Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024

Lighting

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Canada/Europe - Long standing North America distributors (and fibre network specialists) Optocore NA have been accoladed by the German parent company, who have presented them with this year’s Best Distributor Award.
The presentation to Bill and Brandon Coons was made by Optocore founder, Marc Brunke, during the ISE2024 expo in Barcelona recently.
Optocore sales manager, RadhaMohan Rajani, said: “From their base in Canada, Bill and Brandon have been our longest serving partners, educating and serving the whole of North America. And having enjoyed a record year, they are showing that they are still introducing new customers to the Optocore family.”
Bill Coons started to represent Optocore as far back as 2007 under his Contact Distribution business model before incorporating Optocore North America the following year.
Among the high-profile projects that

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UK - Hosted for the first time by David Tennant, the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Awards took place on Sunday 18 February at London's Royal Festival Hall, and was broadcast internationally on BBC One, iPlayer and BritBox International. With cinema enjoying a strong post-pandemic resurgence, partly thanks to the Barbie/Oppenheimer effect, the BAFTA Film Awards has lost none of its prestige.
Attended by the President of BAFTA, HRH the Prince of Wales, 25 Awards were presented - voted for by over 7,500 BAFTA creatives and film industry practitioners - for categories that included Best Director, Cinematography, Documentary and Film Not in the English Language.
TV, broadcast and event lighting specialists, Version 2, traditionally known for its involvement in television lighting was, for the first time, the official lighting supplier for the occasion. Version 2 supplied light

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Italy - Raffa in the Sky is a tribute opera to Raffaella Carrà, a prominent Italian TV personality. It is the story of an artistic career that not only evolved with the changes in Italian society over the last half a century but occasionally inspired them. Through Carrà's extraordinary experience, the work also aims to reflect on the artist's role in society, the value and use of art, and the role of television and other media, not forgetting the songs she performed.
Show lighting designer Alessandro Anderoli comments: "The Fondazione del Teatro Donizetti has been working with Claypaky for over a year, and there was a mutual desire for a Bergamo-based partnership. Moreover, the Claypaky technical team have always solved our problems promptly when needed. This is an absolute linchpin for me.”
Alessandro Andreoli elaborates on the role of the Claypaky Sinfony

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USA - Bandit Lites has announced the hiring of Steven Harman as integration support coordinator, bringing along his valuable expertise and enthusiasm. Harman will provide support to new and past clients as well as Bandit’s own integrators and project managers.
Harman has a background in training, education, and performance lighting. He began working in performance and event lighting in Nashville where spent the next two decades providing lighting and rigging. The last five years saw Harman managing warehouse operations for an entertainment pyrotechnic company.
“We are very pleased to welcome aboard Steven,” said Chris Barbee, Bandit Lites vice president of integration. “His qualifications and expertise are exactly what we were looking for in this position. His proven track record of successfully bridging sales processes with client’s needs will allow our tea

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UK - Specialist manufacturer representative 3LR Lighting has announced Simon Needle as its newly appointed director of special projects. Simon, well-known throughout the global lighting industry from his varied career including his former role as international projects director for White Light, begins his new role at 3LR Lighting with immediate effect.
Founded in 2019 by Matt Lloyd, 3LR is an architectural manufacturer representative working closely with ETC, Studio Due and Schnick Schnack Systems and in film & broadcast lighting with Sumolight, offering expert advice on lighting and control for auditoriums, cruise ships, concert halls, theatres and themed environments plus television and film.
Lloyd comments: “Being able to welcome Simon to 3LR is a huge deal for me personally and for the company as a whole. I’ve known him for a long time and admired his con

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Germany - Obsidian Control Systems teams from Europe and the U.S. are heading to Prolight + Sound with additions to its award-winning Netron data distribution range and invite lighting professionals to Hall 12.1, Stand B49/C49 for a closer look. Visitors will also be able to demo intuitive NX consoles, including the scalable and full-featured NX1, the lighting console that has propelled the Onyx platform's popularity to new heights.
Despite the immense amount of IP-rated entertainment technology on the market, until now, there has been no IP-rated data distribution devices to provide the required infrastructure. On display will be the world’s first line of IP65-rated data distribution products for entertainment, winner of a 2023 PLASA Award for Innovation.
The Netron IP65 range blends the proven chassis and connector technology of Elation’s IP65 Proteus range of

