Introduction
Richard Bowles has worked in the Entertainment/Media Industry since the early 1990s.
He was only responsible for the Visual content of any shows mentioned on here, not the Production content!He has specialised in Lighting for Multi-Camera Live Broadcasting for over a quarter of a century.
For 15 years until the end of 2024, he worked for Sky Television (UK) as a Lighting Director. His responsibilities chiefly covered the studio lighting for Sky News (UK) and Sky Sports, as well as occasional productions for Sky Arts, Sky Cinema, Sky One, and others. He also designed, built, and supported studios fully equipped with LED luminaries and innovative remote control systems for Sky News, Sky Sports News, and Sky Sports Racing.
He is based near Windsor, just outside London, UK, and is currently seeking new opportunities.
Thanks to his Irish citizenship he is able to freely move about and work in both the UK and the EU.
Skillset (Tabbed view)
- Multi-Camera
- Where
- Skillset
- Builds
- Philosophy
Multi-camera Live Broadcasts & Events
- News & Current Affairs
- Sports Presentation
- Live / Recorded Music
- General Light Entertainment
- Children’s / Young Adult Productions
- Flagship Corporate Events / Conferences / Launches
- Awards Ceremonies
- Gigs, Concerts, Performances
Environments
- Fixed studio installations
- Fast-turnaround studios
- Remotely operated studios
- Temporary spaces and Locations
- Live Events
- Conferences
- Concerts
Core Expertise
- Lighting Design
- Lighting Direction & Visual Supervision
- Lighting Console Operation
- Production Liaison - Pre-planned or on the Fly
- Lighting Team Coordination
Supporting Skills
On-site Art Direction / Continuity
MEWP IPAF 3a / 3b Mobile Vertical / Mpbile Boom (Flying Carpet/Cherrypicker)
On-site Tech / Repairs
LED Installation / Repairs
Networking ß
Studio Installation (Lighting)
- Requirement Crystallisation & Development
- Studio Automation
- Project Management
- Supplier Coordination
- Luminary Evaluation and Specification
- Control Data Distribution
- Electrical Requirements
- Gold/Silver/Bronze level Proposals where appropriate
- Experience with multiple projects from <£10k to >£1m
General approach
- Flexible responses to dynamic requirements.
- Anticipation of likely unrehearsed changes
- Always listening to the client(s)
- Whilst being honest where resources/time/physics constrain how much can be delivered.
- Always aiming to be within Budget
- Cost Overruns are a rare exception.
- Consideration of any Branding requirements
- Compliance with relevant legal duties
- Respect and Trust in the lighting team
- never asking them to do something would not be prepared to do oneself.
- Equally, letting them do things their own way, not micromanaging.
Problem-avoiding
Equipment failure in a high-pressure, real-time environment is be expected - but many such failures are unique and are difficult to anticipated, and out-of-hours installations may not have anyone on standby:
- Single-points of catastrophic failure that can be managed in advance should be identified
- But any automatic mitigation Procedures must actually be tested in a safe environment or cannot be relied on!
- However, avoid introducing additional complications which result in increased failure risk instead of decreasing.
- Layers of Fallbacks are better than simply expecting what happened once before is all that might happen again.
- Won’t make a Drama out of a Crisis
- Will use decades of experience to rapidly determine the way out of the Crisis
No Silos here! Always have…
- an Understanding of…
- a Consideration and Respect of…
- an Active Liaison with…
- …all Other Crafts.
Site Navigation
For some of what he’s up to now (where this can be discussed) have a peak at ...Current Activity >
To find out much, much, more about his past work you can Explore Previous Productions...
His side-interests include Designing and Making 3D-Printed LED lights amongst other things.
If you have a project that you think he could help you with, then please Get in Contact
Where’s Wally?
About Get in Contact Explore Previous Productions... ...And discover the Present