
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert Ober was brought on to help light the spot. A large kitchen set was erected on stage, giving Ober and cinematographer Aril Wretblad FSF plenty of flexibility to completely design the lighting environment. A long time-user of DoPchoice, Ober relied on Snapbags and Snapgrids to control the spill and directionality of dozens of fixtures deployed to create the bustling vibrance of a busy kitchen in full swing.
In addition to being a global leader in tire manufacturing, France-based Michelin is also behind not just how we travel but why. The iconic Michelin Guide, first introduced in 1900 to promote tourism, has evolved into a prestigious catalogue of restaurants and hotels worldwide. A new campaign from BETC France highlights Michelin's role in rating global accommodations as well as dining excellence. Sleepless in the Kitchen features a tourist bizarrely trying to rest amid the throng of a clanging, bustling, hurried kitchen. The man and his oddly placed bed are subjected to loud noises, frozen fish, mislaid potatoes, and flaming stovetops. In the words of
the smartly dressed narrator: If you're looking for a good place to sleep, we strongly advise against a Michelin-Star kitchen.
The open-floor large kitchen set was designed to accommodate a Technocrane and 360 camera movements. A key challenge was how to avoid placing stands in the set, the gaffer explains. Aril Wretblad had a clear vision for the lighting: a blend of soft light and focused hard downlight spots. All practical lights had to be dimmable with adjustable color temperatures to create optimal contrast in the final visuals. Ober chose a kit heavy on Luna Bulbs, Titan Tubes, and Helios Tubes from Astera that could be easily maneuvered or disguised as practicals. The lights were controlled by Gaffers Control via wireless DMX and Ober paired the fixtures with DoPchoice Snapbags and Snapgrids.
At the center of the dynamically choreographed kitchen sits the bed, which needed to blend into its environment no matter how absurd the premise. For the toplight, I proposed Vortex8 lights with Snapbags, which created soft backlight for areas like the bed and kitchen transitions, describes Ober . To get even background illumination, we installed SpaceX luminaires with Snapbag Octa 3s at 45 angles above the kitchen walls. Then to brighten up the bed set and extend the light coming from the bedside lamp, we used a DoPchoice Lantern L in combination with a toplight Vortex8 with Snapbag and Snapgrid mounted on a Menace Max Arm. For wide shots, a fill light setup included an 8'x8' frame with a full grid, Snapgrid (50 ), and two Vortex8 lights. The result is a super realistic kitchen set, bed and all.
When lighting the talent close-ups, Aril requested exceptionally soft but somewhat compact and moveable lighting. I recommended the Airglow 2 1 booklight combined with a Vortex8. Just the thing for a busy set, the inflatable Airglow creates booklight-style soft lighting by bouncing the Vortex' output off the softbox's backwall with a much smaller, more mobile footprint than traditional multi-stand setups. Testing during prelight, it proved to be exactly the right tool for the job.
It's nearly impossible to talk about sleeping in a Michelin kitchen without also showcasing the food. Two Michelin-starred chefs were flown in for the spot which features close-ups of their fresh ingredients and final mouthwatering delicacies. Their expertise brought an added layer of depth and authenticity to the project, elevating the final result, reminisces the gaffer. Sleepless in the Kitchen from BETC Paris and production company GeneralPop, directed by Danny Sangra, with production services from Slovenian-based Studio Arkadena premiered this fall, the focal point of the Michelin Hotel Guide campaign. With the perfect lighting, Sleepless delivers a charmingly wry humor ready to pique anyone's interest in the Michelin Guide offerings.
Sleepless in the Kitchen is available to watch online at: https://youtu.be/miW2ISYIfJ8
More about the Michelin Hotel Guide: https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/about-hotels
North America Stories
25/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
25/09/2026
Long-Standing Customer Renews Multiyear Contract for VO's Secure Video Player, Content Security, and Device Monitoring Solutions
Viaccess-Orca (VO), a glob...
25/09/2026
Automate Video Progress Bars in After Effects - No Keyframes!
Graham Quince September 24, 2026
0 Comments
Learn how to create an automated video playb...
24/09/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) is supporting Virginia Public Media (VPM), the ...
24/09/2026
RED Digital Cinema's RED V-RAPTOR [X] and RED V-RAPTOR XL [X] cameras with the Phantom Track feature are the first cameras to receive GhostFrame Pro Certifi...
