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UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has launched Guidance Note W2: Mental health and well-being in the workplace – A practical guide to conducting Stress Risk Assessments and creating well-being policies. This is the second in the ABTT’s ‘W series of Guidance Notes which deal with legal duties and best practice for ensuring the welfare of all workers.
Guidance Note W2 is launched to coincide with International Stress Awareness Week 7-11 November 2022.1 The guide provides guidance for risk assessing stress in the workplace. It is closely

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Open Air Abba - Mamma Mia! is to perform outside at the Scarborough Open Air Theatre next year to celebrate 24 years since the show premiered in London in April 1999. The show will run at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, the largest open-air concert arena in the UK, from 14-18 June 2023, as part of the show’s UK & International Tour. It marks the return of theatre to the venue, which has hosted music acts in recent years. More than 30,000 tickets are on sale for the six performances.
Creator and producer Judy Craymer said: “We are so excited to be bringing Mamma Mia! t
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UK - Following the extensive report released by PLASA and #WeMakeEvents last winter, they have now released a follow-up survey, investigating the ongoing recovery of the supply chain to the live events, entertainment and installation industries. Companies and individuals are invited to complete the survey, which closes at midnight on Sunday 20 November.
This new survey will build upon last year’s findings which were sourced from nearly 2,000 industry professionals in over 40 countries. The subsequent 2021 report revealed huge challenges: 45% of companies took on additional debt

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UK - The live production industry faces mounting pressure to operate more sustainably, despite a multitude of persistent challenges. A newly published whitepaper by Sony aims to present the key opportunities for businesses within the industry to implement change.
The report underlines that sustainable practices are not one-size-fits-all, as each production has unique requirements. By analysing the key areas of challenge for the industry, Sony has been able to look for spaces where creating change that benefits business and the environment is possible.
The report suggests t

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Germany - DirectOut has named Aspen Media (UK) as ‘Distributor of the Year’ for the third time in the history of the company, while Tonspur AG (Switzerland) and tm stagetec systems (Australia) are recognised with the ‘Best Sales Performance’ and the ‘Prodigy of the Year’ awards.
Aspen Media previously received the accolade in 2013 and 2018. Chris Collings, director of Aspen Media accepted the 2021 award.
Jan Ehrlich, CEO of DirectOut, comments: “This award is our special thanks to Aspen Media for a great and long-lasting cooperation and for the very special com

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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 w

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Austria - With the new Mythos Mozart exhibition, situated right in the heart of downtown Vienna, visitors are introduced to the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the form of an immersive experience.
The timeless beauty of the musical genius’s legacy meets the latest audio-visual technology, with this process becoming a work of art in its own right that succeeds in entertaining both young and old.
“Mythos Mozart connects tradition with modernity, art and music, creativity with technology and creates a new space for innovation and culture to honour Mozart in a w

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UK - Andy Bell, former operations director at KB Event, has joined Truckingby as events operations director.
Andy has over 23 years' experience in live event trucking, working with bands and artists such as Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart, the Stereophonics and many more.
“I’m looking forward to bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge into Truckingbyand being a valuable part of their team in expanding their live events division,” says Andy.
Kevin Hopper, Truckingby managing director said Andy’s appointment to the company adds additional strength and knowledge to

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Expensive Tastes - Tickets for next year's Glastonbury Festival will cost £340, organisers have confirmed. Festival-goers will be charged £335 plus a £5 booking fee for standard tickets, plus a £50 deposit. The last time tickets went on sale, in 2019, they cost £265 plus the booking fee for what should have been the 2020 festival, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
The music event will return to Worthy Farm in Somerset from 21 to 25 June 2023, and tickets - which usually sell out in minutes - will go on sale on 6 November. Fans must register before purchasing in a bid by

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USA - This month, the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) welcomed Michael Nishball as its newest full member. Membership into the ASTC, follows a highly selective process that considers a candidate’s range of capability and experience, their past industry achievements, and the quality of service they provide to clients.
“I can think of no person more deserving of full membership,” offered Scott Crossfield, Theatre Projects principal and fellow with the ASTC. “Michael’s experience in equipment and systems design is unparalleled, and he is the type of person we

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UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation’s Breakthrough Awards, presented in association with TPi magazine, recognise the impact of up-and-coming talent in all areas of production, with nominations made by tutors, mentors, colleagues or peers.
This year, the six winners received their awards at the Production Futures ON TOUR event which took place in late September at Prod

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USA - From 2014 to 2017, the University of Houston Cougars football team won 16 straight games on its home gridiron - the John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium - marking the longest active home winning streak in the nation at the time. However, the PA system for the facility, which opened in August of 2014, didn’t share quite the same success, quickly falling victim to the area’s increasingly volatile weather and early component failures.
In response, LD Systems was recently able to step in and remedy the situation with a loudspeaker design from L-Acoustics that offered vastly

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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

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UK - The Roadie Cookbook has raised thousands for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for professional touring crew.
The Roadie Cookbook was curated during the first lockdown by production manager Nick Gosling and industry friends production coordinator Julie Cotton, band assistant Athena Caramitsos, backline tech Rich House and industry publicist Kel Murray.
The book showcases a collection of 50 recipes, anecdotes and advice from seasoned touring professionals working at all levels. It features contributors who have toured with Dolly Parton, Bryan Ferry,

