NEW ZEALAND: Tom Tom Productions, the inventive lighting design and production company based in Queenstown, New Zealand, has taken a bold leap forward in its creative arsenal with the addition of 24 units of the Martin MAC One fixtures. Distributed by Show Technology Australia & New Zealand, the compact yet powerful MAC One has already proven itself as a worthy successor to the company’s much-loved but ageing Martin MAC101s.

Managing Director Hamish Roberge, a long-time champion of Martin Professional technology, admits he’d been scouting for a replacement to the MAC101 for a couple of years. “We probably started maybe a year or two ago looking, and nothing had quite ticked all the boxes,” he says. “Initially, I wanted something IP-rated, and unfortunately, the MAC One isn’t, but there was enough in the MAC One that was worth jumping on!”

Hamish quickly recognised that an IP rating would have compromised one of the MAC One’s standout qualities—its lightweight design. After seeing the fixtures in action at Show Technology’s 30th birthday event in Sydney, he knew the time had come to invest. “They stole the show,” he says, adding that knowing fellow Kiwi company Electro-Tech Services had also bought 24 units gave him confidence in future cross-hire opportunities.

A game-changer for Tom Tom Productions is the MAC One’s Martin P3 compatibility, which seamlessly connects with the company’s existing inventory of VDO Sceptrons, Atomic Dots, and Hippotizer media servers. “A lot of our productions are in venues where you can’t use smoke or haze, or they’re in the daytime, so we integrate with LED screens or video systems,” Hamish explains. “The P3 system is a nice, easy ecosystem to overlay video and create different dynamic looks across your stage.”

While the MAC One shines as a wash light, Hamish sees it as much more than a basic fixture. With its innovative Fresnel lens, high-output RGBW beam, and pixel-mapped effects, the unit excels at eye-candy visuals, even in less-than-ideal atmospheric conditions. “I don’t think we’ve ever used it as a basic light,” he adds. “I’ve used the pixel effects every time I’ve had them out. There are just so many layers of features now—it’s incredible.”

True to Tom Tom Productions’ ethos of pushing creative boundaries, the MAC Ones have already found themselves at the centre of visually arresting shows. “It’s nice to add new inventive fixtures into the inventory just to give us some more options for when we’re trying to be creative,” says Hamish.

Show Technology’s support also drew praise, with the team ensuring prompt delivery ahead of the busy holiday season. “As always, the service from Show Technology was fantastic. They got us the units before the Christmas rush,” Hamish concludes.