Australia - When Anna Baird, podiatrist turned footwear designer, decided to open a flagship store in Sydney, Australia’s Central Business District, she set out to create a store as stylish and comfortable as her shoes. However, designing the new storefront didn’t come without acoustic challenges: while the open spaces and sleek architectural details cultivated an inviting atmosphere, they complicated sound coverage and intelligibility for the in-store live music and DJ performances. To complete the store that stands in Sydney’s CBD today, Bared Footwear integrated a Renkus-Heinz sound system that ensures every shopper is immersed in the space. “We want people to visit the Sydney flagship not only for the shoes but for the whole shopping experience,” explained Baird. The two-story flagship location features high ceilings, timber flooring and floor-to-ce
South Africa - It was with slight trepidation that the organisers of the Hilton Arts Festival opened the event on Friday, 23 September in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. After a two-year COVID-19 gap, the depressed economy, the hazardous N3 highway between Durban and Hilton and severely reduced sponsorship, it was a risky decision to take. However, driven by the sure knowledge that the arts are one of the most vital parts of a balanced society and a happy people, they forged ahead. “With the weather playing ball (no wind, no rain) crafters and visual artists had a steady flow of visitors all weekend,” said Sue Clarence, the founder of Hilton Arts Festival. “All productions were well supported, with several selling out. The community of performers, visual artists and crafters who, over the years, have become a firm part of the success of the festival, were overwhelming in
UK frame:work is a brand-new community event series conceptualised by four key live entertainment production experts: Laura Frank, Luke Malcolm, Soren West and Elliott Dunwody, who have a collective career experience spanning decades across multiple sectors. The first event will take place at central London’s multipurpose tech venue, CodeNode on 3 - 4 November. For frame:work:london, the team has partnered with Bild Studios, a creative house of media technologists who are pioneering the next generation of visual experiences, in order to present the two-day conference to the industry. The event will host conversations around the unique challenges of creating video for physical spaces, live performance and virtual worlds. Laura Frank, frame:work co-founder, who began her own career as a touring lighting programmer for Madonna and David Bowie before moving into t
UK – Berkshire-based Full Production has announced a new strategic partnership with Coventry-based Avion TSL. The partnership will see both companies benefit from the sharing of premises, resources and expertise, enabling the delivery of a stronger and faster service to a broader range of clients in the UK and beyond. Founded in 2010, Full Production has worked on a variety of top-flight events in recent years, from touring exhibitions and awards shows, to television, festivals and other special events. Drawing on a network of skilled designers, project managers and crew, the company prides itself on its central ethos of ensuring the customer’s vision is realised as fully as possible. Avion TSL, a family-run business formed in 2001, specialises in providing full-service production for, concerts, fundraising events, fairs, Christmas walks and other visitor experien
Ticketing Issues - A new Ticketmaster pricing system, which alters the price of tickets based on demand, is being criticised by both fans and industry experts. Called dynamic pricing, it has been used in the UK for recent sales by Harry Styles, Coldplay and Blackpink. The system is regularly used in the US, where the resale market is a lot bigger, and touting is more prevalent. Ticketmaster say it is being used to try to stop touts, and to give more money to artists. But fans say they are being priced out of concerts, with some tickets doubling in price. On the Ticketmaster page for Harry Styles' tour, a notice explains: "These tickets vary in price driven by demand from fans, similar to airline tickets and hotel rooms. We give fans an opportunity to safely buy official tickets for the events they love, right up to the date of the show." The pricing system means Ticket
USA - Behind the Scenes has two upcoming webinars: Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace on 16 October at 4pm Eastern and Understanding Substance Use and Abuse in the Entertainment Industry on 17 October at 7pm Eastern. Both webinars are free, but require advance registration to be sent the login link. A BTS survey strongly indicated that bullying, harassment and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. Do you know how to safely intervene if you see a co-worker being bullied or intimidated? Did you know there are different ways to intervene to match your comfort level? In just 90 minutes you will learn five easily accessible tools and get real life examples to use in any workplace to safely intervene without worrying about retaliation. The Bystander Intervention webinar, presented by
