USA - The International Communications Industries Association, Inc. (ICIA) and PLASA Media, Inc., have announced that PLASA Media's magazine, Lighting&Sound America, will sponsor the Lighting and Staging Pavilion at ICIA's upcoming InfoComm trade show, 4 - 11 June, 2005, in Las Vegas.
With over 25,000 attendees and more than 700 exhibitors expected, InfoComm is the annual international marketplace for rental and staging companies, systems integrators, design consultants, production studios, video professionals, dealers, independent representatives, and buyers from more than 15 vertical markets.
"Lighting and staging technologies are vital to the systems approach that visitors look for at InfoComm," said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., ICIA executive director. "Our partnership with PLASA Media is designed to round out the broad array of products and services at the show. As a result, our attendees benefit from the convenience of seeing everything AV in one location."
After a sold-out first year, InfoComm expanded the Lighting and Staging Pavilion to promote the latest trends in corporate event lighting, houses of worship, casinos, retail malls, video production, rental and staging, and live event production. The pavilion is also supported by ESTA, the Entertainment Services and Technology Association.
"We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with InfoComm and ICIA, who we feel are leaders in the professional AV communications industry," said Jackie Tien, Lighting&Sound America's publisher and general manager. &q
UK - Le Mark has created a range of heat, solvent and tamper-resistant identification labels/nameplates for industrial tooling manufacturer, Perkins Engines. The requirement was to develop and manufacture a label which would remain in place at all times and clearly identify the company's products. A Japanese pressure-sensitive self-adhesive system unique to the UK (SSS 5585) which forms an incredibly strong bond once cured, was selected. A combination process of screen-printing and steel etching was required to ensue durability to meet the Perkins specification.
Over 12 months of testing, evaluations were carried out with extreme temperatures, vibration, oils and solvents. These extensive tests showed LeMark's product, to be able to produce the best solution, and therefore winning the contract, amidst fierce opposition within the industry market.Le Mark's sales director Linda Gibbons stated: "It was an incredible challenge for us to develop and produce an ultra-durable high quality label/plate such as this. Largely due to the severe environmental operating conditions, i.e. grey iron and aluminium foundries, machine and press shops. We have the ability to combine both our St Ives and Kent facilities at major contract level, this was certainly needed to meet the specification demanded by Perkins Engines. We also received 100% support from our Japanese partners Sliontec. This involved a visit from the Tokyo-based company's technical engineer to evaluate product criteria, environmental parameters, and the stress and 'shear' involved of the intended adhesive syste
USA - The Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) is pleased to announce that the League of American Theatres and Producers (the League) has accepted a seat on the ETCP Council. The League is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 500-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers in over 140 North American cities, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry.
The Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP) is a new industry-wide program that is bringing together an unprecedented group of industry organizations, businesses and individuals to create a program of rigorous assessments for professional technicians.
Seth Popper, Director of Labor Relations, will serve as the League's principal representative to the Council. "As an organization committed to the presentation of the best of live theatre, I am pleased to represent the League on the ETCP Council, which shares this commitment through the development of standards for the talented professionals working in theatre," commented Seth Popper. ETCP Council Chair, Tim Hansen commented, "We are very pleased that the League has joined us on the ETCP Council. The support of the League members is critical to the success of this program, and their input will be invaluable."
ETCP Council members are key leaders drawn from entertainment business, labor, facilities, associations, and academia representing the diversity of the entertainment industry. Membership includes AMPTP,
UK - Stage Electrics has announced a series of training courses aimed at raising standards in health and safety across the entertainment industry. The courses will take place at Northbrook College in Worthing, Sussex (21 and 22 March) and at The Point in Eastleigh, Hampshire (23 and 24 March).
On 21 March in Worthing, the courses begin with the day-long Basic Health & Safety - The Entertainment Environment. The cost of this course is £150 +VAT per person. The following day's course will be Pyrotechnics Safety Awareness, and will cost £120+VAT per person.
