Business

Details

16 September 2024

UK - Offering considerable hands-on experience and the first steps into a technical career in the arts, applications are open again for Lighthouse Young Technicians, organised by Lighthouse Poole arts complex. It is a nationally recognised training course for young people aged 13-19 eager to get to grips with lighting, sound and stage management in a variety of indoor and outdoor settings.

“Since its launch in 2018, the Young Technicians course has proven to be a valuable, real-world route into a career in technical theatre,” says Charles Shenton, Lighthouse creative engagement producer.

Guided by industry specialists in a structured 12-week course, the budding technicians navigate all elements of technical theatre to gain the experience they need to pursue a future career, working alongside all technical departments in the build up to opening ni

Details

13 September 2024

UK - Elation has announced that Sound Technology has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Elation and Obsidian products in the UK and Ireland, effective now. In addition to its existing portfolio, Sound Technology will manage all aspects of Elation and Obsidian sales, service, training, and support in the region.

Located in Letchworth Garden City, north of London, Sound Technology is a leading distributor of high-profile brands in the professional audio, lighting, and MI retail sectors. The company is part of the Midwich Group, one of the largest specialist audiovisual distributors in the UK and Europe.

Marc Librecht, sales and marketing director for Elation and Obsidian in Europe, emphasised the partnership: “We are excited to have found a dedicated partner who can help us expand the Elation and Obsidian brands in this extremely importa

Details

13 September 2024

Vietnam - Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) Group’s Vietnam team recently hosted an industry meet and greet with Vietnam’s creatives at Revons Studio in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City. The event, titled Spatial Visualisation, invited Vietnam’s top show designers, production directors, choreographers and technical directors to touch, experience and experiment using the BlackTrax real-time tracking and automation solution. 

Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) Group is a value-added event technology distribution network, with a regional coverage across six countries in South-East Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and certified BlackTrax reseller for the region. 

For this event the Group’s Vietnam branch chose to showcase the company’s solution package of BlackTrax integrated with multiple

Details

12 September 2024

UK - Sony has released new research into employers’ approach to sustainability in the media and entertainment industry in Europe. Titled Means & Mindset: The state of sustainability in the media industry, the report sheds light on how seriously the industry is taking steps to become more environmentally conscious.

The research, which was conducted using Sony’s own European contact database, was aimed at presenting a realistic view of the industry’s sustainability credentials, which included both positive changes already made, but also the barriers to further, more significant change.

The encouraging news is the research found that while only 40% of businesses cared about being seen as more sustainable, nearly three-quarters of businesses (73%) have implemented operational changes to reduce their environmental impact. The most actio

Details

12 September 2024

China - Brompton Technology joined INFiLED’s 15th anniversary celebration on 9 September at the InterContinental Dameisha Resort in Shenzhen. The event highlighted INFiLED’s role as one of the leading providers of LED display solutions and celebrated the long-standing partnerships, including the one with Brompton Technology, that have propelled advancements in the LED industry.

The anniversary featured a variety of activities, including speeches from INFiLED’s CEO and vice-president, along with testimonials from key business partners such as Brompton Technology, LANG AG, and RM Multimedia, highlighting their successful collaboration with INFiLED. The event also included an awards ceremony to honour suppliers, a showcase of notable projects from the past five years, and engaging performances prepared by INFiLED employees.

Elijah Ebo, Brompton’

Details

10 September 2024

UAE - Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) is based in the UAE, KSA, and Qatar, and delivers technical design, planning and production for some of the most ambitious and dynamic live events and system integration projects in the region.

Creative Technology has been steadily investing in new Robe moving light fixtures over the last three years, including the recent purchases of 24 x Fortes, 80 x LEDBeam 350s and four RoboSpot BaseStations with Motion Cameras.

The latest purchases have happened since CTME’s head of lighting, Sam Connolly, started with CT three years ago, and were driven by him coupled with the company’s previous experience with Robe moving lights, including BMFLs.

However, the time had arrived to update these with newer technologies. Before joining the team at CTME, Connolly enjoyed 10 years working in the region on inter

Details

10 September 2024

Dynamic Pricing - The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of "dynamic pricing". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether ticket-selling platform Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law. Dynamic pricing meant that, on Ticketmaster, where tickets to the reunion tour were originally sold, prices rose in line with demand.

