South Africa - The South African Communications Industries Association (SACIA) has announced that the Council of Events Professionals Africa (CEPA) will be reconstituted as a special interest group under the SACIA umbrella. CEPA was established in 2014 as the events industry’s professional body to develop and award professional designations to individuals working in the events industry. Originally formed as a three-way partnership between the Exhibition and Event Association of Southern Africa (EXSA), the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) Africa and the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), the Council (CEPA) has broad buy-in from members of all three associations, and the CEPA Board members appointed by the founding associations will continue to oversee activities through their appointment to a governing council. SACIA
South Africa - DWR Distribution hosted a Robe Roadshow during the first week of December. “It has been a while since a product has made such an impact in our market, and both the Esprite and Tetra2 have blown us away,” said Duncan Riley, managing director of DWR. “While the roadshow - hosted in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg - coincided with the busiest time of the year for many in our industry, we were pleased to demonstrate the fixtures to several key industry players. We were very grateful to those who were able to join us, and for the positive feedback that they gave. A big thank-you to the Roxy Revue Bar at the GrandWest Casino in Cape Town and the Grace Family Church in Durban for hosting us.” Demonstrations were held on the hour between 10am and 4PM throughout the Roadshow by DWR’s Jannie de Jager and Harry von den Stemmen, international sales dire
USA - Every time someone buys one of LiteGear’s popular LiteMat fixtures they are helping an industry colleague who is seriously ill or injured. That’s because LiteGear has pledged a portion of the profits of the sales of all LiteMat fixtures to Behind the Scenes and at the recent LDI show they presented a cheque to the charity for $10,000. LiteGear are designers and builders of LED lighting products for professionals in the ccinema, TV, and HD video industries and are pioneers behind the popularisation of flexible LED lighting for use in cinema and TV lighting applications. The LiteMat fixtures are designed to offer soft yet controllable light for location or studio work. Available in six sizes, these bi-color LED fixtures are made of a composite of polypropylene and sheet aluminum making Series 2 LiteMat and LiteMat+ one of the thinnest and lightest luminaires in its c
USA - More than 16,000 people attended LDI2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in November – the highest total in the tradeshow’s 32-year history. Many of the world’s leading industry brands chose this year’s LDI Conference and Tradeshow to launch new products and initiatives, as the show focused on the future of design and technology. Drone technology was in the air as Intel demonstrated its latest units with nightly shows – the star of the synchronicity involved 300 drones forming into a giant LDI logo in the night sky, before regrouping to perform a variety of choreographed routines. Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Mixed/Merged Reality and AI were firmly on the agenda as experts in the field explored how these technologies will impact the future of experiential entertainment and our lives as a whole. Sustainability and giving back to
UK - The Association of Sound Designers has announced the third of their flagship triennial seminar events: The Winter School 2020. It will be held in the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s Embassy Theatre. This is a week-long series of theatre sound related seminars being held Monday 6 to Friday 10 January 2020, including leading industry professionals such as Carolyn Downing, Ben and Max Ringham, Richard Brooker and Scott Willsallen. The seminars are aimed at undergraduates, recent graduates, apprentices and educators, as well as anyone else looking to expand their knowledge. Admission is free for all students and tutors, as well as ASD, IPS, AMPS and ALD members. Winter School is also home to the Tech Hub this year. Running alongside the seminars in our main space, the Tech Hub will enable attendees to get hands on experience of the newest sound equi
India - Xilica has announced the appointment of Sennheiser India as its distributor for the India, effective 11 December 11, 2019. Based in Gurugram, Haryana, Sennheiser India is one of the country’s largest sales, service and support firms operating with the professional AV, live sound, business communications and aviation markets. It will sell, stock and support the full range of Xilica-branded DSP solutions including the award-winning Solaro Series for fixed installation and the X2 Series for live sound, alongside the XTouch and XWP peripheral product lines. Managing a sizable network of leading channel partners across its distinct markets, Sennheiser India will offer Xilica products to qualifying dealers across all Indian states, backed by both the local support of the distributor and Xilica’s regionally-dispersed global support teams. “We’re delighte
