China - PR Lighting fixtures had a major presence at the recent 22nd APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Welcome Banquet, which was held at the Water Cube in Beijing.

This event, whose theme this year was 'Shaping the Future through Asia-Pacific Partnership', was very much a showcase for Chinese entertainment and stage lighting brands, providing a great opportunity for the Chinese event technology industry to show its new image and underline how far it has come. And the attendees, represented by the leaders from 21 member countries, were certainly impressed.

The lighting was divided into three distinct sections, and as the leading entertainment lighting company in China, PR Lighting was chosen for its advanced and reliable products.

The first part of the journey was 'The Welcome Pathway' - the road between the Bird's Nest Stadium and Water Cube - which was designed by c

Ireland - Dublin-based Sound Productions recently designed, supplied and commissioned a new JBL beam steering public address system for St. Agnes Catholic Church in the Parish of Crumlin.

Having installed the previous PA system around a decade ago, the new sound solution was specified as part of a complete church renovation project.

According to Sound Productions' senior project manager, Peadar Carley, the aim of the new system was to maintain and improve intelligibility using a more architecturally discreet solution.

"The renovation included the installation of new hard wood flooring which was previously carpeted - and with no absorbing surfaces, this meant that the RT would increase to 3-5 seconds. Therefore we needed a speaker system that would provide precise beam steering," he said.

He turned to a pair of JBL Intellivox-DS280s, distributed in the UK and Eire

USA - Weather conditions have always been the overall challenge and concern for outdoor event providers.

Aside from its impact on visitor attendance, adverse weather conditions impose huge additional costs on lighting equipment deployment - or rather it did. SGM's LED G-Spot moving head, is not only IP65 rated, making it weather resistant, but also includes an active dehumidification device. This reduces the risk of internal condensation while allowing lighting designers to unleash their creativity to the full - in whatever weather is thrown at them during an outdoor event

In recent months, three major amusement parks in the USA have all installed the G-Spot for their main attractions: Cedar Point in Ohio, Kings Island in Ohio and Carowinds in North Carolina.

Behind these installations is Andrew Strain from Blue Haze Entertainment, whose passion is the entertainment business

UK - Sound Technology, distributor of Soundcraft in the UK and Eire, has announced further dates for its popular Soundcraft Vi Series training course.

The dates are as follows: Wednesday 21 January 2015, Tuesday 17 February 2015, Wednesday 18 March 2015, Wednesday 22 April 2015 and Wednesday 20 May 2015.

The course is held at Soundcraft's Potters Bar, Hertfordshire head office and factory, with an opportunity to visit the factory floor to see the Vi manufacturing process. The exception is the January 2015 session which is hosted by Adlib in Liverpool.

Presented by experienced Vi Series engineer and Adlib director Dave Kay, the training is relevant to the Vi6, Vi4, Vi3000 and Vi1, and also covers the new Soundcraft Realtime Rack plug-in engine.

The course is free and open to engineers, venues, hire, installation and production companies.

For more information and to regist

UK - Avolites Ai S8 media servers completed an elegant makeover of the London Coliseum, draping the stage in video content for the British Fashion Awards, held to celebrate the contributions of British designers, creatives and models over the past year.

The glitzy event, attended by some of the biggest names in British fashion, was set against a backdrop including a main projection surface of eight Panasonic projectors blended to create a 6598x830 screen.

Ben Miles used two active Ai S8 servers, with another two used as reserve and programming systems. Another 1920x1080 HD feed to the camera PPU fed the IMAG screens content, such as fashion shoot clips, awards and winners graphics, mostly created by StrangeBeast.

Of the two active servers, one had the UI and three outputs and the other, the UI and two outputs, all outputting 1920x1080 at 50Hz, beautifully synced together.

South Africa - With a background in electronic engineering and having followed the development of LED lighting for many years, Julian Cohen, owner of Johannesburg based rental company Avstage, had been waiting for LED technology to catch up with discharge lamps.

Three decades ago he designed and manufactured large display panels using discrete LEDs and now at last the opportunity came along to purchase new lighting including 12 Robin 300 LEDs, an Avolites Tiger Touch 2 and a haze machine.

