Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024
Leeds - Main Banner - Apr24

Rigging / Staging

Details
South Africa - The SOS Charity Fund was established in December 2016, and from the start was met with generous support from the entertainment industry. The charity is now pleased to donate R50,000 to Feed our Crew, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is providing temporary support through food vouchers to the technical and casual event crews during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
While DWR Distribution established, administer and are a contributor to the SOS Charity Fund, the entertainment industry has fully participated in fundraising events. “Although DWR Distribution is

Details
USA - Eligible candidates who have received a notification of acceptance from one of the four examinations offered by the Entertainment Technician Certification Programme (ETCP) may begin scheduling appointments at PSI’s owned and operated testing centres.
ETCP is also still accepting applications from eligible riggers, entertainment electricians and portable power distribution technicians. The ‘rush fee’ has been waived and those who are accepted will be processed as quickly as possible.
PSI has recognised the impact that ETCP’ Certified Technicians are making by
Leeds - Main Banner - Apr24

Details
The Netherlands - Prolyte has published a new edition of its Blackbook, featuring technical information about trusses and complementary products.
The new edition includes: Compositions and design of aluminium trusses, Different types of connections, Forces within trusses and the different types of loading, Stages, roof systems, hoisting of truss, lifting people, truss maintenance, and more.
Available as a free download, the Blackbook has gained a reputation of an “on the road and beyond” reference guide, offering extensive theoretical background knowledge, as well

Details
USA - TAIT is now offering free online training courses for iQ Powered by Navigator to the live event community. By providing these courses, everyone interested in participating is given an opportunity to learn, engage and prepare for future automation experiences, says the company.
Whether a first-time learner or an experienced show operator, the iQ Training Video Series is tailored to all levels of entertainment automation. After watching the series, viewers will know how to ope

Details
South Africa - Just before touching down in South Africa to host DWR Distribution’s annual Rigging Training Course, Ruud de Deugd, an internationally renowned rigger and training presenter, had a role to play in building the largest chocolate bar - by area - and setting an official Guinness World Record, with all profits going to Mercy Ships.
“Mercy Ships is a floating hospital that gives surgeries to some of the poorest people in the world,” said Ruud. “The organisation is coming up with a new ship for the East Coast of Africa, which is how I got involved as a sponsor for

Details
Sweden - The Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Gothenburg recently commissioned a new 'design lighting' solution over the hotel's common area. Sweden based Priebe-ScanRig AB (PSRIG) was appointed to deliver and fit two large truss constructions with associated suspension. The truss would constitute as a carrier for the newly commissioned solution – with one of the constructions to be motorised while the other, permanently installed, would hang from steel wires.
Aart Gigengack, sales manager and co-owner of PSRIG explained: "During the installation of the lighting solution, the t

Details
UK - A survey carried out by PLASA has revealed the financial struggles faced by businesses in the entertainment technology industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conducted from 18 March and completed by 145 PLASA members, the study shows the early impact that various restrictions triggered by the pandemic have had on the industry, with PLASA currently conducting a follow-up survey to gain insight into the ongoing challenges that the sector is facing.
From those surveyed, half said that they’ve lost at least 50% of the business for the year, with a fifth saying the

Details

UK - Prolyte's LSU modular LED screen support system is now available for hire from Impact Production Services (IPS).
The Prolyte LSU system can be used to create freestanding LED screen support systems in a range of sizes. Designed to be used indoors for almost any LED screen system that has modules in 500mm wide multiple, it can also built to almost any size required. The kits from IPS contain a selection of components, and by combining different numbers of kits all kinds of screen support sizes can be constructed. If the screen needs to start higher, then IPS can supply

Details
UK - A team of entertainment technology professionals have joined forces to form People Powered UK in a bid to help relieve the pressures of the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The initiative was started by LDs Katharine Williams and Jono Kenyon and has so far amassed 915 members and counting from across the entertainment and live event industries. Williams previously worked on Crew for Calais, a project that saw event professionals build shelters for refugees, whilst Kenyon has first-hand insight into the pressures of the UK’s health service thanks to his partner, an ITU work

Details
UK - PLASA, the Professional Lighting And Sound Association, has urged businesses and individuals to get in touch with more evidence on how the ongoing COVID-19 crisis is affecting their operations.
The information is sought by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and will help the Treasury to better understand the devastating impact the situation is having on the events industry.
To gather the evidence, The Events Industry Forum - of which PLASA is a member - has created a survey, which can be completed here until 5pm on Tuesday, 7 April.
"We are work

Details
USA/Europe - James ‘Graham’ Thomas, founding partner of James Thomas Engineering, has died. The industry has been paying tribute to Graham who retired from the business in 2014 when JTE became part of Area Four Industries.
“All of us at JTE were saddened to hear that Graham ‘James’ Thomas, original founding partner of James Thomas Engineering passed away overnight,” says JTE’s website. “Graham and his partner, John Walters, started JTE in Worcestershire, England in 1977 and their designs became synonymous with the growth and look of rock ‘n’ roll productions th

Details
USA - Prolyte Group has announced details of its future operation in North America.
Prolyte will now be part of the Area Four Industries Direct America offices in Knoxville and Thousand Oaks, allowing both inventory and offices to be closer to customers on both coasts. Area Four Industries Direct America East and West are now distribution outlets for Prolyte products in North America, and will be supporting existing Prolyte customers and distributors from those locations.
Prolyte’s management structure has also changed, with Prolyte’s former general sales manager Keith B

