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Rigging / Staging

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AMX Corporation, a leader in advanced control system technology, has announced that Scott Miller, chairman, president and CEO has resigned, and the company’s board of directors has named Robert J. Carroll, a director of AMX since January 2001, as his successor.

Carroll has over 30 years' experience, including 25 years' operational experience, with a wide variety of technology companies engaged in software development and electronics manufacturing. He served as a consultant to the company in early 2001, and since 1995, has provided similar consulting services to other companies as a principal in Roscommon Limited, which is a technology investment and consulting practice providing specialized support in turnarounds, acquisitions and divestitures.

Additionally, AMX reported 2002 second quarter financial results. Including one-time charges of $8.2 million, the company reported a n

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Bytecraft has announced that its long-serving international marketing manager John Drummond Montgomery, has left the company after more than nine years service, following his appointment as Australian Consul-General / Senior Trade Commissioner to Japan, based in Osaka. In an announcement to staff, general manager John Rowland said that Montgomery had been the most successful marketing manager Bytecraft had had. Mr Rowland stated that John had been responsible for opening up new markets for Bytecraft's stage automation business in Holland, Korea, China and Japan, as well as ameliorating the Bytecraft name internationally. In opening these markets, Montgomery had won the biggest stage automation contracts in Bytecraft's history, notably the Singapore Arts Center and most recently the China Grand National Theatre in Beijing.

John had played a key role in Bytecraft's development and positi

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At the recent LDI exhibition in Orlando, Florida, ESTA (the Entertainment Services and Technology Association) awarded the 2001 Eva Swan Award to Michael J. Garl, president of James Thomas Engineering, Inc. The Eva Swan Award is presented to a member who has put forth exceptional efforts in time, expertise and personal resources on behalf of ESTA; been instrumental in shaping and promoting the strategic direction of the Association; made major contributions to the realization of the mission, goals and objectives, and enhanced the value of membership for all.

The 2001 Award was presented by Wally Blount of Columbus McKinnon, who said: "The most important attribute this person has could be summed up in one word: willingness. His willingness to give his time for the betterment of the entertainment industry; his willingness to share his knowledge so that others may learn; his willingn

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As part of an on-going strategic review of the services offered to clients, Earls Court & Olympia Limited (EC&O) has announced new arrangements for the provision of rigging services in its venues. Following a competitive tendering process, EC&O has appointed Unusual Rigging as exclusive supplier of rigging services for Earls Court, whilst at the same time awarding the Olympia contract to Outback Rigging. The contracts will be three-year rolling appointments, which will be reviewed annually. "We are determined to provide our customers with the very best levels of service and delivery. By appointing different companies we believe that we will be able to get real focus in each venue. Unusual and Outback are perfectly placed to provide the levels of service we’re looking for," commented Jon Sellins, group halls director for EC&O.

As a new supplier to EC&O, Mark Surtees, man

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The Production Services Association (PSA) is arranging a series of informal get-togethers around the country to enable its members to share stories and network with others in the industry. The first of these regional meetings will be held at Vari-Lite’s Greenford premises on Tuesday 11th December at 7.00pm. Those attending will have a chance to view the company’s facilities and see how it is tackling the challenges of 2002. The evening will also feature a demonstration of Vari-Lite’s new lighting systems in the demo room.

Anyone interested in attending should contact Keith Owen on 0121 693 7109 or e-mail keith@psa.org.uk.

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Total Structures and BSI Production have designed and installed a state-of-the-art rigging grid for the Coach USA Center in Elmira NY. BSI Production was approached by the GM at the Coach USA Center to design a rigging system that would be able to accommodate the needs of touring production without extensive modification to the existing roof. BSI's Ron Branchini and Hard Hit Productions' (the arenas preferred lighting and rigging supplier) Bruce Perron identified the needs of this multi purpose venue. Total Structures was then contracted to engineer and then manufacture the appropriate system. The equipment has been designed to allow rigging from the ground, which eliminates the fall hazard to the crew working the event and reduces load-in times.

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Tomcat UK has announced the addition of TMB to their list of European distributors. TMB will now be able to supply Tomcat's full range of truss as well as the ever-popular Columbus McKinnon Lodestar chain hoist. Paul Hartley, TMB's general manager, Europe said: "This agreement will enable us to offer our customers Tomcat's truss and also the Lodestar hoist at very competitive prices. This deal just adds to the number of products we can now offer from our UK warehouse."

The distribution agreement was signed by Paul Hartley and Tomcat UK’s managing director, Mitch Clark, at PLASA 2001.

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Seeing is Believing, the lighting design consultancy based at Knutsford in the North West of the UK, has just completed four major contracts for Cisco Systems. The events, all produced by Project Worldwide of London, comprised an internal event in Paris and an external event - Networkers - in Copenhagen. Each event was in two parts - a conference and a party.

Seeing is Believing was contracted to provide the lighting, rigging and drapery for all four events.