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Germany - Building on its breakthrough exhibits at LDI and ISE, Chauvet Professional is continuing this voyage at Frankfurt Messe from 19-22 March. Visitors to the show are invited to drop by the Chauvet Professional and ChamSys at booth (E21 in Hall 12.1) to ‘experience first-hand how this bold approach to harnessing innovation fuses reality and imagination’.
The booth features a towering multi-faced overall panorama created by David Howard of David Howard Lighting Design, which draws on an extensive collection of Chauvet Professional fixtures.
Endowing the booth design with its bold magnetism is the intense output of the Strike Array 2C and Strike Array 4C IP65 rated RGBAWW blinder-strobe-audience lights.
Adding to their impact, both fixtures offer industry standard-setting low end dimming capabilities, as well as a red shift function that warms the colour

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USA - Grammy-winning bluegrass artist Billy Strings was inspired on a European tour bus with the idea of placing ‘UFO pods’ above the heads the musicians on stage.
The artist discussed this concept with his LD Roger Grant, who drew up some sketches. That’s when Matthieu Larivée and his team at Lüz Studio came in. “Billy and Roger present these drawings to us and that was the starting point,” said Larivée. “This idea kicked off our creative process.”
The ultimate result of that process is a production that is adding a captivating and immersive dimension to Billy Strings’ current North American arena and amphitheatre tour. With its brilliantly illuminated circles above and below each of the five musicians on stage, as well as its free-flowing curved background patterns of light and video, the transformative design evokes a sense of infinite movement an

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UK - STS Productions and close collaborators Lightworx recently joined forces to invest in 24 Infinity Raccoon P14/4 professional RGBM PARs.
As a company that specialises in light, sound and image, STS Productions offers a variety of services, including rental equipment, while Lightworx are involved in (theatre) technical production, audiovisual services and light design. As close collaborators, investing in a number of lights that both could use made a lot of sense.
With 14 powerful 4-colour LEDs on board and a light engine that ensures accurate and consistent colours, the Raccoon P14/4 is a versatile light fixture with a lot to offer. Its ability to switch from a high-brightness mode to a high-quality mode offers even more flexibility and its adjustable PWM ensures flicker-free free operation in front of cameras too. What’s more, its IP65 rating means the Raccoon

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Finland - The Helsinki Music Centre (Musiikkitalo Helsinki) has just invested in its first Robert Juliat followspots – four long-throw 800W LED Arthur LT – for its main concert hall. The followspots were sourced through Intersonic, Robert Juliat’s exclusive distributor for Finland.
The team at Musiikkitalo had a specific list of criteria when looking for their new followspots. The fixtures needed to be very quiet, bright enough for serious television productions from distances over 30m, in both daylight- and tungsten colour temperatures; have a narrow zoom so no light would be lost by using an iris; be easy to operate, have good DMX control and, crucially, an LED light source. “Put simply, we wanted to have the best followspots available,” says the venue´s head of light, Valo Virtanen.
Virtanen spent a long time comparing followspots, and when he saw the ne

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UK - Touring musicals I Should Be So Lucky and Just For One Day have one thing in common – both utilise Brompton Technology LED processing and INFiLED displays provided by audio visual equipment rental company, Stage Sound Services (SSS).
The combination delivers a noticeable difference in colour reproduction, especially at lower brightness levels. SSS worked with system designer and engineer, Dan Trenchard, and video designer, Andrzej Goulding, on both productions to deploy LED equipment to great effect on these highly successful shows.
Phil Hurley, SSS’s owner, notes that with 95 percent of their work being theatre specific, staying at the forefront of the latest technologies for the market is crucial.
“We’ve been supplying video for some of the biggest theatre shows for the last 10-15 years and knew we needed to find the right time to i

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UAE - Prolights EclDisplay DAT fixtures have have been installed in the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, a project that represents a fusion of technology and architectural design with significant cultural importance. This initiative marks the first time that the three Abrahamic religions - Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism - coexist within the same space.
In such a context, adopting an advanced lighting solution was imperative. The collaboration between Prolab, the distributor of Prolights in GCC and MENA regions, and the installation carried out by Triangle Power Solutions led to the installation of 100 LED EclDisplay DAT projectors. These fixtures created the appropriate atmosphere within the exhibition area, making light a fundamental element in the project's narrative.
This lighting highlights the importance of unity and diversity through the medium of light. T

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Vietnam - Ayrton has announced that new Ayrton lighting fixtures have been installed in the Vietnam Army Music Hall and Theatre. The theatre which belongs to the Vietnam People's Army, is situated in HaNoi and was established in 2010 as a professional venue for music and musical arts.
The new lighting fixtures were supplied by Ayrton’s Vietnamese distributor ProAVL and include 16 Diablo TC and 20 Mistral fixtures which will be used generally both in the theatre and for touring shows.
Choosing Ayrton lights proved an easy decision for the theatre tech team. “Ayrton fixtures are now used all over the world and have proved themselves on many stages and shows,” state the technicians. “We were really amazed by their accurate positioning, colour rendering (CRI >90) and the really useful CMY mixing system. We were also impressed by the total luminaire output (up