In the greater rental market, Avstage caters for corporate events. This environment is unlike rock concerts where lighting is a major element of the production. "Most of our clients are non-technical and when catering for gala dinners or conferences, lighting is more about creating ambience and is only an element of the entire event. It's not about which light is being used and its techn

Japan - It was a challenge for the technical crew of Fuji Television Network (Fuji TV) and Fuji Media Technology (FMT) to find the right fixture to light a set built in the globe shaped observation studio located on the 24th floor of their building. But in the end, they realised that ETC's Selador Desire D60 Daylight luminaires were the right fit.

"Our task was to light this set built in a space that was once a coffee shop, with minimal power," says Hitoshi Hoshino, the executive manager of FMT. "The space also had only 2.4m to the ceiling, so it was impossible to use incandescent lights, not only because of the power restrictions, but also the heat."

The set was built for the live morning breakfast show Mezamashi TV (Alarm Clock TV); behind the cast are windows with a view of Tokyo that creates a backlight that changes with the time and weather. The bigges

USA - When one of US television's most visible sports anchors launched his new sportstalk TV/radio show in early October, lighting designer Victor Fable turned to a lighting package of studio-optimized Elation lighting equipment including DW Series and TVL Series professional white light LED fixtures to light the set.

Rich Eison, well known by US football fans as host of NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network and a mainstay on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1996 to 2003, hosts The Rich Eison Show broadcast live Monday-Friday from DirecTV's El Segundo, California Studios on the Audience Network, as well as Fox Sports Radio.

In the summer of 2014, while the space was being refurbished into a television studio for the three-hour show, Victor had time to contemplate his design and the lighting fixtures he would need. "I wanted a variety of professional white light and other

UK - The new Jaguar XE was spectacularly launched in the UK amidst a fully produced musical theatre-style show - staged in a 3000-seat proscenium theatre within London's Earls Court. The 90 minute performance involved 17 different Jaguars through the ages. A Morris Minor, a cast of west end performers, a 30-piece orchestra positioned upstage on a moving riser and musical performances from the likes of Emeli Sandé, Eliza Doolittle and the Kaiser Chiefs were woven in to the narrative fabric of the show.

Freelance sound designer, Sebastian Frost worked closely with Imagination's head of sound, John Del Nero, to create natural theatre sound on the vast 53m x 30m stage, utilising a TiMax SoundHub audio showcontrol delay-matrix, supplied by London-based production hire company, Orbital Sound, not only to contain the sound but also to ensure the 3000-strong audience in the raise

UK - Behind the Scenes UK, the newly launched charity that aims to provide financial support to entertainment technology professionals when they are ill or injured, is calling on companies and individuals to send their annual Christmas cards via Card Aid this year.

Card Aid has been helping charities increase their funds from the sale of their Christmas cards for over 30 years and John Simpson, Chair of Behind the Scenes UK, believes proceeds from the sale of Christmas Cards via the Card Aid Website will really make a difference to Behind the Scenes which only launched in the UK in October. "Sending Christmas cards is a long held tradition and Card Aid allows us to keep the spirit of Christmas alive - as cards can be purchased online, either in the form of a pack of cards or as e-cards which can be sent on a pay per click basis. Whilst we are happy to accept donations in li

UK - Sussex-based audio technology company, Flare Audio, has been awarded the Innovation Award at the 2014 Adur and Worthing Business Awards, recognising the company for its outstanding 'passion and vision'.

This is the second award for Flare, which is continuing to develop products attracting the attention of top figures in the music industry. Judges at the awards commented, "Lancing's Flare Audio is an innovative audio technology company run by a small and passionate team of people with big visions, and speakers that deliver an even bigger sound."

The host of the awards, Fred Dineage, explained, "The company began as an audio hire business in 2007. Passionate about sound quality and not content with the clarity and tourability of existing market leading products, Flare founder Davies Roberts decided to create his own loudspeaker designs. Designs that would del

Beatle Drive - The Beatles musical Let It Be will return to the West End next year, to run at the Garrick Theatre. It will replace The Scottsboro Boys at the Garrick, where it also played earlier this year. The show will run there from 28 February to 27 September. The production will then embark on its second national tour in October 2015, which will visit more than 30 cities. The show's producer, Jamie Hendry, said, "Now in its third year, Let It Be continues to draw crowds and delight audiences around the world. Its return to the West End for its fourth season is only testament to the huge popularity of the Beatles."