Festive Spirit - Theatre Royal Stratford East will make its pantomime available for streaming to local hospitals and care homes. Its production of Dick Whittington will be captured live at the venue and made available for streaming to hospitals, hospices and care homes in east London and Essex. The initiative expands on a 2017 scheme in which Rapunzel was made available to three organisations in and around the area. TRSE head of learning and participation Flo Paul said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this streaming service to people in our local community who are not able to make it to Theatre Royal Stratford East to see our much-loved annual panto. This year we are expanding the offer to adults in care homes, as well as children in hospices and hospitals. At Stratford East, we believe it’s vital to offer a range of opportunities for people of all a
UK - There are no signs of slowing down for Triple E as a busy year draws to a close. The Kent-based stage-engineering manufacturer reports a busier team and factory than ever in the run up to the festive season. “The momentum we have seen in all areas of the business this year is continuing,” reflects deputy director, Lucy Edelstein. “The autumn has been incredibly busy and it’s been non-stop since the PLASA Show in September.” At PLASA Show 2019, Triple E took the opportunity to present two product prototypes to the industry - the Points System and the Bocking Block. “The Points System is a simple and elegant addition to our 2Way track system, allowing multiple drapes to be used on one track or to create different spaces in one room,” says Edelstein. “With both wired and wireless control all venues will be able to change the feel of their space
USA - Absen recently carried out the 100th training session of its free, globally-recognised ACE training programme as it welcomed technicians to its North American HQ in Orlando on 3-5 December. The Absen Certified Engineer (ACE) Programme is aimed at the LED display manufacturer’s partners and customers involved in the installation, configuration and maintenance of Absen products. Since its 2014 inception, more than 1,500 professionals have been certified worldwide, with 518 engineers certified in 2019 alone. “The goal of an ACE training programme is to teach participants how to set up a complete LED video wall from scratch,” comments Kenny Jin who heads up Absen’s ACE training programme. “Through the training programme, participants are able to master new technologies and develop their skills in this increasingly competitive marketplace. Moreover, it allo
UK - Shure has opened a new Experience Centre and office in London. The move further establishes the company’s presence in the UK and wider EMEA region by providing a location for product demonstrations with corporate, government and education customers looking for audio solutions for their respective facilities. The Rose Shure Experience Centre, named after the company’s late former chairman Rose L. Shure, was inaugurated earlier this month with a VIP opening that featured key Shure executives, including CEO Christine Schyvinck. Schyvinck comments: “I think Rose would be honoured by having such an amazing complex named after her, especially given the short amount of time it has taken to complete such an ambitious project.” “The Rose Shure Customer Experience Centre has been the accumulation of many, many months of work by Shure employees from all are
Europe - Over the past five weeks, Bose Professional has hosted Installed Sound Expansion events in 10 cities across Europe and the Middle East. Over 900 dealers, integrators, consultants and end users visited Bose offices and external venues to experience a two-hour showcase of some of the latest audio solutions that are now available. These events were the culmination of the launch of over 50 new products earlier this year. The Installed Sound Expansion has one goal: to provide consultants and integrators with the components they need to deliver complete systems - from simple, repeatable background music systems, to sound reinforcement, to more complex, networked, and distributed solutions. To accurately demonstrate how the expanded lines of loudspeakers, amplifiers, processors and controls can provide flexible, full audio solutions for more spaces than ever, the l
USA - Behind the Scenes has announced that J-4 Design has become a Pledge-a-Service partner by pledging to donate a percentage of their fees from theatrical lighting equipment repair to the charity. This represents a percentage of the gross labour charges from every repair order or outsourcing contract. J-4 Design focuses on architectural and theatrical systems sales and equipment repair services and work on all types of architectural and theatrical systems. On announcing the pledge, founder Scott ‘Scooter’ Wasserberg states: “I’m doing this because I was once in pain and dealing with my own personal mental health crisis and trying to find ways to pay the bills and find a new job and just not feel down. Our Pledge-a-Service commitment speaks to the heart of the company’s mission, to build partnerships and find solutions. Behind the Scenes provides solutions
