The Netherlands - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) will exhibit an array of specialist TV, broadcast and film lighting solutions from leading brands including Chroma-Q, Vista by Chroma-Q, Quasar Science and RatPac on stand 12.D39 at IBC this week. Chroma-Q will continue to celebrate its 15th year in LED lighting innovation. Drawing upon this expertise, its latest generation of award-winning solutions utilise proprietary homogenised optics, colour management and dimming technologies to deliver a superior quality of light output and colour consistency. The new Chroma-Q Space Force onebytwo variable white LED soft light panel will make its IBC debut. Recipient of a Lighting Product of the Year Award at NAB, the unit is a modern replacement for traditional soft sources and is the ideal fit for creating a huge volume of light in standard room ceiling height studios
UK - Avolites will showcase the Q4 media server, the latest development in the Q server range. Q4 boasts four full 4K outputs, which will be able to drive three layers of visually lossless, 4K content to every output simultaneously. It also features Avolites’ Ai software, built on the Salvation node engine, which provides the tools needed to create effective shows, whatever the requirements. The new server will ship with Modular Flex Inputs, allowing video inputs to be swapped in and out to suit every situation. In addition, Avolites will demo Synergy with its latest integration between Titan and Ai. The software, which won a PLASA Award for Innovation in 2018, integrates lighting and video seamlessly, allowing users to turn their stages into one visual canvas. It has been used on shows and installations around the world, including the Temple Stage at Glastonbury th
UK - Following a critically acclaimed UK tour, the stage adaptation of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin promptly transferred to the West End for a recent nine-week season at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Lighting the show throughout has been Malcolm Rippeth, who as with the touring version, made heavy use of Martin by Harman’s MAC Encore Performance CLD and MAC Aura XB fixtures when the show moved to the West End - supplied as part of the lighting package by White Light. Based on Louis de Bernières’ best-selling novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is a story of romance in the face of the Second World War, set on the idyllic Greek island of Cephalonia. The creative team did justice to this epic story in just two and a half hours of stage time. “Consequently there were jump-cuts throughout the play, split screens, and montages of years passing,” say
UK - Leeds Trinity University has upgraded the lighting infrastructure of its TV studio facilities to next generation systems utilising Vista by Chroma-Q lighting & media control. The university was one of the first establishments to have professional TV studio production facilities as part of its courses. Student applications range from live daily news and culture shows to interviews or scenes for documentary and film productions. After upgrading its original tungsten lighting to all-LED DMX rigs, the university wanted to invest in a control solution which staff and students would find straightforward to operate, whilst also being widely used professionally. They invested in new control systems for both TV studios which utilise the latest Vista 3 software, with hands-on controls provided by Vista MV control surfaces. Mark Willett, the university’s se
Germany - After taking Las Vegas and London by storm, Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike Live will now move on to Berlin. Inspired by the hit Magic Mike film franchise, the latest production will open at the newly remodelled Club Theatre at Potsdamer Platz in November this year. Having supported the London show since its opening last year, full service technical production company Hawthorn has been chosen to supply lighting equipment to the new Berlin production. Conceived and co-directed by Tatum, Magic Mike Live is a large-scale, live production show featuring a group of extraordinary artists who perform an immersive 360-degree dance and acrobatic spectacular. With a rig almost double the size of the West End production, 500 fixtures to be precise, Hawthorn is supplying lighting equipment to the specification of theatre lighting designer Philip
UK - Good times mixed with valuable insights at the grand opening of the ChamSys UK head office in Southampton's Brooklands Courtyard. On 2 September, over 150 lighting programmers and designers from throughout Europe attended the inauguration of the new office, training facility and product development centre. Visitors participated in informative classes, think tanks, and training sessions focused on the new MagicQ and QuickQ software from ChamSys. Adding a light-hearted touch of drama to the proceedings was a short skit presented by company team members on the history of ChamSys. The skit recounted how company cofounder Chris Kennedy developed his first console at the age of 10. Telling the story of a young man with big dreams, it showed how Kennedy achieved something beyond even his wildest imagination years later when an award-winning ChamSys console was used by A