The Pyrotechnics Safety Awareness course will be repeated on 23 March at The Point in Eastleigh, at the same price, and will be followed on 24 March by Electricity at Work - The Entertainment Environment, priced at £150 +VAT per person. Anyone wishing to book both courses at either venue can do so for £260 +VAT. Contact Stage Electrics at the e-mail address below to book.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Following the release of Stardraw Control Beta 1 last month, software provider Stardraw.com has announced the public availability of Stardraw Control Beta 2 with immediate effect, prior to its formal launch scheduled for NSCA next month. A community of nearly 600 systems specialists was involved in the Beta 1 test phase and further participants in the Beta 2 test phase are similarly invited. Stardraw Control Beta 2 offers enhanced stability and applicability over the first Beta version, which was developed on the Microsoft.net v2 platform, which is itself still in the beta testing stage. As there is no firm release date for MS.net framework v2, Stardraw has released Stardraw Control Beta 2 on MS.net v1.1, the current release version. "It will be very easy to port everything back over to MS.net v2 when it is formally released later this year," commented Stardraw.com CEO David Snipp. "In the meantime, MS.net v1.1 has the advantage of being a shipping product and therefore stable and fully supported."
Other key differences include a greatly enhanced user interface that gives a whole new look and feel to the authoring environment, several new features and an improved library list structure that allows product selection by protocol, manufacturer and type. Marketing director Rob Robinson says: "Given that the support of any protocol is a key element of Stardraw Control, the ability to search under protocol is a huge time-saver and a far more flexible way of getting to the product you're looking for."
Stardraw Control generates stand
The Netherlands - Lumileds Lighting has announced that it will issue an advisory to the solid-state lighting industry later this month regarding its intellectual property (IP) that pertains to the manufacture and assembly of mirror substrate LEDs. The action comes in response to reports that certain die manufacturers and LED packagers are violating Lumileds' patents. Users and manufacturers of LEDs have a responsibility to avoid infringement of Lumileds' patents. All LED package manufacturers and resellers should investigate whether their mirror substrate LEDs use Lumileds' patented technology and whether the source of their mirror substrate LEDs is authorized under Lumileds' patents.
Lumileds recently announced the upcoming expansion of its Luxeon high-power LED family with new emitters that the company claims set industry-wide performance standards for light output, temperature tolerance, surface mount capability, moisture resistance, and lumen maintenance. The new Luxeon emitters offer up to 65 lumens in white at 350mA, 185°C allowable junction temperature, and a JEDEC moisture sensitivity level of 2a. Designed to simplify the process of incorporating Luxeon light sources into lighting assemblies and end-user products, these new emitters represent a complete redesign of the Luxeon package.
Scheduled for summer release in white and seven colours, these additions to the Luxeon product line will set new industry standards in virtually every measured parameter. The products will comply with the JEDEC J-STD 020c lead-free standard for customers that need to satis
UK - Green-I used all the attributes of the new Soundweb London DSP matrix device to fulfil a unique request at the recent Schroders London Boat Show at the ExCeL in Docklands.
ExCeL-based Fox Bars and Restaurants, who use Green-I as its preferred systems integrator, decided (as one of the Show's major sponsors) to create its own bar - Fox@Waterside - down on the exhibition floor. While Green-I's sister company Canegreen Commercial was invited to provide a conventional PA system for the feature, Fox had something more creative in mind when a pub quiz was scheduled midway through the show.
"We were asked to design Quiz Buzzers for each of the six tables," reports Green-I's Ian Woodall. "Although pressing a button is straightforward they wanted a scenario whereby the first finger on the buzzer disabled everything else."
By using a BSS Soundweb London BLU-80, linked to a laptop, they were able to contrive a solution which incorporated a five-second delay time after the buzzer was hit. "The BLU-80 handled all the logic, sending commands to the laptop as to which of the six buzzers had been activated first. After the five-second disable period had elapsed, all the buzzers would become active again."
Soundweb London enabled Green-I to create this solution. "We couldn't have done this with the original green box Soundwebs since they don't have logic capability - and neither can they trigger sound files," Woodall explains. "These are two great features that the new London range has to offer."