Lotto Money - A former Sunderland fire station will be transformed into a performing arts hub after being granted £2.4m from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The conversion of the building, which has been derelict for 22 years

Germany - d&b audiotechnik is boosting its cooperation with Neumann&Müller (N&M) Event Technology with a five-year agreement. N&M bring to life high quality events with state-of-the-art equipment. The agreement between the companies involves the supply of loudspeakers from d&b's newest range the Y-Series.

"We are proud of this further expansion of our long-standing business relationship with N&M. The new Y-Series complements the d&b equipment already used by the company", says Jürgen Wilhelm, DACH regional sales manager at d&b audiotechnik.

Over the next five years d&b will supply loudspeakers to N&M including the Y-Series line array modules and the corresponding cardioid subwoofer Y-SUB (suitable for flown arrays). The scope of supply also includes d&b's newest amplifier the D80.

"The refinement of the sound properties in the case of the Y-Series point sour

UK - Leading pro-audio provider The Warehouse Sound Services has reported a boost in sales following this year's inaugural PLASA Focus in at the SECC. The company showcased a range of products from d&b audiotechnik, Shure, Yamaha and EM Acoustics. The event provided the Scotland headquartered organisation an opportunity to exhibit on home turf with the experience surpassing all the company's expectations.

PLASA Focus Glasgow delivered two days of constant activity, high quality visitors and high interest in The Warehouse's new products.

Janet Murray, sales manager of The Warehouse commented, "Exhibiting at PLASA Focus has been productive for The Warehouse. This has been a great event for the company based on the responses to product presentations and the volume of new and existing customers who came specifically to see our product range. Importantly we were able to greet

USA - SGM was not only able to introduce a number of new products at this year's LDI Show in Las Vegas but attracted equal interest by announcing the restructuring of their sales and service operations in the Americas. This was highlighted by the opening last month of SGM Inc in Orlando, FL.

Thus, they were able to present not only a new portfolio of ETL-certified, IP65 LED products but also the new Technical Support Team and established sales force. At the same time, well known Spanish lighting designer Ben Díaz, has been appointed SGM's new area manager for South America, and he will also be handling product training.

As a result, the SGM booth proved to be one of the hottest destinations at this premier expo. The show floor was permanently busy and they reported great interest in both the now-established G-Spot and new G-Profile (with framing shutters), billed as the world

South Africa - Cape Audio College, The Institute of Sound Technology, recently acquired the JBL VRX900 Series Constant Curvature Line Array that will be used as a portable sound system when training student sound engineers as part of their Live Sound Module.

Cape Audio College's Head, Rae de Jager says, "We were looking for a scalable sound system that could deliver power and offer flexibility and the VRX does just that, whether as a single point system or expanding it to a larger format. It is also budget friendly, which was an extra plus point."

Their JBL VRX System comprises a total of six JBL VRX932LA-1 line array loudspeaker, two VRX-AF rigging frames, six VRX918S 18" subwoofers as well as four PRX715M 15" loudspeakers that will be used for stage monitoring. Amplification is through four Crown IT 9000HD running V5 tunings.

"We are excited that t

UK - White Light has helped to transform London's Old Sorting Office venue for a temporary exhibition which focuses on ideas and perceptions of environmental conservation. Titled Here Today... after the phrase "here today, gone tomorrow", the exhibit brings together works from more than 50 international artists including Andy Warhol, Gavin Turk, Peter Blake and Douglas Gordon to recognise the 50th Anniversary of The IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species.

The venue, once the largest sorting office for the Royal Mail in London, now serves as an events space hosting private events, fashion shows, and exhibitions. For Here Today... the space was completely transformed with additional walls, scenic pieces, and lighting. Made up of eight distinct chapters, the exhibit's path takes visitors on a multi-media journey which includes paintings, sculptur

South Africa - The Market Theatre in Johannesburg was forced to purchase a new grandMA2 Ultra Light desk after the theatre was flooded recently.

The unfortunate event was sparked when an intruder broke into the theatre, breaking a drencher pipe in the process. This resulted in the release of 80 000 litres of water into the auditorium, damaging the MA2 Ultra Light in the process.

A replacement console was purchased from Dave Whitehouse of DWR. Nomvulu Malpo, head of lighting at the Market, and her team received training on the desk's latest software and features, presented by Gareth Chambers.