The investigation will examine whether: Ticketmaster engaged in unfair commercial practices; buyers were given clear information to explain that the tickets could be subject to price rises; people were put under pressure to buy tickets within a short period of time. The CMA's probe follows widespread criticism of dynamic pricing over the past week from Oasis fans.

Many said they ended up paying significantly more than they expected for

Details

09 September 2024

USA - Texas-based rental and event production solutions company LD Systems has invested in 32 new Robe iForte LTX moving lights, purchased specifically to pair with their existing 14 RoboSpot remote follow spotting control systems.

“The iForte LTX is a proper ‘Swiss Army knife of fixtures’ – highly versatile and very robust,” commented LD Systems’ lighting operations manager, Nathan Brittain.

The company already has substantial quantities of other Robe products – Pointes, MegaPointes and Spikies – in its rental inventory which are in constant use on touring, concert, and festival systems as well as special events, spectaculars and one-offs, plus the RoboSpot Systems which up to this point had been working with BMFL LT fixtures.

Brittain explains that they were looking for an IP-rated high-powered moving light, especially for t

Details

06 September 2024

Europe - Goldensea has announced that it has agreed to acquire the business of SGM Light AS, and that SGM is now under the ownership of Goldensea. In the coming days SGM will restart trading under a new legal entity, retaining the SGM name.

Established in Italy in 1975, and now located in Aarhus, Denmark, SGM is a well-respected lighting manufacturer pioneering the use of IP65 moving lights before, more recently, focusing on architectural lighting. Both these aspects create strong synergies with Goldensea, which is investing heavily in both entertainment and architectural IP65 solid state lighting products.

SGM has always focused on technological innovation, being one of the first in the industry to launch all-weather waterproof moving head fixtures. It has experienced R&D, creative, operations and sales teams alongside mature sales channels and

Details

06 September 2024

France - L-Acoustics, experiencing record-breaking growth, has announced a strategic restructuring and significant expansion of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) sales team. This move, led by recently appointed director of sales EMEA, Tim Völker, introduces a new 'head of sales' management position and key hires designed to meet the increasing sophistication and scale of projects in the region.

This restructuring reflects L-Acoustics' commitment to meeting evolving market needs. The company's increased investment in personnel over the past two years has been strategically directed towards enhancing client support, improving service quality, and providing closer account management. This client-centric approach has been well received across all market sectors, as evidenced by strong sales performance and growing market acceptance of L-Acoustics solut

Details

06 September 2024

Europe - Bridge Technologies has announced its partnership with fellow Norwegian company Pixotope, a leading provider of graphic enhancements for broadcast productions. The partnership will focus on leveraging Bridge’s expertise in the field of IP broadcast to assist Pixotope in a full ST 2110 transition, the initial results of which will be on display at IBC 2024 (Booth 1.A71).

The Pixotope platform streamlines workflows by combining camera tracking, talent tracking, virtual sets, AR and XR functionalities. Through the use of a single, intuitive application, the need for multiple programmes and complex integrations is eliminated, thus minimising disruption and hardware requirements. The net result is the ability to easily create immersive and striking experiences for viewers, adding context through data visualisations, clarity through action tracking, and

Details

06 September 2024

UK - Following a “resounding success and sell-out event” in Bristol earlier this year, Stage Electrics has announced that their showcase is hitting the road. The first destination is Brighton, promising an opportunity for people interested in entertainment technology to connect, explore, and experience the newest products from leading brands.

On confirming the next Showcase location, Dave Coull, Group CEO, said: "We are excited to bring the Stage Electrics Showcase to Brighton. This is a chance to connect with our valued customers and demonstrate many of the market-leading products and services we provide.

“But the Showcase isn't just about the latest technology; it's about building relationships, sharing knowledge, and helping our clients find the right solutions for their performance spaces and venues. Showcasing the innovation and expertise

Details

06 September 2024

Europe - Lawo, the Ravenna audio-over-IP technology developer, has welcomed Jünger Audio to the Ravenna community. A manufacturer of audio processing, conversion and authoring solutions, Jünger Audio creates channel-based audio and object-based next-generation audio formats for the broadcast industry. 

