Lighting design and direction has come a long way since John Daniels started an entry-level job at a public television station. Now the Miami–based lighting expert has his own business and works on major shows like La Voz Mexico (The Voice Mexico), the Latin Grammys, and MTV World Stage, as well as corporate events.
Daniels, 45, quickly adapted to new technologies such as LED screens and 3-D projections. “If you look at a set today, 75 percent of it may be video elements. You’re not lighting a set anymore, you’re lighting air. You have to collaborate with the people creating the content. There are moments when it’s lighting-heavy and when it’s video-heavy. Figuring out when those moments are, that’s the key and that’s the challenge.”