In addition, the
USA - ESTA has announced that five draft standards are now in public review until 26 April. The standards deal with wire rope ladders, theatrical boom and base assemblies (lighting trees), the ACN protocol, pin connectors, and flat-wall photometry. The documents are accessible on the ESTA website.
BSR E1.1, Entertainment Technology - Construction and Use of Wire Rope Ladders, is a revised version of ANSI E1.1-1999, Entertainment Technology - Construction and Use of Wire Rope Ladders. E1.1-1999 was offered for public review to reaffirm it last year, since it was at the five-year anniversary at which an American National Standard must be reaffirmed, revised, or withdrawn. No one offered any public review comments, but close examination of the document by Rigging Working Group members showed that the specification for the wire rope needed to be changed. This is a substantive change, so this revised version is being offered for public review.
BSR E1.15, Entertainment Technology - Recommended Practices and Guidelines for the Assembly and Use of Theatrical Boom & Base Assemblies, is a draft standard for the assembly and use of ground-supported variable and fixed-height lighting fixture suspension devices. These devices normally consist of a heavy floor base, a vertical member or members, and horizontal members (arms) coming of the vertical member for the attachment of luminaires or accessories. The draft standard has been offered for public review before, but substa
UK - Toby Alington's Richmond Studios team took on one of the biggest challenges in its history last night when it recorded the BRIT Awards' largest-ever lineup of live bands - 12 bands in a two-hour, non-stop live show at Earl's Court. Alington and an audio team of 10 recorded the complete 25th anniversary live show in an array of recording mobiles parked in a secure area next to Earl's Court 2, which was transformed into a spectacular 5,500-seat arena for the BRITs by event producers MJK Productions.
The bands' performances, awards presentations and speeches were recorded onto digital multitracks. An overnight post-production at London Studios will see the show trimmed to its broadcast length, ready for broadcast on ITV this evening. Finally, Alington will create an 'international' version of the edited show, with the English commentary and voiceovers removed.He comments: "Our main aim, year on year, is to keep driving up the quality of the soundtrack, to make the BRITs the best-sounding multi-artist music TV show there is. Over the years we've evolved various techniques using the latest technologies to get around the challenges of the incredibly tight time-frame and five-minute changeovers between live acts. The TV audience expects to watch a show that looks and sounds as though it's had a full post-production job done on it, whereas in fact we have about 18 hours to achieve the same effect!"
While Alington heads the broadcast sound team, the BRITs' live/audience sound team is headed by system designer Derrick Zieba with technical production by Bri
UK - Eat to the Beat was welcomed on stage to accept its third consecutive Favourite Caterer Award at the Total Production Awards on Monday 31 January. Straight after winning the award, managing director Tony Laurenson was back on stage to present the award for Favourite Venue to the Royal Albert Hall, a venue in which Eat to the Beat worked at over 90 days last year.
The celebrations continue for Eat to the Beat (part of the Global Infusion Group) as on 7 February the company will celebrate 21 years 'Going Global'. Laurenson commented: "It was a fantastic night and we are so proud to be voted favourite caterer by the industry. 2004 was a great year for the group with many memorable events. I'd like to thank all our wonderful clients, crew and suppliers! We now look forward to a challenging and exciting 2005!"
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - Showsec celebrated at the Total Production Awards on Monday 31 January after winning the award for Favourite Security and Crowd Management Company. MD Mark Harding and his regional managers Mark Logan and Simon Battersby and London area manager Steve Reynolds took to the stage to accept the award together, highlighting the company's strong team ethos.
Mark commented: "It is fantastic to win an award and be recognized in your industry and I was delighted to accept it alongside my colleagues who have worked hard throughout the year to push standards forward in the company, creating a great nationwide team. This award recognizes the dedication of all our staff and their crowd management skills."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Saudi Arabia - Represented by CEO Mr Nour Assafiri, Martin Professional Middle East (MPME) has appointed Al Salem Schreder Lighting, represented by its general manager, Mr Hatem Mawlawi, as the sole distributor for Martin Architectural products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al Salem Schreder Lighting is a key manufacturer and supplier of a variety of highly technical lighting products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. The appointment is designed to fortify the Martin Architectural brand presence in the gulf region and extend the channels of distribution respectively.