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UK - Richard Cuthbert has assumed an associate role working solely with specialist installation contractor and systems integrator, Push The Button, bringing with him three decades of experience in lighting and engineering within the entertainment industry.
Cuthbert comments: “I am keen to focus on what I enjoy doing the most, delivering innovative solutions and immediately thought of Push The Button. I worked with Nick (Ewins, Push The Button managing director) when I was starting out in the industry, and I have the utmost respect for his client-focused approach. I’m really looking forward to making an impact at PTB.”
Nick Ewins comments: “I first met Richard as a trainee engineer, and he later became a key member of my team for many years before we both went our separate ways. He has made a tremendous contribution to the industry both in terms of designing a

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Germany - ‘Elation translates visionary concepts into meaningful innovation to bring new product ideas to light’. The company will feature a broad selection of lighting solutions at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt (Hall 12.1, Stand B49/C49).
Highlights in the Proteus series of multi-environmental luminaires include the IP66-rated Pproteus Hybrid Max, that launches as the torchbearing successor of the Proteus Hybrid. Also on display will be the Proteus Odeon, a framing profile fixture with an industry-first completely variable CRI LED engine; and Proteus Radius, a high-intensity Beam FX fixture with solid state phosphor-converted light engine for incredible power at long distances.
New in Elation’s popular Fuze series is the Fuze Teatro, a fully-automated yet fanless framing fixture for completely silent operation and the first fanless automated luminaire incorpora

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USA - Lighting designer Marc Janowitz from E26 Design loves creative challenges and collaborations, so the current Chronicles of a Diamond world tour by Black Pumas energised his imagination and united the talents of the FOH lighting team as programmer Meagan Metcalf and lighting director Alyssa Milione worked closely with him to create a great look for the band.
The lighting kit had to fit into one truck, a galvanising resource boundary that provokes invention and thinking out of the box, so Marc crafted an aesthetic for the band utilising the smart integration of lighting and a multi-dimensional scenic backdrop to produce truly stunning results with Robe moving lights right at the heart of the visual magic.
Marc opted for a combination of Esprites, Spiider wash beams, MegaPointes, Spikie+s and Tetra2s.
Wanting to formulate a fresh look, Marc’s ideas involved

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USA - Florida’s Pensacola Christian College (PCC) has unveiled the transformation of its Dale Horton Auditorium, thanks to a collaboration with All Pro Integrated Systems and Elation lighting. All Pro Integrated Systems, a Sweetwater company based in Pensacola, spearheaded the project, seamlessly integrating a new LED lighting system that elevates the overall experience for both performers and audiences alike.
Pensacola Christian College is celebrating its 50th year of service in the Florida panhandle. The 3,500-seat Dale Horton Auditorium, a spacious multifunctional space with large lower bowl and upper balcony, is used for theatrical performances and other special events. The venue’s existing lighting, dating back to the building’s construction in 1986, lacked dynamic capabilities and was in dire need of modernisation. All Pro Integrated Systems collaborated closely

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USA - Pensacola-based All Pro Integrated Systems selected 12 Ayrton Huracán LT long-throw LED moving head profiles and two MDG ATMe hazers for a recent technology upgrade in the Dale Horton Auditorium at Pensacola Christian College. Both brands are exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment.
Pensacola Christian College was founded in 1974 to provide a Christian-traditional liberal arts education. Named for the founder’s father, the Dale Horton Auditorium is the home of the college’s fine arts events, recitals and other programs.
“The auditorium is a 3,500-seat, multi-purpose space that mostly had technology original to its building in 1986,” says Justin Schwartz, design engineer at All Pro, an audio, video and lighting systems integrator serving the needs of organisational, commercial, educational and governmental clients nationwide. “They

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Columbia - Bogotá’s Movistar Arena staged the 2023 Red Bull Batalla World Final, celebrating the creativity, importance, and popularity of freestyle rap culture in Spanish-speaking communities. The event was fully loaded with energy and excitement and lit by Madrid, Spain-based lighting designer Edu Valverde from design studio Experiencias Visuales.
Edu utilised over 200 Robe moving lights to realise an eye-catching show design for the tournament which was attended live by a 14,000-capacity audience and streamed worldwide.
On Edu’s lighting plot were 105 x Robe MegaPointes, 66 x Spiiders and 53 x BMFL WashBeams, all delivered by Bogota-based rental company, Linea Estratégica, who also take care of all things technical for the venue and were picked to deliver specific results for this spectacular show.
Edu has previously lit Red Bull Batalla tournament fina