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Ticketing Issues - A new Ticketmaster pricing system, which alters the price of tickets based on demand, is being criticised by both fans and industry experts. Called dynamic pricing, it has been used in the UK for recent sales by Harry Styles, Coldplay and Blackpink. The system is regularly used in the US, where the resale market is a lot bigger, and touting is more prevalent. Ticketmaster say it is being used to try to stop touts, and to give more money to artists. But fans say they are being priced out of concerts, with some tickets doubling in price.
On the Ticketmaster page f

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USA - Behind the Scenes has two upcoming webinars: Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace on 16 October at 4pm Eastern and Understanding Substance Use and Abuse in the Entertainment Industry on 17 October at 7pm Eastern. Both webinars are free, but require advance registration to be sent the login link.
A BTS survey strongly indicated that bullying, harassment and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. Do you know how to safely intervene if you see a co-worker being bullied or intimidated? Did

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UK - CP Electronics – part of Legrand UK & Ireland – has appointed Gilles Silva as its new director of product development.
Having gained almost 20 years’ experience – 14 of which spent in Legrand Brazil’s R&D team – Gilles’ new role will see him take a lead on product innovation at CP Electronics. Focusing on energy efficiency, in line with Legrand’s latest CSR roadmap, Gilles will lead a team of 14 people in the UK, as well as closely working with R&D centres in France, the USA and China.
As part of his new role, Gilles will develop and deliver

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USA - Four draft standards are available for public review and comment on the ESTA website at http://estalink.us/pr. The downloads are free. The documents in public review are:
BSR E1.20, Entertainment Technology -- Remote Device Management Over USITT DMX512 Networks. The existing E1.20 - 2010, Entertainment Technology - Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512 Networks, is being revised to clarify ambiguities, fix bugs, and incorporate some additional features. E1.20 is an extension to USITT DMX512 and ANSI E1.11 that allows for bi-directional communication on the primar

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Freelance Survey - More than half of theatre freelancers feel insecure about their jobs as a result of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, a major survey has found. According to the Big Freelancer Survey, almost a third (27%) of respondents also said their debt levels had increased since the pandemic. In addition, it found that in the past 12 months, half of all respondents had witnessed at least one form of harassment and/or discrimination – totalling 1,701 incidents.
The survey of 1,497 freelancers was conducted in February 2022. It is the second in a planned series of fi

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UK - Get your carving kits out and let your Halloween creativity run wild in the Backup Pumpkin Challenge, which is back for some spooky fun and fundraising this October.
Supported by Collaborative Creations, and now in its fourth year, the competition is open to anyone from the technical entertainment and creative industries. Entrants can use their in-house skills and equipment to enhance their carved pumpkin.
"We’re delighted the industry has got behind it every year.” says Tom Wilkes of Collaborative Creations “We’ve been amazed at what people have come up with ov

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Budget Reaction - The theatre sector’s challenges, including the impact of increased energy bills, have not been addressed by the government’s ‘mini-budget’, industry bodies have warned. The mini-budget was the first delivered with Liz Truss as prime minister and Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor of the exchequer. Points outlined in brief included an energy package costing £60bn for the six months from October this year, VAT-free shopping for tourists, and duty rates for beer, cider, wine, and spirits axed.
The theatre sector had been hoping that the current rates of Theatre T

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UK/USA - This month, Theatre Projects celebrates 65 years in business. All month long, Theatre Projects will be sharing memories on social channels and inviting followers to contribute their own stories and photos via an online memory book.
Now an international mainstay in performance design, Theatre Projects came from much humbler origins. The firm began as a lighting rental company in late-‘50s London. Richard Pilbrow and Bryan Kendall started the company by buying up a small bundle of lighting stock for £150, a loan from Richard’s father. Over time, seating and space desig

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UK - On Saturday 3 September, a team of entertainment technology industry professionals cycled from SFL in Reading to the Royal Albert Hall in time for PLASA Show in London. The annual BikeFest event raises money for industry charities, while nurturing cross-industry camaraderie in a fun and challenging way.
PLASA’s managing director Peter Heath, comments, “BikeFest is all about the people in our industry, many of which have suffered terribly over the last couple of years – but who are still absolutely committed to the entertainment technology industry. Through BikeFest, we

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Solidarity - One of Russia's most popular singers, Alla Pugacheva, has called on the Russian authorities to declare her a "foreign agent", in solidarity with her strongly anti-war husband Maxim Galkin. A showbiz star too, he was labelled a "foreign agent" on Friday after condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine.
On social media, Pugacheva called her husband "a true incorruptible Russian patriot, who wants... an end to our lads dying for illusory aims". She said the Kremlin's "illusory aims" in Ukraine "make our country a pariah and the lives of our citizens extremely difficult". Galk
  1. Barney Jameson joins Second Warehouse
  2. BTS Holiday Cards order deadline nears
  3. The Week in Light & Sound
  4. BTS announces Bystander Intervention webinars
  5. Backup photographic competition launches at PLASA 2022
  6. The Week in Light & Sound
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