UK - Gavin Stewart, managing director of Edinburgh lighting specialist black light, is evidently planning for the company's long-term future with his family. Evidence of this was provided in December when his daughter won an award for lighting design. Robin Stewart won the award for her snowmen design, which was included in the Christmas illuminations for Dunbar, East Lothian. Proof of how far forward her Dad is looking is that Robin is aged just four and three-quarters! "In truth, I was as surprised as anyone," says Stewart, "but it's fantastic to see that Robin is already aware of lighting and is looking at it with a critical eye."
Stewart admits that it may be a few years before his daughter is in a position to succeed him as managing director, but he can't help wondering if this is a sign of things to come. "Of course it's way to soon to wonder what she may end up doing and I would never ask her to do something she didn't want to," he says. "But if Robin does turn out to be a chip off the old block, it's reassuring to know that black light will be in good hands for many years to come."
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Pantomime season, and White Light reports that it is supplying equipment to pantomime productions of all scales - from complete lighting rigs for West End theatres to additional effects or moving lights for smaller venues expanding their house rigs to provide the extra sparkle that these shows demand. The list includes no less than 12 different versions of Snow White! Among the shows using equipment from White Light in London are a number productions by Qdos Entertainment, one of the leading national pantomime producers: these include Beauty and the Beast in Hayes, Dick Whittington in Richmond, Peter Pan in Southampton and Southend, Aladdin in Tunbridge Wells and Wimbledon, Snow White in Woking, Cinderella in Wolverhampton as well as the West End pantomime Snow White at the Victoria Palace Theatre. White Light's equipment will also be found lighting Mother Goose at the Watford Palace Theatre, and London's second West End pantomime, Aladdin at the Old Vic, starring Sir Ian McKellen.
The London company is also supplying equipment to The Wizard of Oz in Gravesend, school Christmas productions of Jonah at Ravens Park School in Hammersmith and Me and My Girl at Lancing College in West Sussex, as well as amateur productions of Jack and the Beanstalk, produced by PLOS at the Putney Arts Theatre, and Snow White produced by the Oxted Players at the Barn Theatre in Oxted. At the same time, White Light North in Yorkshire is supplying the lighting for Snow White
Ireland - The Prince Bar in Athlone, Ireland, has undergone a large-scale refurbishment programme. The new design is wholly suited to the bar's active lunchtime trade but can also be revolutionized into a warm, up-beat haven in the evenings. Owner John Callanan of the Callanan Group wanted something contemporary and attractive, and knew that a good lighting design would be the key to the look and identity of the venue, so he brought in ICAN Technology, who has previously worked on similar projects all over the country.
The large Prince Bar was divided into zones, each with its own innovative décor and purpose to meet varying customer requirements. Downstairs is the carvery area, sandwich bar and a modern lounge and bar section, another small cocktail bar and various seating areas, subtly divided from the rest of the floor plan for privacy. The main fixtures that were used to create such an inspired look consisted of Pulsar's ChromaDomes and ChromaStrips which all contributed to the warm timbers, earthy tiles and dark cranberry and brown leathers. The lighting scheme was programmed to create subtle slow changes and colour tones that would highlight and enhance the Prince's architectural features; its perfect colour mixing is achieved through LED technology, which was carefully selected for its long life and low maintenance.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - In order to make the most of an impossible schedule, lighting designer John LaBriola turned to Dallas-based Portal Design Services for help with the Backstreet Boys summer tour of Asia. The band was due to play a night in Beijing and one in Shanghai before moving on to five sold-out nights at the Yoyogi Gym in Tokyo, Japan. LaBriola and lighting director Jason Deboer were to have no production rehearsals for the large-scale arena and stadium-sized shows.
A portable WYSIWYG visualization system from Portal Design Services proved to be the solution to the problem. Portal shipped the self-contained system directly to LaBriola's house so that he could program the show in his home office. "I was able to complete the vast majority of the cueing at home," remarks LaBriola. "The pre-programming was all about information management. We could swap fixtures around in the WYSIWYG drawing easily and we could also do the same in the grandMA console we were using for control. It was difficult to get confirmation about exactly what equipment would be waiting for us in China. Being able to swap fixture types and expand or contract the major design elements while preserving the programming meant that the grandMA was the only console for the job."
