An interview with Mike Fernino of Music In Motion Entertainment. Article written by Tim Aucoin

Mike Fernino, owner of Music In Motion Entertainment from Seymour CT has been providing lighting to his customers since 1984, though he never thought the lighting side of his business would explode the way it has in 2010.

” I remember back in 1985, we had 2 spinning effects called helicopters, a mirror ball and strobe light, ” recalls Mike. ” It was primitive, but for a 15 year old kid just starting out like me, it was cool! ”

” In the 90′s we got into moving intelligent lighting and even lasers. My DJ company included lighting on every event. People just all seemed to love it.  Then Sept 11, 2001 happened, and the lighting business just fell off completely. Our country became very conservative and weddings seemed to pull away from the excess of the 90′s.  Brides would come into my office and so they did not want tacky lighting. ”

” Then around 2004, a new system would come into play that changed everything. The LED ( Light Emitting Diode ) allowed unlimited colors from one small unit, ” recalls Fernino. ” We watched the trends on the West Coast and read about the increased interest in this style of lighting in all of the bridal magazines. This would be perfect for our customer base! ”

So, in 2005 Mike purchased a complete uplighting package and went to work promoting. It seems that promoting would be easy as every event Music In Motion did with uplighting, the guests would line up to take business cards. The more business Music In Motion would book, the more lighting Mike would purchase. With over 100 LED par units, there is no room too large for Music In Motion to illuminate. “ Every bride and groom are looking for an edge and this style of lighting can make even a firehouse look awesome, ” says Mike.

Today in 2010, Music In Motion Entertainment provides lighting to about 50% of their wedding customers and even provide lighting for events that already have other entertainment contracted. Their advance lighting systems are fully wireless and use DMX communication to utilize computer technology to custom create any color a client may want with the touch of a button.

” It seems that if you do something to create memorable, unique, and sensational events, people will beat a path to your door. We love what we do, and I know it shows in every color of the rainbow! “

One way couples are adding a personal touch is with lighting. One of the hot trends is the monogram light or ” gobo.”  This light allows projection of an image onto a dance floor, wall, or specific area of a wedding facility.

Melissa and Stanley ordered their very own custom gobo for an April 24th reception at Woodwinds in Branford Ct. The light was placed on the dance floor for our couple’s first dance and then relocated directly in front of their head table for the remainder of the evening. Here is the happy couple on their special day! Congratulations Melissa and Stanley!

If you are looking for an edge and want a fantasy of light for your next New England / New York area event, give Music In Motion Entertainment  a call.  203-627-9600

The picture to the right is the ballroom at the River House in Haddam CT. It was taken from another DJ company who offers uplighting. Keep in mind that in the humble opinion of this author, most DJs are NOT doing uplighting correctly.

This photo shows a huge ballroom wall illuminated with only 2 lights. This creates a ” cone effect ” with the light stream only making impact on a small area of the wall. Color saturation is NOT achieved and the look is weak. Most DJs that are getting into the Uplighting business are not professional lighting designers, and it shows. The biggest problem is lack of experience and lack of lighting resources. Translated to English – The DJ just did not have enough lights to get the proper effect.

Now, the same room at the River House done by our Music In Motion lighting staff.  Many more lights have been used with a very even separation placement between the units. We  also carefully measured the placement so the uplight effect is maximized between the windows. This way the effect makes it all the way up to ceiling. ( My apology for the poor photo quality. The image was taken with my BlackBerry Phone )

Bottom line * Be careful when choosing a company for uplighting. Just because they offer it, does not mean they do it correctly. More times than not, a professional lighting company will blow away any DJ who is not properly trained. However, if a DJ invests time and resources to learn the proper methods of illumination, then you might have the best value. DJs will often be more reasonably priced for uplighting as compared to ” lighting only ” companies.

Music In Motion Entertainment of Seymour Connecticut is a professional event production service offering DJs, Event Lighting and design. We have separate divisions within the company to specialize in both fields without comprimize to the customer.

The setting was Cascade Banquet facility in Hamden CT, and the Wedding was for Brett & Jamie. This fabulous wedding featured the brand new “ Gobo ” light or ” Monogram.”  This effect, which featured the bride and groom’s names wrapped in a heart with their wedding date, was projected onto the dance floor for all to see. This is a perfect example of the personalization craze that is sweeping the nation in 2010. Couples are looking for an edge to stand out and make a memorable reception. Dramatic lighting  is certainly a perfect way to accomplish that goal!        