(Mike Lethby)
UK - Serapid, the leading supplier of push-pull and lifting chains and Quick Die Change machinery, has announced the formation of Serapid Limited in the UK. The new company has been established to provide an improved level of sales and service to the UK and Scandinavian markets, which to date have not received the level of attention they deserve, say the company.
Mr. Said Lounis, owner of the Serapid Group, says: "The UK and Scandinavian markets are of strategic importance to the Group, and the formation of Serapid Limited is in response to the needs to provide a higher level of support to these markets for the purpose of achieving the level of sales that should be expected from these countries with their advanced industrial bases."
The company is jointly owned and will be run by Iain Forbester, who joins the company from the stage engineering industry, and who has significant experience in the lift, materials handling and nuclear industries. The company has built up an unrivalled reference list of projects in the theatre industry, providing push-pull chains for the movement of scenery wagons, and it's LiftLink which are used in a wide range of stage, orchestra, auditoria and get in lifts. The LinkLift chain has become an industry standard for the cruise liner industry, say Serapid, due to its robust nature and ability to withstand the no-load conditions experienced in high seas. The new company is based in Bury St Edmunds, close to London.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - Color Kinetics Inc has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2004. Revenues for the quarter were $10.7 million, an increase of 39% from the $7.7 million reported in the fourth quarter of 2003. Net income for the fourth quarter increased to $626,000 or $0.03 per diluted share, compared to $50,000 or $0.00 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2003.
Revenues for the full year ended 31 December, 2004 were $40.2 million, an increase of 39% from the $28.8 million reported in 2003. Net income for the full year ended December 31, 2004 was $2.4 million or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to a loss of ($727,000) or $(0.26) per diluted share reported in 2003.
"2004 marked several milestones for Color Kinetics, both financially and technologically," says George Mueller, chairman and CEO. "We successfully completed an IPO, strengthened our balance sheet, achieved positive cash flow from operations, significantly improved gross margins, and delivered our first full year of profitability. We also launched the first-of-its-kind IntelliWhite series of products for specialized white light applications. Looking ahead, we believe that Color Kinetics is firmly on track to maintain its leadership position in 2005 and beyond - both in pioneering new intelligent solid-state lighting technologies and in fostering broader industry adoption."
"We're extremely pleased with our fourth quarter performance," said Bill Sims, president and COO. "Both our Lighting Systems and OEM and Licensing business units made solid c
UK - Celestion has unveiled its newly-revamped website (www.celestion.com), which has now doubled in size and been extensively redesigned. The announcement, says the company, comes as a direct result of its ongoing commitment to its guitar and professional audio end users. The site has undergone a radical redesign, fuelled by what Celestion calls 'a massive increase in traffic over the past eighteen months, coupled with a desire to provide even more targeted and useful information'. The site now splits into two distinct sections - pro audio and guitar loudspeakers.
The pro audio area incorporates in-depth product information on professional components, including the recently introduced FTR range of chassis, and sound reinforcement systems such as the QXi range.
(Mike Lethby)
USA - High End Systems customers have long benefited from equipment leases through FX Financial. Now, says High End, the rates have lowered even more with enhanced direct access to lower cost finance, now that FX Financial is a division of US Express Leasing.
"FX Financial has graded High End Systems lighting and control as 'excellent' collateral and offers monthly payments based in large part on the high resale value of the gear," says Alan Garretson of FX Financial. "This means we can offer High End Systems' U.S. clients the lowest monthly payment on any lighting gear in the industry." HES CFO Peter Duff commented, "We want to ensure our clients can afford the equipment they need. Offering lower monthly payments allows clients the flexibility at the outset to get the equipment needed quickly for that tour, theatre production or corporate show. Our partnership with FX Financial has helped numerous companies get the gear with rates they can afford."
