Ferri Lighting Design & Associates Launches Jan. 1

Television lighting designer Bruce Ferri has launched his own design firm, Ferri Lighting Design & Associates (FLDA). “This new venture has been a dream of mine for a long time,” he says. “I look forward to getting started and applying the experience and practical knowledge I’ve gained over the years to explore new levels of design and application during this exciting time of change in our industry.”

The focus of FLDA will be on multi-camera television productions, with an eye for high-definition, even if the project is standard-definition, because its design principles apply to all television formats regardless of how it’s being viewed.

Ferri, a SUNY Purchase alumnus, was at New York City Lites for the past 24 years, where his work was seen on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox and many of the cable networks. For three consecutive years, Ferri received an Emmy nomination for his design work on ABC’s

Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. In 2004, he received a Sports Emmy nomination for ESPN’s

SportsCenter and recently designed the lighting for ESPN’s new high-definition studios in Bristol, CT. One of his most memorable jobs was lighting live wraparounds in Kuwait right after Desert Storm for the History Channel. Ferri lit the late Pope, the current President, and all of the
Iron Chefs. His most challenging project was lighting ESPN’s NASCAR Pit Studio, a set inside an expanding tractor-trailer that is lit entirely with LEDs, talent included. Ferri recently designed the new state-of-the-art HD studio for the Weather Channel and is currently putting the finishing touches on the MLB Network studios presenting 24-hour coverage of Major League Baseball in HD that launched on Jan. 1.

A core principle of FLDA is that, while lighting should not be a conscious element to the viewer, it is a critical element. “Lighting should support and complement a project to enable it to communicate much more effectively than without it,” comments Ferri. “We stress that television projects always look the best when the lighting designer collaborates with the production designer, producers, and directors from the very beginning of the project. We are very aware of our responsibility to grab the viewers’ attention and get them to stop surfing and watch the program we are working on.”

Clients can expect that FLDA will bring the very latest lighting technologies to their project. “We will do so in a manner that will create a look that will stand out above the rest,” Ferri says. “While we will strive to use new technology, we will use what is appropriate for the look and the budget of the project. Good designers realize good designs. We understand and know how to use all of the tools available to bring any project to its fullest potential.”

At FLDA, all projects are presented to the entire design staff to benefit from its collective experience and creativity. “We work as a team and take advantage of every resource at FLDA to service the client’s agenda,” says Ferri. “That team aspect doesn’t stop at the pre-production/design stage. We will bring the very best crews, hand-picked for each job, because the design process doesn’t stop until tape stops or when the show is complete.”