Huntsville Alabama-based Theatrical Lighting Systems Inc (TLS) is relocating its business to expanded facilities. The new home for TLS will be a former Lowe's superstore, located about five miles from the current location. The new 57,000sq.ft facility will be completely renovated and will include 13,000sq.ft of administrative offices, a showroom, demo room, WYSIWYG studio, repair lab and large warehouse with a 50ft x 125ft riggable grid for rehearsals and programming. By completely rewiring the electrical distribution system in the new facility, TLS will be able to set-up, test and programme multiple entertainment lighting systems simultaneously.
Working with the Alabama Industrial Development Board, through the Huntsville and Madison County Chamber of Commerce, the company secured tax abatements and industrial grants to help finance the project, which will allow it to consolidate its three Huntsville locations into one. The move will be complete by August 1, 2002.
(Ruth Rossington)
Martin Professional’s Czech distributor, High Tech Design, has delivered eight new Martin MAC 2000 Performances to the historic National Theatre in Prague. Together with the Czech Philharmonic and the National Gallery, the National Theatre is one of the Czech Republic’s cultural institutions with a rich artistic tradition. It is one of the most beautiful and important buildings in the country.
The three leading Czech National Theatre companies - covering drama, opera and ballet - which alternate performances in the historic building, will benefit from the new framing and animation profile spots. The National Theatre dates to 1883 and lies on the banks of the river Vltava, opposite the panorama of the famous Hradany castle. The building is technically equipped to the highest standards and the MAC 2000 Performances will help maintain this tradition.
(Ruth Rossington)
Vari-Lite Inc has promoted Richard Bratcher to vice-president of operations. The move comes at a time when the manufacturing and shipment of the new and highly popular VL1000 ellipsoidal reflector spotlight is at an all-time high, say Vari-Lite. "The success of the VL1000 ERS product line has been tremendous," said Vari-Lite President and COO Clay Powers. "As we continue to grow as a manufacturer, we want to ensure that the manufacture and assembly of all Vari*Lite products continues to improve to meet the expectations of a very demanding market. Continuous improvement of our assembly operations along with all company processes will allow us to remain competitive going forward."
Bratcher, a member of the Vari-Lite family since 1983, will oversee all manufacturing and assembly operations at the Vari-Lite headquarters in Dallas. In addition, Bratcher will continue to head Vari-Lite's Customer Service Department. Prior to joining Vari-Lite, Bratcher served as president, CEO and director of Showco Inc. "Richard is a hard-working, dedicated manager who has always been focused on continuous improvements of company processes," Powers said. "He is a competitor, a great leader of people and a tireless evangelist of change. I can't imagine a better teammate in today's extremely competitive business."
(Lee Baldock)
Halo Live, the new live tours and events division of Halo Lighting, has kick-started a summer of Radio 1 dance music events, supplying an exciting lighting production to the Radio 1 arena at the Homelands England event 2002, which took place at Matterley Bowl near Winchester over the Jubilee weekend and was enjoyed by 50,000 people.
Halo Live's lighting scheme was co-designed by Steve Marley and Yann Guenancia, who utilized a diverse range of fixtures and programming techniques to fulfil Radio 1’s demanding brief, and to create a stunning visual show. With the Radio 1 Open Air Stage being purely a DJ environment, it was very much down to Marley and Guenancia to use their imaginative savvy - and plenty of artistic licence - to create a colourful lightshow with a full range of peaks and dramatic effects.
The core of the rig was Studio Due City Color fixtures, used to produce large swathes of colour. Flexi-flash strobe tube was used on the ground to define the contours of the pyramid-style stage (supplied by Gallowglass). A whole range of different beam effects were used - from Vari*Lite VL6C profiles, Martin MAC 300s, exterior Par cans, 4-lite blinders, Maxi-brutes and fresnels - rigged onstage, blasting out into the audience as the night fell. All fixtures were controlled by an Avolites Pearl, operated by Steve Marley and Mark Tigwell.
