MAX makes his debut in Japan at the rental house Arc-System

Fred Horne, ARRI Northeast Lighting Sales Manager, discusses the ARRIMAX with invited lighting technicians

ARRIMAX lights up the stock room of ARRI CSC in New York

Michael Bauman on the set of the Steven Spielberg film MUNICH

The ARRIMAX at ALR‘s New Year lunch in London

The ARRIMAX lights up a downtown office building in Los Angeles for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III. Photos by Andy Ryan

The ARRIMAX on the set of SMOKIN’ ACES

ARRIMAX and the MAXMOVER get a lift at ARRI CSC Open House in Florida

William F White International in Vancouver – John Anderson (Vancouver GM) with Steve Linstrum

from left to right: Stephanie Palmer, Bruce Zink, Steve Linstrum

Paramount Production Support in Vancouver – from left to right: Steve Linstrum (Manager - Lighting & Accessories, ARRI Canada), Bruce Zink (Paramount Technician), Stephanie Palmer (Paramount Purchaser)

London, Budapest, Los Angeles, New York – ARRI’s newest light, the dynamic ARRIMAX 18/12 has quite a few passport stamps, and continues to accrue frequent flier miles to date. Affectionately referred to as “MAX,” the lamp combines the variable beam spread of a Fresnel and the light output of a PAR. Because the ARRIMAX does not require a set of spread lenses, the shadow quality is sharper and easily cut. The fixture uses a lensless design and is 50% brighter than a 12k PAR.

The ARRIMAX uses a unique reflector concept for beam control eliminating the need for spread lenses and provides continuous focus from 15° – 50°. Correction filters will last much longer and won’t burn out to the same extent as on current lens systems. ARRI will soon introduce an easily interchangeable Super Spot Reflector that will offer focus from 8° – 15°, allowing immense power to be concentrated into an even smaller area.

Until the ARRIMAX makes a stop in your city, here are some thoughts from those who’ve had a chance to see MAX up close during the worldwide tour.

Tokyo
The ARRIMAX system was demonstrated in November of 2005 at several locations throughout Japan. Representatives from Tokyo-based Arc-System, the largest rental company in the country, were particularly pleased with the new ARRIMAX ballast technology with its reduced noise level.

New York
For an East Coast demonstration ARRI showcased ARRIMAX at Steiner Studios.

“The ARRIMAX is user-friendly. It works anywhere you need a lot of light. It’s very easy to gel, to diffuse and to work around. We will need to clear a spot on the shelf for it, but it’s not going to stay there for long. It is going to work a lot. The ARRIMAX is good to bounce to put through diffusion and you can use it for backlight or night exteriors. It exceeded my expectations. It will be a very popular light.” – Gaffer Mo Flam (ALL THE KING’S MEN, COLD MOUNTAIN, THE ENGLISH PATIENT).

“ARRI is always pushing the edge with lighting and coming up with great fixtures. I’m really excited to use the ARRIMAX in the field. It has a checkerboard pattern on the reflector, which I thought was great. The ARRIMAX is an excellent choice for day interiors (pushing light through windows and doors) and day exteriors. With the new ARRI motorized yoke you will be able to control it remotely. I‘m excited about the motorized yoke and look forward to working with it.” – Gaffer John Velez (THE DUKES OF HAZARD, INSIDE MAN).

Budapest
MAX made its feature film debut on MUNICH, directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for five Academy Awards. For an intense scene that took place on a houseboat, the filmmakers created a dramatic look using the ARRIMAX.

“We had a great quality happening with the sun coming through the blinds and smoke, but when the sun went away the ARRIMAX really saved us. We placed the light at full spot on another boat 70 feet back. There were Venetian blinds on the [windows of the] boat and we focused the light in there from the outside. The source was so far away, there was no way I could have gotten that out of an 18K Fresnel. There were nice sharp shadows, yet the source was so small.” – Gaffer Michael Bauman (SYRIANA, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK).

London
On Jan. 27th, over 100 Directors of Photography and Gaffers attended the annual New Year lunch at ARRI Lighting Rental (ALR), which prominently featured an exclusive look at the ARRIMAX. Tommy Moran, ALR’s Managing Director, set up the ARRIMAX outside of the venue so attendees could get an idea of the light’s powerful output.

“Having been involved in the conceptual development of the ARRIMAX, I am confident that it will be a fantastic tool with an extremely bright future!” says Moran.

“With the light output of an 18K combined with a lensless system, I envisage this to be a fantastic and powerful lighting tool with a lot of potential. I look forward to using it in the future.” – Director of Photography Mike Southon, BSC (BANDIDO, BENEATH).

