With a career spanning more than 25 years lighting up some of the world’s most iconic stages, Paulinho Lebrão is much more than a reference in the industry: he’s a true master capable of turning light into emotion and spectacle.
His signature shines in top-tier events like Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza Brazil, and the unforgettable Rio 2016 Olympic ceremonies, where he’s left his mark with innovative vision and deep technological expertise.
Now, Lebrão lands in Barcelona with SeeSound to lead the exclusive seminar Paulinho Lebrão and SeeSound Light Up Barcelona: The Brazilian Master Reveals the Secrets of the Biggest Festivals, held on May 20th at Teatre Lliure.
A unique event for lighting professionals and enthusiasts, where he shares the keys to designing and managing control systems for large events, with a special focus on network configuration and MA Lighting technology, as well as the trends and challenges in lighting for major festivals.
His international experience, ability to innovate and adapt to different cultures and teams, and his commitment to sustainability in the sector make Lebrão one of the most authoritative voices to analyze the present and future of the profession.
In this exclusive interview for ISP Audio & Light, he shares his lessons from decades working with top artists and world-class events, the technologies making a difference, and the challenges facing those who want to elevate festival lighting to new heights. Do you want to discover his secrets and learn firsthand from one of the greats?
Professional Background
With over 25 years of experience in the lighting industry, you’ve worked at iconic events like Rock in Rio, Lollapalooza Brazil, and the Rio 2016 Olympic ceremonies.
What key lessons have you learned from these events, and how have they influenced your current approach to festival lighting?
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Working with top professionals and being part of first-class events has provided a huge wealth of knowledge, which I’ve always tried to integrate into my concepts and working methods. I’m convinced that the reason I got to where I am is because I’ve always stayed close to the industry’s top figures.
Technological Innovations
You run FOH Lighting Control, specializing in lighting control programming and system management. What do you consider the most significant technological innovations in lighting for large-scale events in recent years?
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I believe the most important innovations have been related to networks: the way they help us more and more every day to control and manage DMX data. Also, increasingly realistic 3D software allows us to test ideas before even setting up the project.
Seminar in Barcelona | SeeSound
At the seminar in Barcelona’s Teatre Lliure, you focus on network systems and MA Lighting for large-scale festivals. What specific aspects do you cover in your presentation, and what do you hope attendees will take away?
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We’ll mainly talk about how to set up and maintain a network system for festivals, focusing on the gMA3, DMX universe management, data merging, and the many possibilities that networks offer us at the FOH of a festival. I think everyone will come away with a new perspective on FOH management for these events.
Challenges at Large-Scale Festivals
When working at major festivals, what are the main challenges you face in lighting design and execution, and how do you overcome them?
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We always handle the control system for these festivals. The main challenge is ensuring all guest operators can safely handle the main festival rig and their additional equipment, which is often substantial.
Future Trends
Observing the evolution of the sector, what trends do you anticipate in festival lighting design in the coming years?
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I think there are two types of festivals: those with a thematic lighting design to which LDs must adapt—like Viña del Mar in Chile—and others, like Rock in Rio, where a standard lighting design is used to best serve the artists. I also see that more and more artists want their show to be perfect at a festival, and I believe that will be the main challenge for LDs.
Training and Professional Development
For those looking to specialize in live event lighting, what skills and knowledge do you consider essential for standing out in this field?
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More and more, everything is communicated via networks. I believe that for a good professional, understanding at least the basics of a network system is now essential.
Sustainability in Lighting
Sustainability is a growing concern in event production. How do you integrate sustainable practices into your lighting designs, and how important are
