Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Lighting Spotlight: Gaffer Scott Napier

17/05/2022

Scottish gaffer Scott Napier has had the good fortune of working on Starz/Sony TV Drama Outlander right from the very beginning through season two, which wrapped up at the start of the year. Although filming jumped from South England to Prague, the large majority took place just a stone's throw away from Scott's hometown of Duns in Berwick!

Shot across Scotland's famous highlands, in forests, wilderness and medieval castles, Outlander is a time-traveling adventure set between the 1700s and mid-1900s. Although sometimes a tricky feat, Scott welcomed the challenge of helping capture the vivid imagery for which Outlander has become famous.

One of the reasons that the show is so popular is because viewers are drawn into the scenes, they have a connection, Scott explains. We filmed in big exterior locations like forests and castles, and although the final product is strong, it was quite relentless and a challenge for us to achieve what was required.

Well-known within the lighting industry, Scott has grown up, so to speak, with Panalux, starting his career in Lee Lighting. A brief stint in maintenance made way for Scott's transition to Electrician on jobs like, Rebus, Sea of Souls, The Last King of Scotland and Your Highness. Scott then made the leap to Gaffer in 2006 before going freelance in 2010. Since then, he has built an impressive portfolio of projects that range from commercials to feature films to television dramas and include Penny Dreadful, Doctor Who, Shetland, Citadel and Filth. Along the way, Scott has collaborated with a number of DoPs, providing a complimentary vision for the likes of Steven McNutt, Nigel Willoughby, Neville Kidd, Cinders Forshaw, Danny Cohen and Tony Imi.

Currently, fans around the world are impatiently awaiting season two (to air mid-April) of Golden-Globe-nominated Outlander. After initially airing two years ago, the series immediately caught fire overseas, particularly in the North American market.

Before Outlander started filming in 2013, small BBC dramas and independent movies made up the majority of Scotland's production work. Since then, Scotland has enjoyed the spotlight as one of the UK's premier filming destinations. Outlander supported by Panalux Glasgow is the country's biggest-ever production and was even dubbed the Scottish Game of Thrones.

After starting off with two sound-proof stages, Outlander production expanded so quickly that another had to be added by the middle of filming season one. On hand from day one, Scott was responsible for assisting in the planning, creation and set up of the studio complex, now boasting an impressive four main stages. At one point, Scott rigged one of the Outlander sets with 50 Highlights overhead and 125 Flobanks.

Having Panalux's expertise and huge selection of kit right on my doorstep makes my job a whole lot easier, Scott says about being able to access the entire Panalux inventory from Glasgow.

Unlike in the studio, remodeling 15th century castles and other historic buildings used on-location was strictly prohibited. Instead, Scott had to cleverly work around mostly solid stone walls by favoring non-heat-producing, battery-powered LED products. Scott and Panalux Glasgow General Manager Audrei Hendry had this in mind when they selected a load of Panalux LED Hilo Softsources, fluorescent Flobanks and NessLED panels, all wireless and all equipped with Panalux's proprietary flicker-free F-Stop technology.

We knew that power generation would be somewhat tricky considering the settings Scott was going into, says Hendry, who has worked closely with Scott since 2004. The wireless lights made the Sparks' jobs a lot easier as they didn't need to run cables everywhere.

In total, Panalux supplied 265 tons of equipment between seasons one and two. According to Scott, Panalux was the only lighting company in the UK with the inventory and fleet to service a production of such size and scope.

When you are in difficult situations, you need to be creative and clever. Access to the right equipment makes these situations a little more bearable. I knew that with Panalux's extensive range of kit, I could make things work regardless of the circumstances my team and I were in.

Panalux has been committed to helping develop Scotland into a major UK shooting destination since they opened. With additional regional offices throughout the UK in Wales and Manchester, Panalux provide a localized service to each market.

I have a good relationship with Audrei, Scott confirms. She is personable and friendly and a great problem solver. When normal issues arise between the lighting provider, the crew and the production company, she knows exactly how to take care of the situation.

From left: Behind the scenes with Spark Callum Milne & Panalux Glasgow General Manager Audrei Hendry; Gaffer Scott Napier.
LINK: https://www.panavision.com/highlights/highlights-detail/scott-napier...
See more stories from panavision

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

14/09/2026

ESPNs MNF Gets in Tune With Apple Music, Adds Ludacris to In the Air Tonight Open

Lil Baby's Dead Fresh kicks off ESPN's Week 1 Monday Night Football, ...