The lightshow was crucial to the vibe. It reached out from the stage into the audience, uniting the two elements, wrapping party-goers and performers together and creating a visual context for the Radio 1 Dance Party. The design an
In early 1993, David Leggett, managing director of A.C. Lighting Ltd, called Bob Gordon in Los Angeles to arrange a meeting. At that meeting, in the Delta Crown Room at LAX, they agreed to explore the creation of A.C. Lighting Inc. Gordon came up with a business plan and A.C. Lighting Inc opened for business on July 1, 1993, starting out with no customers (just Gordon's database) and one North American exclusive product. In August of 2000, Bob acquired the controlling shareholding of A.C. Lighting, Inc.
Now, exactly nine years after the formation of A.C. Lighting, Inc their name is changing to A.C.T Lighting, Inc. This change in name does not represent any change in the way the business is run or in the ownership of the company, but is a recognition of the separate and distinct identity that A.C. Lighting, Inc. now holds in the US market.
The new name for A.C. Lighting in the U.S. is A.C.T Lighting, Inc. Bob Gordon, president and CEO of A.C.T Lighting, talked about the motivations behind the name change: "As we have grown as a company, we have developed our own unique style which very much separates us in the market from A.C. Lighting Ltd. I think as time has gone on our strategies, goals and product portfolios have diverged to such an extent that it was now time for us to have a unique identity so that we have a recognizable brand not just in the US but in international markets as well."
A.C.T Lighting, Inc (A.C.T stands for Architectural, Concert, Theatrical) will continue to use existing email and web addresses until after this year’s LDI show. Howe
April in New York saw Fourth Phase projecting images onto two large columns in the main concourse at Grand Central Station for Earth Day New York's Earth Week Celebration. Projected for a week from 11am-8pm, the images reached an estimated audience of half a million people daily.
Designed and produced by Earth Day New York's executive director Pam Lippe, the show included works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol and featured images chosen to portray the beauty of the earth and the importance of protecting it. Art Lavis of Fourth Phase USA explained that large format projection equipment lent itself well to one of the main themes of the show, which was the transitory nature of our world: "When pictures of endangered species slowly faded into nothing it really got the message across - this could not have been achieved with traditional signage or banners. Furthermore, as the display featured an estimated 200 images, the projection system was a cost-effective solution."
(Ruth Rossington)
Gradav have released the latest version of their comprehensive catalogue. Following the same format as previous catalogues, but redesigned to improve the layout, the publication covers the full range of lighting, audio and trussing equipment that the company handles - from AKG to Zero 88 - as well as communications, rostra, and special effects.
For a copy call Gradav on +44 020 8803 7400.
GAMProducts, the Hollywood-based theatrical lighting company, has launched a new website. The totally redesigned site offer many new features including almost 200 short videos depicting GAM products in application, along with complete pricing information, technical data and specification on most products. An online photo gallery from contributing designers around the world also shows GAM products in real applications.
There’s also a Virtual TwinSpin option to assist designers. Using this feature, designers can animate hundreds of GAM patterns; they can also conduct a Pattern Search and find patterns by number, name or subject. The Color Theory section offers tutorial information on colour and includes explanations of CIE Chromaticity charts, tri-colour mixing, Kelvin and the Black Body Radiator.
(Ruth Rossington)
Pop artist Pink is on her first headlining tour with a stage full of colors - rich, pure dichroic colors - from High End Systems automated luminaires. LD Ethan Weber specified a mix of 45 Studio Color 575 and Studio Spot 575 automated luminaires to paint Pink's ‘Get the Party Started’ tour, which runs from 2 May to 2 September in North America.
"I was hoping to use some Studio Beam and x.Spot fixtures," Weber says. "But it's a budget-conscious tour and we decided to go with quantity at the expense of some effects, which has worked out very well. I ended up with 45 fixtures which gives some pretty big looks in the theaters we've been doing."
This is Weber's first time to design, program and tour with the Studio Series, and he says he's found some "pretty good and interesting effects" in the Studio Spots. All equipment is provided by lighting contractor LSD/Fourth Phase.
(Lee Baldock)
Entertainment Lighting Services (ELS), Los Angeles' largest full-service lighting, rigging and staging company is moving to an even bigger facility this summer. The company will make the move from its former North Hollywood headquarters to a newly renovated 70,000sq.ft Sun Valley location boasting the largest lighting and rigging inventory in the West.
