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Lightfactor Sales has collaborated with design and installation specialist Entserv to supply a series of high contrast lighting for temporary interactive maze attractions at Thorpe Park (The Freezer and Freakshow) and Chessington World of Adventures (Pirate Jack) theme parks.

Entserv’s Steve Richley was approached by The Tussauds Group Studios to design the show and electrical systems for the three mazes and to carry out the lighting and electrical installations. Both Lightfactor and Entserv are regular technical contractors to Tussauds, and engage in some of their most demanding and exciting projects.

Entserv also supplied the audio, pneumatics and technical infrastructure to bring The Freezer to ‘life’, with Lightfactor supplying the lighting. The overall concept design for the three mazes was by Sudden Impact Inc from the USA, who were in the UK for the first tim

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The Entertainment Services and Technology Association’s Board of Directors has voted unanimously to open up ESTA’s Code of Conduct to allow complaints to be filed by the general public, with effect from 1 January 2003. In 1999, ESTA led the industry in promoting ethical business practices and professionalism by creating and adopting a Code of Conduct for members. Received with enthusiasm by members, the Code was also used as a model by several other industry associations, including PLASA and CITT, in creating their own codes.

ESTA’s Code of Conduct plays a very important role in maintaining public confidence in the industry by assuring the public of uniformly high standards in their dealings with members of the Association. As one member of the public said: "ESTA membership does matter to many of us and we use it as a ‘recommendation’ when looking for

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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XL Video UK is supplying leading UK pop band Blue with a full touring video hardware package and crew. Blue are currently riding the crest of a massive popularity wave and also establishing themselves at the credible end of the pop scale, with a nationwide arena tour finishing two days before Christmas, which you can read all about in the January issue of Lighting&Sound International.

Video is the central visual concept to Blue’s energetic, up-tempo show. The artistic director is Kim Gavin, whilst the set is designed by Paul Staples, and the show’s video baseline developed by lighting designer Peter Barnes. Central to video being the defining visual counterpoint is an enormous 60ft by 24ft low resolution Westerhagen LED screen from Germany. This was originally designed and built by XL Video for German touring and recording artist Paul Westerhagen. Barnes had heard about the

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Guests on board Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity, which goes into service June 2003, will be able to watch first-run movies in a luxury 200+ seat projection theatre with state-of-the-art audio visual systems, including audio enhancement for the hearing-impaired. Responsible for the entertainment design and installation for the Hollywood Theatre is MAVCO, whose Director of Engineering, Rob Shuard, asked Triple E to design and supply a custom projection screen, with variable pre-set masking using the company's Chaintrack system. Shuard said: "We needed a system that allowed for multiple masking presets including anamorphic 2.35:1, widescreen 16:9 and standard 4:3. Given the restricted space on board the vessel, Triple E's Chaintrack system was chosen for its ultra-low profile and its ability to turn tight corners."

The 4.7m wide x 2m high screen required black masking panels t

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Those involved in Fire Safety may be interested in a seminar being held at the Headquarters of the Institute of Electrical Engineers at Savoy Place. Taking place on 12 December, the focus is on the recently revised Building Regulations Part B - Fire Safety. Whilst the bulk is on prevention and accordant construction, time will be devoted to detection and warning systems.

For more information, contact the IEE or Alison Payton at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers on the e-mail address shown.

(James Eade)

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Marquee Audio has supplied a Yamaha DM2000 digital console to its regular customer, the Clywd Theatr Cymru of Mold in North Wales. The new desk has been installed in the smaller of the theatre's two auditoriums, part of a rolling replacement programme of audio equipment.

The 250-seat Emlyn Williams Theatre is equipped with a Meyer PA rig, Akai samplers and hard-disk recorders, and a Sennheiser radio mic system, all of which have been supplied by Marquee Audio. Kev Hays, the Head of Sound at Clywd Theatr Cymru, explains that the DM2000 replaces the Yamaha 02Rs which were the first to be installed in the UK. "And the DM2000 now contains all the features I would have loved the 02Rs to have had when we bought those in the mid 90s," adds Hays, who first saw the DM2000 when he attended Marquee Audio's summer demos at the Lyric Theatre in London.

"The desk as standard has 96

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Already owners of the UK's largest X-Array system, Ayrshire-based Fenwick Mobile Exhibitions (FMX), has continued to affirm its faith in the Electro-Voice brand by becoming one of the first customers to invest in some of EV's newest technology, the XLC compact line array system.