UK - Lauren Drinkwater has joined TMB’s Global Customer Development Group. Lauren arrives with an extensive background in sales, support, and business management in the entertainment technology and production field. Drinkwater’s role at TMB is to build customer relationships, increase awareness of TMB’s products and service, and directly assist TMB’s European distribution partners. She will be based out of TMB’s UK office and will be at PLASA 2019. Drinkwater brings years of experience to her new role at TMB, including management at City Theatrical, sales at Martin Professional, and accounts management at Sound Technology. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the European arm of TMB’s global presence,” she says. “I’m particularly excited about TMB’s emphasis on long-term personal interaction with top-flight professional companies. To this end, my exper
USA - Chauvet Professional has appointed Brad Haynes as its national resource manager, concert and touring. Haynes joins Chauvet from AC Lighting and will foster relationships between the company and touring designers in addition to creating a range of educational programmes. “All of us at Chauvet Professional are excited about welcoming Brad to our team,” comments Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “We have a great deal of respect for his knowledge and integrity. His extensive experience in the concert and touring world will enable us to serve those markets even better than we do today.” Prior to his experience at AC Lighting, Haynes was director of product and application support at Harman International, where he managed product training and demo programs for internal staff as well as lighting professionals. He also held a series of commercial positions at Marti
USA - Lighting designer Benoit Richard specified two High End Systems Hog 4-18 lighting control systems for Rob Thomas’ Chip Tooth Smile Tour 2019. “The Hog 4 controls everything in my design and has an extensive use of the pixel mapping engine on most of the fixtures in the rig,” the LD says. Since his years as a former High End Systems designer and programmer, Benoit continued to use Hogs on projects ranging from tours and television specials to blockbuster films. “I was super happy when Bandit Lites purchased the two new Hog 4-18s for the tour earlier this year,” he says. “And I love the fact that they are manufactured in the USA.” Richard programmed the show for the Matchbox Twenty co-founder with lighting director Patrick Hayes, who carries out his design on the road. Hayes was introduced to Hogs while participating (and winning) the inaugural
Saudi Arabia - Called upon by event producer Maestro Group to light the King Cup Final in Riyadh, lighting designer Koert Vermeulen used the versatility of a rig exclusively from Vari-Lite, a Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) entertainment lighting brand, to deliver his stadium-scale design. His creation utilised 350 Vari-Lite fixtures, including 100 of the new VL10 BeamWash and 100 fixtures from the LED-based VLZ range. The King Cup, the highlight of the Saudi soccer season, was held in May at Riyadh’s King Fahd International Stadium. The event included three separate shows - a five-minute pre-match entertainment, a 17-minute half-time show, and a post-show entertainment featuring an hour-long set by Saudi popstar, Rabeh Sager. Vermeulen, of Belgium-based consultancy ACTLD, is no stranger to the challenges of designing on a stadium scale, and the variety of demands it makes
Singapore - Ayrton MagicBlade-FX and Mistral spot luminaires were recently supplied to the Church of Our Saviour in Singapore by Ayrton’s exclusive local distributor, Total Solution Marketing Pte. The Ayrton fixtures were chosen for a number of reasons, as technical director, Ron Chiam, explains: “Because we only have a small space, we needed fixtures that were small and compact, but at the same time powerful enough to create a vibrant atmosphere. It was the first time we had heard about Ayrton, but soon realised that these were the fixtures to go for in the space that we had. They are used during moments of worship and are also used to create 3D-like lighting for our camera crew, so that they can capture what is on and off stage with ease. “We have four MagicBlade-FXs rigged up on our flybars in a V-shape, so that we can fan them out to create some eye candy ef
UK - Matilda The Musical followed its successful run in London’s West End by embarking on a major international tour, opening in South Africa and presently in Asia Pacific. The Roald Dahl inspired award-winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company tells the story of an extraordinary little girl who changes her own destiny. Associate lighting designer Chris Hirst has been working alongside original LD Hugh Vanstone, and with the latter’s consent, has developed a more LED-centric inventory, scaling down the number of fixtures and making it easier for him, and production technician Fraser Hall to tour with. Much of the inventory, supplied by Hawthorn, is based on Martin by Harman moving heads including quantities of Martin MAC Encore Performance CLD, Martin MAC Encore Wash CLD and Martin MAC Aura XB, exclusively distributed in the UK by Sound Technology.