(Mike Lethby)
The Netherlands - In the last weeks of 2004, Audio Electronics Mattijsen (AEM), Meyer Sound's distributor in the Netherlands, opted to hold the first-ever Dutch training seminar for the Meyer Sound SIM 3 audio analyzer system on Spain's Gran Canaria, one of the sub-tropical Canary Islands. 14 engineers, including two AEM staff, headed for the sun, but Meyer Sound Technical Training Instructor Mauricio "Magu" Ramirez's intense program left the attendees with only the off-hours to actually enjoy the swimming pool. The course's final day focused on practical application of the SIM 3 system, during which the local theatre's audio system was optimized. All the attendees arrived on Gran Canaria either as certified SIM II engineers or having taken an earlier week-long, comprehensive "Compact Seminar," and all 14 left with SIM 3 certificates received at the swimming pool on Friday.
The SIM 3 audio analyzer is a natural progression from the famous SIM II machine, offering the fastest, most advanced real-time measurement system for optimization of touring and fixed-installation PA systems. The "all-in-one-box" concept and breakthrough pricing of the SIM 3 system brings source independent measurement within reach of freelance engineers, smaller rental companies, service engineers and R&D teams.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Computers Unlimited recently teamed up with the Central School of Speech and Drama in London to hold its first ever VectorWorks Spotlight event. The 2D drafting and 3D modelling software was shown using advanced lighting design and production tools, together with the complementary products, SketchUp and Piranesi.
The well-attended day started with an opening talk and demonstration by Mark Stephens, director of The Design Division, followed by a more in-depth demonstration by Alex Wardle, lighting designer and technical manager. Both demonstrated how easy and flexible the software was to use even for someone with no previous training and confirmed that VectorWorks Spotlight was compatible with other existing software. They also offered a special student package available at a fraction of the cost of the more commercial product.
After an interesting question and answer session, lighting designer Vince Foster talked about how he came to be using the software and showed how he planned and designed some of his work, including the 2004 Phil Collins Tour.
(Jane Cockburn)
Greece - A DiGiCo D1 Live has been specified by sound engineer Aris Koudouris for open air concerts, television shows and music club seasons in Greece. "Ypsilon Live, the rental company I usually work with, and I decided that time had come to switch from an analogue to a digital mixing console," says Koudouris. "We chose the DiGiCo D1 Live primarily because of the way it sounds. We'd tested other mixers, but they didn't completely satisfy us." At the moment, Koudouris is using his D1 for a 60-show season with Greek artist Yiannis Kotsiras at large clubs in Salonica and Athens.
"I'm using the D1 at Front of House with an SLS RLA-2 line array system, with a Lexicon 960 for reverb and a Focusrite compressor," continues Koudouris. "Just because this is the first time I've used the console, I have two D1s mirroring each other. Besides the safety issue, the mirroring configuration gives me the added advantage of doubling the working surface. The EQ and dynamics are great, which means that I don't really need external processing. The snapshot system is perfect - I don't have to concentrate on routine changes for various songs which allows me to be much more creative. And the different configurations you can do for the output busses are also a great help. You can set auxes or groups (mono, stereo or surround) depending on your needs.
"One of my main concerns when I first thought about digital consoles was the speed of reaction if a problem occurred, but the D1 is quicker at sorting out problems than anything I've used to date. Cha
Germany - Messe Frankfurt has unveiled organisational and facility changes to this year's Musikmesse and Pro Light+Sound events on 6 to 9 April.
Among a series of new digital services for exhibitors and trade visitors are round-the-clock ticket sales with online registration, while a complete Wireless Local Area Network (W-LAN) will allow wireless internet and e-mail access from anywhere in the Exhibition Centre. PCs and handhelds must be equipped with a standard W-LAN card that supports the IEEE 802.11 b or g standard (Wi-Fi). Visitors can purchase W-LAN access cards with time credits of between 15 and 60 minutes for 2.50 to 8.50. A special flat rate for exhibitors costs 380 per terminal unit and includes W-LAN access for the duration of the fair, including the setting-up and dismantling phases.
Online trade visitor registration is now available from anywhere in the world and can be used up to and including the last day of the fair, and the procedure includes fully automatic billing and ticketing. Standard online admission tickets include the popular combination ticket of the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) regional transport authority, which authorises ticket holders to use all public transport services operated by the RMV for travel to and from the Exhibition Centre free of charge. The website www.hotelguide-rheinmain.de provides an interactive listing of 600 hotels, guest houses and other forms of accommodation in Frankfurt and the surrounding area, as well as 120 recommended restaurants.