24/09/2026
Bringing together the full family of networks, FOX Sports is also adding Tubi, F...
24/09/2026
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) has unveiled...
24/09/2026
The blog collects SVG's reporting on AI across U.S. and European sports broadcasting
Since SVG launched the AI Innovation Lab in April to advance the devel...
24/09/2026
SVG's annual TranSPORT conference, which will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in...
24/09/2026
The self-built Master Control Room has cut streaming operations incident-respo...
24/09/2026
Ortana Media Group, the software systems integrator behind the Cubix workflow platform, has connected AudioShake's audio separation models to ScorePlay thro...
24/09/2026
AudioShake has released Multi-Speaker 2.0, the company's newest Multi-Speaker model, which removes 75% more noise and offers 32% better separation of overla...
24/09/2026
By Jon Morgan, Founder and Executive Producer, Ryval Studios
For Major League B...
24/09/2026
Spectrum SportsNet has revealed its comprehensive programming and live game broa...
24/09/2026
The Charlotte Hornets has unveiled new broadcast partnerships with Gray Media an...
24/09/2026
DAZN will be the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming partner for the Detroit Pistons beginning with the 2026-27 season. Subscriptions are available at DAZN.c...
24/09/2026
The National Hockey League (NHL) has made an agreement with Spectrum that will allow Spectrum TV customers in the Minnesota Wild local broadcast territory to wa...
24/09/2026
The Carolina Hurricanes has reached a multi-year distribution agreement to provi...
24/09/2026
The St. Louis Blues has introduced Blue Note as the name of the new, exclusive ...
24/09/2026
Blue Jackets Hockey Network, the television home for Blue Jackets hockey, is coming to Spectrum TV under a new carriage agreement between the National Hockey Le...
24/09/2026
Manifold Technologies Appoints Ryhaan Williams as CCO for North America
Brie Clayton September 24, 2026
0 Comments
Brings three decades of broadcast e...
24/09/2026
UNIFACHA Expands Educational Program with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton September 24, 2026
0 Comments
Brazilian university empowers next generat...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Viewers watching videos from the Austrian Parliament online will soon find it easier to verify the authenticity of the content. Big Blue Marble, an internationa...
24/09/2026
nsign, the digital signage SaaS platform built around its Simplify Complexity principle, is now officially certified for BRAVIA Professional Displays from Son...
24/09/2026
Encompass Digital Media today announced the successful migration of multiple Viaplay free-to-air channels, including TV3, TV6, TV8 and TV10, to its Altitude Sch...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
24/09/2026
Music Supervisor, Composer, and Mixing Engineer Santiago Uribe has built a career around producing music for film and television, contributing to more than 40 p...
24/09/2026
The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) will hold a full-day cybersecurity summit focused on defending against growing cyber threats facing the broad...
24/09/2026
September 24th, 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND AT&T OPEN SUBMISSIONS FOR 10TH ANNIVE...
24/09/2026
When COVID-19 emerged, scientists had a crucial advantage: Decades of prior research on coronaviruses meant they understood the virus' key proteins well eno...
24/09/2026
A warped Manhattan is waiting in the cloud this week. Remedy Entertainment's CONTROL Resonant brings Dylan Faden's extraordinary abilities and a paranat...
23/09/2026
Four control rooms support B1G+ streams, videoboard shows, creative content, and...
23/09/2026
By Andrew Cohen, SVG Coorespondant
The Mountain West debuted its new Replay Operations Center at the start of this football season, bringing real-time collabor...
23/09/2026
The Taylorville, IL, native is pushing creative boundaries at Ball State, gaining reps across directing, technical directing, tape, and more than 100 ESPN+ broa...
23/09/2026
Alexander Heller, Nevada Jose, Will Brill, and Giselle Bonilla pose with cast members at The Musical premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles...
23/09/2026
Nielsen CMI data reveals a changing fast-food landscape, with value, convenience...
23/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
23/09/2026
COW Jobs: Blender on Windows - Generalist - Remote
Brie Clayton September 23, 2026
0 Comments
Application Users - Blender on Windows - Generalist
Se...
23/09/2026
Version 1.8 recognised for new workflow tools, boosted control panel flexibility and ease of integration into IP networks...
23/09/2026
Hiltron Communications reports a successful 2026 International Broadcasting Convention, held at the RAI Amsterdam. Exhibiting on stand A37 in Hall 1, Hiltron ex...