Jünger Audio has been partnering with the Ravenna team for a while to ensure compatibility for its audio-over-IP interface. Based on SMPTE ST2110, AES67 and other format standards, the next major release version will add the final components to fully comply with the Ravenna standard. 

“With Ravenna being one of the major players in the broadcast world, it was no question that we would join the family,” says Friedemann Kootz, co-CEO of Jünger Audio. “While we have been serving our Ravenna-based customers with AES67 effective

Details

05 September 2024

UK - Specialists in AV and IT integration, Tateside, has announced the opening of an updated showroom space at its London-based headquarters. The space will showcase a wide array of advanced technologies for collaboration and meeting rooms, providing clients with a real-world environment in which to explore and experience the solutions offered by Tateside.  

"Our investment in this new demo space underscores our commitment to building trust and credibility," says Jack Cornish, technical director at Tateside. "The showroom allows our clients to witness, firsthand, the capabilities of different technologies in various configurations and use cases, and also acts as a functioning workspace for our team to test and experiment with these technologies themselves." 

The demo space features a mix of technologies from leading brands, set up in multiple conf

Details

05 September 2024

USA - Based in San Diego, California, turnkey production design studio and rental company Maktive says it is “dedicated to bringing the GLP fixture experience to the masses”.

The company has been quick to back up this pledge by ordering large quantities of the German company’s latest generation of IP65-rated fixtures, all on the advanced X5 platform.

When it “blind purchased” 150 of the new JDC2 IPs after seeing prototypes at the LDI booth last November, it became its single largest investment in one type of fixture. And by then it had already bought 100 each of the impression X5 IP Bar 1000 and Fusion by GLP Exo Beam 10s, as well as 50 of the new impression X5 IP Maxx.

The IP fixtures already serve the company well in all elements, as they travel coast-to-coast during the outdoor event season. But Bryan McClanahan, who set up the p

Details

05 September 2024

USA - Martin Audio US has announced its next open day. This will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on 30 September, with separate presentations at both 11am and 2pm.

Hosted by VP sales, Lee Stein, the event will showcase highlights from Martin Audio’s current portfolio, with audio demonstrations and presentations by vertical market specialists, Brad Berridge and Brad Stephens.

Beginning with their latest range of passive coaxial point source speakers, FlexPoint, and the powered counterpart CDD-LIVE, they will then progress through to the specialist three-way 15” speaker of THS, onto the constant curvature series, Torus and finish with a complement of Wavefront Precision optimised line arrays – all supported by performance subwoofers including cardioid SXC115 and SXC118, as well as SXH218.

In addition, they will have XE stage

Details

04 September 2024

UK - Rigging pioneer Robin Elias was the proud recipient of the 2024 Gottelier Award. Nominated and voted for by his industry peers, Elias collected the award from PLASA MD, Peter Heath and chair, Adam Blaxill at this year’s PLASA Show, which took place 1-3 September at Olympia London.

Named in memory of the renowned industry innovator and commentator, Tony Gottelier, the award celebrates those who have made significant, long-term contributions to the advancement of entertainment, presentation or installation technology.

Elias began his career in rock ‘n’ roll, touring with iconic bands such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen and Genesis. He went on to become technical director of Unusual Rigging, where he delivered often complex and challenging rigging solutions across diverse sectors, including film and TV, live events, museums and ar

Details

03 September 2024

UK - The winners of the 2024 PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced last night at PLASA Show, currently running at Olympia London. The awards, run in association with LSi, are respected industry-wide for celebrating future-focussed technology that improves safety, efficiency and performance through new methods and materials.

44 products were entered this year, with the judges ultimately awarding eight products. And, for the first time in a number of years, the judges were delighted to also award the sustainability award. This year’s judging team comprised 13 independent technical specialists from a wide array of backgrounds, chaired once again by chartered engineer and LSi columnist, James Eade.

