Austria - Fabian Stumpfl joins his brother Tobias Stumpfl in his new position as CEO at the Austrian AV technology manufacturer AV Stumpfl. Prior to his new role in the family owned company, Fabian Stumpfl was responsible for HR and strategic planning. AV Stumpfl CEO Tobias Stumpfl explains their work relationship: “We work really well as a team, not only when it comes to company business, but also when flying gliders, which is a passion we both share. During some of our glider trips we spend more than 12 hours together. Whether in the sky or in the office, in order to reach our goals we have to constantly take decisions and adjust our strategy to new developments. That kind of joint decision making only works when you can completely trust one another.” Towards the end of 2016, AV Stumpfl founder Reinhold Stumpfl handed over the management of the family owned
UK - Billed as the creative industries party of the year, the 55th D&AD Professional Awards Ceremony took place at Troxy, London on 27 April 2017, with creative technical event production expert Hawthorn providing full technical production. Since 1962, D&AD have been inspiring a community of creative thinkers by celebrating the finest in design and advertising. With the D&AD Pencil recognised globally as the ultimate creative accolade, the pressure is always on to create an event that challenges convention and leaves a lasting impression on guests and award winners alike. Working in partnership with brand experience agency SomeBrightSpark, Hawthorn devised a production design that utilized and celebrated the iconic nature of both the venue, and the pencil. To keep the winning work at the heart of the event, the team created a ‘digital’ set using L
UK - Christie Direct View LED has been installed above the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance, welcoming thousands of visitors to the Centre each day and providing a clear and bright identity to the Barbican’s main entrance that can be seen from afar. The ‘Day One’ content is a welcome message set against a skyline of London. The skyline is – appropriately - as seen from the top of Cromwell Tower in the Barbican Estate and the Barbican in-house marketing team will be creating future bespoke content themselves. Sir Nicholas Kenyon, managing director of the Barbican said: “We’re thrilled with the new addition to our Silk Street entrance. Christie’s screens create a bright, dynamic welcome for our audiences and we look forward to creating imaginative, vibrant content to greet and inform our visitors.” “The Barbican is an absolutely iconic venue and also a
UK - AV company, Anna Valley reports that the company is significantly expanding its existing 4K AV rental offering with the purchase of a number of new products. Recent acquisitions include the Barco Event Master E2, S3-4K, EC-50 and Ex screen management systems, 4k@60Hz display port 1.2a cards and a variety of LG 4K displays ranging from 55 to 98 inches in size. A further order for 4K fibre distribution systems, scalers and processors is in place for later in the year. “Our clients rely on Anna Valley to provide the best technology and technical support to deliver their creative vision,” said Anna Valley director, Nick Hart. “We’re investing in the leading 4K audio visual products to ensure that we can continue meeting - and exceeding - those expectations.” The Barco E2 screen management system is the first screen management system that can manage a
UK - Attracting over 5,500 attendees, Europe’s largest digital marketing conference, the Adobe Summit EMEA 2017 returned once again to ICC ExCeL London. Creative technical event production expert, Hawthorn was once again chosen by Taylor Bennett Partners to deliver the full technical design and production for the two-day event. Focused on the future of digital marketing, delegates from Europe, the Middle East and Africa gathered to soak up tips and insights from the Adobe Marketing Cloud and its partners. Led by group creative director Pete Harding, Hawthorn was tasked to bring Taylor Bennett’s impressive vision to life, delivering the technical production for the main conference plenary, exhibition space, break-out rooms and the muchly-anticipated Summit Celebration. In the Community Pavilion, a six-metre long, five-metre wide and three-metre high tunnel construc
UK - Curry and a beer as a social concept has much to recommend itself. Easy, fast, tasty, and satisfying; what could you possibly add that would make it better? Well, how about a couple of life size shark holograms? Liz Berry of Hologramica is gaining quite a reputation for juxtaposing reality with illusion. For Avolites’ founder director, Steve Warren the opportunity was irresistible. “We do a couple of these a year in the demo room at our London HQ in Park Royal. The ‘Avolites and Robe Designers’ Curry Club’ is an open house for people working in video and lighting live events. “Yes, people come to the curry night knowing it will have an element of product presentation, but we also make the effort to promote the evenings as a networking event; it’s more than just a sales pitch. Tim Meadowcroft, one of the LD’s who attended this one said to me before
