Anaheim-based production company BCT Entertainment is strengthening its position as a premium supplier of professional lighting solutions with a large investment in Elation’s newest generation of luminaires, led by the award-winning PARAGON series.
BCT is a one-stop shop for entertainment technology gear and has long served a variety of markets, with corporate events, houses of worship, and theme parks as key sectors. With continued growth ad a strong start to 2026, the company is placing greater emphasis on serving the touring and festival market.
“We're doing much more work in touring productions and festivals, and part of our investment in these fixtures is to bolster inventory for those markets,” says Chris Eguizabal, Creative Technical Director at BCT. “To serve these clients effectively, we needed fixtures that were outdoor-rated, touring-friendly, and compatible with pre-rigged truss systems and we found our answer at Elation.”
Discovering the PARAGON
The company has added PARAGON M and PARAGON S LED profile moving heads to its growing inventory, alongside PULSE PANEL FX and SŌL I Blinder fixtures. Eguizabal first encountered the PARAGON series at its launch during LDI 2024 and immediately saw its potential for BCT’s diverse client base.
The balance between output, size, and versatility was a major factor in their decision. “The PARAGON S is brighter than our other LED profiles, and it’s compact, and the PARAGON M fits perfectly with our ARTISTE MONETs, so whether we’re indoors or outdoors, we can mix and match and not have to worry about the punch.”
Beyond brightness, Eguizabal points to PARAGON’s extensive feature set as a major advantage.
“The CRI adjustment is big, especially in theater or broadcast environments, where the designer can really dial in the CRI that they're looking for versus the punch.” A fast zoom and comprehensive FX package—gobos, interchangeable animation wheel, overlapping dual prisms, dual frost, iris, and indexable framing—give designers a host of creative options.
Lighter Weight
The PARAGON’s lighter weight for a weather-rated fixture was also an important factor. Having previously invested in Elation’s IP65 PROTEUS fixtures, BCT value their proven performance, though their weight can be a consideration for certain applications.
“One of the most appealing things about the PARAGON fixtures was their lighter weight,” says Eguizabal. “PROTEUS is great, but it’s not always the most viable solution when weight is a factor. For indoor corporate events, you have to be really careful about what you’re hanging. With PARAGON being IP54, it’s lighter, and that makes a big difference for us. And for many of our outdoor events, fixtures aren’t out for more than a week in the weather, so the IP54 rating handles that just fine.”
Maintenance Ease
The technical director also notes that maintenance is easier. “The fact that you only need one tool to open everything is a big plus for our maintenance team. It also makes replacing gobos easy, which is a big thing for our clients.” Interchangeable lenses, including Fresnel and PC options, also expand the fixtures’ applications.
Additional features such as auto-sensing lenses and NFC configuration further streamline prep and programming. “The NFC is awesome,” Eguizabal states. “I can push settings through my phone while fixtures are being prepped and not necessarily worry about going through the menu settings, which saves time. All these features ticked all the boxes and made it clear this was the line for us.”
Real-World Applications
Since their acquisition, BCT’s PARAGONs have been busy. They were deployed at EatsCon Miami in early February for experiential marketing company OBE and will appear at the Pixar film Hoppers premiere in late February. Eguizabal says the PARAGONs have also proven popular on sub-rentals. “Other companies are renting them from us, which tells us people are excited about them and want to try them before deciding to purchase.”
PULSE and SŌL: A Powerful Combination
Alongside PARAGON, BCT has invested in Elation’s PULSE PANEL FX and SŌL I Blinder fixtures, which Eguizabal often uses together. “They’re a great combo, the colors match really well, and the variation of eye candy that you get when you mix them is great.” The PULSE PANEL FX provides both strobe and wash capabilities, while offering flexible horizontal and vertical configurations.
The SŌL I Blinder has become especially popular among BCT’s house of worship clients. “Churches love it not only because it’s low cost and the ROI is high, but it’s really bright and compact and you can add attachments. We’ve added Fresnel lenses and a beauty dish attachment, which makes it even more versatile.” BCT’s SŌL I Blinders have been used on productions such as the Harvest Crusades and multiple events at California Baptist University, including the upcoming Woo Fest, where they will team with the PULSE PANEL FX and PARAGON fixtures.
Partnership and Support
Eguizabal credits much of BCT’s successful investment strategy to strong relationships with Elation’s team, including Channel Account Manager Chuck Green, Product Application Specialist Nick Saiki, and Tony Rufkahr from manufacturer’s rep firm Image Marketing.
“Chuck and Tony were a great help, including arranging product demos so we could confidently select the best solution for our needs. Nick understands color really well, and for me as a designer, that’s huge. He helped guide us through options and made personal recommendations. The Image Marketing guys are very knowledgeable about the products as well and have been great to deal with.”
Looking Ahead: REBEL WASH and ONYX
Owned by Brian Longhofer, Chad Brook, and Terri Brook, BCT is already planning its next phase of investment, with the REBEL WASH 12 and Obsidian’s ONYX control system high on the list. “REBEL WASH 12 checks a lot of boxes—great color, pixel mapping, fast, bright, compact, IP65, and super light. That’s a great combo.”
On the control side, Eguizabal has long relied on Obsidian’s ONYX platform. “We have an NX1 on demo now, and I’ve used ONYX for years. It’s been incredibly popular with our church clients because of the price point and ease of use for volunteers. Motorized faders at that price are hard to beat.”
With its expanding Elation inventory and growing client base, BCT Entertainment is positioned to continue its strong momentum in 2026.
About Elation
At Elation, we collaborate with leading professionals in the lighting industry to help bring extraordinary experiences to life. As a designer and manufacturer of a wide range of high-performance entertainment lighting products, we’re proud to be a trusted partner to top lighting professionals and rental houses around the world. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and creative solutions has made us a go-to resource in the industry. We also offer an advanced line of lighting control products through Obsidian Control Systems, and a full range of dependable specialty effects called Magmatic. Elation serves clients worldwide through offices in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and the Netherlands. We invite you to take a closer look at elationlighting.com.