Europe - Absen is collaborating with tech-forward film studio Garden Studios and cinematography hire house Pro Cam Take 2, to host the Virtual Production Forum on 20 October. Virtual Production allows filmmakers to shoot live-action footage within a pre-visualised virtual world, using 3D CGI modelling, high quality LED displays and precision camera tracking to make it all look as real as possible. The VP Forum promises fascinating insights into the world of virtual production, with an agenda covering a series of tech talks and panel discussions giving practical insights such as ‘Managing workflows and pipeline’ to ‘Changing the way we think about filmmaking: collaborative on-set experiences that allow filmmakers to think and work differently’. This one-day event has been created to showcase the potential that VP offers everyone in the content creation and film produc
Finland - Genelec has added Stockholm and Helsinki to its global network of Experience Centres. By visiting these new facilities, customers will receive expert personal advice on Genelec loudspeaker solutions, and enjoy a high-quality critical listening environment, from stereo to immersive. The new Nordic locations join existing Genelec Experience Centres in Europe, America and Asia - all of which share the same mission of helping customers to understand and experience the finest in sound reproduction. Genelec has long and close connections with both Stockholm and Helsinki, each of which is a thriving cultural hub with a strong identity and sophisticated audio community. The company has developed its own teams in both cities over many years – and the two new Experience Centres further heighten Genelec’s commitment to social responsibility, by supporting each city’s cu
USA - Bandit Lites has made a substantial investment in new gear with a recent purchase of hundreds of Claypaky fixtures. Fixtures added to Bandit's touring inventory include: the Xtylos Mini HPS, the Xtylos and the Volero Wave. The Xtylos is a compact beam moving light with unique optical and chromatic characteristics, making use of a tailor-made RGB laser source that lasts for 20,000 hours. The Mini Xtylos HPS a smaller compact version, while still boasting the same saturated, deep colours. The Volero Wave is making its debut with Bandit. “Being the first in the world to offer the new and unreleased Claypaky Volero Wave is an honour,” said Jake Tickle, Bandit Lites vice-president of business and innovation. These fixtures will initially be seen on Nick Whitehouse’s design for Carrie Underwood’s Denim & Rhinestones Tour. “New tech and new
Europe - Prolyte has announced its expansion in Norway with the appointment of Prostage as its new distributor in the country. Prostage AS was established in 2008 in Oslo by CEO Gunnar Waldemar Naas. Since then, the company’s main goal has been to offer high-quality professional lighting, sound, and stage products at an affordable price. “I am thrilled to work closely with Prolyte and their technical team in a distributor capacity, having worked with their products in a wide variety of projects for more than 20 years. The quality of their products, combined with their well-known level of know-how and service makes Prolyte a solid partner, and the collaboration will further strengthen our position in the Norwegian market”, said Kai Vidar Bech, technical manager, of rigging & stage machinery. Prostage is the exclusive distribution partner in Norway for se
UK/Germany - Audiologic has been acquired by EAV Group, an alliance of distributors of professional AV products and services, headquartered in Germany. Effective 3 October, the acquisition looks to ‘invest and build on an already successful UK operation’. Founded in 2004, Audiologic has seen consistent growth since its inception. Recently celebrating its 18th anniversary, the brand has expanded both its brand partners and employees, continuing to strengthen its position in the UK AV market. Over those 18 years, Audiologic has built a reputation with its customers, in not only distributing AV products, but supplying every aspect of a project: delivering design, product selection, commissioning, service, support, and after sales. EAV Group, serving until recently the Benelux and DACH territories exclusively, specialises in the distribution of professional AV product
UK - This summer, Creative Technology worked on a multitude of the UK’s largest and most popular major outdoor music events and festivals. May marked the start of festival season for Creative Technology’s audio team with the return of The Great Escape Festival, followed by BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Coventry, delivering LED main screens along with LED columns and a DJ Riser. June’s highlights included Liam Gallagher - Knebworth Park, where CT provided large I-mag screens and a control package for the singer’s largest solo gig to date – twenty-six years on from his show as part of Oasis back in 1996 where CT supplied LED screens, OB vans and cameras. The audio team headed to Red Rooster Festival in the heart of Suffolk, while the video team prepared for the British-created rock festival, Download, where I-mags and FOH screens were supplied – short
