Power Gems is Laid-back LED Lighting at its Best
At Cine Gear 2025, held at Universal Studios Lot on June 6-7, we were going for a laidback vibe. As founders of Power Gems, Patrick and Phil value a more relaxed and personal welcome. We’re approachable, if you want to know more about the classic EB1812P 18kW HMI ballast and the unique voltage booster to run 12V ribbon from a USB power bank, GEMboost, or the nifty 6-way controller, GEM6, you could talk to the man responsible for the design of Power Gems range for the last 25 years.
Patrick was in his element amid a brisk trade in visitors to the booth, choosing a red and white striped shirt that shimmered for the camera (unlike Power Gems HMI ballasts, which Phil designed specifically to guard against flicker for high speed filming). Meanwhile, Jeremy was busy talking to the back of an LED ceiling fixture, the GEMtile, propped up on its 600mm side, probably about how SKY used it for filming the drama, Temple, and more recently, for the BBC series, Doctor Who.
Here’s a less pixellated shot of Patrick, backlit by the GEMwash, a broadcast-quality LED wash fixture for green and blue screen or wide-area lighting. Also, like the GEMtile, it was used for filming Doctor Who in the UK.
The banner shows the YUJILEDs range available from the Power Gems online store shop.powergems.com
And a closer look at the GEMwash, and in the foreground is the EB1812P GEN 2, the bestselling 12kW/18kW high-speed ballast designed to operate in high humidity.
So, where was Phil, the man behind the camera? He was sporting the kind of linen suit capable of transporting us to the Italian Riveria, cocktail in hand. Just the sort of thing to lift our spirits, as he observed, “The mood of the people we met at Cine Gear is getting better, with cautious optimism, compared to last year when nothing was happening, it seems that we’re seeing a slow return of production. We may be at the start of incremental improvement, though no one expects a big-bang return to the good times, particularly in LA. Production is more spread out around the globe.”
Sinking into an easy chair, he added, “The location was great, and the organisation by Universal was spot on. We had a steady stream of people coming onto the booth, with very few quiet gaps, especially on Friday.”
We’re already looking forward to next year’s Cine Gear and welcoming friends, new and old, from all corners of the industry. Possibly from the casual sway of a hammock. Can you be too relaxed? No, we don’t think so. Get me another coffee if you’re going to the kitchen, will you? This chair won’t stay on the floor unless I sit on it.