The new ELS facility has a 58,000sq.ft warehouse with six truck docks, ample parking, a 12,000sq.ft office space and an impressive 1,200sq.ft showroom. Also included in the expansion is a state-of-the-art computer-aided design lab, with future plans for an instructional classroom. "In the last decade alone, we've experienced incredible growth - quadrupling the company revenue - and we're tapping into more markets every day," comments Tammie Richards, director of marketing and sales. ELS has been in the forefront of the entertainment and corporate events industries for many years: its client list includes Disney, Dreamworks, Microsoft, Nintendo, Ford Motors, Coca-Cola, Universal, Six Flags, Warner Bros. and UCLA.
In other new developments, the company has recently been involved in staging a number of high-profile Hollywood events, including media event production and party lighting rental installations for box office extravaganzas such as Spiderman, Star Wars and The 20th Anniversary of E.T. - The Extraterrestrial. The company also provided lighting, dimming and control equipment for the new Kodak Theatre, home of the annual Academy Awards global television broadcasts.
(Ruth Rossington)
Bandit Lites UK recently supplied WWE (formerly WWF) Wrestling’s sold out ‘Insurrextion’ Tour in the UK with full lighting production. The tour visited the SECC and the NEC before culminating in a major show at Wembley Arena.
Bandit has serviced this dramatic event for some 10 years, and WWE’s current production and lighting designer, Jason Robinson, has been in the hot seat for six of those, designing sets and lighting for all WWE shows worldwide. It’s a completely different lighting concept to a conventional show. As the show is broadcast live on Sky television, the whole arena and audience has to be lit for television, as well as the live performance.
The Bandit team, led by Mark Powell, pooled considerable resources to pull off the Wembley show - effectively a one-off - which left the Bandit warehouse spectacularly devoid of gear - with six other major tours out. Over the ring, they rigged an 80ft octagonal truss, fully loaded with six-lamp bars, plus 48 Martin MAC 600s and 24 MAC 2000s. The mesh entrance ramp running from the stage to the ring was flanked with 36 MAC 2000s, 48 MAC 600s and 30 MAC 250s, and uplit from below with MR16 battens and other conventionals from above. The moving lights were operated by Ben Hay, using a WholeHog II, with Robinson running the conventionals from another Hog. The show utilized six Avolites 72-way dimmers and relied on eight follow spots - six in the house and two on the truss, all supplied by Bandit.
One of the most impressive lighting elements was an enormous ‘X’ - the ‘X&rsquo
Laser Studio, part of the I-Vision group, has recently completed three club installations in the Irish Republic: Maximus, a 700-capacity venue in Nenagh, County Tipperary, is part of the independent hotel group KDR Hotels. The musical policy of ‘everything goes’ caters for a mix of people and includes live bands on Thursdays. Manager Paul Ryan explained that they wanted a laser to offer something different and exciting and to distinguish themselves from their competitors in the area, ensuring that the visuals at Maximus are the best in the locale. This has further-fuelled their already healthy business.
The audience reactions to the laser have been incredible. "I would never have believed it would make such a difference, but it has," states Ryan. He chose Laser Studio for the installation because of the "Reliability and cost-effectiveness" of the gear, and after getting good recommendations from others and meeting Laser Studio’s Geoff Jones at a gig at the RDS in Dublin. The equipment is a Laser Studio I-Scan 600 green DPSS unit, which was supplied with a Laser Studio Merlin D80 controller. Laser Studio also supplied 18 mirror targets around the room, plus two diffraction targets. The system was installed and programmed by Christopher Rowell, and the club’s own operator received in-site training from the Laser Studio crew.
Home in Balbrigan, County Dublin, is a stylish, modernist, high-tech 1200-capacity venue split across three floors, picturesquely located overlooking the harbour. It has recently been completely refurbished,
With an exclusive Behind the Scenes tour, PLASA Media is offering a unique opportunity for you to take a privileged technical tour of two of London’s best-known entertainment institutions - the wonderfully atmospheric and newly refurbished Royal Albert Hall, and the fascinating Tussauds Group Studios, the creative heart of the world-famous visitor attraction specialist.