The winning products and judges’ comments are listed below:
Glensound for GTM Mobile  
The judges felt that this f

Details

03 September 2024

USA - Online retailer for music makers Sweetwater has announced the formal transition of All Pro Integrated Systems, its integration division, to officially operate as Sweetwater Integration. Solving the marketplace need for a one-stop shop for superior integration delivery, the transition reflects over a decade of investment, coupling exceptional customer care and a track record of successful projects for large-scale integration customers.

Sweetwater's customers now have a go-to source for integration to create immersive audio-visual experiences. And now, with Sweetwater Integration, the company is leveraging strong, proven relationships with experienced designers, engineers, and professional integrators.

"We've been working tirelessly to redefine integration and to ensure the integration delivery experience matches the experience synonymous with th

Details

03 September 2024

On The Campaign Trail - ABBA have complained after their hits like The Winner Takes it All were played at one of Donald Trump's presidential campaign rallies. The group's songs and videos, also including Money, Money, Money and Dancing Queen, were also played at the event in Minnesota in July, according to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.

In a statement to the Reuters news agency, the band's record label Universal Music said: "Together with the members of ABBA, we have discovered that videos have been released where Abba's music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down." The label said no permission or licence had been granted to Mr Trump's campaign.

ABBA are the latest in a long list of artists or their estates who have objected to Mr Tr

Details

02 September 2024

Australia - It was confirmed at PLASA Show 2024 that with effect from 1 September, Melbourne-based manufacturer LSC Control Systems will become the Australia & New Zealand distributor for UK-based lighting controls and visual systems manufacturer, Avolites.

Both companies are owned by Czech Republic-based moving light and LED manufacturer, Robe lighting s.r.o.

This significant development will be mutually beneficial to both brands in Australia & New Zealand – and to the market as it signals a new period of opportunity for the region’s professional lighting industry.

It also brings these two renowned brands full circle. Although in robust competition for more than 30 years, the two enjoyed a successful partnership back in the 1980s, when LSC provided certain products under OEM license to Avolites.

As Robe businesses, both c

Details

02 September 2024

UK - Sound Technology has announced its appointment as the UK and ROI distributor for the Sumolight Groups’ Sumomax lighting system.

Sumomax is a 500W full colour RGBWW LED soft light luminaire designed for film, television, and photography professionals. Known for its high output, adjustable colour temperature, and compact design, the Sumomax has rapidly gained traction in the global entertainment industry.

Steve Fay, managing director of Sound Technology, stated, "We're excited to represent Sumolight in the UK market. Its innovative lighting system perfectly complements our expanding portfolio of lighting brands and reinforces our commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions to creative professionals."

Tim Zur, managing director of the Sumolight Group, commented, “We are delighted to be able to start our journey with Sound Technology

Details

30 August 2024

UK - Backup is always excited to be at the PLASA Show and this year is no exception. Meet the Backup team at the Backup Support Hub, part of the #WeMakeEvents Stand A18.

Trained Mental Health First Aiders from Backup and Music Support will be available for the whole show to share information and signpost, with specific support again being offered by EventWell in the Safe-Space for anyone who needs it, at any point during the show. This is also a chance for companies and individuals to learn more about the services Backup provides and find out how they can get involved and support the industry charity. 

Tuesday sees the first Backup Interactive Wellbeing session, coordinated by PLASA. Starting at 2:30pm in Theatre 1, the session has been designed to offer a much less intimidating, more personalised environment and will be chaired by Peter Heath, PLAS

Details

29 August 2024

UK - A new partnership has been announced by lighting designers Ross Chapple and Nick Jevons. Auratecture brings together the combined creative talent of these two lighting and production designers to offer a “design house” with a bold artistic vision for clients seeking “dynamic, unique, and innovative lighting and stage concepts”.

“We have a historical friendship stretching back over a decade, during which time we have admired each other’s creativity and work ethos. Our individual artistic visions are contrasting yet complementary, and we felt the time was right to bring our thinking, skills and resources together to build something really special – a design partnership where our creativity could nurture exciting new collaborations,” explains Jevons.

“Nick and I are both musically driven people,” expands Chapple. “Creating imp