Portugal - This year’s Congress of Certified Accountants held at the Altice Arena in Lisbon over three days attracted more than 6,000 certified accountants from all around Portugal to learn about sustainability and non-financial reporting, corporate responsibility, social entrepreneurship, sustainable economy and accounting metrics and indices. This event brought together 25 distinguished speakers who addressed the various aspects of sustainability in different panels over the three days, among them the Minister of Finance, the Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs, the President of the Portuguese Association of Accountants, the President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC); and His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Europalco delivered a highly complex event seamlessly. The company set up an astonishing 50m x 14m ma
Belgium – tvONE CORIOmaster2 and Hippotizer solutions have been installed at the Council of the European Union and European Council headquarters in Brussels, to drive several LED and LCD walls used as graphical backdrop during high-level international events. Housed in two buildings, the Council of the European Union is where ministers from each EU member state meet to discuss, amend, and adopt EU directives, and coordinate policies. The European Council, housed in the same buildings, is responsible for the political direction and priorities of the European Union. The institutions already use two tvONE CORIOmaster2 video wall processors at their facilities in both the Justus Lipsius Building and the Europa Building in central Brussels. In the Europa Building, a CORIOmaster2 manages the visuals on a Barco LED wall in the VIP entrance - where Heads of State and ministe
Europe - Metallica has completed its European summer festival run with The Return Of The European Summer Vacation tour, which saw the band playing at some of Europe’s most anticipated music festivals including Copenhell 2022 (Denmark), Download Germany, Hellfest Summer Open Air (France), Rock Werchter (Belgium) and NOS Alive (Portugal). With a total of 11 shows held between June and August, Metallica’s long-term production partner PRG turned each event into an epic visual experience both for the in-person and streaming audiences by providing a custom LED set-up of ROE Visual panels and Brompton Technology LED video processing. PRG has worked with Metallica for over a decade, supporting them on tour and providing custom design work to deliver the fascinating LED configurations the band’s fans have experienced throughout the years. For Metallica
USA - The streets of Cincinnati were awash with colour in October as an estimated 1.5m people enjoyed the BLINK light and art festival, which featured four large-scale projection mappings powered by Hippotizer Media Servers. During the four-day event, video installations turned the city’s landmark buildings into ‘a techno cityscape of the future’, bringing existing artworks and architecture to life and creating eye-popping 3D projections. Some of the most spectacular video mapping installations were Hippotizer driven, including at Memorial Hall on Elm Street where the building’s four striking pillars and grand architectural shapes were perfectly video mapped and projected upon with sweeping, kaleidoscopic artworks by Italian multimedia studio, Antalless Visual Design. Titled In The Middle, the installation harnessed the power of a Hippotizer Boreal V4+
USA - A 3D stage production featured at the Red Rocks amphitheatre in late September for Rowdytown X, the 10th anniversary edition of Big Gigantic’s flagship party. Lighting and production designer, Justin Casey of Helms Projects and the production team created a deep and evocative stage presence that made it easy for fans to feel like they were entering a 3D space as they watch performances by the event’s hosts, as well as guests Joyryde, Mitis, Jantsen, and INZO. A variety of design elements, from a curved set that wrapped around the artists on stage, to blow-through video walls with generative content, were seamlessly fused to create this immersive panorama. Contributing to the overall effect was a collection of 40 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Helms Projects and Brown Note Productions. “This production took a village to complete, so big thanks to
UK - frame:work is a community organisation for creative video professionals working in live events, installations and virtual production. Here, frame:work co-founder Laura Frank tells us what to expect at the first in-person event, a two-day conference, set to take place on 3-4 November at central London’s CodeNode . . . What led to frame:work becoming established within the professional video / entertainment technology industry? Did you feel there was a gap in the market for a sector-specific education and networking event? Laura Frank: “Creative video professionals have spent years at conferences that speak to only part of the challenges faced in our work. My co-founders and I wanted a forum where someone who works across film, broadcast and live performance could talk about producing content and managing screens control for those very different productio
