Germany - German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit), celebrated on 3 October, marks the anniversary of the nation's unification in 1990, when the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic became one single, federal Germany. Being the 30th Unity Day, the 2020 event took on special significance, with even more resonance added to the mix due to the challenges faced by everyone in dealing with life during the Coronavirus pandemic, and broadcaster ARD highlighted a very special TV show staged at the Metropolis-Halle in Filmpark Babelsberg, Potsdam which was organised by the Brandenburg Staatskanzlei (federal government). The venue and Filmpark (dedicated to the history of moviemaking in the region) is a regular client of rental and production specialist Zound’z Unlimited Event Technology GmbH, also based in Potsdam, which was asked to provide ligh
UK - Vaudeville Sound made use of binaural audio technology for the podcast Amazing War Stories with Bruce Crompton. Vaudeville Sound, an award winning sound design and mix company, introduced the idea of creating the podcast in 3D Immersive sound, to surround the listener in the true stories taken from museum collections to help safeguard the nation's historical treasures before they are lost forever. As the shows were being compiled during lockdown, the voice recording and mix sessions were run remotely. Live output of the mix was shared with the director so the team could run through mix notes and make changes on the fly. Avid Pro-tools was used to edit and mix all shows with an array of tools from Nugen Audio, Noise Makers, Zynaptic & Blue Ripple Sound. With detail of sound design and field recordings at film level, it was vital to use the correct sound
USA - The crowds that normally fill the Rawhide Centre in Chandler, AZ, on weekends for headliners like Kayzo, Adventure Club and Nightmare weren’t there this October. COVID-19 restrictions saw to that. But the intensity that shook up the 13,000 sq. ft. outdoor venue for Relentless Beats’ aptly named The Pod Experience was impossible to miss, thanks to the driving textured tracks laid down by the EDM stars, the delirious reactions of the fans who were able to score the limited number of tickets, and some fast-moving lighting by Luis Torres. Wanting fans to be engaged with the artists on stage, despite being separated by pods, Torres dialled up the intensity level with some extra bright audience lighting and bold aerial sweeps. “Relentless Beats came up with a really good plan for providing fans with a way to enjoy this kind of experience safely,“ he said. “F
Greece - St. Catherine's British School in Athens, Greece, took delivery of Prolights fixtures as part of the audiovisual installation of the new building of the school. The scope of the project highlighted the importance of selecting equipment that was easy to use by students and staff, along with being cost-effective to run and maintain. Consultant and lighting designer Vagelis Delivasilis evaluated the LED range from Prolights, as well as other brands, and found Prolights to be a suitable solution for the project. Kariotis Audio & Lighting, Prolights' distributor in Greece, in collaboration with the consultant, came up with a comprehensive lighting package that could be flexible, allowing the school to run medium-scale theatrical performances, music events, conferences and orchestral plays. Delivasilis made diagrams with the chosen fixtures, while Kariotis Bros
The Netherlands - Opened in 1984, Omniversum in The Hague was the first IMAX Dome theatre in Europe. Showing spectacular films on a giant domed screen that makes the audience feel part of the movie, a new, €1m projection system was recently installed to improve the experience. To make sure that the quality of the sound matched the images, a new Alcons Audio pro-ribbon system was also installed. The Alcons Audio pro-ribbon installation complements a new Evans & Sutherland ESX projection system, which uses a blended array of five Christie D4K40 RGB laser projectors to produce a seamless, uniform image across the 23m diameter dome. Delivering high quality sound reinforcement in a dome-shaped room like Omniversum provided many challenges. These included acoustic issues, because the large projection surface also creates a lot of rearward reflection from the speakers,
Russia - Russia-based automotive photography specialist Denis Minchenkov used eight Astera Titan Tubes to enhance a night-time photoshoot featuring an Audi Q8 SUV for auto tune-up company MTR Design. That quest to capture vivid colours, glistening reflections and the richness of the dark, stark and deliberately wet floored environment of a low-ceilinged parking garage beneath an office block saw Denis choose Titan Tubes for his primary lightsource, having used the Astera products extensively in his work over the last couple of years. He positioned the Titan Tubes around the car, some hung from the ceiling of the parking garage on catenary wires and others on the floor on stands. The Asteras were all run wirelessly and controlled using the IR remote. “The IR remote control means I can shift the setting of the whole shoot in a matter of seconds,” he declared.