The parties with the theme of 'The Stadium' and 'New Dimension' were for over 3,000 people and staged in the Grand Arch, La Defense, Paris and The Forum in Copenhagen. A large amount of intelligent (principally Martin MACs) and generic lighting, trussing and rigging was used, and in keeping with Seeing is Believing's policy of finding and using local suppliers, all equipment for Copenhagen was sourced locally. The company has rec

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Total Fabrication Ltd’s (TFL) T2 safety truss has been put through its paces over the last few months at Sunderland’s Empire Theatre. The Theatre’s chief lighting engineer Dave Westcombe was enthusiastic about T2 and quickly allayed fears about using new technology. "The lanyard attachment is superb," he said "and within a very short time I was able to use it one-handed."

Four of the theatre's key staff were given on-site safety training by TFL's Chris Higgs: during this process, TFL brought along a representative from Lyon Equipment, a leading supplier of equipment and training for work and rescue at height. He followed the entire training procedure as an independent observer and then made recommendations on the correct harness pieces needed for the Empire’s particular environment.

The Empire's technical manager, Mel James, who had also co

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The collaboration between the US theatrical equipment consultant, JR Clancy, and UK manufacturer of stage automation systems, Stage Technologies, has moved on another step with the signing of a formal agreement between the two companies. This agreement, which covers land-based stage engineering installations in North America, was signed at the LDI 2001 exhibition in Orlando earlier this month, and cements a relationship that has been strengthening over a number of years.

The companies first worked together in 1995 providing a complete 95-axis power flying system for the Teatre Nacional in Barcelona, Spain. More recently, JR Clancy provided the Conference Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City with a complete automated rigging system complete including a 45-axis Nomad control system from Stage Technologies.

Tom Young, vice-president of sales an

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PLASA has gone live with its first web-based discussion forum - a technical discussion on the use of Chain Hoists, particularly the connectors used for their control circuits. Access to the forum is via the 'Forums' link in the Standards section of the PLASA Website, where users can register online. This first application of the forum is being overseen by PLASA's Technical Standards Officer Tim Cox, and further forums, both for the use of Standards groups and for the industry in general, will be introduced to the site over the coming months.

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The Monte Carlo Ballet is set to take on a new choreographic adventure, La Belle. Created to the music of Tchaikovsky, La Belle has an exceptional artistic team, put together by Scena Productions. Scena has become a regular client of AVW Controls, most recently on a project for Aston Martin in Tokyo where AVW was commissioned to work on two areas of the show. In rehearsal throughout November and December before hitting the stage for a tour beginning 27 December 2001, La Belle requires six motorized rotating doors, three on each side of the stage plus a radio-controlled stage truck.

AVW has created similar designs before, including a radio-controlled birthday cake and washing machine for a Ray Cooney farce at the Whitehall Theatre some years ago, plus the boat in Phantom of the Opera. AVW Controls has also taken over the maintenance of scenery control for

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OPTI, the lighting effects and trussing supplier, has appointed Idunn Rodziewicz to its domestic sales team as regional sales manager. Rodziewicz brings with her 17 years of experience in the retail and exhibition market with Marler Haley. OPTI chairman Neil Rice told PLASA Media: "We're very pleased to have her on board. She has a great track record with clients here in the UK and internationally, as well as the experience to identify what they need and how to provide it."

Rodziewicz will initially concentrate on the OPTI Trilite side of the business, cementing links with clients across the retail and exhibition markets. She commented: "I'm really looking forward to it. OPTI is a leader in its field, and has great products as well as a fantastic range of support services. I think a lot of our clients, new and existing, are going to be pleasantly surprised at what OPTI c

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Stage Technologies has announced its decision to become Gold sponsor for the forthcoming international conference on Theatre Engineering and Architecture 2002 taking take place in London next June. The theatre event of 2002 will examine technology and architecture for the performing arts. Presented in a hotel venue in London's Theatreland, the conference will bring together theatre technicians, architects, consultants, scenographers, lighting designers, stage and building services engineers, acousticians, fire prevention specialists as well as building owners, cost consultants, new clients and project managers.

The conference will be followed by the ABTT Theatre Show. Stage Technologies' commercial director Nikki Scott said: "We are delighted to sponsor this landmark international event. It is an important opportunity to discuss with industry colleagues and theatre professionals t

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Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone has already received great critical and popular acclaim and is expected to become the biggest grossing film ever for Time Warner. Vertigo Rigging, Spirit Design and Fourth Phase were amongst those who helped supply the magic for the recent World Première at London’s famous Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square.

Vertigo, working for production company West Design, show producer Lucy Smail and production manager Andy Cheesman, transformed the front of the building into Hogwarts School of Wizardry & Witchcraft for the evening of 4 November.

With a seven-day get in, the event required over 22 tonnes of equipment, 12 tonnes of which was hung off the side of the building - representing a huge logistical and practical challenge for Vertigo. Work began on 29 October, when project manager Paddy Burnside and his team of riggers supervised a 60 tonne

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Trussing, aluminium and ground support specialists James Thomas Engineering has designed an integrated Trussing module - on its safe use and handling - for PCM's renowned Lodestar two-day Motor School. An extended version of the trussing module is also run at PCM's five-day-Rigging School. James Thomas's Trussing course was devised by project manager Paul Young, who says: "There's more than meets the eye with trussing and its associated safety issues, and also the wider ones generally across in the rigging industry. Anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of motors and rigging also needs to know all about trussing. People are often surprised at the complexity of the subject!"