UK - Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena hosted the first Tropic skincare in-person ‘Glammies’ event to be staged since the pandemic. Attended by 4,200 Tropic ‘Glambassadors’, product launches were combined with aspirational and motivational speeches, recognition segments and an evening gala Awards, plus full entertainment including live music from the 20-piece Symphonic Ibiza orchestra. Central Presentations Ltd (CPL) supplied a full production package – lighting, audio, video, screens, rigging and staging – working for producers, Pandora Events. Two days of build and two days of rehearsals preceded the one-day event, with CPLs team of around 40 led by Lee Gruszeckyj. CPL created the production design from initial sketches to full supply and delivery. Being the first Glammies post-Covid, it was all about creating a big spectacle with lots of vibrance and
USA - Xytech has launched its new Media Operations Platform for content producers across media, broadcast and technology companies. With new executive leadership and strategic direction, Xytech’s Media Operations Platform provides ‘one command centre for all media, broadcast and production teams to create and deliver content, orchestrate people, resources and facilities, and plan logistics on time, on schedule and on budget.’ With the explosion of content creation across both traditional and non-traditional media organisations, there’s an accelerated need for media teams to have a single platform to manage all the people, equipment and assets required for production. The Xytech Media Operations Platform provides the most comprehensive set of solutions to address each entities’ specific business needs, while also maintaining the ability to integrate natively with an
The Netherlands - Indie rock stalwarts Kensington have been widely praised by critics for bringing layers of added dimensions to their music without sacrificing any of its immediate power to engage emotionally. For six days this September, the quartet from Utrecht were supported by a light and video show that reflected the multi-faceted appeal of their songs. The intricate and tightly coordinated show turned the 17,000-capacity Ziggo Dome into an immersive 3D galaxy of images that flowed in perfect harmony to the music being produced on stage. At the centre of it all was a massive 800m² ‘tree’ made of blow-through and solid LED panels that worked cohesively with intense, fast-moving displays of light. Like the entire production, the mesmerizing video-and-light combination was the product of intense collaboration, as well as some seamless integration between two Ch
Finland - Rapper Pyhimys staged a three-hour performance at Helsinki’s Ice Hall in September, designed to celebrate his 20 years of industry success. Key to the show was categorised themes recalling milestone career moments, with cleverly created graphics taking the audience on a journey through time. At the core of the visuals was a Hippotizer Boreal+ Media Server, expertly programmed and operated by the team at Visual45. A focus of the stage design was a large, semi-transparent upstage LED screen made up of ROE Vanish8 panels, with two samller IMAG screens stage left and right, consisting of ROE MC9. The back screen was raised to reveal Pyhimys and his musicians, before being lowered down into place to display graphics created by Visual45 and driven through the Boreal+. The IMAG screens were used mainly for live feed. “We were asked to design Pyhimys’s concert
UK - Technical business development specialist Neutral Human (NH) has appointed Christian Dickens as co-director of the business. Dickens first established a solid working relationship with NH founder, Sarah Cox, while working at media server manufacturer disguise as head of support and sales director EMEA, respectively. “At disguise, Christian and I laid out many successful strategies for onboarding and managing client adoption of complex software and hardware tech as the company grew,” says Cox. “We both understand what each other does and where our strengths lie. Between us, we seem to create the perfect hand-off in the client journey, from discovery to purchase, and then to onboarding.” Dickens has been in the entertainment technology industry for 26 years, specialising in video tech across a variety of verticals from concert touring to theatre, film
UK - ADI are set to bring innovative sports presentation, AV technologies and creative staging to the World Gymnastics Championships Liverpool 2022. From 29 October to 6 November, Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena will play host to over 500 of the world’s greatest gymnasts from over 75 countries, and after an extensive consultation process, ADI have been chosen to lead the transformation of three venues across the ACC Liverpool complex. With the event theme, ‘Welcome to our World’, ADI will be managing all of the digital engagement platforms throughout the M&S Bank Arena, Fan Zone and Athlete’s After Party, including the technical delivery of dynamic content, audio and lighting for the sports presentation elements. In addition to this, 750sqm of modular LED will be installed, creating 15 digital touchpoints for spectators to interact with. The platform
