Pipe Lighting GmbH has introduced a fresh approach to film lighting with their inflatable LED fixtures. Founded in 2021 by Eduard Bochanov and Evgenij Vetlugin, the company aimed to address the practical challenges of traditional lighting setups. Their solution, Pipe Lighting, is a lightweight, portable, and sustainable lighting system that delivers high-quality performance while reducing environmental impact. This innovative design earned them the Lighting Product Design of the Year 2024 award at the LIT Lighting Design Awards.
By using air-filled shells and integrated diffusers, Pipe Lighting has created a modular system that is easy to transport, quick to set up, and more efficient than conventional lighting options. In this interview, Eduard discusses the inspiration behind the company, the technical innovations of their products, and their vision for the future of film lighting.
Can you tell us about the background of Pipe Lighting? How was it founded, and what is your personal design philosophy?
The company was established in 2021 by two experts in film lighting. Recognizing a need for lighting fixtures that combine professional advantages—such as lightweight construction and high output—with exceptional design, we developed the concept of inflatable LED lighting devices. PipeLighting is dedicated to revolutionizing professional lighting solutions for the film and media industries. We strive to deliver innovative, lightweight, and versatile lighting systems that empower creators to achieve their vision with ease and efficiency. Guided by a design philosophy rooted in user-centricity, our products are meticulously crafted to balance functionality, durability, and aesthetics, ensuring seamless integration into creative workflows. We prioritize adaptability, enabling professionals to tackle diverse challenges on set with confidence
What lighting challenges did you encounter while working on film sets, and how did they inspire your design?
In the recent past, film lighting was often bulky and complex. Lighting a scene required a truckload of equipment, significant setup time, and a larger team for installation. This was a technical inspiration. Besides that, we noticed that lighting fixtures sometimes literally played a role in cinematography and photography, such as in “behind the scenes” shoots or advertisements. This inspired us to combine a sleek, modern design with professional-grade technical features.
What problem does the air inside the shell solve, and how did you engineer this solution?
The air inside the lighting fixture inflates the shell (housing) of the lamp head, giving it its end shape. Different form factors of the interchangeable lamp head models enable creators to select the most suitable option for a scene or combine them into various configurations.
How does the diffuser built into the shell compare in quality and performance to traditional external diffusers?
Finding the right diffusor textile for the lamp head was quite a challenge, but we have found the best possible performing textile that can be compared to the traditional textiles or gels for diffusing the light.
How did you ensure effective heat dissipation without the need for additional radiators or fans?
To ensure efficient heat dissipation without additional heat sinks or fans, we distributed the LEDs as widely as possible over the large surface area of the shell—this applies to both bicolor and colored LEDs. We operated the diodes at the highest possible current within their temperature limits, allowing them to function effectively at the upper threshold of their temperature capabilities
What were the biggest challenges you faced during the development of Pipe Lighting, and how did you solve them?
We needed to choose the correct balance of a variety of parameters: the weight, the output, the quality of light, and a great design. Through many weeks of R&D and many samples and modeling, we have found the perfect combination for what we wanted as a product.
What does winning the “Entertainment Lights” prize at the LIT Awards mean to your team?
Winning the LIT Awards prize is an incredible honor for us, especially as a young and emerging company. Being acknowledged at this stage of our journey is a testament to the hard work and passion that drive our team, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the future of professional lighting solutions.
Do you have any practical tips for lighting designers or film crew members who work with lighting setups?
Prioritize flexibility and efficiency in setups. Plan scenes in advance and use lightweight, portable equipment like inflatable LED lights to save time. Opt for high-quality diffusers for soft, even lighting, and choose versatile fixtures for quick reconfigurations. Consider sleek designs for fixtures that may appear on camera, and do not forget about safety!
What are your plans for the future of Pipe Lighting and its role in the industry?
We are committed to innovation, recently launching the RGBWW full-color version of our product. The plan for the future of Pipelighting is to improve the efficiency of our simple and easy-to-use modular and interchangeable lighting system that will allow fixtures to be transformed, combined with each other, be interchangeable, and take their control to a new level. Staying ahead of competitors, we will continue to develop smart and versatile solutions to meet evolving film lighting needs. Our goal is to lead the industry with groundbreaking technology and creative solutions.