The Netherlands - Given all the highly original interpretations of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake that have beguiled audiences almost since the moment the ballet premiered in 1877, one may be tempted to think there is nothing much left to add to the mix. Not so. Guy Weizman and Roni Haver, the co-founders of Club Guy & Roni, which collaborates closely with Noord Nederlands Toneel, have created simultaneous live and online versions of the star-crossed love story that are not only outlandishly fresh and original in the way they interact with one another, but also deeply resonant during this era of COVID-19. Contributing to this impressive accomplishment are 18 COLORado Batten Q15 fixtures from Chauvet Professional that were supplied by Lichtpunt Theatertechniek. The designers rely on the IP65-rated RGBW linear fixtures, which were selected in a shoot out involving
South Africa - PlatformZA, a digital pay-per-view media channel which was germinated during the first COVID-19 lockdown, is a completely new concept for South Africa and the brainchild of Christiaan Ballot from technical supplier Blond Productions and production manager Pieter-Jan Kapp (Kappie) from PJK Project Management. A small subscription fee covers an amount of free content and the pay-per-view price varies for other material. Ballot and Blond Productions would usually be working together extensively during the arts festival season which has effectively been canned this year like almost every other ‘live’ event as the country fights the pandemic. Like so many new COVID-era inspired projects, PlatformZA started with a series of Zoom chats between connected industry people and influencers, during which, explains Chr
Germany - MOG Technologies has completed more than 350th installation in the German market, reports the company. With the support of Broadcast Solutions, who’s been a partner for a long time, MOG has successfully delivered its 354th order to Germany with SWR’s latest purchase of 10 units of mDECK Densu X-2. As a solution to increase flexibility in daily operational tasks, mDECK was developed to help production teams to record, ingest, transcode and play multiple channels of any media formats, while supporting file-based and baseband contents simultaneously. mDECK is also able to perform hybrid operations that can vary, according to its different models. “From well known Central Ingest System to Powerful Professional Media Decks, MOG has been present in the German market for years, and we couldn’t be more proud for once more, achieve this huge milestone,” says
USA - Livestream performance producers VYE have collaborated with Clair Global and production company Genetic Productions to create a pay-per-view live stream performance space at Clair Global’s facility in Nashville. “We wanted to give fans everything they’re used to seeing at a concert with moving lights, video walls, etc. and blend that with high-quality video streaming and a multi-camera setup for broadcast,” states Danny Zacharias of VYE, who designed lighting for the live stream space using gear from Elation Professional and sister company ADJ. “Add to that a Virtual Live Audience and this is really a virtual live event experience like no other.” Zacharias started working on what would become VYE late in 2019 with business partners Maggie Seidel-Laws and Jayme Braun. VYE is a turnkey producer of professional virtual events that fans can watch from any
UK - Sound Stage Lighting Live (SSL Live) has been busy installing a combination of CDD and Adorn series speakers, BlacklineX and ceiling speakers for use in venues ranging from leisure and hospitality to immersive fitness centres. The company, which was set up by brothers Elliott and Jack Smith three and a half years ago, had also added a Martin Audio WPC scalable line array to the company’s events subsidiary pre-lockdown. The brothers are firm believers in Martin Audio. “We liked the clarity of sound, functionality and ease of deployment,” they say. “We also liked the reliability - we have since installed 500-600 installation speakers and there has never been a problem.” All four Martin Audio commercial ranges feature in Red Fox & Peacock’s new flagship Lytham House, a multi-zone bar/restaurant, occupying a prime position on the coastal resort
UK - SLLFX, executive producer Pete Goulding and PSP AV recently deployed the rental company’s new Unilumin UPADIII HD LED screen for a live broadcast from telecommunications provider Gamma Communications. The broadcast was organised as an internal event for employees and featured a number of musicians, as well as a Zoom call style karaoke section starring staff members from the Gamma Communications team. SLLFX, has seen its livestreaming services in popular demand since the UK’s lockdown began. The Unilumin screen is a new addition to SLLFX’ extensive inventory of equipment and is designed specifically for live broadcast. The curvable screen can be installed and disassembled by one person, with a handy modular design and optional ground stacking system for maximum flexibility depending on the application. SLLFX also supplied a pair of Novastar VX4S processors t