The Netherlands - DMT has announced the launch of the Premiere Series Blue Line pixel screens. Starting with two new models that have a pixel pitch of 3.9 mm, the PS-3.9 Blue Line LED pixel screens are a cost-effective choice. Thanks to a rating of IP54 (back) and IP65 (front), and a brightness of up to 5000 nits, they’re suitable for temporary use outdoors and can also be used indoors, of course. The built-in A5s PLUS receiver card works perfectly with NovaStar video processors, while the Power Pro and ProCat connections ensure safe and secure power and data connectivity. Like all Premiere Series screens, the Blue Line models offer front and rear access for easy servicing, which makes them ideal for fixed installations as well as the rental market. Measuring 50x50 cm and 50x100 cm, the new PS-3.9 Blue Line pixel screens are compatible with other models in the
Europe - Absen is collaborating with tech-forward film studio Garden Studios and cinematography hire house Pro Cam Take 2, to host the Virtual Production Forum on 20 October. Virtual Production allows filmmakers to shoot live-action footage within a pre-visualised virtual world, using 3D CGI modelling, high quality LED displays and precision camera tracking to make it all look as real as possible. The VP Forum promises fascinating insights into the world of virtual production, with an agenda covering a series of tech talks and panel discussions giving practical insights such as ‘Managing workflows and pipeline’ to ‘Changing the way we think about filmmaking: collaborative on-set experiences that allow filmmakers to think and work differently’. This one-day event has been created to showcase the potential that VP offers everyone in the content creation and film produc
UK - The Reminisce Arena at 90’s dance music festival Reminisce in St Helens, Merseyside, boasts an impressive line-up of dance legends including 2 Unlimited, Baby D, Rozalla and Tall Paul, with Alice Deejay, 5ive, Fatman Scoop, Whigfield, Phats and Smalls and Pat Sharp appearing on other stages. oXyFire Media has been supporting Reminisce for a number of years, and uses the Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2, Blackmagic HyperDeck Studio HD Mini and the Blackmagic Constellation 8K to broadcast the Reminisce Arena. “It’s great fun, but the weather and the distances can make it an interesting challenge,” said Jay Rozanski, oXyFire Media. “But it also gives us the opportunity to keep improving how we operate.” oXyFire Media chose a mixture of equipment for the festival, including the Blackmagic URSA Broadcast G2 on a 30ft jib and the Blackmagic HyperDeck Stud
UK - This summer, Creative Technology worked on a multitude of the UK’s largest and most popular major outdoor music events and festivals. May marked the start of festival season for Creative Technology’s audio team with the return of The Great Escape Festival, followed by BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Coventry, delivering LED main screens along with LED columns and a DJ Riser. June’s highlights included Liam Gallagher - Knebworth Park, where CT provided large I-mag screens and a control package for the singer’s largest solo gig to date – twenty-six years on from his show as part of Oasis back in 1996 where CT supplied LED screens, OB vans and cameras. The audio team headed to Red Rooster Festival in the heart of Suffolk, while the video team prepared for the British-created rock festival, Download, where I-mags and FOH screens were supplied – short
UAE - Mike Walker has joined Creative Technology Middle East as sales director. Walker’s career in the entertainment technology industry began with Creative Technology London joining as the company’s first business development manager and moving on to running the presentation and 3D graphics facility in Soho and then leading the combined Screenco and CT sales team as sales director. After 14 years with CT, Walker spent two years as a freelance video consultant for major UK productions including the SKY TV HD launch and the historic Led Zeppelin concert at London’s 02 Arena.in 2010 Mike joined Martin Professional Lighting heading up their UK operation and moved on to a senior role with Harman Professional after they acquired the business. “Joining the CT team in Dubai at such an exciting time in the company’s development is hugely exciting and it’s al
UK - AE Live, provider of graphics and data solutions, and Pixotope are partnering to deliver a turnkey virtual production solution for broadcast, sports and live entertainment. The integrated system combines AE Live’s expertise in on-screen graphics, data and augmented reality with Pixotope Camera Tracking technology. “This end-to-end solution removes many of the challenges of traditional production,” said David Dowling, chief revenue officer at Pixotope. “It provides a full-service platform for delivering unique and immersive viewing experiences that are a perfect fit for the way audiences consume data and entertainment today.” The joint AE Live and Pixotope technology solution has been deployed successfully on several events across Europe including football, horse racing and rugby, with plans to expand its use on sports and events in the United Sta