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Denmark - SGM Special Projects, a group within SGM Light specialising in creating custom lighting solutions, is a core group comprised of key personnel in Product Management, R&D, and Customer Service. The group is experienced in developing state-of-the-art products for demanding lighting professionals and has a vast prior background in both project management and lighting design.
SGM Light’s ability to deliver custom solutions is made possible by utilising in-house software engineering, extensive rapid prototyping facilities, full photometric lab, as well as a diverse network of local fabrication partners with the latest equipment. In-house testing and total control of supply chains means guaranteed quality and speed to market.
By combining design, manufacturing, approbation, delivery, as well as testing & commissioning assistance, SGM Light Special Projects

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Slovenia - Comedian and TV personality Lado Bizovičar set lofty goals for his live show Slovenska Muska A-Ž (A-Z), in which he went through the entire Slovenian alphabet, linking it to a recording artist (A for Avsenik Ensemble), or genre (R for rap) to reflect on the state of music in his country.
Like the star and his many guests on stage, the production team that supported this show at the sold-out Arena Stožice in Ljubljana aimed high, creating a 360-degree stage and working with hang points that reach 34m. And just like him, they delivered a spot-on performance, thanks to the inspired efforts of director Nejc Levstik, set designer Greta Godnic, and TD Rok Lozar, along with lighting designer/programmer Crt Birsa and his ChamSys MagicQ Stadium Connect.
“This was the first 360-degree stage in the history of Arena Stožice (13,000 capacity),” said Birsa. “The

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The Netherlands - As part of the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), electronic music fans partied the day away at the combined Dockyard Festival x Mystic Garden Festival ADE 2023 in the Havenpark in Amsterdam on Saturday 21 October.
Think! AV supplied and set up lighting equipment for several of the areas at the festivals with the company's Niels de Feij managing the light project. He also created the light design along with YES! Your Event Support's Itai Joosten who also worked as the technical producer.
The Dockyard Festival x Mystic Garden Festival ADE offered revellers the chance to enjoy electronic music in contrasting settings. While the Mystic Garden Festival had a magical, fairytale-styled theme, the Dockyard Festival went for dark and industrial. In total, there were six stages with Chris Liebing, Dax J, East End Dubs, HI-LO, Olympe and Vuur headlining the Mystic G

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Italy - Indie group Pinguini Tattici Nuclear (Tactical Nuclear Penguins) played Reggio Emilia’s RCF Arena, Europe’s largest outdoor concert venue to a crowd of 80,000.
Supporting the pulsating, upbeat music of this six-member Italian pop band, which takes its name from a Scottish beer, was a vibrant light and video show by Ombra Design that featured 120 Chauvet Professional COLORado PXL Bar 16 motorised battens, imported by Zalight and serviced by Agora.
Designing for Pinguini Tattici Nuclear’s entire 11-date tour run, Ombra Design created looks that were as big and embracive as the music of the band itself. The two large IMAG walls to either side of the stage, and the immersive video display at its centre were joined visually by a smooth horizontally oriented lighting display that used vivid colours to set an emotionally engaging tone for the big audience.

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UK - London welcomed 2024 with its biggest ever New Year’s Eve fireworks, lights and drone show on the banks of the Thames River. Lighting Designer Tim Routledge returned for a second year to light the giant London Eye Ferris wheel, choosing laser-source Claypaky Skylos fixtures to deliver spectacular beam effects from each of the Eye’s 32 pods.
The festivities featured more than 12,000 fireworks, 600 drones, 430 lights and a varied soundtrack of songs and voice-over clips. Attending the huge party were 100,000 lucky ticketholders while millions around the world watched on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Routledge positioned 32 Skylos in the Eye’s passenger pods or capsules to create amazing beam effects that complemented the fireworks and drone display in the night sky.
Neg Earth supplied the Skylos fixtures, which are much more than classic searchlights. Skylos
  1. Transmission transfers to Arnhem with Robe
  2. David Stewart joins Ayrton in UK
  3. PL+S 2024: AHG out in force for Frankfurt
  4. Myke Towers and Chauvet celebrate in Vegas
  5. Ayrton lights Amsterdam Music Festival
  6. WL returns to the Old Vic Just For One Day
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