Spain - With headquarters located in the Murcian city of Cartagena, the Regional Assembly of Murcia is the autonomous Parliament of the Region of Murcia and one of the autonomous communities of Spain. In light of the recent pandemic and guidelines imposed by the country’s health authorities, the Assembly decided to adapt the Patio de los Ayuntamientos building for use with plenary sessions and important debates. Working with the Assembly’s technical department, Cartagena-based system integrator Castellini Audiovisuales and Shure Distribution partner EarPro worked together on a system that met the requirements of the Assembly: wireless with a long battery life, voting and interpretation capability, plus an encrypted audio signal with flexibility to cover a variety of needs and uses, with Shure Microflex Complete Wireless (MXCW) system the preferred choice of all. Wi
Jamaica - Before the pandemic brought large public gatherings to a halt, Tech Diva Ja organised Our Heroes: Walking in their Light, illuminating the works of original sculptors and artists in vivid colours with help from Chauvet Professional WELL Fit fixtures supplied by Phase 3 Productions. An all-female design collective led by Nadia Roxburgh, Tech Diva Ja is made up of technical artists, engineers, choreographers, lighting designers and production managers. Also working alongside the Tech Diva Ja team at the event, which was held in Kingston’s National Heroes Park, were industry pioneers, Rufus McDonald and the late Franklyn ‘Chappie’ St. Juste. This project, which paid tribute to Jamaica’s National Heroes, continued Tech Diva Ja’s work that previously reimagined Kingston’s public art spaces at night. Located around the nation’s capital, these s
Vietnam - Elevating its audio systems, the Van Don International Airport hired integrators Ba Sao Invest Co and their partner Thien Van tech Co to design and install Harman Professional airport sound solution. Located on the west coast of the province Quảng Ninh, Van Don International Airport covers an area of 800 acres and contains a single runway. Handling 2.5m passengers and 10,000 cargo tons per year, the airport is equipped with four jet bridges, four baggage carousels, eight security gates and 31 check-in counters. Wanting to enhance its facility and provide travellers with clear announcements, Van Don International required a modern airport audio system that also helps workers communicate and streamlines productivity. Using JBL Professional loudspeakers, Crown amplification and BSS signal processing, Ba Sao deployed a solution that delivers quality sound acros
USA - When he was busy touring with the likes of Jinger and Devil Driver, Wes Youngblood immersed himself in creating searing intense looks to match the thrashing sound of his clients. That all came to a halt when the pandemic hit, but on 21 October, Youngblood got to flex his design skills again; only this time instead of lighting metal music, he was working a drive-in show for Smith & Myers, an acoustic side project by Shinedown frontman Brent Smith and guitarist Zach Myers. Although the melodious harmonies emanating from the mobile stage at the Malco Summer Theatre on that warm Wednesday night were worlds apart from the sort of music Youngblood is accustomed to lighting, he was able to draw on his metallic experience to meet some of the unique challenges of lighting a drive-in concert. “The promoter and I spoke at great lengths about steps we could take
USA - With the live events essentially shut down since March, those in the touring, concert and live entertainment industry have found themselves trying to tread water. Musically Fed, World Central Kitchen and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee partnered with Rhino Staging at Bandit Lites Nashville facility to deliver boxes of food to 100 families at a drive-through event held on 24 October. “Live music literally shut down overnight, and there is no indication when tours and concerts will be back up and running on a large scale,” said Maria Brunner, founder of Musically Fed. “There is so much need among touring crews, musicians and related vendors in the Nashville entertainment community, and we are so honoured that chef Jose Andres and the World Central Kitchen have selected Musically Fed as a partner for food distributions. We are grateful to Clair Global
Denmark - Naturkraft is a new experience centre in the Danish town of Ringkøbing, West Jutland, which aims to increase awareness of nature and the forces that shape our world as a way of encouraging more sustainable behaviour. Visitors are treated to a rich array of exhibitions and learning experiences - outside there are eight different types of natural environment whilst indoors, a 5,500sq.m building designed to integrate into the flat coastal landscape offers a range of exhibitions. Digital experience creators, No Parking, were responsible for the design and development of the main installations inside the Exploratorium including IT and AV equipment. No Parking selected a Smart IP sound system from Genelec as the audio partner for their designs. “Our background is AV production and integration with a focus on experience design,” explains No Parking director, Mo