“I would definitely use this lamp. I’m amazed at the punch it gives, considering the power, I thought it would be much larger! It will be more versatile than an 18kW Fresnel and the fact that it’s lensless is another factor in its favor!” – Gaffer Jimmy Wilson (MATCH POINT, SCOOP, BAND OF BROTHERS).

“An ideal lamp to go on cherry pickers or Condors with 18kWs and the fact that it can be spot and flooded without lenses makes it ideal, can’t wait to use it on location.” – Director of Photography David Higgs (BENEATH THE SKIN, POIROT).

“Great lamp, with a heck of punch! With the lensless design and motorized stirrup it shows that ARRI, as usual, is helping to make life easier.” – Gaffer Stuart King (THE GIRL IN THE CAFÉ, THE QUEEN’S SISTER)

“A brilliant and practical all-round lamp; with its spread it will be ideal for large buildings and background. The lensless design with operation from hard to soft will make it very versatile and the new motion control system is the best I’ve seen.” – Director of Photography Derek Suter, BSC (WILLIAM & MARY, LAST DETECTIVE)

“A good lamp with a good spread and a lens less design, I see it becoming a very useful lamp on film sets.” – Gaffer Kevin Day (SHANGHAI KNIGHTS, REIGN OF FIRE, THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH)

“Great output! This would suit most TV dramas for night exterior main light source, especially mounted on a cherry picker/Condor. I would look forward to seeing this lamp on location.” – Gaffer Peter Bloor (HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, SPY GAME)

Lake Tahoe, California
MAX traveled to the set of SMOKIN’ ACES, an ensemble action comedy starring Ben Affleck, Alicia Keys, Ryan Reynolds and Andy Garcia. “I was impressed by the flexibility, output and convenience of the ARRIMAX. I really look forward to using it again soon.” – Director of Photography Mauro Fiore, ASC (THE ISLAND, TEARS OF THE SUN)

“A great application for the ARRIMAX is using it to emulate the sun. To get the same amount of light as an ARRIMAX, we would have had to use a couple of18K Fresnels, which would create multiple shadows. Basically you are getting more bang for the buck with the ARRIMAX.” – Gaffer Michael Bauman (MUNICH, RAY)

Los Angeles
The ARRIMAX made an appearance at lighting, grip and power distribution company Illumination Dynamics, where a select group of Hollywood gaffers were invited to examine the new lamp. MAX also traveled to a few sets around town for use in the field.

“It’s a fabulous light that is going to take lighting in a new direction. The light has a very crisp, but soft feel to it. The shadow does not fall like a Fresnel lens shadow. It has this whole crunch to it that is very, very different from the Fresnels and PARS that exist today. It’s going to work well for long distance throws and for wide throws. It’s great for lighting people, but it’s going to work just as well for lighting trees, deep backgrounds and architecture because it’s a softer light and a more natural light. It’s a single source lamp, but it’s got a wide field of throw. I definitely see it as a major workhorse for a lot of exterior work.” – Chief Lighting Technician Dwight Campbell (ABOUT SCHMIDT, TRIPPING FORWARD)

“I was impressed with ARRIMAX when we looked at it briefly on the set of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III. Later, on a recent Vodaphone commercial shot by Dan Mindel, we used it for a scene in a downtown loft. I discovered I could use the ARRIMAX for bold splashes, almost like a Xenon, when in full spot mode. Then, I could very simply transition to a softer mode using its wide spread with considerable light output. I was very impressed with the tremendous quantity of light as well as the ease of use. ARRIMAX is a very simple and sturdy package without the lenses that usually make a fixture cumbersome and unwieldy. It is very easy to install the globe. I am very excited about the prospect of adding this valuable lighting tool to my lighting package.” – Chief Lighting Technician R. Bruce McCleery (THE SKELETON KEY, SHANGHAI NOON, PLEASANTVILLE)

Breckenridge, Colorado
For the premiere broadcast of MTV Networks’ new high definition channel, MHD, Lighting Director Billy Brennan used the ARRIMAX for an outdoor concert shoot in freezing temperatures.

“The size and weight is balanced and manageable despite its ‘maxi’ size. It handled the extreme weather and altitude very well for its first outing, also reflecting on ARRI‘s dependable electronic ballast. Its field of light is unique to this fixture by eliminating the lenses normally associated with an HMI PAR fixture. The quality of the field of light produced is unique to this open face fixture. The 18K PAR sets itself apart in medium and close range applications even with its large lamp source. I look forward to utilizing the fixture in future large scale applications. As ARRI improves its initial design and begins developing the accessories, as with the automated yoke, it will only get more versatile in the types of applications.” Lighting Director Bill Brennan (2006 US Figure Skating Championships, 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics)

Vancouver
The ARRIMAX traveled to Vancouver for a visit to area lighting houses, stay tuned for the installment of The MAX Files for more.

An Tran and Judith Petty