Like the Motor School, the Trussing module is presented in a hands-on, practical manner. For the two-day Motor School - run free of charge by PCM - the Trussing section takes up half a day. At th

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The Entech 2002 Conference program features workshops and seminars in areas of lighting, design, rigging, audio, projection and even the business needs of a DJ. Sessions includeIntroducing the Line Array; The Future of Systems Integration and ProAV Technology; Venue Design Forum; Digital Live Sound Mixing; Lighting Designer Forum; Rigging Workshop; Stacks and Racks; Motor Training School; Location Sound Recording; Trends in Facilities; The Art of Designing with Moving Lights; We Are Surrounded (Surround Sound); and The Changing Face of Post Production.

Entech 2002, Australasia’s leading entertainment technology trade show, will be held in Sydney’s Darling Harbour from 4-6 February 2002. For further details on the conference programme and exhibits, visit the web address below:

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Visual act, winner of both Awards for Product Excellence in Stage Engineering at PLASA 2001, will present their stage wagons at showcases in Oslo on 23 January, 2002 and in Amsterdam on 8 February, 2002. Anyone interested in attending either of these showcases should submit their interest to Jim Fainberg at jim@visualact.net before 17 January for Oslo and 30 January for Amsterdam.

For more details, including product information, technical specifications and pictures of the company’s award-winning products, visit the Visual act website at the address below.

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PCM, the company responsible for establishing the Columbus McKinnon Lodestar electric chain hoist at the forefront of the UK and European professional entertainment and touring industry, has formed a new division to handle the installation of set piece equipment on special projects. Heading up the division is Tony Griffiths, formerly with Harkness Hall, who joined the company in October.

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PCM supplied leading rigging rental company Outback Rigging Ltd with special FX Star high-speed Lodestar motors to lift the central rear LED screen at the recent Smash Hits Poll Winners extravaganza at the London Arena. The screen - over 5 tonnes of Screenco 15 mm pixel pitch modules measuring 11.4 metres wide by 7.2 metres high - was a vital part of the stunning set designed by Bill Lazlett.

It showed video playback and live camera action, but also allowed for quick between-band changes by raising and lowering very rapidly. The hire to Outback is the first of PCM's new Motion Control division, which has been set up to serve all the rigging rental companies, and carries a stock of non-standard equipment, available for specialist requirements.

PCM's John Jones explains that the decision to launch the division was to "Explore other areas of the market, and also to help our clients

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All eyes were on Frankfurt this December where the 'For The Troops MTV-USO Show' was held, giving German-based American military personnel the opportunity to let their hair down in an evening of music and entertainment. Held in an aircraft hanger, the high profile event included acts such as J-Lo and Kid Rock.

Blackout Triple E was commissioned by Field Services to supply a three-dimensional American flag, two drapes painted with the MTV-USO logo and a white filled cloth Kabuki drop for this event, with project manager Tom Lambert working in conjunction with designer Mark Fisher to create the striking 3D flag. As the centrepiece for the event, the three-dimensional version of the Stars and Stripes was hung from a grid measuring 9.3m x 3.4m. An 8.4m white gauze drape created the background to the flag and was fronted by seven individual red cloth stripes, each of which was rigged on cur

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CIE-Audio has been appointed exclusive UK distributor for the newly launched ‘Euromet’ range of professional stands, trussing and audio/lighting hardware. The new product range is CIE-Audio’s latest move in its plans to develop a new ‘leisure-based’ music range which will complement CIE-Group’s existing portfolio of integrated product solutions (currently comprising installed sound, data & telecommunications and CCTV & security).

Chris Edwards, CIE-Group marketing manager told us: "These new products will give our existing customers a complete hardware range, from audio and lighting stands, brackets and fittings, to staging and event technology such as trussing and portable staging. Euromet will also form a vital part of our new ‘leisure’ product range, which will see CIE-Audio moving further into the AV, events and lighting markets

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Hall Stage has announced the launch of the brand new DynaGlide winch range. The range includes a new concept in 'semi-manual' winches, the DGM system, which provides working loads up to 1000kg, can be driven manually or with an electric hand-drill via a secondary gearbox input, saving time and a lot of effort! The DGH curtain winches now come with a variable speed control system as standard. Full data sheets are available for all products in the range now and will also be available in .pdf format on the Harkness Hall website soon.

(Lee Baldock)

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Tomcat UK has announced that they are now stocking an increased range of Columbus McKinnon Prostar electric theatrical chain hoists. The popular lower capacity hoist range, which already included 136kg and 272kg s.w.l. models are now complemented by 226kg and 452kg s.w.l. units. The new models have the same features as the original versions and also boast the extra capacity without an increase in external size. A variety of different speeds and voltage options are available, including extra fast 10m/min versions. The products are available directly from Tomcat UK or from any of the company’s UK and European distributors.

(Lee Baldock)

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