Technical Productions finds one fixture for virtually every job with Elation Paragon
St. Louis-based design, production, and systems integration company Technical Productions, Inc. (TPI) has added Elation Paragon S LED profile luminaires to its rental inventory, investing in the award-winning fixtures to support an increasingly diverse range of event and production demands.
“Every investment we make has to work across a range of applications,” explained Ryan Schaper, Technical Director at Technical Productions, Inc. “What we do is so diverse, we can't justify buying fixtures that only excel at one job. So we were looking for a moving light that could shine in certain applications and then fill other roles that it wouldn't typically be used in.”
TPI delivers projects spanning corporate events, high-end weddings, and large-scale installations, including high-profile projects such as the Gateway Arch lighting renovation. As the company looked to replace its aging profile moving lights, it sought a compact, versatile fixture capable of delivering the performance and flexibility required across its wide variety of productions.
Demanding Spec
After seeing an early iteration of the Paragon platform at LDI 2023 and the finished product at its official launch at LDI 2024, TPI recognized its potential for rental applications and thoroughly evaluated it during an in-house demo in January 2025. The company took delivery in May 2025 and debuted the fixtures at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gala, a production that helped confirm the investment. Since then, Paragon S has become a key component of TPI’s lighting inventory.
The requirements were demanding. TPI wanted a fixture compact enough for one person to handle (under 50 pounds and under 2 feet tall), yet powerful enough to tackle a number of environments. It needed to deliver crisp aerial effects and gobo projections, offer outstanding optics and color quality, and provide accurate color for broadcast and live-streamed productions. An IP rating was equally important as outdoor weddings make up a significant part of the company's business.
According to Schaper, many competing fixtures fell short in one area or another, whether color rendering, zoom range, output or weather protection. “We gave Kraig Knight at Elation our wish list of everything we wanted in a moving light and then when Paragon launched it had everything we had on our list and more.”
Rethinking Traditional Lighting
Paragon, Elation’s award-winning flagship luminaire series, showcases innovative technology at its core while delivering powerful output, precise gobos, rich colors, and accurate framing in an IP54-rated fixture. The platform integrates multiple advanced systems, including Elation’s TruTone variable CRI technology, interchangeable lens system, HEPA filtration, and more.
The fixtures have allowed TPI to rethink traditional lighting workflows. Rather than hanging and focusing conventional Lekos for front light on smaller productions, for example, the company now regularly deploys Paragon fixtures on crank stands, reducing setup time while allowing remote focus and adjustment throughout an event.
“We started putting them in a lot more places than you would typically put a moving light,” said Schaper, noting that their use as a front light is a time saver and visually makes the whole setup look better. “We can fine-tune focus and color during the show, dial in CTO to match cameras and LED walls, and then use those same fixtures later as effects or beam lights. Having something that can do multiple jobs just makes it so much easier. It also means more room in the truck and a much more efficient workflow.”
As a company that carries out a significant amount of work in ballrooms where ceiling heights are often limited, it is essential to have a solution that is small and does not add significant height to the room.
Paragon
For TPI, one of Paragon's defining advantages has been its TruTone variable CRI technology, particularly as a large percentage of the company’s productions are filmed or live streamed. “The variable CRI was huge for us,” said Ryan Luedloff, Lighting and Service Director at Technical Productions, Inc. “We need fixtures that can deliver beautiful saturated colors while also producing exceptional skin tones for the camera, and Paragon lets us optimize both. The technology that Elation put into the Paragon was a huge benefit and something that more than anything really appealed to us.”
TPI uses the fixtures with the standard Profile lens, and for wash applications pair the lens with diffusion and shutters. “That works extremely well,” Luedloff says. “They are also an impressive beam fixture on their own with the standard lens, with a 5-degree beam and a lot of intensity for their size. That said, it’s great to know we have the flexibility to swap in a dedicated PC lens in the future if a specific application calls for it.”
St. Louis Art Museum Gala
The fixtures have proven themselves on a number of high-profile productions, including the St. Louis Art Museum Gala, where TPI used its inventory of Paragon S fixtures alongside rented Paragon M luminaires to transform the museum’s Sculpture Hall into an immersive experience themed around the four elements—fire, water, earth and air. The multisensory event featured an immersive dining experience and high-energy after-party.
In lieu of projection mapping, the lighting team determined they could achieve the looks faster, easier, and more cost-effectively using lighting. Elation Proteus Maximus fixtures were used to wash the ceiling, Paragon M’s to add texture, and Paragon S’s to light the walls, while the artwork was carefully protected using the Paragon’s framing shutters and high-CRI output. In a smaller art gallery room, additional Paragon M’s and S’s added texture and color.
Using animation, rotation, and prism effects to create movement, depth, and dynamic texture, the production transformed the space into a fully immersive environment featuring scenes that transported guests underwater, into the clouds, inside an inferno, or within a Redwood Forest. The Technical Productions team built video posters into the custom-built dining tables to round out the whole immersive experience.
“During our initial walkthrough, the client had many questions about the fixtures—whether they were LED or incandescent, their CRI, heat output, and noise levels,” Schaper shares. “With the Paragons, we were able to confidently confirm that they met all of those requirements. The client was impressed and said they had never heard of a moving light that could do all those things!”
The Paragon fixtures have appeared on numerous other productions, including the aforementioned Opera Theatre Gala, where they fulfilled the specific requirement for bright gobo projection inside of a tent. They have also been employed on major corporate events, where their compact size is appreciated, fundraisers, and numerous outdoor weddings, where the IP54 rating provides additional confidence in unpredictable weather.
Beyond Performance
Beyond performance, TPI also valued the long-term support behind the investment. “We've built a great relationship with Elation's technical support team over the years and through the Gateway Arch project, and that absolutely factored into our decision,” Luedloff said. “That gave us confidence in the investment from day one. On top of that, the serviceability of the Paragon is exceptional. Everything is clearly labeled, making maintenance and field repairs straightforward, which is a huge advantage for a busy rental inventory.”
Following the success of the Paragon S, TPI plans to expand its inventory with additional fixtures from the Paragon family, including the Paragon M and potentially the Paragon LT, continuing to build around a platform that has quickly become one of the most versatile tools in its lighting inventory.
Photos 1-7: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Photo 9: Ryan Schaper
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 production/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, Canada, and the Netherlands. We invite you to take a closer look at elationlighting.com.