UK - Elation will team up with technology equipment solutions provider Entedi to present a line-up of innovative lighting tools at PLASA 2019 on Stand H40. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the 50,000-lumen Proteus Maximus, an all-purpose beam/profile/wash power luminaire with a top-of-the-line design package that shows as the brightest LED profile on the market. With a custom designed 950W LED engine and large 180mm front lens, Maximus has the power to cut through at even great distances and with IP65 protection can be exposed on outdoor shows. Joining the Maximus is the 45,000-lumen Artiste Monet, a full-featured LED Profile offering outstanding projection quality, a comprehensive FX package, dynamic framing and a wide array of colours via an innovative SpectraColor colour mixing system. Also showing is the Smarty MAX, an extreme-output Spot/Beam/Wash
UK - White Light has once again supplied the lighting equipment for the entire Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre season, which recently culminated in a revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Evita. Established in 1932, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is one of the largest theatres in London. Situated in a Royal Park, both its stage and auditorium are entirely uncovered and every year it hosts a season of bold and dynamic productions. This year was no exception, with productions of Our Town, Hansel and Gretel and A Midsummer Night’s Dream all achieving critical acclaim. The final show of the season was Evita which was directed by Jamie Lloyd, designed by Soutra Gilmour and lit by Oliver Award-winner Jon Clark. Jon explains: “Soutra and Jamie chose to set Evita on a dilapidated seating bleacher, which to al
Italy - Soul star John Legend performed on 25 July at the Greek Theatre of Taormina, Sicily. It was Legend's only European exhibition, accompanied for the occasion by a 100-piece orchestra. The event was lit up by186 DTS projectors (Raptor, NRG 1401, Brick, Katana, and Wonder). “The atmosphere of the Greek Theater of Taormina was beautiful,” said Nicola Mongi, lighting project manager. “DTS projectors, supplied through Madema Italia, integrated well with that unique place; in addition to their brightness and colour quality, the choice of DTS projectors was perfect because they are all very compact and lightweight, the right fit for the stage space – 2300 years old – that is obviously to be treated with the utmost care and does not allow for cumbersome installations. “I am really happy with the result. The audience and the production were enthusiastic
UK - At PLASA 2019, Artistic Licence will be launching rackSplit octo, the first product in its new ‘skinny rack’ range. Designed for a standard 19” rack but only 50mm deep, the product - an 8-output DMX/RDM opto-splitter with Neutrik XLR5 outputs - packs premium functionality into an impressively compact form factor. Visitors are invited to view rackSplit octo in the PLASA Awards for Innovation gallery and on Stand C32. rackSplit octo is a budget-friendly 1U rack-mount DMX/RDM opto-splitter. rackSplit octo heralds the new ‘skinny rack’ range from Artistic Licence, which also currently comprises a gateway (rackLynx octo). Its metal enclosure is a mere 50mm deep, allowing products to be doubled up (front and back) in touring racks for maximum packing density. Alternatively, the splitter is great for space-saving on wall mounted 1U racks. The product features
UK - Obsidian Control Systems will be joining with UK distribution partner Entedi at PLASA, where the new NX 4 lighting console with DYLOS pixel composition engine will be available for demo. Designers, programmers and operators are invited to Stand H40 for a look at this powerful console in the intuitive ONYX platform and experience the creative possibilities with DYLOS. Equipped with a range of professional features and using the latest in industrial components, the NX 4 is designed to handle even the largest show with ease. With a well-arranged combination of motorized and manual faders, along with an array of playback buttons, the NX 4 offers 44 total playbacks in a compact yet powerful package. DYLOS aims to provide new and innovative ways that far exceed the capabilities of regular pixel-mapping systems and is the first of many exciting steps for the ONYX platfo
France - The 12th Annual Natural Games Festival took place in Millau in June, bringing together the world’s leading competitors in eight outdoor pro/amateur competitions. On the programme were boulder climbing, freestyle kayaking, kayak boarder, acrobatic paragliding, slopestyle MTB, trial MTB, stand up paddle racing, highline and jumpline. A without limits sports playground, Millau has become the world capital of outdoor sports, and The Natural Games has established itself as the European leader in outdoor sports and music entertainment festivals. In addition to the exciting official competitions the event featured a brand village, free workshops, shows and live concerts. Lighting designer Jean-Charles Lacombe chose 12 Claypaky B-EYE K20s, provided by STE Audio, to illuminate the stage because he is very familiar with the lighting fixtures. “They completely meet m
