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Invented in the 1920s in Germany, the lighting balloon was first patented on October 26, 1924 (patent #427894). Until the 1990s, several patents were issued although the application was utilized very little. Lighting balloons can be used for highlighting events, the motion picture industry, nightworks, rescue, safety, and architectural enhancement, or any place that requests light and can not accept regular lighting systems.
In 1994 Pierre Chabert and Benoit Beylier , founder of Airstar, a French company based in Grenoble (Isère), creates a balloon light, a self-supporting spacelight suspended in a helium inflated balloon. It is ideal for interiors or exteriors where rigging is a problem. One of the first movies ever lit with this kind of system, which was supplied by Airlight Industries, was Titanic directed by James Cameron. From this wonderful start, thousands of jobs have been realized all over the world, such as the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, lighting set for Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar, Singapore Grand Prix & the Vancouver Olympics.
In 1995, entrepreneur Julian Del Valle of Newport Beach, CA discovers lighting balloons at a private event demonstration in Los Angeles. He created Airlight Industries to become the first distributor of Airstar lighting balloons in the United States with the intent of using them in the film industry. Julian represented Airlight Industries with Airstar products at Show Biz Expo 1995. At the show he met director of photography and gaffer Tony Nakonechnyj, and supplied him with balloons for "Disturbing the Peace". This was the first use of a lighting balloon on a motion picture set in the United States. This was immediately followed by supplying all lighting balloons on the set of "Titanic", aiding Russell Carpenter[1] in winning the Academy Award for Cinematography.
Peter Girolami purchased Airlight Industries in 2001 and reopens as Sourcemaker, Inc with the goal of creating custom lighting balloons for the film industry. Peter rented the purchased lighting balloons but experienced difficulties purchasing replacement parts from Airstar. Peter then began to manufacture his own replacement parts. He researched new materials and laminates to create a softer quality of light that is UV protected to prevent yellowing of the balloon envelopes. He also developed the cube and rectangle shaped lighting balloons with new durable materials and the first helium-tight internal reflector to help control ambiance on film sets. The new shape allowed the cinematographer and gaffer to black-out any side by attaching lightweight materials. Gaffer Russ Engels used the first cube-shaped lighting balloon.
· Spherical - most recognized round shape used primarily for events.
· Ellipse - spherical balloon whose width is greater than its height.
· Cube - six equal-sided balloon with rigging points at the corners.
· Tube - cylindrical shape.
· Tuboid - six sided balloon with rigging points at the corners. Resembles a tube.
· Zero Gravity - low profile cuboid. Intended to float on the ceiling, but not to lift the electrical cable.
· Cloud - low profile tuboid. Intended to semi-block the sun. Used by grips.
· Tungsten
· HMI
In 2005, Sourcemaker developed the first helium-filled, floating metal halide lighting balloon for gaffer John Velez and director of photography Matthew Libatique on the feature Inside Man. The main location was dominated by industrial lighting Sources.
Sourcemaker developed the first sodium vapor lighting balloon for director of photography Ross Berryman on the TV Pilot "Twenty Questions," shooting in Baltimore and Washington D.C. in 2006. Sourcemaker also supplied the first sodium lighting balloons on the feature film The Brave One under the instruction of director of photography Philippe Rousselot.
In 2008 Sourcemaker mixed tungsten and metal halide in the same lighting balloon for gaffer Mike Bauman on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.