UAE - Approaching the end of a very busy season in the Middle East, there was one more important event that the events industry in the region would be looking forward to – MEEA17. Protec’s persistent desire to continually innovate and provide new and creative ways of using technology, was underlined yet again by the award the company received at the Middle East Event Awards 2017 for Best use of Event Technology - Product for the use of robotics across multiple event disciplines at the Expo’s associated awards event for the second year in succession – cementing its status as an unrivalled industry leader in the region when it comes to innovations and creative delivery of staging and technical solutions. Before the company had time to digest this win, Protec was called on to receive its second award of the night for Best Event Video Solution for the prestigious
UK - Blitz|GES has secured a multi-year deal with event venue, the Design Museum. Blitz|GES was awarded a preferred supplier contract, placing it on the museum’s accredited production list. The museum hosts a range of events each year, from conferences and awards nights, to major brand activations and product launches. Blitz|GES has worked with the venue since its move from Shad Thames to Kensington in late 2016, and will continue to deliver full AV and technical event production services to its clients. Livia Puggini, head of events at the Design Museum commented: “I am delighted to continue our relationship with the team at Blitz|GES over the next three years. I’m looking forward to working alongside them to provide exceptional service to our clients.” Graham Pope, group commercial director at Blitz|GES added: “We are proud to have been appointed a p
Finland - Finish singing sensation Saara Aalto – aka the Snow Fairy – played a sold-out homecoming gig at Helsinki’s Hartwall arena and Green Hippo technology ensured a great view for all. Saara, who shot to fame in the UK through her runner’s up spot in 2016’s X Factor, is a firm favourite in Finland, having appeared in Finland’s Got Talent 2007 and The Voice of Finland in 2012. Bright Finland, the Finland and Scandinavia-based experience provider, was at the helm for Saara’s 360° screen show employing a Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal to control six iMAG screens. The Hippotizer Boreal was running Notch – the all-in-one, real-time graphics workhorse – enabling the Bright Finland team to create, simulate, composite, edit, and play, there and then, in the moment. The set-up also used Green Hippo’s compact and powerful 1U Media Server, t
USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) reports that a new product innovation along with the application of an industry-first technology solution – SPACEFRAME and a 4K Broadcast Camera System – have been integrated into the design, production and operations for the U2 Joshua Tree Tour 2017. Both solutions demonstrate PRG’s dedication to innovating products that anticipate the needs of tour managers, designers and artists seeking to push boundaries and deliver a more immersive concert experience onsite or virtually. “SPACEFRAME and the 4K Broadcast Camera System perfectly demonstrate how PRG excels at seeing an opportunity for innovation that will add operational, economic and creative value from a customer’s perspective, allowing artists to more freely tell their story,” said Steve Greenberg, PRG’s CEO of global music/TV/film. SPACEFRAME is a touring
Canada - AV Stumpfl, the Austrian AV technology manufacturer has announced Theatrixx as their exclusive media server and show control distributor for Canada. The Montreal based company distributes and manufactures technical equipment for the performing arts industry. Theatrixx Technologies also designs custom equipment that offers solutions for video, lighting, audio, power and cabling challenges. AV Stumpfl CEO Fabian Stumpfl comments: “Coming from a country with a lot of mountains ourselves, we have always had a soft spot for Canada and its majestic landscapes. However, it was obviously not just the beauty of this country that made us look for a direct distribution partner, it was the vibrancy of the Canadian creative scene. Canadian companies are among the best in the whole world when it comes to finding innovative ways for using media server and show control solu
USA - Christie has announced that industry veteran Brian Claypool has returned to the organisation to propel the company’s continued dominance in the cinema-technology field as VP, product management global cnema. He will report to Jennifer Smith, Christie’s executive vice president, global market solutions and engineering, and be based in Cypress, California. The appointment of Claypool, effective immediately, sees his return to Christie to help direct the creation of advanced products and services that further support Christie’s legacy as the leading provider of advanced cinema exhibition technologies and solutions since 1929. “Brian’s cinema pedigree is impeccable, since beginning in the industry as a projectionist in the 1980s and successive roles with Lucasfilm’s THX division, Avica Technology, Christie and Barco, Brian has an extensive history being i