Behind the Scenes will take place on Thursday 12 September, immediately following the PLASA Show at Earls Court - one of the highlights of the entertainment technology industry calendar. As a participant in the tour, you will be transported by coach from Earls Court Exhibition Hall to the Royal Albert Hall, where you will be conducted on a backstage tour encompassing the breadth of the venue’s recently-completed £70 million refurbishment. The tour will take you through front-of-house and the historic auditorium, to the extensive state-of-the-art dimming installation and new loading bay - just two days before the RAH plays host to the renowned Last Night of the Proms. There will also be a chance for an informal chat with the technical crew . . .
This will be followed by lunch and a coach ride to the Tussauds Group Studios, where Behind the Scenes continues with a unique and truly exclusive tour. This will include the demonstration of a wax model being created from sculpting to wardrobe, with a chance for questions and answers, followed by an opportunity to hear first-hand from the technical designers how the many different projects and attractions of the Tussauds Group are put together, from
Stagetec, UK distributor for Compulite, announces the latest addition to the product line - the Compy cable or wireless remote control. This cost-effective, flexible control solution can be used to control all Compulite consoles via Ethernet interface (i.e. the 4D and SABRE series). Compy has been developed jointly by Compulite and DTT Scandinavia, utilizing the latest Pocket PC technology.
One of the major problems with most rigger’s controls is that they are difficult to see in the dark: Compy solves this problem as it utilizes a Compaq iPAQ Handheld PC which is a colour TFT touch screen. Apart from this, when not being used as a rigger’s control, the iPAQ can be used as a standard PC.
Compy is available in three configurations: The Compy Rigger allows control of all the rigging and basic edit functions of the console; the Compy E-Mote allows control of all rigging and console functions, including the displaying of all system screens on the handheld unit, while the Compy Dim offers full programming and monitoring of Compulite’s CompuDIM 2000 digital dimmers.
(Lee Baldock)
ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls Inc) has purchased the German lighting company transtechnik Lichtsysteme from its parent company transtechnik GmbH, Holzkirchen.
With headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin, and offices worldwide, ETC is fast becoming a global leader in the lighting industry. Over 15,000 venues, including Broadway shows and high-profile clients like Royal Caribbean cruise lines, London’s Royal Opera House, Hanover’s Staatstheater Opernhaus, SAT1 in Berlin and Legoland in Germany, employ ETC lighting products. According to ETC CEO Fred Foster: "We have long had great respect for transtechnik’s reputation and technology in our industry. The two companies share the same dedication to serving customers. The combination of transtechnik Lichtsysteme with ETC will allow us to increase our range of products and services to the German, as well as global, markets."
transtechnik Lichtsysteme will continue to offer its brand-name products and turnkey/project-management services to clients and its operation will continue to be based in Holzkirchen [south of Munich]. Robert Sterff, managing director of transtechnik GmbH, comments: "We are proud of transtechnik Lichtsysteme and proud to join our thirty-year legacy with that of ETC. transtechnik Lichtsysteme will profit from ETC’s outstanding position in the international market and be able to build further on their lighting focus. And transtechnik GmbH, after four years of considerable growth, will now be able to concentrate fully on its own specialty of electronic systems for the t
Elation Professional has introduced Compu Ware DMX Lighting Software, an affordable solution for lighting professionals who want to turn their PC into a DMX-512 lighting controller. Available in two versions - Compu Club and Compu Pro - the software allows users to program and control a complete ‘point-and-click’ lightshow from a laptop (or any PC), using DMX-compatible lighting fixtures from virtually any manufacturer, via the software's extensive lighting library. It's also very easy to create settings for additional fixtures, allowing the software to be continually updated as new lighting products appear on the market.
Both versions offer an intelligent USB to DMX interface box with 512 DMX channels. One of the software's handiest features is that the USB Box can be used as a portable stand-alone controller without the computer, thanks to Stand Alone Software which allows scenes created with Compu Ware to be imported into the USB Box. Up to 255 scenes can be stored in the USB Box and run anywhere, anytime, without a computer.
