios, the company began to restructure towards providing services for this expanding television market. A company name change was soon to follow and Elstree Light & Power became the main trading brand.

"Outside broadcast units quickly recognised the advantages of using touring techniques to revolutionise their efficiency," comments Willson. A practical example of this is how the BBC, through using ELP-pioneered rock technology were able to slash their light entertainment show fit-up times dramatically. Naturally, ELP became the first choice for any live music show on TV and it has since worked on productions like Top Of The Pops and Later... With Jools Holland. ELP has also worked on music awards like the BRITs and the Mercury Music Awards.

More unlikely work came from jobs within historic buildings, churches and cathedrals. "Our structural expertise gained on the road and our ability to get in and out quickly with the minimum of disruption means that we are now regularly asked to handle TV shows and state occasions in these important places," remarks Willson.

Some recent examples include the Jubilee Service from St Paul's Cathedral, Jubilee Concerts from Buckingham Palace and Funeral of the Queen Mother from Westminster Cathedral. "We have lit many of the BBC's Songs of Praise series over recent years and so have covered just about every major place of worship in the country!" Interestingly, many of the Par cans which once lit AC/DC are currently being deployed in some of these cathedral projects! Willson continues: "The innovative approach and flexible techniques we learned on the road in those early years have won us many friends across the TV world. We are often trusted to work on diverse and unusual jobs because our clients know that if there is not a ready made off-the-shelf answer we will create a practical solution for them."

ELP currently supplies lighting, power and rigging services across a number TV production categories including major sporting events (World Cup football, international rugby, championship boxing, test cricket, athletics and Grand Slam tennis); light entertainment (Royal Variety Show, National Lottery Stars, Animal Hospital, Top Gear, This Is Your Life); televised state occasions (Royal Weddings, Festival of Remembrance); drama (Grange Hill, Silent Witness, Hope & Glory); and children's TV (Blue Peter, Mopatop Shop). The image on the right shows their work at the Proms for the BBC.

PRODUCTION VILLAGE
The geographic positioning of Willson's operations certainly helped him to break into the film and TV production market with products and services including fixed and moving lights, mobile power generators, power distribution systems, trussing and rigging hardware. But he did not stop there.

During the mid-1990s he purchased two warehouse style properties in Elstree. His vision was to establish a production village from which his companies and a host of other tenants could operate. Named Millennium Studios, the complex of buildings comprises a large sound stage, dressing rooms, art department, production office suites, a green room, bar and restaurant. "The sound stage is used for a variety of production types," explains Willson. "It's a very versatile space - we have everything in there from bands rehearsing their tours, to pop promos, to TV commercials, through to long stay TV shoots and feature films. One of the advantages for our clients is that we are always on site so that if they need lighting equipment or some rigging advice we are available to help them."

ON THE ROAD AGAIN?
Currently Willson's energy is focused on developing 'First Facilities' - a service brand within the ELP group which specialises in the design, manufacture and operation of custom built solutions to mobile event problems.

Mirroring the structural design achievements of the past two decades, Willson has yet again pioneered advances in mobile production technology. His recent design and launch of the patented F1 studio is currently in use by ITV Sport at Formula One Grand Prix races (cick image, right) "The F1 studio was conceived out of a need to keep to a very small footprint where space is at a premium," explains Willson. "Hence this studio climbs up its own support legs far enough to drive a broadcast truck underneath. It can be clad to suit any external environment, accommodate corporate signage and is quick to deploy. The whole studio packs flat so that it can be easily transported."

First Facilities now operates a fleet of 'ready to roll' production vehicles including mobile broadcast studios, production offices, promotional trailers, and roadshow & exhibition vehicles. These versatile vehicles are in use by a wide cross section of the production community spanning film and TV companies, outdoor event production companies, corporate exhibition and trade fair organisers, concert, party and show organisers and marketing agencies. "Clients are so pleased when they see the vehicles," comments Willson. "Often they make do with unfurnished portacabins, so when they see our fully-furnished production vehicles with all the equipment built in they are over the moon." First Facilities also provides structures for outdoor events to fly video screens, PA systems, stage canopies and control towers.

It's clear when you meet Ronan Willson that he is continually looking to the future, searching for solutions to production problems that people have not even considered yet. "When clients use ELP they not only receive high quality equipment, they also directly benefit from our 25 years technical know how and expertise."

Making his prediction for the next quarter of a century, Willson concludes: "I am sure we will see an increase in demand for customised solutions in the production market place. Those experienced in solving problems, thinking on their feet and borrowing ideas from other industry sectors will be in high demand. Equipment is just the commodity - real value is in its application."

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