Australia - The Australian TV industry’s biggest night, the 59th annual Logie Awards, were held at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium on Sunday 23 April 2017, broadcast live on the Nine Network. Always a great opportunity for the broadcaster to show off its tech capabilities, visuals were spread across three huge screens onstage, a wrap-around screen surrounding the audience, and pixel mapped to onstage fixtures and LED chandeliers. Helming the mission-critical media server and console operation was Lynden Gare, director of Melbourne-based lighting and production company Colourblind, who relied on Green Hippo’s Hippotizer media servers to ensure that the show went exactly to plan. Green Hippo is no stranger to the world’s biggest televised events, with their media servers used on The Eurovision Song Contest and The Academy Awards. At the heart of Lynden’s set-up for
UK - Based on the book by James Hindman and with original music by Patrick Brady, Pete ‘n’ Keely is the story of a famous musical couple, now estranged, who are persuaded into doing a TV reunion. The current production of Pete ‘n’ Keely at London’s Tristan Bates Theatre, produced by Wallflower Theatrical, and directed by Matthew Gould, includes a colourful glitzy set. Designed by Emily Bestow, it’s reminiscent of classic 60s American TV variety shows, featuring bright colours and a kitsch style. Tasked with designing the lighting for the show, BRIT School alumni Mitchell Reeve explains how he became involved: “Matthew Gould and I have worked on a few productions together now. I first met him a year ago when I was asked to light I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road. As a lighting designer, it is vital to have a good
UK - NEC Display Solutions will open the doors of Victoria House, Holborn on 17-18 May to present fully-integrated, readily-deployable display solutions in collaboration with over 35 partners at the NEC Solutions Showcase 2017. Addressing the needs of specific markets, the NEC Showcase presents the power of collaboration and partnership to perfectly meet the needs of its customers. The Corporate Zone sees the trend towards multi-usage workspaces with huddle rooms, cloud-based working and live collaboration alongside solutions for employee outreach and motivation. The Education Zone focuses on higher education with solutions for student-centred collaborative learning in the classroom and in the lecture theatre, alongside campus-wide IPTV signage and security. Moving to the Transport Zone the emphasis is on innovative passenger communications at the airport,
Europe - Barco has added a 7mm pixel pitch model to its range of 'digital media canvases' –LED screens that radically differ from traditional LED displays. The R-series provides more creative freedom, and greatly reduces setup time and cost thanks to their thin, lightweight and bendable design, says the company. Designed for retail, advertising, venues, and visitor attractions applications, the R-series frees customers from the limitations of traditional LED displays when digitising their visual communication. "Venue owners, advertisers, and retailers are faced with the ever-challenging task of catching the attention of consumers and visitors. At the same time, they want to reduce installation time and cost. The R-series' unique design not only allows for cost-savings, it also frees designers from the limitations of traditional LED displays – so their message stands out
UK - As the doors close on another year of PLASA Focus Leeds, enthusiasm from the industry proves that the show’s Focus formula remains a perfect fit. Providing the ideal platform for many UK debuts of new products, the show’s many networking opportunities and leading seminar programme combining expert-led sessions and hands-on training, make for a truly unmissable show. Spread over two halls of the Royal Armouries, the showfloor was packed with hundreds of brands showcasing the latest audio, lighting, AV, broadcast, rigging and stage technology – including UK debuts from many of the industry’s major players. New releases in audio included, Shure’s UK launch of the Axient Digital Wireless System; Martin Audio showed their Wavefront Precision Series - a new generation of multi-purpose line array; Bose introduced the ShowMatch DeltaQ Array loudspeaker fo
USA - Fans of Mastodon weren’t surprised when three of the band’s members appeared in an episode of Game of Thrones. Like the HBO hit, the music of this group reveals itself in lavishly detailed layers of fantasy that fire the imagination and leave easy categorisations smouldering by the wayside. The complex Mastodon experience is on full display in the quartet’s 30-city North American Emperor of Sand tour, not just in the epochal music, but also in the highly evocative light and video show that Michael Howe created and controls with the new ChamSys MagicQ MQ500 Stadium and Magic HD media server. The Emperor of Sand album takes listeners on a cosmic odyssey through time as it follows a man sentenced to death in a majestic but cruel desert. Howe’s design evokes rich imagery that reflects this musical narrative with seven 2’ wide by 14’ tall vid
