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DRAWN TO THE LIGHT’s Innovative Approach to Designer Advocacy

Innovation isn’t solely about improving a product. At its best, innovation also constitutes a fresh approach to process, a new way of doing things that pushes a product or industry forward. DRAWN TO THE LIGHT is one agency in the events space that’s taken a fresh approach to the design process. The UK-based organization provides a “lighting design service to the experiential marketing, events, and exhibition market,” additionally, using Vectorworks Spotlight to provide a crucial drafting service to other designers. Read on to learn how DRAWN TO THE LIGHT collaborates with designers to create high-profile projects.
DRAWN TO THE LIGHT’s Collaborative, Designer-Focused Process
DRAWN TO THE LIGHT’s drafting service workflow centers around designers who’d benefit from starting their projects with draft work already in place. Jonny Milmer, the founder of DRAWN TO THE LIGHT, said, “We're doing paperwork, we're doing 3D visualization, and we're creating environments with an MVR export to Depence. It's all about the support services for lighting designers.” “We’re like an invisible layer within the project,” said Milmer, further explaining his agency and their desires to advocate for the designer. DRAWN TO THE LIGHT’s “invisible” work ultimately allows lighting designers to offload the less glamorous parts of lighting design. This lets the designers to focus on more creative and conceptual endeavors. But the benefits of collaboration between DRAWN TO THE LIGHT and other designers aren’t necessarily one-sided. As Milmer explained, the junior associates at his agency have the opportunity to work with multiple different designers, aiding in their professional development. This differs from a more traditional setup, where a young designer may work exclusively with one designer, perhaps limiting their exposure to other styles and practices in the industry.
Designing a World Tour with DRAWN TO THE LIGHT and Pixlemappers
Recently, DRAWN TO THE LIGHT drafted a world concert tour. The job came to the agency through a long-time colleague of Milmer’s, Matt Pitman. Pitman, a talented lighting designer who’s designed for some impressive clients, created a breathtaking design as a member of the Pixlemappers organization. Through each stage of the project — as well as all of the agency’s other projects — Milmer’s associates shared files with Pixlemappers using the revolutionary MVR file format. With the format, DRAWN TO THE LIGHT are able to transfer all the information and geometry of their design to their previz app and control console that uses an on-board visualizer.
Vectorworks Spotlight, an Essential Part of DRAWN TO THE LIGHT’s Design Process
According to Milmer, Vectorworks Spotlight is a day-to-day tool that all members of the agency use. The industry-standard software allows for the UK agency to do both sides of their unique, innovative practice: the drafting service and the experiential events. Designers all around the world are using Vectorworks Spotlight to create breathtaking experiences. Get some behind-the-scenes insight into how the lighting production for an IFTV game show came together:
LIGHTING FOR ITV'S NEW GAME SHOW