Robert Dickinson (lighting designer)

Robert Dickinson
BornJuly 25, 1954
London, England
Occupationtelevision lighting designer
Years active1973-present

Robert Dickinson (born July 25, 1954) is a television lighting designer. His career, spanning decades, has focussed on awards shows, music shows, game shows, talk shows, and special events, which make up his over 1500 on screen television credits.[1] In 1990 Dickinson founded Full Flood, Inc., a consortium of lighting designers and directors of photography for the multi-camera television industry. Dickinson has been involved with many high-profile shows, including the Academy Awards, multiple Super Bowl Halftime Shows, multiple Olympic Opening Ceremonies, the 2010 Shanghai Expo, among others.[2]

Biography

Dickinson was born in the UK before moving to Kansas at the age of two. Shortly thereafter his family moved to Southern California where he remains to this day. Dickinson's break into the industry came when joining the stagehands union. He quickly moved into lighting direction, working under industry leader Imero Fiorentino. His breakthrough show Solid Gold garnered him his first Emmy win at the age of 29, and was the catalyst that lead to an exploding career in Television Lighting.[3]

In 2005 Dickinson was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University.[4]

Aesthetic

Dickinson pioneered the use of moving lights in television lighting design, starting with the 1983 Academy Awards.[4] He is known for his "ceiling of light" approach, and the use of floor lights. On key lighting, Dickinson says: "I have a tendency to take risks. I don't key light in a predictable manner; I do it in an appropriate manner. " [3]

Work of Full Flood

Large Scale Events

  • Baku 2015 European Games Opening Ceremony
  • Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games Opening, Closing and Medals Ceremonies
  • Shanghai Expo 2010 Opening Ceremony
  • Five Democratic National Conventions: 2012, 2008, 2004, 2000 and 1996
  • Opening Ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai, China
  • Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies
  • Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympic Games Opening, and Closing Ceremonies
  • Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Awards Shows

  • The Academy Awards
  • The Grammy Awards
  • The Primetime Emmy Awards
  • The Daytime Emmy Awards
  • The Tony Awards
  • The Country Music Association Awards
  • The Kids’ Choice Awards
  • The American Music Awards
  • The Academy of Country Music Awards
  • The Golden Globe Awards
  • The Billboard Awards
  • The Comedy Awards
  • The ESPY Awards
  • The BET Awards
  • The BET Hip Hop Awards
  • The NFL Honors
  • The Scream Awards
  • The Kennedy Center Honors
  • The American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award

Television Specials

  • The Miss USA Pageant
  • The Lincoln Memorial Inaugural Concert at Inauguration 2009: “We Are One”
  • An Inauguration Celebration 2009: “The Neighborhood Ball”
  • VH1 Divas
  • VH1 Rock Honors
  • Christmas in Washington
  • Five Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows
  • Thirteen Super Bowl Halftime Shows featuring such singers and musicians as:

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Prince, The Rolling Stones, U2, Aerosmith, ‘N Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Nelly, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Savion Glover, Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, The Temptations, Queen Latifah, The Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and Jim Belushi), ZZ Top, James Brown, Diana Ross, Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, The Judds and Michael Jackson

Television series

  • Conan on TBS
  • The Ellen DeGeneres Show
  • The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
  • Duets

Installation

  • The Shanghai Corporate Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010

Concerts and Music Events

  • James Taylor “One Man Band”
  • The Eagles “Hell Freezers Over”
  • Harry Connick, Jr. World Tour
  • Harry Connick, Jr. Live on Broadway
  • Fleetwood Mac “The Dance”
  • Celine Dion “These Are Special Times”
  • Ricky Martin “One Night Only”
  • Jessica Simpson “Tour Of Duty”
  • Justin Timberlake “Down Home In Memphis”
  • Willie Nelson “Willie and Friends”
  • Harry Connick Jr. “Christmas Special”
  • ‘N Sync “The Atlantis Concert”
  • 'N Sync "‘Ntimate Holiday Special”

Live Events Adapted To The Screen

  • Neil Diamond “Live At Madison Square Garden”
  • Shania Twain “Shania Up! Live In Chicago”
  • Cher "The Farewell Tour"
  • Barbra Streisand's Millennium Concert “Timeless”
  • The Backstreet Boys “Larger Than Life”

[2]

Primetime Emmy Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1982 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) Solid Gold Nominated
1983 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Limited Series or Special Solid Gold Christmas Special '82 Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Series Solid Gold Won
1984 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Series Solid Gold Won
1985 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Series Solid Gold Nominated
1986 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Miniseries Or Special The 58th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Series Solid Gold Won
1987 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Miniseries Or Special Kraft Salutes the Magic of David Copperfield IX: The Escape From Alcatraz Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Miniseries Or Special Liberty Weekend Closing Ceremonies Nominated
1989 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries Or A Special The Magic of David Copperfield XI: The Explosive Encounter Won
1991 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries Or A Special The Magic of David Copperfield XIII: Mystery On The Orient Express Won
1992 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement In Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Or A Special The Magic of David Copperfield XIV: Flying - Live Won
1993 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement In Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Or A Special The 65th Annual Academy Nominated
1994 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement In Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Or A Special The 66th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
1995 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement In Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Or A Special The Magic of David Copperfield XVI: Unexplained Forces Won
1996 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries Or A Special The 38th Annual Grammy Awards Nominated
1997 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries Or A Special Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries Or A Special The 39th Annual Grammy Awards Nominated
1998 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie Fleetwood Mac The Dance Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie The 70th Annual Academy Awards Won
1999 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) For A Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie 71st Annual Academy Awards Won
2000 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) 72nd Annual Academy Awards Nominated
2001 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 73rd Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming Barbra Streisand: Timeless Nominated
2002 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming Opening Ceremony Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Won
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming The 74th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
2003 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming The 75th Annual Academy Awards Won
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming Cher - The Farewell Tour Nominated
2004 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming The 46th Annual Grammy Awards Won
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming The 76th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
2005 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 77th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming The Games of The XXVIII Olympiad - Opening Cerempny Won
2006 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 78th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
2007 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 79th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 49th Annual Grammy Awards Won
2008 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 80th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 50th Annual Grammy Awards Won
2009 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 81st Annual Academy Awards Nominated
2010 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming 82nd Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-Camera) For Variety, Music Or Comedy Programming Vancouver 2010 olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony Won
2011 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special Conan Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special 83rd Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Won
2012 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special 84th Annual Academy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The 54th Annual Grammy Awards Won
2013 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The 55th Annual Grammy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The Oscars Nominated
2014 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special 67th Annual Tony Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The 56th Grammy Awards Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lighting Design: Lighting Direction For A Variety Special The Oscars Nominated

[5]

References

  1. ^ "66th Emmy Awards Executive Producer Don Mischer Announces Full Production Team". Television Academy. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Full Flood Website, About Us". Full Flood Inc. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b Herman, Karen. "Robert Dickinson Interview". Archive of American Television. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  4. ^ a b Lampert-Greaux, Ellen. "Q&A: Bob Dickinson". Live Design. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Robert A. Dickinson Bio". Television Academy. Retrieved 23 April 2015.