According to FMX's Ron MacGillivray, XLC suits the style of event for which FMX has become known. "We do a lot of radio station work such as roadshows and other one-off events, many of which take place outdoors. Get-in and get-out times are usually minimal, and that is where a system like XLC really comes into its own."

Son and business partner Ross MacGillivray agrees: "XLC cabinets are smaller and lighter than anything else we have, and because of their 120° dispersion characteristics, you need fewer of them to cover the same area. That basically means we're taking up much less room in the t

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ABC Entertainments has recently completed a sound installation in Vintners Hall in the City of London. The building is listed, and a PA system with a hearing-aid loop was needed for speeches. The spec was for two hand-held radio mics, one lapel radio mic and a discrete lectern radio mic for a portable, solid silver table-mounted lectern. The speakers needed to be discrete, or preferably completely hidden, as well as being very sharp and clear.

ABC installed used two Sennheiser EW145 hand-helds, a Sennheiser EW112 lapel system and a Sennheiser EVO pack and receiver for the lectern mic with a Sennheiser COM1425 attached to the transmitter. This was placed with an additional on/off switch on a perspex mount out of sight beneath the lectern. The hearing aid loop was Ampetronic and the speakers were eight Bose 161s. The amplification was supplied by two Citronic PSX350s, all mixed with a Sp

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Hand Held Audio has been supplying the BBC's Fame Academy with all of its wireless requirements since the show's debut in early October. Despite an initial poor showing in the ratings wars, Fame Academy has gained in popularity in recent weeks, culminating in nearly six million viewers for the live show last week which saw Malachi evicted, plus a live performance from guest celebrity Ronan Keating.

Hand Held began by supplying the show with a total of 14 Shure hand-held systems featuring Beta 58 capsules which were for use on the live performances at the end of the week. For the rest of the time, the students were furnished with a Shure beltpack lavalier system using MKE2 capsules as the cameras followed their progress at work and play. Hand Held's Mick Shepherd pointed out a certain irony in the fact that as the show's ratings go up, the gear requirements go down. "As students ar

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Uno di noi', the new prime-time TV variety show by RAI UNO, hosted by veteran pop idol Gianni Morandi with Lorella Cuccarini and Paola Cortellesi, is now Italy’s most-watched Saturday night television programme, with peaks of over 10 million viewers. The programme's guests include top Italian and international artists, including Craig David, Mark Knopfler, Tom Jones, Anastasia, Phil Collins, Franco Battiato, Piero Pelù, Lucio Dalla and Daniele Silvestri.

'Uno di noi' is one of RAI's biggest productions in terms of both the complexity of the audio and lighting systems and the studio dimensions. The studio (which holds over 1,000 spectators for each show) is 85m long and 35m wide, with a total area of approximately 3,000sq.m, and is 14 metres high. The lighting rig, designed by Pino Quini, includes 350 motorized fixtures, of which no less than 264 are from Italian manufacturer SG

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Gearhouse South Africa was extensively involved with the Auto Africa show (23-27 Oct) - Africa’s biggest motoring event. Bill Lawford was Gearhouse SA’s project manager for the event, running a team of 30 Gearhouse technicians. The bulk of the company’s work at Auto Africa 2002 was in providing sound, audio-visual equipment, rigging and decking. In particular, rigging the trussing proved no small feat - Gearhouse SA rigged over 500 different hanging points throughout the three main Auto Africa exhibition halls.

Among the 25+ stands that Gearhouse SA was involved in were Land Rover, Ford, Mazda, Alpha Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler Jeep, Renault, Honda and Porsche. The range of equipment was extensive: for example, a cube wall on the Mazda stand involved 48 separate cubes. "To set that up they had to be perfectly balanced and stitched together which was quite a job,"

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Ministry of Sound has had a new JBL Vertec line array audio system installed into it’s busy Bar space - the first area of the venue entered by clubbers, where it’s considered crucial to create the right audio impression. Vertec was supplied by JBL’s UK distributors Arbiter Pro Audio to Liverpool-based Over Audio, who co-ordinated the supply.