With only a week to go before the tour left for China, LaBriola flew to Los Angeles with Portal's portable WYSIWYG system to meet with production and the band to go over the show's structure. LaBriola was able to show members of the production team renderings of what the show would look like that had been pro
UK - The Times London Film Festival, presented by the British Film Institute, is Europe's largest public film event. This year, the 48th annual festival attracted over 116,000 admissions, 280 of which were screened from 60 countries. In addition to an impressive roster of film premieres, many of which are introduced by the film's director, producer or stars, the extensive schedule of festival activities include prestigious opening and closing night galas, after-film VIP parties, industry and public forums, education events, lectures and celebrity interviews. Premier PR, who handles many of the film premiers and after-film parties, turned to Sound Division to provide sound and lighting effects for two high profile parties.
The first was for Chinese director, Zhang Yimou's latest film, House of Flying Daggers. The exclusive after-film party for 500 guests was hosted at London's Imperial China restaurant in Soho. Sound Division's Chris Baxter was asked to create an atmosphere throughout the four-storey restaurant that was in keeping with the aesthetic atmosphere of the film. "I achieved this principally through a number of lighting effects," explained Baxter. "We covered the front entrance with a rippling water effect using Martin Manias, which was a theme we carried throughout the building. We floodlit the restaurant and food-serving areas in jade green which looked stunning, and we also uplit some 20 bamboo flower design using chrome Birdie uplighters. We had lots of lighting effects in the main room including a custom-made gobo of the Times l
USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) provided a combined lighting, audio, and scenic solution for the latest tour of the popular rock band, Scorpions. PRG's service package includes a conventional lighting rig with Icon control system, a V-Dosc audio system with Midas consoles, and several scenic flats for the band's stage. All of the items were packaged together in PRG's Las Vegas operations depot, which contains a full-service scenic shop and over $50 million in lighting and audio equipment.
"Being able to prep and load all of the equipment and scenic elements from a single operations facility enabled us to respond quickly to the band's needs," stated Mark Coleman, a PRG account executive for the tour. "And by co-packing the items, we were able to save the band significant shipping costs."
The first portion of Scorpion's Unbreakable tour began on October 21st and concluded December 5 in Reno, NV. Following a two-month break, the tour will resume again in February 2005.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Martin Professional's Wizard effect light has been updated with a new set of gobo patterns, new refelctors and improved focus control. The new fixture offers up to 20% more reflection from its parabolic mirrors, say Martin.
The Wizard Extreme is DMX-intelligent and features a seven-colour wheel, a gobo wheel with 13 patterns (three now with dichroic reflectors) and a separate shutter for fast strobing. Split colour and twinkle effects are also possible. Also included are 12 spectacular macros for fast access to the Wizard's myriad of effects - ideal when fast yet impressive programming of lightshows is needed. An optional multi-coupler is available to create a powerful centerpiece for a total light and effect bombardment.
Designed for minimal maintenance and low operational costs, the Wizard Extreme houses a high-output 250W discharge lamp with a 2000-hour life. Martin has broadened the Wizard's ease of use with tool-free lamp adjustments and a fan that can be removed for easy cleaning. Also, a new built-in handle makes life easier for transportation and installation.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - High End Systems has released version 1.3.7 software for the Wholehog 3 operating system. This new software provides many enhancements to the already feature-rich lighting console and adds several new features including Tap Sync for chases, additional comment macros and new preferences for show customization. Users may download the free software and enhancement details from the websites below.
During development of v1.3.7, the HES engineering department introduced a software testing program allowing select programmers and operators of HES equipment to work directly with the internal testing department and engineering staff. Describing his experience as a beta tester in the program, Majestic Productions' Jon "Hillbilly" Weir said: "We have gone through the major and minor bugs so everyone else doesn't have to. Throughout the program, the HES software engineers have been quick to fix bugs and add features as we have come up with them. It's been great to give feedback and see it quickly implemented in the software. With the release of version 1.3.7, the public will immediately have a very stable and much improved batch of software."