USA - Built in the 1980’s, Christ the Redeemer Parish Church is a thriving part of the community in Atco, New Jersey. From more humble beginnings, when Deacon Charles “Chick” McAleer was part of the team that helped wire the original Church, the initial sound system used just six pendant style loudspeakers distributed down the sides of the congregation seating. Localisation, intelligibility and overall sound quality were lacking for today’s worship services, which can be attended by over 800 people. Music now also plays a much greater part in many services. The Church found JD Sound & Video through an internet search and, after seeing the work they had done for other local churches and Catholic high schools, invited them for a consultation. JD Sound & Video designed a system using Community’s E Eries Entasys loudspeakers, having previously used them with gr
UK - Yes featuring Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman, a newly formed group of the progressive rock band's core members, played a well-received show at Manchester Apollo, captured by Eagle Rock Entertainment for DVD. As the filming required precise lighting levels, Jonathan Pask of Illuminate Lighting Ltd designed a reliable multi-user control system of networked Avolites consoles to ensure each look was on point for camera. "As the show was filmed for release later this year, it needed to be both amazing for the live audience and for those at home," says Pask. "I've used Avolites since I started out as an LD and their consoles have never let me down. The multi-console set-up for Manchester allowed us to both run the show smoothly and provide real-time management of the light levels, so that the cameras could capture high-quality footage." To power the show's classic rock an
USA - DWP LIVE has become the first US company to invest in AV Stumpfl® 8K RAW servers. Since its founding in 2007, the Nashville based company has established itself as a world-class video projection specialist, providing end-to-end event production solutions, including AV, lighting, technical direction, production management, scenic and environmental design, and venue coordination. With their latest investment, DWP LIVE has once again underlined their status as a trend-setting early adopter. AV Stumpfl 8K RAW servers are currently the only media servers capable of handling four simultaneous streams of uncompressed 4K content @60fps. The RAW servers are also able to handle 8K video files and can be used for 120fps playout scenarios or setups that require the ability to process a 12-bit colour depth. DWP LIVE founder and president, Danny Whetstone explains the e
UK - Since 2013, an array of country music’s biggest stars have been visiting the UK and Ireland as part of C2C: Country to Country, a festival of country music devised by AEG (The O2) and SJM Concerts in collaboration with the Country Music Association. The show began at The O2 in London, and has since added shows in Glasgow and Dublin, as well as visiting Scandinavia in 2015 and 2016. Show and lighting designer, Mike Oates and his partner Ryan Hopkins have worked with the festival since it began. For the 2017 festival at The O2 they created a sophisticated design featuring shaped video screens, curved trusses, and a bright versatile lighting package. Mike comments: “The design comes together after a series of meetings with Ross Hanley from SJM Concerts. Ross has ideas of what they would like to include in the design and look of the event, and we then go away and
UK - PRG XL Video recently supported lighting designer Richard Howell and production manager Stuart Tucker, for the opening show at the newly renamed and renovated London theatre, The Other Palace. PRG XL Video account manager John Pauls worked closely with Richard, Stuart and production electrician Neil Foster to supply the lighting for The Wild Party during a seven-week run in central London, between February and April. The Wild Party is a musical theatre production adapted from a book by Michael John LaChiusa and George C Wolfe, with music and lyrics by LaChiusa, based on Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem of the same name. The show premiered off-Broadway in 2000, before this 2017 revival at London’s newest producing theatre. Richard Howell discussed the initial brief of how to light the show: “It was great to be teamed up with director/c
China - Creative Technology (CT) has announced that with immediate effect Chris Burke will take on the role of managing director of Creative Technology in Shanghai. Chris will also continue as managing director of CT in Hong Kong and Singapore. This appointment now puts all of CT’s Asia Pacific Business under his control. Chris has been with Creative Technology since 2009 and in that time, he has developed the necessary skills to effect the changes that will be needed to further develop the China business and expand CT’s operation in this region. Chris replaces Simon Tibble who passed away suddenly at his home in Shanghai just over a week ago. Simon was a key part of the China business and a true industry veteran whose skills helped develop the business into what it is today. He will be missed by all. Graham Andrews, president of Creative Technology North Ame