The system consists of eight Vertec VT-4889 elements - and was specified by David Bradshaw, the Ministry’s Head of Production. Bradshaw was looking for a system with large amounts of energy and direction that would adequately cover all areas of the unorthodox shaped room: apart from that, it had to look good, and work in the context of the space’s aesthetics. Bradshaw had realized the versatility of Vertec during the Ministry of Sound’s University tour earlier in the year, where they "used it in all conceiv

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Screenco provided a huge backdrop for this year’s Smash Hits T4 Pollwinners Party at London Arena, which was broadcast live on Channel 4. The event, co-hosted by Vernon Kay, June Sarpong and special guest host Kelly Osbourne, was celebrating its 15th year, and included performances by Liberty X, Sugababes, Atomic Kitten and Holly Valance.

Contracted by production company Nine Yards, Screenco’s vast 156-module, 25mm screen, all supplied from the company’s UK stock, measured 21.13m wide by 7.32m high, making it the biggest indoor LED high-brightness display ever seen in Europe. It thus provided an exciting solution for Hamish Hamilton’s Done & Dusted, who were responsible for the television production and design.

With all the risers set behind the screen, a large 8.1m x 4.88m door, positioned in the centre, raised and lowered on varispeed dual-brake motor hoists

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The seventh World Lighting Fair was held at Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall in early October. 50 companies from across Japan were joined by 21 international companies at the show, and the show enjoyed high visitor levels from the start, say the organizers.

Exhibits covered not only lighting products for stage and TV markets, but also new software and hardware were presented addressing their broad applications in markets such as retail, architecture, video projection, advertisement and promotion, design and presentation. The seminar programme included a broad range of topics from the latest on control protocols, education systems for theatre technology, opera productions and lighting design for theatres to a model of the lighting designer for the 21st century.

The next WLF will be held at the same venue from June 24 to 26, 2004.

(Lee Baldock)

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PCM’s famous Lodestar Motor School continues its on-going world tour, with the first, highly successful event to be held in Dublin. The School was co-ordinated by top Dublin-based lighting sales and installation company Stage Lighting Centre, run by the charismatic Pat Walsh, assisted by Paddy Farrell. It was held in the prestigious Abbey Theatre in central Dublin - the National Theatre of Ireland.

28 people attended the School, presented by PCM’s tutor-in-chief Tony Dickson. They came from all areas of the professional entertainment industry from across the country. The two-day Motor School covered many topics. A king pin of the PCM course is the complete stripping down and re-assembling of a Lodestar motor, enabling students to learn about the role and significance of the machine’s electrical and mechanical components, and how they inter-relate. Working in pairs, st

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The Jiri Myron Theatre in Ostrava is one of the Czech Republic’s leading theatre venues, and the home stage of operetta, drama and ballet ensembles of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre. During the recent summer recess, the theatre partially upgraded its ageing control system, choosing ADB control and dimmer systems after comparing competitive products from various local and international suppliers. ADB’S Czech representative Zat Easy Control supplied the equipment.

The lighting crew and the head of the lighting department, Stanislav Dvorak, had already worked with a complete range of ADB equipment in the Antonin Dvorak Theatre, which is also part of the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre. ADB’s top of the line console Phoenix 10 was chosen for the control desk. This allows enough flexibility to harness the mix of moving and conventional fixtures installed through

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Theatre Projects Consultants is about to start work on site on a new arts complex in Ningbo, the largest deep water port in China, some three hours drive to the south east of Shanghai. Designed by Theatre Projects in conjunction with French architects Frederic Rolland & Partners, the arts complex will bring Ningbo into line with other Chinese regions and includes a 1,400 seat opera house and 800 seat theatre.

"This project is unique because we have been engaged for the full project," said David Staples, managing director of Theatre Projects Consultants, London. "Normally Theatre Projects, and any other foreign consultants, would be involved only in the initial planning stages and conceptual design phase. Once these had been completed we'd hand the project over to local contractors."

This project is also unique in that, because the site is in a flood plain, the art

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The Event Services Association (TESA) is moving into providing training for the UK event industry with the launch of a series of Health and Safety Courses.

Designed to improve standards in the events industry, the first three courses are planned for March, April and May of next year and will be undertaken for the Association in conjunction with Richard Limb, Director of Leisure Safety and Group Safety Manager with the Symonds Group, one of the industry’s leading event safety consultancies.

Costing just £195 + VAT per delegate, the one-day course will cover everything from risk assessment planning to the evaluation of both indoor and outdoor sites for events. Delegates are given a practical exercise to do in site planning and complete the course with a TESA/Symonds Certificate to show that they have completed the work.

