Follow-Me Open Day

An open day with a difference – Follow-Me brought the future of followspotting and performer tracking  to life at the Underbelly Boulevard Soho. The event welcomed lighting professionals, designers, and curious creatives to experience the system hands-on.

Held in the heart of central London, the Follow-Me Open Day gave existing and new users, industry leaders, operators and technicians the chance to explore the system directly. The informal drop-in format encouraged stand-up discussions and practical demonstrations throughout the space. With both the manual tracking system Follow-Me 3D and the auto tracking system Follow-Me Track-iT on display, the Follow-Me team handled questions with insight and openness.

While we can’t summarise every discussion here, if you have specific questions about the Follow-Me system, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.

How well does it suit a venue?

During the event, the system controlled at least five fixtures within the modest space (192 seats) of the Underbelly Boulevard Soho. The demo moved seamlessly between manual operation and automated followspotting via tag, offering attendees a first-hand experience of both modes. Even in a compact environment, the system performed well, despite the short throw distance and limited time available to tailor settings to individual preferences. With a strong track record in larger venues, the Follow-Me system truly comes into its own on a broader scale. It’s possibly the only system on the market offering both manual and automated tracking, giving designers and operators the assurance of human intervention when needed.

With a strong track record in larger venues, the Follow-Me systems truly come into their own on a broader scale. It’s possibly the only system on the market offering both manual and automated tracking, giving designers and operators the assurance of human intervention when needed. You can assign hundreds of Track-iT tags (each with a battery life of 4–8 hours), allowing multiple performers to be tracked while retaining the ability to return control to the lighting desk at any point.

The integration of a camera-based tracking system and tags enables zone-based control, ideal for triggering specific lighting or audio cues when a performer reaches a certain mark. Another benefit of using tags alongside the camera feed is the ability to track positioning even in complete blackout conditions.

How well does it suit a performance?

With the ability to map your entire rig of moving heads and fixtures, from any position or orientation, Follow-Me opens up a world of creative potential. However, just because every moving head can become a followspot, doesn’t always mean it should.

While the system offers extensive configurability and low-latency output, final results still depend on the fixture’s features, model, and firmware. In high-speed scenarios like dance performances, careful fixture selection is essential. While the systems include features to anticipate motion and smooth transitions for a more natural look, not all fixtures are optimised for this use case.

Follow-Me continue to work closely with fixture manufacturers, constantly testing and refining their software to deliver the best results across a broad range of hardware.

If you’re planning a project where Follow-Me could be a good fit, our team is on hand to discuss your specific requirements.

What can you control?

Once configured, the systems can map selected or all moving fixtures in your rig, but it doesn’t stop at lighting. Follow-Me also supports tracking of set pieces, truss movement, and audio cues, making it ideal for immersive and technically ambitious productions.

Is it hard to learn?

Follow-Me may look very different from a traditional followspot, but it doesn’t take long to get to grips with. While there’s a short learning curve, the operation of the systems is intuitive, with no gamer-level reflexes required. Most attendees at the open day picked it up quickly with minimal setup.

Once installed, the system offers a variety of configuration options. Using SDI cameras with interchangeable lenses, operators can gain superior vantage points not possible with traditional followspots. Adjustable camera positions (e.g. higher, lower, or even behind the performer) allow for increased flexibility when working in unconventional or dynamic spaces.

In addition to events like this, Follow-Me have invested heavily in resources to support learning. A wealth of documentation and training is available at my.follow-me.nu, and in-person training is available in the Netherlands.

Summary

It’s encouraging to see that Follow-Me is so actively engaged with their users, constantly evolving both their software and hardware to create a reliable and intuitive system that works for small and big spaces. Straightforward lighting plans and very complex projects where lighting, audio and video plays an important role.

Looking ahead, it’s easy to imagine Follow-Me’s innovative approach to tracking performers on stage changing the traditional image of followspotting and evolving it into a more integrated discipline. No longer high up and remote, but central to the creative process. With the control of performer lighting, audio, and motion becoming more collaborative, the experience of traditional followspot operators will only grow in value.

Find out more about the Follow-Me system and how it compares to some of the other systems out there in: The Future of Followspots Here.