The room was washed in blue and fushia provided by Music In Motion’s architectural up lighting. It created a color cascade to turn the ballroom into an incredible setting for the reception. After a grand entrance, Brett and Jamie danced their first dance as husband and wife inside the middle of the custom created gobo heart. The monogram light was the talk of the wedding reception. Later in the evening when the dance floor was packed, the gobo was moved to project the couple’s name in the wall.   

If you are searching for an edge, this is the way to go. Look at it as your own personal stamp on the wedding day.

At a recent DJ convention in Las Vegas, Music In Motion Entertainment purchased a state of the art laser system by X-Laser. This new system is the ” cutting edge “ of effects, and will further drive a wedge between us and the competition. The new laser system is complete with a graphics and animation package so our clients can enjoy the monogram effect of their names on a wall or ceiling!  This takes a traditional ” gobo ” effect to an entire different level. To our knowledge, we will be the only company in Connecticut to offer this special effect.

The new laser system is so powerful, a varience and full training program was required in order to operate the system within the legal limits mandated by the FDA. This represents absolute proof that Music In Motion Entertainment is determined to provide only the finest for our clients. For more information about the new laser systems, call our office at  203-881-9002.

For years, Music In Motion Entertainment has sold itself as a DJ company. 5 years ago we added a live music division, and 2 years ago a multi-media department. Now in 2010 we evolve yet again to better serve our customers. Music In Motion Entertainment is officially now an ” Event Production Company. “

Our clients are NOT just looking for a Disc Jockey anymore. Rather, they are looking for extraordinary memories. With our amazing new lighting services, multi-media, and event photo booth rentals, the progression to event production seemed to make sense. Sure, we still have the award winning DJs that made us a staple in the New England Entertainment scene, but now we are so much more! Many samples of our work can be found in the photo gallery on our FaceBook Fan page.  www.facebook.com/musicinmotionentertainment

We would like to express our gratitude to Vinnie and Anne Marie from King Vincent Storm Photography out of West haven CT for this incredible image. Certainly, a picture is worth a thousand words!

A gobo is a metal disc that is inserted into a light fixture that can project the image anywhere in a ballroom. Walls and ceilings are popular, but the dance floor is top of the list.  No doubt, there is no better way to add personalization to your event. Because the gobo disc must be cut and created from scratch, it must be ordered for the couple in advance.  Allow a month to have this done.

Another option are high power laser systems. Graphics or ” animation ” lasers can be programmed to create the names and wedding date of a couple, but it can do much more than just that. Wedding bells, doves,etc….. You have many more options with a laser.

Music In Motion Entertainment is proud to introduce our new X-Laser system in the spring of 2010. It certainly will give our wedding couples the opportunity to truly customize their special day.

Photo courtesy of Joe Staniszewski of  JBS Entertainment

I want you to try and picture this wedding cake without the background color. Not as impressive all of a sudden, huh?

Color adds so much to a portrait. When you have a wedding reception celebration, the goal always is to impress your guests. Every bride wants her day to stand out. In my mind, nothing gives an event that “ WOW Factor ” like event lighting.

With the new LED ( Light Emitting Diode ) lighting systems available today, a room can be transformed into a wedding wonderland. The effect does not stop with the impression it makes on the guests. Think of the enhancements for photography. Many of the photographers that we have worked with have commented on how much better their images came out with the dramatic background color!

Studies have also shown the effect that lighting and color has on the mind. Many wedding guests will be more likely to dance and feel festive, when the atmosphere looks festive. ” The Right Mood – The Right Result.”

Music In Motion Entertainment is a leading event lighting provider in New England. Many of our events ( 40% ) now add lighting to their wedding reception packages with the number growing in 2010.

There is no doubt that you can waste money on so many things for your wedding day. Gorgeous event lighting would most definitely be an expenditure that provides fair return on investment. Add some ” Colour ” to your special event.

These fabuous images come courtesy of Master Photographer Jay Fleming.

www.flemingportraitdesign.com

In a previous blog post, I talked about the Photo Booth being a HOT item for 2010. Well, maybe even hotter is the customized ” Gobo.”

A ” Gobo ” is a metal disc that is inserted into a lighting projector and the image shown on a wall, ceiling, or any appropriate area. Gobos are custom cut with the names and wedding date of the bride and groom.

Music In Motion Entertainment is offering these great additions as part of our Wedding / Bar/Batmitzvah / Corporate Packages for 2010.