The HES software testing program will continue with future releases for the Wholehog 3 system and other HES products. Says Scott Blair, HES software testing program administrator, "The program has proved to be an invaluable resource for us by expanding our testing resources and providing direct communication with many of the industry's most knowledgeable Wholehog 3 users. In return, we have provided them wi
UK - This Christmas Elumin8 was asked by the fashion house Alexander McQueen to design its Christmas windows for the London, New York and Milan stores. The brief was to create something that was high tech and used the innovative elumin8 lamps while at the same time creating an atmosphere that was romantic. Another requirement was that the display was easily transportable and simple to install. Each hanging tree banner is very thin, light and semi transparent and are simply rolled for transportation.
The panels designed by Ginco and the McQueen team are based on a hand drawn Christmas tree, but with a very cotemporary feel and have been programmed to slowly fade and increase luminosity, giving a slightly misty effect to the forest. Richard Kirk, managing director of Elumin8 said: "The Christmas trees really show the creative potential of the elumin8 product, they have transcended the high tech Electroluminescent lamp technology and created a dreamy and faintly surreal image of Christmas."
Electroluminescent lighting is not a new technology, for years it has been used as backlighting for small consumer goods like mobile phones and other LCD displays, as well as instrument clusters in cars and aircraft. However, Elumin8 is constantly blowing away the preconceptions around the technology by including it in increasingly ambitious lighting schemes.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - A.C. Lighting has been appointed authorized dealer for Clay Paky products in the UK. Clay Paky manufactures a wide range of effects fixtures, including moving body luminaires, moving mirror luminaires, colour changers, followspots and smoke machines. The company's latest innovation is the Alpha range, a series of 575W moving body projectors designed for professional, architectural and show business environments. This range includes the Alpha Spot and Alpha Spot HPE moving yoke profile fixtures and the Alpha Wash moving yoke washlight fixture.
Key range features include high brightness optics providing even distribution of light from the centre to the peripheral for a flatter curve; wide zooms (4 - 80 degrees on the Alpha Wash and 10 - 40 degrees on the Alpha Spot); colour mixing well away from the beam focal point, resulting in an even colour spread and no projection of shutter at low levels; and special effects, including an Animation disc for creating morphing flame/water effects etc. on interchangeable gobos.
Under the agreement A.C. will sell and support the entire range of Clay Paky products alongside its increasing portfolio of world-leading pro lighting and audio brands. The partnership further expands the company's ability to provide bespoke solutions for the increasing demands of modern entertainment facilities.
Enrico Caironi, sales director for Clay Paky, commented: "It was a natural progression for Clay Paky to appoint A.C as an authorized UK dealer, due to its high standards of customer service and product expertize. We look forward to de
UK - Leading entertainment lighting supplier White Light recently joined forces with Ashcroft Services and Zero 88 to update the facilities at the Shoestring Theatre, home of the Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation (CYTO) which provides nine to fifteen year olds a chance to experience all aspects of theatre. "The CYTO's Shoestring Theatre is a converted part of an old school run by Croydon Youth Services," explains Ian Locke, manager of Ashcroft Services and technical manager at Croydon's Fairfield Halls. "CYTO have very little money - but they urgently needed to upgrade their lighting installation. They turned to Ashcroft Services for help; working with White Light and Zero 88 we were able to considerably improve their facilities."
The upgrade saw CYTO replace three six-way Pulsar dimmer racks with what Ian describes as a "very fine ex-demonstration Chilli 24-channel dimmer rack from Zero 88," sourced through Roger Hennigan at White Light. Ashcroft Services also re-wired the theatre, changed the control protocol to suit thenew dimmers and installed a new patchbay, while White Light's specialist service and support team at The Service Company serviced the Strand MX control console.
The new installation has already been put to use on CYTO's production of Little Shop of Horrors, and will be in use again in January on their production of Twelfth Night.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Adlib Audio and sister company Adlite are supplying full sound and lighting production to the current UK Embrace tour. Audio includes a Nexo Alpha system and one of Adlib's new Yamaha PM5D digital consoles and lighting includes Martin MAC 550 and High End Studio Beam PC moving lights and a WholeHog II desk.
With a huge variety of venues on the itinerary, the typical stack of Nexo is eight M3 mid-highs eight B1 bass boxes and six SB2 subs, which the larger venues expanding to eight mid-highs and bass cabinets a side with a total of eight subs. The system is powered with two types of Camco amps - Tectons for the mid-highs and Vortex for the subs. The PA is zoned via BSS 366s, which are used for time alignment when they're running infills, outfills or delays in some of the more idiosyncratic rooms.