South Africa - VWV Technical Business Unit has invested in PixelPlus’s LED visual solutions through Stage Audio Works. As an experiential agency that serves as the technical partner to VWV Group, the company hosts events and buys equipment based on these shows or specific client requests. The VWV team was looking to purchase something that would stabilise its portfolio and deliver an experience above and beyond for its clients. Following discussions with the team at Stage Audio Works and comparing the proposed solutions against other options, VWV eventually chose LED panels by PixelPlus due to the ease of set up and the visual beauty the solutions presented. “Over recent years, we have used projection,” explains Martin Slabbert, VWV technical manager. “Projection can be great, but it’s never quite the same as LED. We looked at purchasing LED purely so we coul
UK - Stage Electrics has announced it is hosting a showcase for lighting, audio, trussing and staging equipment in January in Bristol. Taking place on 29 January 2020 (Wednesday) at the SS Great Britain, the event is free to attend and will run from 2pm to 7pm, with drinks being served after 5.30pm. Over 20 manufacturers will be in attendance, including leading theatre brands Sennheiser, ETC, DiGiCo and Yamaha. "This event will be the perfect opportunity for those who work within the industry to see and get hands-on with the latest products. Alongside live demonstrations, there will be three interesting seminars, as well as an exciting pyrotechnics display," says the company. Those wishing to attend can secure free parking if they register for the even
USA - Prism Sound, part of Audio Squadron, has appointed Full Scale AV as its first ever exclusive USA distribution partner for all its products including SADiE. Full Scale AV has been a distributor of professional audio and music products in North America since 2005. The company provides sales and support of industry leading hardware and software products for musicians, live sound, recording, film/video production and commercial installations. “We are very excited to begin working with one of the most respected and trusted audio distributors in the States,” Prism Sound & Audio Squadron CEO James Woodburn comments. “The added bonus is Full Scale AV already distribute Tracktion products, so this neatly brings all the Audio Squadron Products under one distribution umbrella in the
UK - Specialist live music and venues company VMS Live is undergoing “a significant business realignment” following the appointment of its new CEO Bert Van Horck in September. The company has set up a new marketing department and is moving into new premises in London’s Kings Cross area in January 2020. The new office will house the company’s booking department, ticketing, marketing and music department, as well as central services such as finance and HR. Van Horck comments: “We have taken a very close look at the heart of the company and consulted with the great team of people working here and fantastic clients to make some well-informed, bold decisions. To align our aims and those of our clients’ we will invest in new systems, a new office, create a new marketing department, for which we have appointed two marketeers. This signals our ambitions to help our
Iceland - Prolights has appointed Exton as its new distributor for Iceland. Exton’s Vignir Hreinsson (project manager) and Sigurjón Sigurðsson (sales manager) comment: “Our motto is ‘ambition built on equality, cooperation and fun’. We take great pride in assisting our clients in any way needed and delivering on time world class services. It means a lot to us to be able to work in this kind of industry. “When we first approached to Prolights, we immediately appreciated their vision, intuition and quality. Prolights’ broad selection of equipment really impressed us.” Paolo Albani, international sales manager for Prolights, adds: “Exton shares our philosophy and they are well known as a top products supplier in their country. I have no doubt that their expertise will help Prolights gain popularity throughout Iceland and we are beyond proud they jo
Australia - ADJ entered a distribution partnership with the ULA Group for Australia and New Zealand on 1 December. Established in 1992, ULA supplies rental houses of all sizes as well as supporting major installers who provide clients with market-leading visual solutions and services. Working from three offices spread across Australia, in addition to a dedicated facility in New Zealand, the company demonstrates versatility and commitment to each project it undertakes, whether a standalone display for an event or an extensive collaboration with a publicly listed corporation. “We are extremely excited to extend our partnership with ADJ Group and include the world renowned ADJ product range in our portfolio,” comments Cuono (Con) Biviano, managing director of ULA Group. “The globally strong ADJ brand represents a vast range of innovative products with great ROI an