Further courses are also being planned in other areas of

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Impact Europe, a market leader in audio visual integration, has signed a pan European agreement with Christie, a leading supplier of high performance projection systems. The agreement encompasses the entire Christie product portfolio.

Impact Europe integrates audio visual products into a variety of presentation systems ranging from simple meeting rooms, to network management centres and virtual environments, as well as providing customer support and facilities management contracts for those installed systems. "With over 39 engineers and dedicated support staff, based out of their Customer Support Centre in Sunbury, UK, Impact Europe is ideally positioned to provide its customers with Christie solutions, which can be supported by a comprehensive range of service and maintenance offerings, with the added security of facilities management and full service contracts when needed,"

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Legendary New Jersey, NY DJ Tony Humphries performed at Ministry of Sound in London last week with a storming set, during which he used the new Denon DN-S5000 single CD player. This was the first UK public performance using the new Denon machine which is just becoming available after its launch in September.

Denon equipment has always been a favourite with Humphries. The first piece of Denon kit he bought was the maverick DN-2000F twin CD player. This was followed by the state-of-the-art DN-2600F twin CD player and the DNM-2300R Mini Disc recorder. When he heard about the DN-S5000 Humphries contacted Silvio Zeppieri at Denon USA. The gig at Ministry of Sound was approaching and he was keen to be the first person to use the machine at a major UK event. Zeppieri thus arranged for a loan model to be made available for use in his studio. To ensure the a unit would be available at the Minis

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A Nexo Alpha-E sound reinforcement system has been installed in the impressive new Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, a prestige project which has much in common with another high-profile Nexo customer, the Stade de France in Paris.

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium seats 80,000 spectators, which makes it one of the world's largest Olympic stadia. The opening event featured a match between the teams of Galatasarray Istanbul and Olympiakos Athenes. Although the venue is intended mainly for athletics and football, it will also be used for concerts, where it’s capacity can climb to 100,000.

At a total cost of about USD140 million, the Atatürk Olympic Stadium is a state-of-the-art facility. Designed in the form of a crescent, the stadium's roof is a complex, huge steel structure with a total weight of 4,400 tons and a total size of 31,000 square metres. In addition to all th

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Large format projection specialists E/T/C UK projected the images of the BBC’s 10 Greatest Britons onto three different city centre landmarks. Contracted by the BBC, E/T/C UK did this over the three evening’s leading up to the broadcast of the final programme in this high profile series.

As the final winner was announced, the face of Winston Churchill, voted the all-time greatest Briton by the public, was then projected onto all three buildings - in London, Liverpool and Bristol - in a simultaneous live broadcast.

The project followed on from E/T/C’s work with the BBC for the first programme in the series - on Viscount Horatio Nelson. They projected the face of Nelson onto the Shell Building on London’s South Bank. This projection was such a success, that the BBC decided to publicise the finale using the same hi-impact promotional techniques of large format p

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Star Hire (Event Services) Limited joined the cream of the pop world once again when it installed the staging for the 2002 Top of the Pops Awards in Manchester.

The Awards, hosted by Ronan Keating, attracted a veritable A-List of pop stars, from Best Newcomer Will Young, to double- winner Kylie and Lifetime Hall of Fame winner Sir Elton John. They also performed live sets alongside Miss Dynamite, Blue and the Manic Street Preachers.

The set, designed by Miranda Jones of Mermaid Design, was in keeping with the look of the televised weekly programme, but expanded to fit the dimensions of the enormous Manchester Evening News Arena. Star Hire was contracted to supplement the Arena’s own staging system to house the huge production. This included building the awards platform sited to one side of the stage and a temporary ‘bridge’ and red carpet walkway connecting the plat

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The World Rally Championships were recently staged in Cardiff, and Stage Electrics was on hand to provide significant resources over a number of key sites for this major sporting event.

The Network Q Rally started on the 14 November and was timed to coincide with the switching on of Cardiff’s Christmas Lights. The main high street in Cardiff was closed to traffic from 10am, and there then followed a race against time to ensure all of the production was in place by 5pm. Stage Electrics provided main stage lighting on a Star Hire Mk1 Stage, as well as lighting to other areas.

The biggest focus of the Rally for spectators was the Super Special Stage, hosted in a purpose- built arena in Cardiff’s Docks. Stage Electrics powered the majority of all site services, as well as all spectator and emergency lighting. A total of 24 generators supplied through Power Electrics of Bristo

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