Jones mixes with a Midas H3000 FOH. For system processing, he's using 10 dbx 160A compressors and a stereo dbx 160S on guitars, plus some of his own XTA processing on the vocals, in particular a D2 frequency conscious compressor. His effects rack contains plenty of favourites - a Lexicon PCM 70, a TC M2000, two Yamaha SPX 990s and a TC D2 delay. In creative terms, he makes the band sound large, rocky and raw, keeping it straightforward with minimal interference.
Vocalist Danny McNamara is currently using an Audio Technica 6100 mic, there's AT 4050s on the guitars and all other mics either Shure or AKG. It's Jones' first time working with Adlib, and he's found it a completely positive experience, "Great gear, service, crew, back-up and attitude" he says.
USA - Chauvet has introduced two compact, wide-flood wash lights, Colorbank8 and Colorbank12, each outfitted with 8 and 12 gel holders, respectively. Both fixtures contain 16 preset beat-activated chase patterns. The speed of each chase can be adjusted with a rotary knob. A full on override button allows users to turn all the lamps on for static wash.
Colorbank 8 and 12 come with a standard set of 8 or 12 colored gels that can be easily replaced with different gels of the colors of your choice. Additionally, Colorbank8 features barn doors to give the user more control over the direction of the light. The two wash striplights very effectively wash walls and backdrops as well as smaller dancer floors and stages. Both are lightweight enough for mobile use. A practical but optional CB-FS Colorbank Footswitch controller is sold separately.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - Super Vision International, Inc. manufacturer of fiber optic and LED lighting announced today that it has signed three additional new licensees to its Variable Color Lighting System patent and its Laidman technology portfolio. The three licensees are Element Labs of Austin, Texas, TPR Enterprises of Mamaroneck, New York and Shine Lighting of West Jordan, Utah.
Nils Thorjussen, founder and president of Element Labs: "I'd like to personally thank Brett Kingstone and Supervision for taking the lead on this critically important matter and making the Belliveau patent and Laidman technology easily available to the industry. We feel that Super Vision's IP portfolio is foundational to the LED lighting industry and this licensee agreement is not only a good investment for Element Labs, but for the future of our industry." Mr. Thorjussen was a previous co-founder of Flying Pig Systems, manufacturers of the award winning Wholehog Range of lighting control desks for automated lighting fixtures that has become a standard in the lighting industry. High End Systems, one of the America's largest entertainment lighting companies, purchased Flying Pig Systems in 1998.
Tom Fay, founder and president of TPR Enterprises stated: "LED lighting as an industry and as a technology is still in its infancy. It is exciting for TPR to have the strength of this IP as an additional tool to grow our business and we support Super Vision's efforts to make it available to support the growth of this rapidly expanding market." TPR is the leading manufacturer of stage lighting
Germany - MA Lighting has announced the availability for download of its latest grandma software. grandMA v5.4 now features a full Blind Editor which works in parallel to the live programmer. When leaving blind mode, the original values of the programmer are restored automatically. Also, the last selection used in the blind programmer is restored on the time of re-entering. Each user in a multi-user network session has their own fully independent blind editor. Like the console, the grandMA 3D visualizer may also be used to preview and edit cues in blind mode. Cues can be easily changed on the console and previewed on grandMA in parallel, without affecting the live output on stage, say MA Lighting.
Functions such as Executor, Sequences, Cues, Macros, Presets etc may now be locked by any user with administrative rights to prevent unwanted modification or deletion. The usage and content of any channel, fixture, cue, preset or other element or range of elements can now be analysed with the new report function: the results as shown on screen can be printed or exported to a file (in CSV format) for external editing. Finally, profiles can be assigned for dimmer and movement transitions for each cue in a sequence. There are 16 predefined transition profiles, and 16 user-definable ones, which can be initialized with normal dimmer profiles.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - Arizona-based Sunbelt Scenic Studios has taken delivery of 14 of Clay Paky's new Alpha Spot HPE and Alpha Wash fixtures. Concentrating mostly on corporate productions, Sunbelt Scenic Studios added the new Clay Paky fixtures to their lighting rental inventory based on trust - trust in the Clay Paky brand and trust in the people behind the brand in the US. "I have enjoyed the Clay Paky 1200 Zooms for many years now," said David Renshaw, lighting rental manager for Sunbelt. "PJ Turpin, the general manager of Clay Paky America, and I also go way back - I trust him. When PJ told me he had these new units, and that I could rely on them, I knew that I could. I normally do not buy the first round of any new moving light."
