In late 2016, Intelligent Lighting Creations (ILC) of Arlington Heights, Illinois, made a pivotal investment in Elation's first-generation PROTEUS series of IP-rated lighting. The acquisition of the IP65 PROTEUS BEAM marked the beginning of a transformative journey that would eventually revolutionize automated lighting for outdoor events.

Scott Falbe, who founded ILC over 30 years ago, recalls the early days when outdoor lighting meant wrapping indoor fixtures in rain gear. “Initially, it was all about covering indoor fixtures in domes or plastic so we could use them outdoors,” he says. “Eventually we invested in some of the early IP-rated fixtures like the Elation LEVEL Q7IP PAR light. Then, when Proteus hit the market, it fundamentally changed the way we do outdoor shows.”

ILC became a shop known for its outdoor accouterment and was the first to embrace the Proteus line, debuting it on the Lightswitch project Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, in 2016. "We had four beta versions of the PROTEUS BEAM and collaborated with John Featherstone at Lightswitch to highlight a new section of the Illumination experience with them," Scott recalls, crediting Featherstone as the inspiration for putting them on the path to Proteus. "We ran them through the ringer in the harsh Chicago winter that first year and they performed so well that we decided to invest in more units for the following year."

ILC and Elation learned a lot in those initial outings, with Scott and his team providing valuable input to Elation’s R&D department that would influence the Proteus line’s development. Unique challenges, such as the combination of cold temperatures and humidity typical of early winter in Chicago, led to minor hardware modifications, mainly to eliminate internal vapor.

“It was a fix that worked well and instead of sending retrofit replacement kits like many companies would do, Elation sent us all new improved fixtures,” Scott recalled. “That was an exceptional level of support.” After eight seasons of Illumination – which together adds up to nearly two years of solid outdoor use – the PROTEUS BEAM fixtures have proven their durability with minimal issues despite the challenging weather conditions.

Over time, Illumination transitioned from using indoor-rated moving heads in protective domes to exclusively using Elation's outdoor-rated Proteus moving heads. ILC added the award-winning PROTEUS HYBRID to inventory, initially intending to replace the PROTEUS BEAMs but ultimately keeping both due to their reliability. The Proteus line developed further with the framing profile PROTEUS MAXIMUS and PROTEUS EXCALIBUR long-throw beam light, both of which found a role on Illumination and other projects. ILC also invested in the PROTEUS RAYZOR 760 wash effects fixture, which primarily sees use on festivals and special events.

ILC's extensive use of Proteus fixtures extends beyond garden shows to year-round projects, making ILC one of the largest holders of Proteus fixtures in the US. "Proteus has been so reliable that it has fundamentally transformed our approach to outdoor shows," Scott says. "No longer are we dealing with fixtures that require a backing crew to support with coverings when the weather turns bad and we no longer have to invest in domes.” He says the industry is realising the benefits of IP fixtures for indoor use as well. “The weight has come down considerably, but the fact that they don't take in moisture, dust, dirt and debris, indoors as well as out, really cuts down on maintenance."

As one of the only companies that stocked outdoor rated lights early on, Scott highlights the significance of the Elation LEVEL Q7IP PAR, which formed the bulk of the lighting fixtures on early Illumination shows. These have since been replaced with Elation ARENA ZOOM Q7IP PAR and SEVEN PAR 7IP. “The LEVEL Q7IP was the first static wash light where you didn’t have to worry about all the restrictions to keep the power distro safe,” Scott said. “Although it doesn’t bear the Proteus name, it still massively changed the way we deployed lighting on these outdoor garden shows.”

The reliability and longevity of Proteus fixtures not only ensure consistent performance but with year-on-year use also result in an excellent ROI. For example, Scott notes that ILC still has the vast majority of their original PROTEUS BEAMs in active rental inventory, even after years of use. This durability translates to less downtime, fewer maintenance issues and fewer replacements, further enhancing the overall value for ILC and their clients.

An additional important piece of ILC’s success with Proteus is the support they have received since the beginning from the manufacturer’s rep firm Five Lakes Marketing. Scott has known and has worked with Rob Ludwig of Five Lakes for years and acknowledges the benefit of a good relationship. “I really started paying attention to Elation when Rob stepped in,” he said. “Having a good manufacturer's rep like Five Lakes is really a game changer. I know I can rely on Rob for honest product advice and prompt service and I know he’s going to do a great job.”

The partnership between ILC and Elation has been mutually beneficial, as Proteus has grown from a new IP-rated lighting solution to a market-proven leader in outdoor automated lighting. And the line continues to evolve with the latest models, including the PROTEUS HYBRID MAX, PROTEUS ODEON, PROTEUS RADIUS and PROTEUS ATLAS, all rated at IP66 for an even higher level of toughness.

Scott reflects on the significance of reliable equipment and shares one last anecdote: “Recently we had to use some non-IP fixtures for an outdoor project because our Proteus fixtures weren't available. We had to bag them like old times and when the fixtures got back to the shop, covered in dirt and mud, I really got some dirty looks and scolding from our crew because they couldn’t just wash them down. That was a mistake I’ll never make again!”