Both versions of Compu Ware software also include an on-screen 3D Visualizer, allowing users to preview lightshows. Hot Key Triggering is another of the software's convenient features. After creating a scene or show, the user can assign the scene to a key on the computer keyboard. The scene can then be triggered simply by pressing the designated key. Both the Compu Club and Compu Pro versions of Compu Ware software also feature Multi Media Triggering for creating a lightshow to music. With the Multi Media feature, a song and an accom
The world famous Glyndebourne Opera House in East Sussex, England, recently installed 16 of Selecon’s 12-28 Pacific Zoomspots (supplied by Selecon dealers Stage Electrics of Bristol) in preparation for their 2002 Festival that started on 18 May.
The opera house lighting team, led by lighting manager Keith Benson, has installed them in the advance bridge position in the main opera house. "We chose Selecon after researching a number of similar spots on the market. The Pacific’s build quality and the light it produces were particularly impressive," said Benson. "The light is crisp, white and relatively distortion free." Despite being a luminaire only 24" long, the Pacific delivers a cool beam of light with a range of 12-28 degrees. "It’s handy having those extra degrees - it can make all the difference," Benson concluded. The 2002 Festival opened with a performance of Don Giovanni and continues throughout the summer with a busy programme of operas, ending with Albert Herring on 25 August.
(Ruth Rossington)
In collaboration with Light & Building 2002 - the world’s biggest lighting and building automation fair - Luminale orchestrated a ‘path of light’ along the streets of Frankfurt, accentuating and enhancing a wide variety of urban settings. Over 50 sites, including buildings, parks, squares, churches and museums, public and private buildings as well as historical and artistic monuments, were illuminated using a variety of lighting technologies, underlining the importance of lighting design as part of the modern fabric of our cities.
Clay Paky, as one of Light & Building’s exhibitors, provided projection equipment to a number of sites. The botanical garden in Frankfurt’s Palmen Garden became ‘Tropicolors’ - the large glasshouse, with its dome, balconies overlooking the garden, numerous paths for visitors and fountain - lit for the occasion by CP Color 400 colour-changing luminaires. The lighting design, developed by designers Mick O’Callaghan and Thorsten Zank (from design company Enjoy), together with Lights & Color of Paderborn (distributor of Clay Paky architectural products for Germany), included ChromaPanel, ChromaDome, ChromaBank and ChromaStrip LED-based lighting fixtures from Pulsar. At the entrance to Tropicolors, two V.I.P. 300 DIA projectors from Clay Paky’s Display Line, specially designed for visual communication, projected luminous ‘posters’ with information on the tropical garden. Lighting control was from an MA Lighting grandMA console.
Elsewhere in the Palmen Garden, Clay Paky colour changer
Between 7 June and 27 July, Tim McGraw will visit some of the ‘B’ markets he missed over the past few tours in North America with a rig full of High End Systems products. This rig is ringed with 46 Studio Beam, 42 Studio Spot 575s, six Studio Color 250s, six Studio Spot CMY 575 automated luminaires and a Wholehog II console. Equipment this time is provided by Nashville-based lighting contractor Premier Global Productions. Steven ‘Creech’ Anderson recently decided to get off the road, so he's now at Premier overseeing this touring account and others as VP sales/account manager.
Lighting designer Leroy Bennett designed the last tour, and for this short run, "it's the same basic design," says lighting director Jerome Thompson. "This is somewhat of an extension of that but with a few modifications. I replaced out the Icons with Studio Spot 575s and Studio Beams. But the basic effect is there."
Thompson says he's excited about using the High End Systems equipment. "I'm really sold on the Studio Beams. I'm going to use them for a long time now," he says. "So I've got the equipment living in the truss; I've got the hard edges with the Studio Spots, I've got the Studio Beams and a Hog - what else could I want?"
Thompson shares programming duties with Eric ‘Guido’ Perry. "We're tag-teaming on the Hog," Thompson points out. "The Wholehog II is definitely my choice of console now that I've learned it. It works - it always works and it seems to be everywhere."
(Lee Baldock)
ABTT 2002 sees Stagetec highlighting Compulite’s new Rave lighting console (previewed at PLASA last year). The Rave is a compact control option for clubs, DJs and venues wanting versatile, cost-effective lighting control. It offers simple and quick set-up and operation, plus either manual or fully automated playback.