Renshaw immediately committed his new Alpha Spot HPE and Wash fixtures to a number of large-and small-scale industrial productions. The feedback he received from both his in-house lighting designers as well as freelance L.D.s and programmers confirmed Renshaw's belief that he had made a good choice. "One of the things that immediately impressed me was my freelancers commenting on how quiet and fast the new Alphas were. We do mostly corporate shows, and it is always a concern having a bunch of moving lights on the show and hearing them "hum" in general not to mention amplified by the audio mics."
The Alpha Spot HPE has an impressive list of features for a fixture of its physical size including 10°- 40° zoom and fully electronic focusing. The CMY colour mixing system is augmented by a seven position plus
UK - Lighting designer Al Gurdon specified 78 James Thomas PixelLine battens as part of his lighting rig for ITV's current top-rating series of the X-Factor. 32 PixelLines are rigged inside the main scenic 'X' set piece hung above centre stage. The fixtures are behind a diffused polycarbonate covering.
On the floor below, the centre 'X' PixelLine configuration is mirrored using another 32 battens, this time set below a frosted Perspex floor. These 64 battens are being driven by video images created specially for the show by lighting operators/programmers Svend Pedersen and Ross Williams and graphic artist Chris Plant, designed to compliment the geometry of the stage and Christopher George's set. The images are stored and manipulated in a computer running PixelMAD software, and output via the WholeHog II lighting console used to run the show's lights.
The 'X' PixelLine fixtures are configured in Max 1 (wide mode), enabling each of the batten's 18 cells to be controlled individually, which looks particularly dramatic with high contrast, low-res video footage blasting through them. "They're extremely versatile in wide mode," says Gurdon, "and it offers a refreshing new look to the PixelLine image and effect."
A further seven PixelLines per side are used to delineate the edges of two more flown scenic X's that flank the central one. These are used as conventional light sources as opposed to receiving video input. All The PixelLines were supplied by main lighting contractor PRG.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Denmark - Martin Professional, which offers a variety of tailored financing options to its customers, has announced that in the past seven years, it has secured financing of more than US$100,000,000 for its customers, either through its own internal resources or in some cases in partnership with external financing firms. In so doing, Martin says, it has helped countless businesses stay competitive while creating extensive product availability worldwide.
Begun in 1997 and unique to the industry, Martin's finance options are inclusive plans that offer flexible financing to its entire customer base from small installations to large rental companies. The company says it is committed to offering the products and services that support customers' growth by working with them to meet their financing objectives.
(Lee Baldock)
Spain - LT-light has announced the appointment of Lightronics Inc. as its new distributor for the Hydra Range of lighting controllers for the USA and Canada. The well-known American company will provide full sales assistance, extensive technical support and service as well as customer training and specialist seminars.
International sales manager Fernando Krijer commented: "We are pleased and very much looking forward to working together with Lightronics Inc. They are a tremendous complement to our existing portfolio."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Spain - This marks seventh industry award for HES' Digital Lighting fixture High End Systems' DL1 Digital Light fixture won Best Product of the Year at the Pro-Audio and Lighting Awards in Spain. The honor was presented 11 November at the Broadcast 2004 trade show in Madrid. Produccion Profesional magazine sponsored the awards.
Ramon Setien of Pro-Lighting, a High End Systems distributor in Spain, accepted the award. Pro-Lighting was also in the running for lighting company of the year. The jury was comprised of professional lighting designers. Says Carlos Martinez-Iturralde of Pro-Lighting, "The judges said the DL1 deserved the award because it was the best lighting product for its innovative technology in the lighting market."