UK - A project of more than four years in the making, the University of Strathclyde has recently migrated from a collection of all-analogue-based, stand-alone sound systems to a new Dante audio network, bringing much needed flexibility and efficiency Campbell Jamieson, the learning support manager for the university, explained that over the last several years the university has been ambitiously transforming and upgrading its campus. Serious about creating and maintaining a world-class environment, investment for the transformation is set to reach £1bn by 2025. In 2018, Jamieson and his team were looking for a way to bring a unified audio experience to the campus and to make the system easier and faster to set up and use. Luckily for them, a Dante audio network platform was able to bring everything together and as soon as the pandemic hit in 2020, it took on even grea
USA - To provide Grammy-winning hard rock band Halestorm with simple but impactful lighting for their 2022 US tour, Bandit Lites deployed a dynamic rig using Martin Professional lighting solutions. Formed in 1997 by siblings Arejay and Lzzy Hale, Halestorm is considered one of the premier torch-bearers for hard rock and metal touring today. In support of their latest album Back From the Dead, Halestorm embarked on a summer US tour alongside The Pretty Reckless, The Warning and Lilith Czar. With budget and gear constraints still affecting the live music industry following the COVID-19 pandemic, the band wanted a lighting rig that heightened their classic-meets-modern rock sound and provided maximum impact for their fans despite the logistical limitations. To meet these goals, lighting designer Craig Richter worked with Bandit Lites and Scott Anderson from Marti
Israel - Wharfedale Pro has reinforced their position in the Israeli market with the announcement of their partnership with Tel Aviv-based distributor, Tech Top which is now the sole official distributor of Wharfedale Pro products in the country. Established in 1994, Tech Top has since grown to become the largest importer of sound, lighting and multimedia products in Israel, serving a wide client base which encompasses AV installers, system integrators and audio contractors. “We are delighted to welcome Tech Top to our business network,” comments Simon Godfrey, sales director at Wharfedale Pro. “With their impressive distribution channels and skilled customer-focused service teams, this new partnership fits well with the product direction, strategy and enthusiastic energy here at Wharfedale Pro.” Tech Top CEO, Kobi Shofan adds, “The Wharfedale Pro produ
Switzerland - The LIT Lighting Design Awards has added several leading lighting designers from the entertainment lighting industry to its judging team. Highly respected by their peers in the industry, the judges are tasked with recognising creativity and innovation in the fields of stage and concert lighting, live art and theatre lighting. They include: LeRoy Bennett, Roland Greil, Peter Morse and Charles B ‘Cosmo’ Wilson. "For the sixth consecutive year, the programme is honouring the efforts of the talented international lighting product designers and lighting implementers. With fast-growing interest, and an increase of projects submitted from the entertainment lighting industry, LIT has invited new jury members to join the LIT Lighting Design Awards," says a statement from LIT. “Their technical knowledge, extensive experience, eye for detail and their creative minds
USA - Four draft standards are available for public review and comment on the ESTA website at http://estalink.us/pr. The downloads are free. The documents in public review are: BSR E1.20, Entertainment Technology -- Remote Device Management Over USITT DMX512 Networks. The existing E1.20 - 2010, Entertainment Technology - Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512 Networks, is being revised to clarify ambiguities, fix bugs, and incorporate some additional features. E1.20 is an extension to USITT DMX512 and ANSI E1.11 that allows for bi-directional communication on the primary data link. This allows a controller to discover RDM-enabled devices on the link, to set starting addresses and other configuration settings, and to request status messages. The project also is to reinstate E1.20 as an American National Standard. It has lost that status due to being over-age. Comme
USA - ClearOne University has announced a full schedule of October webinars. Conferencing, collaboration, and network streaming solutions and five certifications for AVIXA RUs are covered in the comprehensive schedule, for which registration is now live. Those interested in participating can sign up for a wide range of classes that cover the latest technological developments at ClearOne, in addition to industry-favourite solutions including the Convergence AV Manager Certification, UNITE 200 Pro Camera Training, AV Conferencing Certification, Advanced Pro Audio Conferencing Certification, Design Library Training, Console AI Software Configuration Certification, and Pro Audio Conferencing Certification. www.clearone.com