14/09/2026

ESPN's Monday Night Football Begins Its Super Bowl Run With Year 2 of Flagship, New Tech, and 4K HDR Distribution

With Super Bowl LXI waiting in Los Angeles, ESPN will use the regular season to ...

14/09/2026

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Padraic McKinley, the Director of The Weight

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. ...

14/09/2026

Sony expand WH headphone line-up

Three new models introduced Sony have just announced the launch of three new pairs of headphones that span their premium, mid-range and entry-level line-ups...

14/09/2026

Audient unveil Horizon interfaces

New flagship Thunderbolt units aimed at pro studios Audient's latest announcement sees the company introduce three new high-end audio interfaces designe...

14/09/2026

Cobalt Digital to Bring New and Enhanced Practical Solutions to Evolving Broadcast Workflows at IBC2026

Cobalt Digital IBC Stand 8.F90 // Journalists: Click to visit Cobalt Highlights...

14/09/2026

TV Tech Unveils Best of Show Winners at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/09/2026

TV Skyline Becomes 'World's First Ultrix FR30 Customer

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

14/09/2026

Bitmovin AI Scene Analysis Selected by Nine to Enhance it...

Bitmovin, a leading provider of video streaming solutions, has announced that Australia's largest media company, Nine Entertainment (Nine), has deployed Bit...

14/09/2026

Creativepool Annual 2026 Winners Announced

Creativepool Annual 2026 Winners Announced Brie Clayton September 13, 2026 0 Comments The creative industry's Most' awards celebrates another...

14/09/2026

Award-winning network Sky Mobile to Offer iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5

Monday 14 September 2026 Award-winning network Sky Mobile to Offer iPhone Duo, ...

14/09/2026

Major updates for Apple\u2019s software platforms are now\u00A0available - UPDATE - Posted on 14 September 2026

Apple's latest software updates introduce Siri AI, a more intelligent, knowl...

14/09/2026

WTA Awards Tier 4 to Agility Beyond Space Subic Bay and Cikarang sites

WTA Awards Tier 4 to Agility Beyond Space Subic Bay and Cikarang sites...

14/09/2026

Perplexity Portable Computer Is Now Available on Windows, Powered by NVIDIA RTX

As local models become more capable, AI agents can handle more work directly on a PC while keeping sensitive information on the device. Portable Computer is a ...

14/09/2026

First look image of The Walsh Sisters series two released

RT in association with the BBC today released first look image from the second series of The Walsh Sisters, inspired by the novels of international best-sellin...

13/09/2026

Elektron reveal the Outbox 8

Offers eight audio and CV outputs via USB Elektron's latest launch offers a convenient way for users to integrate hardware instruments, effects and mixe...

13/09/2026

Pixel Academy Announces Autumn Courses

Pixel Academy Announces Autumn Courses Brie Clayton September 13, 2026 0 Comments The ACT Entertainment tvONE and Green Hippo Pixel Academy has releas...

13/09/2026

2Vision Powers Dawid Podsiado's Obrotowy Tour with Blackmagic Design

2Vision Powers Dawid Podsiad o's Obrotowy Tour with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton September 13, 2026 0 Comments Touring multicamera workflow buil...

13/09/2026

Chyron, Matrox Video Partner At IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/09/2026

Sky releases trailer for Crystal Lake, an A24 produced prequel series to Friday the 13th, coming this October

Sunday 13 September 2026 Sky releases trailer for Crystal Lake, an A24 produced...

12/09/2026

If I Go Will They Miss Me Explores Fractured Fatherhood Through a Poetic Lens

J. Alphonse Nicholson, Danielle Brooks, Walter Thompson-Hernandez, and Bodhi Dell attend the premiere of If I Go Will They Miss Me at the Library Center Theat...

12/09/2026

Transformer Boost from Great Eastern FX Co.

Latest Obsolete Devices pedal announced Great Eastern FX Co. have just launched the latest pedal in their Obsolete Devices series, a range of effects pedals...

12/09/2026

Colorfront And Qumulo Team-Up To Make Every Frame Of Footage Searchable For The Life Of A Production

September 11, 2026 BUDAPEST & SEATTLE, 10 September 2026 - Qumulo and Colorfron...

12/09/2026

New Type RT console and Apex M6 Modular I/O Platform

Calrec expands its IP ecosystem with new Type RT console and Apex M6 Modular I/O Platform at IBC 2026 Type RT is the centrepiece of Calrec's news at IBC 202...

12/09/2026

Calrec expands its IP ecosystem with new Type RT console...

