For the 2004 Discovery Channel Upfront in New York City's American Museum of Natural History, Imero Fiorentino gave me the task of the afterparty. It was going to take place in the Hall of Ocean Life, known more affectionately as "the whale room." The room is approximately a hundred feet from floor to ceiling and is visually dominated by a life size model of a great blue whale. Tables were to be scattered along the floor with bars along the upper walkway that surrounds the space. At the last minute, a motorcycle designed by the Teutul's from American Chopper was wheeled into the far side of the walkway.

The whale was washed with about fourty lights total in various colors. In addition, waves were simulated along the top by motion wheels in the lights. The floor below was washed by templates to break up the space and the small columns below had two color uplights for accent. Glass templates with the Discovery Channel logo were focused on the walls as one entered and the center of the ceiling was lit to resemble a sky. The motorcycle that was sprung on us was lit quickly by a set of ministrips that accentuated the chrome quite well.

The initial rendering

The final product

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