UK - AE Live, provider of graphics and data solutions, and Pixotope are partnering to deliver a turnkey virtual production solution for broadcast, sports and live entertainment. The integrated system combines AE Live’s expertise in on-screen graphics, data and augmented reality with Pixotope Camera Tracking technology. “This end-to-end solution removes many of the challenges of traditional production,” said David Dowling, chief revenue officer at Pixotope. “It provides a full-service platform for delivering unique and immersive viewing experiences that are a perfect fit for the way audiences consume data and entertainment today.” The joint AE Live and Pixotope technology solution has been deployed successfully on several events across Europe including football, horse racing and rugby, with plans to expand its use on sports and events in the United Sta
Freelance Survey - More than half of theatre freelancers feel insecure about their jobs as a result of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, a major survey has found. According to the Big Freelancer Survey, almost a third (27%) of respondents also said their debt levels had increased since the pandemic. In addition, it found that in the past 12 months, half of all respondents had witnessed at least one form of harassment and/or discrimination – totalling 1,701 incidents. The survey of 1,497 freelancers was conducted in February 2022. It is the second in a planned series of five Big Freelancer Surveys until 2025, following the publication of the results of the first survey in 2020 of more than 8,000 participants. In its second iteration, the survey aims to provide insight into the impact of the pandemic and ongoing pre-pandemic issues on freelancers, alongside the insecu
France - HH Electronics, UK-based manufacturer of audio systems for the pro, MI and installed markets, has announced the appointment of Musique Industrie Développement (MID) as its exclusive distributor for France. A presence in the French market for many years, MID represents a broad range of industry-leading brands, and has built its success on a combination of close customer relationships and the expertise and passion of its highly successful team. James Baker, business development manager, UK and Europe, for HH Electronics, comments: "We're delighted to be partnering with MID in what is a very important market. They run an extremely well-organised and dynamic operation, placing great emphasis on meeting the precise needs of their customers by ensuring that their team is carefully trained on every product and system they represent. I recently conducted some HH training
UK - Get your carving kits out and let your Halloween creativity run wild in the Backup Pumpkin Challenge, which is back for some spooky fun and fundraising this October. Supported by Collaborative Creations, and now in its fourth year, the competition is open to anyone from the technical entertainment and creative industries. Entrants can use their in-house skills and equipment to enhance their carved pumpkin. "We’re delighted the industry has got behind it every year.” says Tom Wilkes of Collaborative Creations “We’ve been amazed at what people have come up with over the years and it’s a great way for the industry to raise money for a fantastic charity." The pumpkins will be judged in the following four categories: Best Overall Design (judged by panel), Best Use of Tech (judged by panel) Most Overall Likes (on Instagram). Entries have to be post
France - Ayrton is hosting the first in-person Entertainment Lighting Sessions for Women in Lighting at the Ayrton head offices in Paris on 20 October 2022. The full-day event promises to be one of inspiration, motivation, networking, personal and professional development and community for women. Ayrton is an active sponsor of the Women In Lighting (WIL) project which aims to promote the work of women lighting designers, and all women who work in lighting, across the entertainment industry by showcasing the skills and capabilities of these talented women, celebrating their achievements and encouraging others to become involved. Ayrton invites you to come along and enjoy the company of this growing community of women who are all about connecting, collaborating and empowering each other. As part of a wide-ranging programme, four keynote speakers from France, UK,
USA - At the 74th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards ceremony on 28 September in Los Angeles, ARRI was honoured with the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award. With this prestigious accolade, the Television Academy recognises the company for its more than a century of designing and manufacturing camera and lighting systems as well as its development of systemic technological solutions and service networks for a worldwide complex of film, broadcast, and media industries. Accepting this prize, named after the American inventor and television technician Philo Farnsworth and presented since 2003, was Dr. Matthias Erb, chairman of the ARRI Executive Board. “On behalf of all ARRI employees, I thank the Television Academy for this tremendous honour,” said Erb. “The Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award is a very special accolade since