UK - CPL - via Urban Audio Productions - supplied a full video design and production package – screens, cameras, and control – to the 2022 Camper Calling festival which ran for three days over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire. The CPL crew, led by Lee Gruszeckyj, relished the chance to return to this festival, which this year attracted much larger audiences than in 2021, when it was among the first round of live events able to operate as Covid restrictions were tentatively lifted. This year organisers Jazz Events and everyone involved was buzzed to be back to the full-tilt energy levels of 2019 with a line up including Basement Jaxx, Starsailor, Shed 7, Del Amitiri and James. Following on from the success of last year’s presentation, the side stage IMAG screens were again flown in portrait format, a move suggested by CPL to fram
Malta – MTV’s Isle of MTV festival burst into life on the island of Malta this summer with a line-up of pop music heavyweights performing on the main stage, backed by shifting LED screens powered by a Hippotizer Mayon+ MK2 Media Server. Isle of MTV Malta attracts more than 50,000 people to dance in the Il-Fosos Square. Now in its 14th year, the festival is shown on MTV as well as Sky and via online platforms. Two Grammy-nominated artists headlined the 2022 event, kicking off with DJ Marshmello and followed by the multi-platinum artist French Montana and English singer Mae Muller, among many others. UK-based video solutions company Digital Insanity was commissioned to deploy their characteristic dynamic, dazzling visual delivery and operation for the main stage, which featured an upstage LED screen, three further onstage screens which were moved around between
USA - At the 74th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards ceremony on 28 September in Los Angeles, ARRI was honoured with the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award. With this prestigious accolade, the Television Academy recognises the company for its more than a century of designing and manufacturing camera and lighting systems as well as its development of systemic technological solutions and service networks for a worldwide complex of film, broadcast, and media industries. Accepting this prize, named after the American inventor and television technician Philo Farnsworth and presented since 2003, was Dr. Matthias Erb, chairman of the ARRI Executive Board. “On behalf of all ARRI employees, I thank the Television Academy for this tremendous honour,” said Erb. “The Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award is a very special accolade since
China - Unified communications (UC) solution provider Yealink and Harman Professional Solutions have announced the integration of Yealink and AMX by Harman control systems that brings a convenient connection and simple control when users are meeting and presenting in meeting rooms. With the combination of Yealink’s Microsoft Teams Rooms system and AMX’s devices including central controllers, video switchers and HydraPort connectivity solutions, meeting attendees can enjoy a simple switch between table inputs to determine which laptop will be shared in the Teams meetings. Additionally, the integration of Yealink and AMX allows users to control not only the camera on the Yealink MTouch II, but also the lighting and room temperature. “The partnership between Yealink and AMX brings users a simpler and more friendly meeting experience,” said Alvin Liao, vice preside
Portugal - Europalco, one of the largest providers of solutions for events and shows in Southern Europe, was the global provider of the United Nations World Ocean Conference held at the emblematic Altice Arena stadium in Lisbon. The five-day event, organised by the governments of Kenya and Portugal, was attended by more than 7,000 participants and brought together 25 heads of state and government and a hundred ministers. Europalco dedicated a team of 141 people (120 technicians, five project managers, eight purchasing managers, and eight logistics operators) to the event, providing a comprehensive solution. The Portuguese company was in charge of setting up the stages, providing all the furniture and all the technology necessary for the event. It also oversaw sound and lighting, screens, video, and live transmissions, as well as teleprompter tools, simultaneous transla
Finland – The annual Miss Finland pageant was broadcast live on TV from Helsinki’s Valkoinen Sali hall in September, with contestants ‘strutting their stuff’ backed by LED screens driven by Hippotizer Karst+ Media Servers. The event, which crowns a winner who will go on to represent Finland in the Miss Universe competition, draws healthy viewing figures and sparks conversation on social media. It claims to promote not only outer beauty, but mental strength and charity work showcasing the women of today. Helsinki-based Capital AV was commissioned by Miss Finland organiser, Finnartist Ltd, to create and operate the visuals for the event and design the staging inside the Valkoinen Sali venue, which was built in the 1920s. Capital AV’s Capital Creative arm designed and constructed a triangular catwalk from the hall’s existing stage, allowing the contestants to