Meanwhile, extended opening hours for Musikmesse begin an h
Luxembourg - With the whole of continental Europe, including Russia, served by Harlequin International, the Luxembourg-based operation can now offer information on its web site in six major languages. In order to assist customers with details of products and services, Harlequin recently completed a total translation of the web site into French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian, alongside the original English.
Linked to the expanded web site, Harlequin has launched an English language e-mail headline news service. Aimed at anyone involved in the dance community, dance education, stage and events productions and interested in keeping informed of new developments in dance floors, Harlequin's e-news allows readers to scan headlines and images and 'click through' to read the full story on the Harlequin web site.
(Mike Lethby)
UK - PLASA's professional development programme starts off this year on 4 March 2005 with 'Essential Steps to Effective Strategy Development' and will be held at the DTI Conference Centre in Victoria, London. Aimed at anyone who has responsibility for the development of strategic/business planning, the seminar will cover:
The components of strategic planning, key models/tools and the application to a case study.
Reviewing and exploring types of market information and cost effective methods of data collection for successful planning.
Starting work on identifying possible market resources and the development of individual business plans with support/review by a specialist consultant.
Lunch will be provided and there will be the chance to network throughout the day. Please note that places are limited due to the practical aspect of this workshop.
The cost of the seminar for PLASA members is £95.00 + VAT, and for non PLASA members £150.00 + VAT. If you, or any of your colleagues with an interest in this area, would like to attend please confirm by e-mail to the address below, or call the PLASA office (01323 410335) and ask for Nicky Greet or Norah Phillips.
(Lee Baldock)pd@plasa.org
UK - 19" racking is one of those not very glamorous but nevertheless essential products. RaxX from MTR is a new, British-made rackmounting system with a fresh twist, using uprights that fix directly to a wall, and side arms which attach to the upright and the front panel of the rack units - an infinitely expandable concept. Designed for fixed installations, the RaxX system 'starter pack' consists of two 6U upright sections that are fixed to the wall using the screws and cavity fixing plugs supplied. Six 1U side arms complete the pack, and are fitted to the uprights with the supplied M6 bolts.
The two key advantages of this system, says MTR, are its cost-effectiveness and flexibility. It can be expanded vertically and indeed horizontally, since each upright has two rows of holes, able to take the right side of the first row of products and the left side of the next row along.
Side arms are currently available in 1U and 2U, in lengths of 250, 400 and 600mm, with wall uprights of 6U, 12U and 18U. Custom sizes can be made to order, and a range of RaxXcessories will be available including a cable tidy, half-rack adapter, CD racks and more.
(Mike Lethby)
USA - Michael Garl, president of James Thomas Engineering and current chair of ESTA's Rigging Working Group, is assuming the chair of its Technical Standards Committee and leaving the leadership of the Rigging Working group in the hands of Bill Sapsis, the current co-chair and president of Sapsis Rigging. The Technical Standards Committee will appoint a new co-chair to serve with Sapsis on the Rigging Working Group.
Mike's first meeting as TSC Chair will be the meeting at the USITT Conference in Toronto on March 16. The change in leadership is occasioned by Paul Vincent's stepping down after many years of service. "My first involvement with ESTA was as a founding member of the Theatrical Dealers Association," said Vincent. "After serving as vice-president, president, immediate past president, chair of the Ethics Committee, member of the BizEd Committee and chair of the Technical Standards Committee it's time for me to retire from volunteer work and allow other very capable people to serve in a leadership capacity.
"I'm pleased that Mike Garl, who has done an outstanding job serving the ESTA Technical Standards Program as the chair of the Rigging Work Group and as a member of the TSC, will become the new chair of the Technical Standards Committee. I know that the program will be in good hands, not only through Mike's commitment, but also through the continuing hard work of the hundreds of volunteers and financial contributions from our members and related organizations."
(Lee Baldock)