Chabert's spherically shaped lighting balloon had the ability to shed 360° of high-wattage, shadow-free light without any glare. The unit, inflated with helium or air, was able to be suspended in locations in which no other light fixture could reach safely.
In 1996, Airstar broke new ground when it was commissioned to light the nighttime shots of James Cameron's TITANIC in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. As the Titanic appeared to sink, several of Airstar's large lighting spheres withstood high winds as they floated 150 feet above the scene, providing moonlight. The same effect was accomplished for PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN when Airstar was the sole source of lighting during the film's mostly nighttime shoots.
In 2003, Chabert was awarded the highest complement in film -- the Academy Award® for Technical Achievement.
Technical Achievement Award (Certificate) 2002: (Airstar) For the introduction of balloons with internal light sources to provide set lighting for the motion picture industry.
1 Scientific/Technical Award