Italy - Following the resignation of the former chairman Silvano Latteo, DTS Illuminazione has announced the appointment of Dante Latteo as chief executive officer. Dante Latteo has been appointed as new CEO in the pursuit of the company’s business continuous growth, says DTS. He is one of the founding members of the company and has been serving DTS for decades as senior board member. The new management will continue the company development process started a year ago, giving new impetus to the products innovation and brand repositioning in the world market, as well as consolidating the domestic achievements. A DTS statemenent says, “All at DTS would like to express their gratitude to Silvano Latteo for the decades of commitment as chairman. Silvano's efforts contributed to expand and consolidate the company business, thanks to his entrepreneurial attitude and in se
The doors of PLASA Show 2019 open in just a few days from 15-17 September at Olympia London, where thousands of visitors will experience the leading edge of live entertainment technology. With 220+ brands, 55+ educational sessions and a plethora of immersive features, this year’s show is ready to serve industry professionals from all sectors. PLASA’s Managing Director Peter Heath comments: “Last year’s edition of PLASA Show was heralded for its high footfall and vibrant atmosphere. We have worked hard to build upon this by offering more brands and new features for a show that is both enjoyable and productive. Of course, we couldn’t do it without the exhibitors and their technology which has developed at a dizzying rate over the years – PLASA is proud to provide a platform for such innovation, and we can’t wait to share what’s in store.”
UK - Southwest London venue Under the Bridge has benefited from the installation of a new LED wall as well as lighting and audio upgrades at its premises. “Since Under the Bridge launched in 2011, we’ve taken great pride being one of the UK’s most unique and technically-advanced, mid-sized, multi-purpose venues for hire,” says creative manager, Alan Tenenbaum. “With approximately 100 confirmed events scheduled to host for the remainder of 2019, we’re excited to share this production upgrade with our clients and audiences. The upgrade puts our intimate venue in a class of its own, beyond comparison.” The 3.9mm pixel-pitch LED screen from Absen supports a video resolution higher than Full HD (1080p), making it ideal for presentations, image projections and video content. The venue also has a new LED lighting rig, expanding the existing stock to offe
UK - German LED manufacturer Astera - integrated into the Ambersphere booth - will show its complete range of battery-powered wirelessly-operated LED products at PLASA 2019 in London, including the entire Titan family. This comprises the award-winning and popular standard 1m long Titan Tube; the little 55cm Helios Titan Tube; and the brand-new double-size 2m Hyperion Titan Tube, shown in the UK for the first time. Additionally, Astera its ever-growing range of accessories for use with Titan and their various other LED lighting products. Approximately 30 accessories will be mounted on a special ‘feature’ wall, displayed so visitors can clearly and easily see everything available to make their Astera fixtures even more flexible and adaptable. Several of these accessories will also be being displayed in the UK for the first time. Other highlights will incl
UK - City Theatrical will be demonstrating new technology on Stand H50 at PLASA Show 2019 in Olympia London from 15-17 September. Live demonstrations by City Theatrical will include PLASA 2019 Award for Innovation nominees Multiverse Transmitter 2.4GHz and Pathway Connectivity Pathport Octo DMX/RDM Gateway, new QolorFLEX HiQ, UV, and 5-in-1 LED Tape, and more. In addition to its recent nomination for the upcoming PLASA Awards for Innovation, the Multiverse wireless DMX/RDM system was recognised as the winner of the Live Design Award for Best Debuting Product at LDI 2018 for its ability to broadcast up to 10 universes of DMX data while using less radio energy than other single universe wireless DMX transmitters. Multiverse wireless DMX products use mDMX, a form of DMX proprietary to City Theatrical, which is optimised for wireless broadcast to dramatically reduce the a
Poland - Rental and visual production company Transcolor has invested in 200 Robe Spiider LED wash beams. These have been added to their rental stock which currently owns several thousand lighting fixtures including around 1,000 Robe moving lights. The company was founded in 1992 by Lucjan Siwczyk and has enjoyed success and respect as it has become active in all areas of professional lighting and visuals, especially TV, film, touring and corporate / special events. The current facilities just outside Warsaw are the company’s headquarters. In addition to offices and warehouses, this includes five full-size studios and rehearsal rooms which are in constant use for television and movie productions, promo and advertising shots, production rehearsals and a wide range of other events. As a lot of their work is TV and film-based, the proper quality of colours i