At IBC 2026, Calrec has unveiled Type RT, a new 6, 12 and 18-motorised fader console range that condenses everything a broadcast audio desk needs into a compact...

12/09/2026

Matrox, NVIDIA Integrate ORIGIN, Holoscan For Media

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/09/2026

Ross Video Debuts New Live Production Technology at IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/09/2026

FCC Nominee Thumann Severs to Testify in Senate Sept. 17

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/09/2026

TV Skyline Becomes The World's First Ultrix FR30 Customer

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/09/2026

Ikegami Introduces VN Versions of Four UNICAM XE Cameras At IBC2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/09/2026

Riedel Technology Powers Record Breaking Esports World Cu...

WUPPERTAL, Germany Sept. 11, 2026 From July 6 to Aug. 23, 2026, Paris hosted the Esports World Cup (EWC), a seven-week live production spanning eight stages...

12/09/2026

Mediacom Deploys Riedel Easy5G for Wireless Camera Covera...

Riedel Communications today announced that Mediacom has purchased and deployed Easy5G , Riedel's Private 5G solution, for live broadcast coverage of La Vuel...

12/09/2026

A Decade of Innovation AMP VISUAL TV Builds on Ten Years...

AMP VISUAL TV is continuing the evolution of its production infrastructure with further investments in Riedel technology across its OB fleet and fixed productio...

12/09/2026

Touring Video Expands Flexible Production Workflows With...

Riedel Communications today announced that Touring Video, a premier entertainment mobile production service company, continues to expand its production workflow...

12/09/2026

Atomos Expands Accessory Ecosystem with New SHAPE and Sma...

Atomos (7.B19) today announced new third-party accessories for Sumo PRO-19 and Shinobi 7 II, developed by SHAPE and SmallRig to give production teams more ways ...

12/09/2026

Deity Microphones Brings PR 2ii, TC-2, and D4RX to IBC2026

Deity Microphones Brings PR 2ii, TC-2, and D4RX to IBC2026 Brie Clayton September 11, 2026 0 Comments The Deity PR-2ii arrives with production firmwar...

12/09/2026

Blackmagic Design Announces Special Pricing for Ultra HD Products

Blackmagic Design Announces Special Pricing for Ultra HD Products Brie Clayton September 11, 2026 0 Comments Now customers can afford to upgrade to Ul...

12/09/2026

Grass Valley EDIUS Future Assurance Program launched at IBC2026

Grass Valley EDIUS Future Assurance Program launched at IBC2026 Brie Clayton September 11, 2026 0 Comments New program gives EDIUS customers access to...

12/09/2026

Berklee Students Develop New Ideas for Live Entertainment and Travel in London

Berklee Students Develop New Ideas for Live Entertainment and Travel in London This summer, a group of music business students collaborated with Heathrow, Bri...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Calrec Launches Type RT Console and Apex M6 Modular I/O Platform

Calrec will introduce two new products at IBC2026 (Stand 8.C47, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14): the Type RT broadcast production console and the Apex M6 Modula...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Grass Valley Launches AVORA All-in-One Live Production Platform

Grass Valley has announced AVORA, a standalone all-in-one live production solution launching at IBC2026 (Booth 9.A01 and IBC Future Tech Zone, Stand 14.C49, Sep...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: CAMB.AI Launches Streaming SDK and Dashboard for Multilingual Live Broadcasting

CAMB.AI is introducing its Streaming SDK and Streaming Dashboard at IBC2026, wit...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: EVS Launches XT-S Software-Defined Multi-Application Server

EVS has announced XT-S, a software-defined server platform that runs multiple live production applications on a common hardware foundation. The platform debuts ...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: EKT Showcases Linux-Based ATSC 3.0 Converter Box

EKT is demonstrating a new Linux-based ATSC 3.0 set-top box at IBC2026. The second-generation product moves away from Android to reduce memory costs, with Linux...

11/09/2026

IBC 2026: Sennheiser Group to Showcase Wireless, Monitoring, and Broadcast Workflow

The Sennheiser Group will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 8, Booth D50, September 11-14...

11/09/2026

Ludacris Joins Chris Stapleton and Cindy Blackman Santana for Monday Night Footballs In the Air Tonight Open

ESPN's Monday Night Football will open its 2026-27 season with a new renditi...

11/09/2026

Dalet Integrates NVIDIA Synthetic Content Detection into Dalet Flex

Dalet has announced an integration of NVIDIA's Synthetic Video Detector AI model into Dalet Flex, enabling media organizations to identify potentially AI-ge...