Lighting Balloons and Sourcemaker in the Film Industry

  • 1920's - The first floating lighting balloon was invented in the 1920's in Germany. It was patented in 1924 (patent # 427 8904, Oct. 26, 1924)

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  • 1924 - 1990 - The invention of the lighting balloon was way before its time, and had very little use. Several patents were issued over the course of many years. None were actually used until the 1990's.

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  • 1995 - Francisco Ambrico of Grenoble France revisited the German patent, and filed for a US patent on January 17th, 1995. Francisco planned on using it for event lighting and emergency services.

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  • 1995 - Pierre Chabert of Grenoble France applies for a US patent based on a safety shut off switch on April 27th, 1995. He then creates Airstar, and builds lighting balloons for construction, events and emergency services.

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  • 1995 - Entrepreneur Julian Del Valle of Newport Beach California, discovers Ambrico's lighting balloons in an L.A. private event demonstration.

  • 1995 - Julian creates Airlight Industries with Airstar Lighting Balloons to become the first lighting balloon rental company in the U.S. to service the film industry.

  • 1995 - Julian represents Airlight Industries, with Airstar products at Show Biz Expo 95'.

  • 1995 - Julian meets D.P and Gaffer Tony Nakonechnyj, and supplies him with balloons for "Disturbing the Peace". This was the first use of a lighting balloon on a U.S. film set.

  • 1995 - 1999 - Julian meets John Buckley and Russell Carpenter to discuss the use of lighting balloons on "Titanic". Soon after, balloons are used on many other features such as "Jurassic Park : Lost World", "What Dreams May Come", "Mission Impossible", "The Limey", "The Negotiator", "Fallen", "The Parent Trap", "Runaway" and"Erin Brockovich", along with other projects and events.

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  • 2000 - Julian is hired to supply lighting balloons to TV pilot "Bull" in New York. Julian meets Peter Girolami and discusses east coast rental arrangement.

  • 2001 - Peter Girolami purchases Airlight Industries, and reopens as Sourcemaker Lighting Balloons with the goal of creating custom lighting balloons for the film industry

  • 2001 - Peter Girolami continues to rent lighting balloons, but experiences difficulties purchasing replacement parts. Peter starts to resource and manufacture his own replacement parts. He researches new materials and laminates to create a softer quality of light that is U.V. protected to prevent yellowing of the balloon envelopes.

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  • 2001 - Sourcemaker develops the cube and rectangle shaped lighting balloons with new high-density durable material and the first helium-tight internal reflector to help control ambience on film sets. The new shape allowed Directors of Photograpers and Gaffers to black out any side by attaching lightweight materials. Tubes are added to the inventory. Gaffer Russ Engels uses the first cube-shaped lighting balloon.

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  • 2002 - Sourcemaker uses HMI and Tungsten harnesses in the same tube envelope to mix color temperature. Later, single-ended HMI and Tungsten bulbs become interchangable in the same lighting harness for desired color temperatures in a single balloon envelope.

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  • 2002 - Sourcemaker is invited to the Academy of Arts and Sciences Scientific Achievement Award
    Scientific Achievement Award     and the Cube is introduced to Hollywood as a modular lighting system build for control and versatility.

  • 2004 - Sourcemaker develops 16k HMI Tube lighting balloons for the film ” Hide and Seek”.

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  • 2005 - Sourcemaker develops the first helium filled floating Metal Halide lighting balloon for Chief Lighting Technician John Velez and Director of Photography Matthew Libatique on the feature "Inside Man". On “Inside Man”, the main location was dominated by industrial lighting Sources.
    John Velez (Gaffer)

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  • 2006 - Sourcemaker develops the first Sodium Vapor lighting balloon
    Ross Berryman     for Director of Photography Ross Berryman on the T.V. Pilot "Twenty Questions", shooting in Baltimore and Washington D.C. Sourcemaker also supplies the first feature film "The Brave One" with Sodium lighting balloons under the instruction of Director of Photography Philippe Rousselot.

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  • 2006 - Sourcemaker develops the most powerful hybrid balloon with a single harness, 28k Hybrid Cube (8kH + 20kT)

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  • 2007 - Sourcemaker develops the most powerful hybrid Tube balloon in the industry, the 36k Tube (16kH + 20kT)

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  • 2008 - Sourcemaker mixes Tungsten and Metal Halide in the same lighting balloon for gaffer Mike Bauman on “Transformers 2”.

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  • 2008- Sourcemaker develops the idea of Zero Gravity lighting balloons. These are balloons that have a very low profile and float just enough to stay in position on a ceiling of an interior location.

"Lighting balloons built by filmmakers, for filmmakers."



Other Press Releases

04/01/06 : American Cinematographer writes about the use of Sourcemaker's balloons on the set of "Inside Man". See pictures and read more about it HERE!

05/15/06 : Matthew Libatique, ASC, talks about Sourcemaker's balloons on the set of "Inside Man". Read more about it HERE!