South Africa - Over the past few years, Blond Productions has established a strong reputation as a leading supplier of turn-key technical solutions for the live events, television and film industries across Africa. In line with the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest technical standards, company owner, Christiaan Ballot, and the Blond Productions team have recently taken delivery of 12 Robe Esprite fixtures from DWR Distribution, Robe’s African distribution partner. “Blond Productions services a niche clientele, and the industry has come to rely on us to bring the latest and best in production lighting to the table. We always try to invest in technology that ensures that we not only meet, but exceed our client’s expectations, and which sets us apart from the competition,” Christiaan points out. According to Christiaan, Blond has been looki
UAE - JoeCo is growing its reach in the Middle East thanks to a new distribution relationship with Provision AVL. The Dubai-based distributor will now represent the brand across the GCC region and follows hot on the heels of a similar deal with Boujikian Bros in Lebanon. The new relationships mean that the manufacturer has direct representatives in every territory across the Middle East. “We had been looking for some time to find the right partners for JoeCo in Middle Eastern territories,” explains Graham Murray, business development at JoeCo. “We feel it is important to have strong partners and a local presence to promote and backup JoeCo equipment sales. Provision AVL can provide the facility to support local customers and effectively promote JoeCo solutions to the Middle Eastern markets. After spending a few days with Kevin and seeing him and his team in action, it
Call to Arms - Industry leaders including National Theatre bosses Rufus Norris and Lisa Burger and Bristol Old Vic’s artistic director Tom Morris are calling on the sector to band together to fight for increased arts investment from a new government. They have issued the call to arms in an attempt to undo the effects of austerity-era cuts. Their demands for increased arts funding from central government come alongside warnings that the regional theatre sector could “fall over” if support does not increase, and that the crisis facing organisations nationwide is “sharper and more acute” than has so far been publicly acknowledged. As the UK prepares to head to the polls and with both Labour and the Conservatives promising a boost to public spending, theatre bosses have claimed now is the moment for a major policy shift around arts funding. Morris said: “
Denmark - Designed by award-winning architects Henning Larsen AS, Moesgaard Museum (MOMU) is one of Denmark’s leading attractions. Built into and rising up from the rolling hills overlooking Aarhus Bay, MOMU blends ancient artefacts with modern technology to bring the past alive. The latest exhibition, Bound for disaster - Pompeii and Herculaneum, brings to life the events that unfolded around the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, killing an estimated 2,500 people. The sound design for this new audio-visual experience was created by exhibition soundscape specialist, Søren Bendixen of Audiotect, and is built entirely around Genelec’s new 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers. Combined with the scenography, video mapping and lighting, the soundscape immerses visitors in the pre-disaster atmosphere of the lively city of Pompeii, before leading them into the pos
Lithuania - Sixty82 has entered into an exclusive partnership with Scenos Techninis Servisas (STS) as its distributor for the Lithuanian market. Vilnius-based STS offers a variety of staging, trussing and rigging equipment as well as lighting, sound and video products. The company’s services include installations of stage, lighting and sound systems. Sixty82’s CEO, Fokko Smeding, comments: “The best partnerships aren’t dependent on a mere common goal, but on a shared path of equality, desire, and a great amount of passion. Therefore we believe that STS is the perfect partner to service our customers. This agreement further iterates both the company’s enthusiasm to drive growth and extend relationships with its customers.” Date Jonkman, executive account manager of Sixty82, adds: “With STS’s history of representing leading manufacturers of trussing
France - Lighting industry professionals are invited to present their ideas for conference papers for the 2021 programme of Showlight, the quadrennial event taking place on 22-25 May 2021 in Fontainebleau. Anyone involved in lighting - whether lighting designers, lighting directors, directors of photography, architectural lighting designers or those in associated crafts like programmers and manufacturers - are invited to submit their ideas. Subjects might include innovative designs; unusual projects, large or small; solving the impossible; the future and the past - where should we be going and what should we have learned; issues that are affecting our industry and how we work. Talks are to be 20 minutes in length to enable as many papers as possible to be presented over the three-day period. If you would like to become part of Showlight 2021 by presenting a pape