Rave has one DMX output controlling up to 512 dimmers via 100 (conventionals) desk channels, up to 40 intelligent fixtures (with a maximum of 32 parameters) and up to 20 extra DMX-controlled devices (smoke machines, hazers, etc.). Playback devices include 20 playbacks with a fader and control soft key plus 20 virtual playbacks. Editing is quick and easy using the soft-keys, integrated LCD display, a joystick, tracking libraries, palettes and parameter banks, plus three wheels.
Set-up and patch is also very fast - via a wizard - with access to all patch features for advanced users.
There’s also a new entry-level 24 channel CompuRACK digital installation dimmer, which combines the computing power from the CompuDIM 2000 cabinet dimmer with high quality toroidal chokes and well laid out, easy to maintain Thyristor blocks in a compact, wall mounting cabinet. This brand new product utilises a standard Compaq iPAQ hand-held PC running special software for remote control of any Compulite 4D or Sabre console via wired or wireless Ethernet.
Stagetec will also be showing new products from LSC at ABTT, including the PaTPad moving light module for their popular maXim range of consoles. PaTPad enables quick access to moving light control, without comprom
Lighting designer Steve Sommerville has been using an Avolites Sapphire 2000 console for the latest Gomez In Our Gun tour which has just finished its UK leg. It’s the first time he’s toured with an Avo desk, although he’s used Pearls on numerous other occasions.
Sommerville chose a Sapphire over a Pearl for this Gomez tour because of its additional power and capacity: "Everything you need is right here to hand on the Sapphire," he says. "The page selection is great, and there’s plenty of faders so you don’t have to change pages to select individual lamps - it’s all at your fingertips. It’s also a great desk for improvisational moments!"
Steve’s worked for Gomez since day one - initially when they were supporting Embrace who he also designs for - and has grown with the band. This tour around, he went for a totally different stage look, concentrating on a more purist lighting aesthetic without any video. The rig - supplied by Vari-Lite Europe - consisted of a box truss, flown lower at the upstage end, and instruments included 30 Vari*Lites, a mix of VL5s and VL6s, plus assorted Pars and Source Fours, all divided between truss and floor and controlled from his Sapphire.
A gauze, hung off the back truss, revealed a UV backdrop at strategic points in the show. For a touch of leftfieldness, six vertically rotating half mirror balls plus some blinders were mounted on tank traps. The lighting picture was completed with a scattering of strobes around the stage.
(Ruth Rossington)
Laser Magic has introduced the DiscoScan, an electronic ‘mirror ball’ laser projector. The DiscoScan provides unique 360° laser show, shooting laser beams, logos and messages onto every surface. Where a laser system is already installed, the DiscoScan can be lionked to the existing system via a fibre optic input. For those without a laser, DiscoScan can be supplied with a built-in solid-state laser.
(Ruth Rossington)
A.C. Lighting Ltd is offering comprehensive training on grandMa and Jands lighting consoles, free of charge. Catering for three levels of lighting specialists, A.C. will be offering the choice of operator, programmer and advanced programmer training, tailored to meet the previous experience of those in attendance. Courses will be held over a maximum of three days, either at A.C. Lighting’s headquarters in High Wycombe or at its northern sales office in Leeds.
All delegates will be given the chance to sample the powerful operating system provided by grandMa lighting consoles from the MA lighting range. As a result of the intensive nature of the training, places on each course are limited and dates will be allocated on a ‘first-come’ basis.
For those involved with entertainment lighting that require a more basic level of training, A.C. Lighting is also organizing a series of seminars using the Jands Event 4 console. Whilst not as intensive as the courses featuring the grandMa range, the seminars will provide operators with a valuable insight into the features of the console. For further information, contact Glyn O’Donoghue at A.C. Lighting on 01494 446000.
(Ruth Rossington)
Adam Hall has announced the availability of the new Viperlight, which builds on the success of the Racklight to combine the flexibility of a gooseneck, the portability of battery power, and the versatility of a spring-loaded clip with durable Racklight technology to create the first ever portable LED gooseneck light. The Viperlight can quickly be attached anywhere, and will provide up to eight hours of cool, coloured illumination using a single 9-volt battery.
(Lee Baldock)