South Africa - Kilowatt AV is known for delivering a polished production, and they did exactly that at the Uber’s Tech for Safety Summit hosted at Levelthree Premium Venue in Kramerville, Johannesburg on 22 October. With hybrid events on the rise, the Kilowatt AV team are implementing the same passion and dedication they would for a large-scale show, and for the latest progressive event for Uber South Africa, a client for the past three years, supplied the design, manufacture and full technical. Hosted for the second consecutive year, Uber’s Tech for Safety Summit, attended by 120 people and joined by 2 000 others via live stream, tackled Africa’s most pressing safety-related concerns now further complicated by the Covid-19 Pandemic. With the participation of various leaders, innovators and talent across the spectrum, and journalist and former radio present
Germany - With Big Performance - Who is the Star in the Star, RTL has launched a new entertainment show in which celebrities slip into the shoes of other successful singers with the help of make-up artists. Half a song is performed in full playback mode before continuing with the artist’s own voice. The team of panellists, comprising Michelle Hunziker, Motsi Mabuse, and Guido Maria Kretschmer, had the task of guessing the true identity of the performers. Lighting designer David Kreileman and associate designer / technical director Tim Franken specified an impressive 156 JDC1 hybrid strobes from GLP in order to effectively punctuate the big moments in the show. The special requirement in developing the lighting design was to clearly and visually represent the exact moment of change from playback to live singing. "After some considerations, and a direct discuss
Poland - Jungla, located within the Forum shopping centre, is a vibrant new restaurant and cocktail-bar in the heart of north Poland’s largest seashore city, Gdańsk. The restaurant, modern and spacious, with tropical décor, boasts a breath-taking view of the city, and needed a sound system that could support not only the restaurant and cocktail bar, but also the live bands that play within. Designing and installing the sound system was Offstage. Przemysław Waszkiewicz, Offstage’s owner, worked with closely Patryk Kozak from Sound Service, who assisted with tuning the system. Together, they created a system that could support Jungla using Turbosound, Klark Teknik and Powersoft products, supplied by Poland-based distributor SoundTrade. Waszkiewicz explained that part of designing the audio system was optimising costs and energy consumption, as it would have everyd
Germany - British American Tobacco launched glo, a Tobacco Heating Product (THP) utilising new tobacco heating technology, with a display in the sky over Hamburg’s waterfront on 19 September. Tasked with creating a drone light show as a guerrilla-marketing action by agency Inovisco Mobile Media, Jens Hillenkötter deployed 30 Claypaky Xtylos fixtures, the first moving head light with a laser light source, to light up the sky with a dynamic backdrop for an intricate drone ballet. Hillenkötter, a well-known designer and creative director for international shows, is no stranger to big events having been involved with the ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China and the Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia. The glo display, which ran parallel to Hamburg’s salute to club culture known as Reeperbahnfestival, featured 150 drones equipped with LED lig
Germany - AO Drones’ fleet of drones lit up the sky above Munich’s Olympic Park in October to mark the launch of Deutsche Telekom’s 5G network in the city. The GPS-guided, 300-strong swarm of drones performed a 10-minute night-sky performance, creating Deutsche Telekom’s logos and messages in white and Telekom’s brand colour, magenta for the video cameras below. Tasked with creating the launch event, Düsseldorf-based event management company DO IT! brought in their regular production technology partner, AO Creative. They in turn called on their Dubai-based AO Drones team to deliver the state-of-the-art drone technology. Responsible for the overall production design was Jerry Appelt of JALD (Jerry Appelt Licht Design). The AO Creative team, including show producer Marco Niedermeier, technical director Matthias Meyert, and project manager Tim Klopp, work
China - Out Board’s TiMax TrackerD4 precision stagetracking recently made its Hong Kong debut in a new musical play, The Originals, staged at the territory’s Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The tracking accuracy of TiMax TrackerD4 delivered real-time control of vocal localisation throughout the musical’s fast-paced staging. Provided by Hong Kong’s L-Supply, TiMax TrackerD4 precision stage-tracking enabled the principle eight performers, all eminent stars of Hong Kong musical theatre, to move freely across and around the stage without working strictly to pre-assigned cue-points. Discreet TTd4 Tags worn by the performers are small enough to be secured into virtually any costume location with no interference. Meanwhile, the accuracy of TiMax TrackerD4 not only gives peace of mind to performance directors, but substantially reduces rehearsal times, providing not