(Jim Evans)

UK - The British Comedy Awards is returning once again to Fountain Studios. Hosted by Jonathan Ross and transmitted on Channel 4, the evening is renowned for bringing together the top talent in the industry to acknowledge and celebrate the continued success of British television comedy, showcasing some of the most outrageous, successful and hilarious comedy moments of the year.

Working on the Unique TV-owned award show on behalf of CPL Productions, Creative Technology (CT) has been commissioned to supply the LED and plasma screens for the ceremony, delivering the solutions for on-set video and graphics, autocue displays and press room video relay.

In the centre of the stage a 4m x 4m Flyer 12 LED screen is visible through the middle of the iconic circus-themed stage dressing, sitting behind a back projection surface to create a subtle diffusion for the graphics.

In addition,

USA - When the 15th annual Latin Grammy Awards were broadcast live on Univision from Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena, Professional Wireless Systems (PWS) once again supported Univision's system with a custom RF communications package for the network's green carpet pre-show and star-studded main event.

The Latin Grammy Awards, presented by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Unlike the regular Grammy Awards, which primarily honours music produced in the United States, the Latin Grammys recognize music recorded in either Spanish or Portuguese, produced anywhere in the world.

During the festivities, the PWS team, led by lead RF coordinator James Stoffo, was onsite to monitor the RF spectrum and ensure that the show ran smoothly, with any potential interference issues quickly resolved. Brooks Schroeder was the

UK - Calling all event professionals! Drapes and rigging specialists Blackout have launched a social media campaign to support Save the Children's Christmas Jumper Day, and they need your help to raise funds for the cause.

Blackout will be donating up to £1,000 to support the charity initiative which aims to Make the World Better with a Sweater. The team got together for a festive-themed photo shoot, featuring Christmas jumpers, props, and a festive star cloth backdrop. The photos are currently being shared on Twitter and Facebook, with £2 donated for every re-tweet, like or share.

Louise Nomes, marketing manager from Blackout explains all: "We always donate to charity at Christmas time but this year we were feeling particularly in the Christmas spirit and wanted to do something a bit different.

"In addition to donating money to a good cause the

South Africa - Clay Paky's Massimo Bolandrina and Giovanni Zucchinali spent two weeks in South Africa carrying out demos everyday as they introduced the super heroes of lighting, The Projectors, to the market. In fact, a photo taken during this roadshow of a SuperSharpy beam projecting onto a cloud reached the second most "Likes" ever recorded on the Clay Paky Facebook page.

The Clay Paky Roadshow, put together and run by DWR's Robert Izzett was a wonderful success. Instead of having a central venue where clients were invited to see the products, The Projectors consisting of SuperSharpy, Mythos and Stormy were taken to rental companies and theatres in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

"This has been an amazing experience for the Clay Paky team," commented Massimo who loved meeting old and new friends and sharing interesting talks about lights and life. &q

UK - Outline was again at Wembley Stadium for the NFL International Series. Three matches were held, featuring the Miami Dolphins vs the Oakland Raiders, the Dolphins winning 38-14, the Atlanta Falcons vs the Detroit Lions, won in the last minute by the Lions 22-21, and the Jacksonville Jaguars vs the Dallas Cowboys, won by the Cowboys 30-17.

Robert Lawrence Event Production Resource installed an extensive range of Outline loudspeaker systems, including Butterfly, Mantas, DVS 118 SW subs, Doppia, DVS 12 and DVS 10, to distribute sound over large areas outside the Wembley Stadium.

Each game had sold out Wembley's 90,000-seat capacity, fans had the opportunity of being entertained by the Main Stage, Merchandising, Tailgate, Game Pass and VIP areas during the pre-game build up.

The final game of the year, the Jacksonville Jaguars vs the Dallas Cowboys, saw a large mobile Orbit

USA - Hero Ventures, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, has announced that technical elements for The Marvel Experience, an epic-scale, immersive adventure experience in which guests step into and interact with the world of Marvel's Super Heroes and Super Villains, are being led by entertainment event technology and service provider, Production Resource Group (PRG).

"The Marvel Experience has evolved into an amazing, premier touring experience, complete with unique technical elements such as 3D 360° video projection, first-person 'live' interactive gaming and a dynamic 4D motion ride. It became apparent early on that we needed an elite team of seasoned professionals in entertainment production that could offer us real solutions to help execute our complex vision - that's why we went to PRG," said Hero Ventures' chief production officer, Jason Rosen.

The t

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