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This month we speak to <strong>TPi</strong> Breakthrough Talent Award winners Matt Didon<br />
and James Walton about their blossoming company, ON LX, and what the<br />
future has in store…<br />
Before enrolling at the<br />
University of South Wales,<br />
Matt Didon and James<br />
Walton already had business<br />
nous. But after being paired<br />
together for High End<br />
Systems’ Hog Factor in 2014,<br />
the duo thought they would<br />
apply their skills to the live<br />
events industry. Three years<br />
later and ON LX provides<br />
bespoke lighting, video and<br />
technical services for events,<br />
installations and everything<br />
in between. <strong>TPi</strong> spoke to the crack team about what the future holds for their fledgling<br />
venture and the challenges of juggling a new business and university work.<br />
“Both Matt and I worked in the live events industry when we met,” began Walton, who<br />
worked for Shock Solutions, which was acquired by White Light about 4 years ago, while Matt<br />
started his own rental mobile DJ package company. With several years’ experience under their<br />
belts, Didon and Walton enrolled at the University of South Wales for a Bachelor’s Degree in<br />
Lighting Design and Technology. In their first year, both continued to work on extracurricular<br />
ventures. Walton explained: “Matt was already building the foundation of what would become<br />
ON LX while I was working on my own business called Spektrum Systems where I would build<br />
custom media server packages. After our successful collaboration on the 2014 Hog Factor, we<br />
decided to join forces, effectively merging Spektrum Systems with ON LX.”<br />
Since the dawn of the partnership, Didon and Walton have been walking the line between<br />
live events specialists and startup tech company. From providing the visual package to The<br />
Giant Tree at Glastonbury 2017 to producing a custom control systems for gym studios,<br />
the brains behind ON LX have certainly proved themselves in several fields. “We are really<br />
focussed on keeping both sides of the business going,” commented Didon. “It’s been really<br />
great working on the app side of the business and we have certainly got people’s attention.”<br />
The goal of their app venture is to provide an “incredibly simple interface that can control<br />
some fairly complex operations”, with features including the ability to “analyse audio in a live<br />
scenario and simultaneously sync and operate lighting automatically.” But Didon and Walton<br />
are both determined to keep in touch with what’s going on in the field rather than pigeonhole<br />
their skills into an exclusively software company.<br />
“Glastonbury was certainly one of last year’s highlights for us,” recalled Walton. ON LX<br />
supplied a bespoke lighting solution with 40 universes of WS2811 pixels with which festivalgoers<br />
could interact. “I had worked in the Greenpeace part of the site for the last few years<br />
and have known Ben Bailes, who oversees the project, for some time. This year Matt oversaw<br />
the all the programming of the show and I handled all the servers and networking of the<br />
event. It was certainly an intensive few days but it looked fantastic.”<br />
Having graduated last year, Didon is now working full time for the company while Walton<br />
finishes his final year of university following a placement year in Australia with Enttec. “To say<br />
it’s been tough is an understatement,” laughed Walton, as he described the balancing act<br />
of holding down a new business as well as a full time degree. But he credits the University<br />
of South Wales’ course as being “incredibly helpful” in developing their business. “As well<br />
as having experienced lighting professionals as lectures, we also have guest lectures from<br />
industry professionals who come in throughout the year. We have both been able to learn a<br />
great deal from these individuals on the business side.”<br />
Looking to the future, the dynamic duo already have some interesting projects on the<br />
horizon. Didon and Walton both recently completed their Notch training and are hoping to<br />
provide even more options for clients, both in the install world and in live touring. “I think<br />
because of how specialised our skill sets are, there is no limit to how big ON LX will grow and it<br />
being our own company means we have the freedom to pursue a myriad of different projects!”<br />
As winners of this year’s <strong>TPi</strong> Breakthrough Talent award, both Didon and Walton will next<br />
attend this year’s <strong>TPi</strong> Awards in <strong>February</strong>.<br />
<strong>TPi</strong><br />
www.productionfutures.co.uk<br />
www.onlx.co.uk<br />
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