This is DL1's seventh industry award since its introduction in 2003.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
UK - Computers Unlimited have teamed up with the Central School of Speech & Drama in London to stage the first ever UK VectorWorks Spotlight event. VectorWorks Spotlight is an entertainment and lighting design software, which merges sophisticated 2D drafting and powerful 3D modelling with advanced lighting design and production tools. The organizer says the event will provide an opportunity to see some outstanding projects created using VectorWorks Spotlight.
Mark Stephens, director of The Design Division (a specialist VectorWorks reseller and producer of the new VectorWorks Spotlight Training CD), will start the event with an overview of VectorWorks. He will then demonstrate the specific Spotlight features, and will also show the new VectorWorks training CD which now includes specific movies on Spotlight. Alex Wardle, a lighting designer and technical manager, will cover setting up documents for a tour so that lighting plans and supporting paperwork may be produced quickly.
After a short break, lighting designer Vince Foster will show some of his work, including the Phil Collins Tour 2004. Following this, Mark Stephens will show some complementary products to Spotlight - SketchUp and Piranesi. The day will end with an open forum where questions can be put to the experts.
The event will take place on Wednesday 26 January 2005 at the Central School of Speech & Drama, 64 Eton Avenue, London NW3 3HY.
(Lee Baldock)
Australia - Coemar DeSisti Australia (CDA) has supplied Channel 7 with 26 4-bank and nine 2-bank De Sisti Delux fluorescents for the new studio they have just completed at Martin Place in Sydney. After successful use of the fluorescents with Channels 7's Melbourne Broadcast centre, plus for Channel 7s coverage of the tennis, golf and racing (Channel 7 has an extensive stock of De Sisti fluorescents, which are used on all these outside broadcasts) the De Sisti product was a natural pick for the new studio in Sydney, say the company.
The Sydney studio is quite a challenge for the lighting people with two sides of the studio being glass walls; therefore, they have to contend with changing light levels and colour temperature throughout the days, keeping in mind the studio is in use from 6am in the morning to the late hours of the evening. The extremely high output and possibilities of controlling the De Sisti fluorescents both for dimming directly via DMX512 and also beam control via the accessory egg-crates that are available make them an ideal tool for the lighting directors, say CDA.
Peter Kemp, CDA's managing director, visited the new studio and viewed the broadcast of the 10.30am news with Channel 7's John Norton. The only lighting for the new set was the De Sisti fluorescents and John Norton informed Kemp that they where extremely pleased with the results achieved with the products.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Bandit Lites UK supplied lighting equipment for the spectacular stage and catwalk show at the centre of the 2004 Erotica exhibition in London's Olympia. Bandit's Lester Cobrin project managed, working closely with the show's technical production supplier Derek Halliday Productions and lighting designer Ben Fox. It was Bandit's second Erotica show - the first being in Manchester back in March - and Derek Halliday has been involved since the exhibition's inception in 1997.
The action packed 50 minute, four-times-a-day stage show, produced and choreographed by Torture Garden, was the exhibition's central attraction and featured aerial performance, dancing - including with fire and water - and a catwalk parade. Lighting had to be highly versatile and also had to contend with daylight for two shows a day, courtesy of Olympia's glass ceiling.
Ben Fox has lit Erotica's stage show for the last four years. It is around a 40' box truss and features over 100 PARS, Martin MAC 600 moving lights and MAC 2Ks plus some Moles and floor PARs with scrollers. Special effects for the 2004 London Erotica show included an animated rain curtain, with the water jets DMX controlled from the Wholehog II desk. Derek Halliday has seen a distinct improvement since he started using Bandit as lighting supplier, and reckons it's made a massive difference to the smooth running of the show. "When we're pushed for time as we always are at Erotica, it's crucial for kit to come out well prepped. Not only does Bandit do this to an incredibly high standard, their crew know the gear inside out
France - Nicolaudie-Sunlite, the maker of the PLASA Innovation Award-winning Easy Stand Alone - has launched Color Manager, a new tool which not only works with RGB or CMY fixtures and is compatible with any drawing software program, but also incorporates powerful wizards such as images and video loading and text scrolling. This tool, say the company, has been designed to work with a matrix of LED devices as well as with conventional fixtures. Color Manager has already been integrated in Easy Stand Alone and will be one of Sunlite 2004's features when the new version is released in December.
(Lee Baldock)