Details
Europe - Area Four Industries has announced that Eric Laanstra is the latest expert to join the Rigging Commandos, a group of specialists who present the latest developments happening in the industry.
Laanstra has been product manager at Prolyte for the past 10 years. He states: “I hope I can continue as Prolyte product manager for many years and have lots of fun with my new colleagues at Area Four Industries.”
Rigging Commandos is a group of respected experts who take an in-depth view of topics exciting interest within the industry. They identify closely with riggers a

Details
UK - Back to the Future The Musical arrived in 2020 at the Manchester Opera House on 20 February. The 1985 movie and pop culture phenomenon has been transported to the stage by the film's original creative team of Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. Sending audiences on a ride through time with a hit music score, and featuring the famous DeLorean, production manager Simon Marlow, brought Unusual Rigging on board to handle the complex rigging requirements of the show.
Unusual Rigging was contracted to supply all the rigging - both for the load in and the run of the show. Marlow e

Details
South Africa - With the country in lockdown due to coronavirus, DWR Distribution’s staff remain available during office hours, while the company is offering a range of online learning opportunities.
“We have entered into completely uncharted territory as individuals as a country and as citizens of a global community,” says the latest update from DWR.
“The South African government has taken up the call to become a part the most ambitious and courageous global effort to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus that is causing Covid-19, placing the lives of its citize

Details
UK - Glyn Owen, a self-employed rigger at the ACC Liverpool, expressed his bewilderment at why the UK government has not offered comparable financial backing to the self-employed.
Last week, the chancellor Rishi Sunak opened up access to the Universal Credit system to workers including freelancers and zero-hour contractors. However, claiming from the welfare system would only secure £94.25 per week for a self-employed worker, whilst the government promised to cover 80% of the salaries of employees.
On Sunday, the communities secretary Robert Jenrick recognised

Details
USA - Céline Dion recently brought the curtain down on her residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas after more than 1,100 sold-out performances and embarked on a 12-month tour in support of her Courage album.
Solotech has provided sound, lighting, video and rigging - everything except the stage - for the Courage World Tour, including multiple Solid State Logic Live L550 digital mixing consoles, one at front-of-house and two at monitors.
Denis Savage, who has been Dion’s tour manager and FOH engineer for several decades, began using SSL’s Live ser

Details
USA - A group of leading live event industry organisations has joined together to create a GoFundMe campaign to raise $250,000 in donations to provide relief to eligible freelance professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic due to event cancellations.
The campaign is initially being sponsored by Alive Risk, Clair Global, the Event Safety Alliance, Griffin360, Merch Roadie, Show Makers Symposium and Take1 Insurance, with other companies expected to join the cause. The goal of the campaign is to reach out to entertainment industry businesses and live entertainment fans world

Details
UK - Rob Foster has joined the technical sales team at Stage Electrics. Foster is responsible for developing new business and maintain existing relationship with customers interested in rigging especially Prolyte, Milos and Admiral.
His new role will focus on promoting the Prolyte brand of trussing and staging and a range of associated rigging accessories from Admiral Staging.

Details
UK - A petition has been launched urging the UK government to offer economic assistance to the events industry during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Instigated by Matt Rakowski of DBpixelhouse, the petition’s aim is: “For the UK government to provide economic assistance to businesses and staff employed in the events industry, who are suffering unforeseen financial challenges that could have a profound effect on hundreds of thousands of people employed i

Details
World - Huntly Christie, CEO of Christie Lites, has released the following statement in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic: “Like every other company in our business, Christie Lites is not immune and at the end of last week I enacted some difficult measures to counter the effects of the ‘shock-stop’ the industry has endured as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Sadly, this included laying off approximately 200 staff globally. This has definitely been the most difficult situation I have experienced in the company’s 35yr history. We’ve worked extremely hard to build and assembl

Details
Germany - Prolight+Sound will not be held in 2020. A statement from Messe Frankfurt, the show’s organisers reads: “On 12 March, the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration issued general decrees prohibiting large-scale events expected to attract more than 1,000 visitors. At the present time, it cannot be assumed that the current situation will have changed by the time the postponed event was to have been held. Therefore, Messe Frankfurt has decided to cancel the event.”
The event was originally scheduled to take place 31 March - 3 April but was postponed to May d

Details
Europe - ACME Lighting and Highlite International are the latest companies to announce that they will no longer be exhibiting at the postponed Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt this May, due to the health risks posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“At this moment, the entire entertainment industry is experiencing huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to the virus,” says Marco Galli, EMEA sales director at ACME Lighting. “We take the health of our staff and customers very seriously. Well-being and containment of COVID-19 is our duty and priority, and therefore,

Details
USA - Under the direction of New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, Broadway shows in New York City will suspend all performances immediately in support of the health and well-being of the theatre-going public, as well as those who work in the theatre industry, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Performances will commence the week of April 13, 2020.
"Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and man
  1. Eurotruss extends portfolio in Germany
  2. Area Four Industries Direct UK supports Lightspace
  3. We Will Rock You on the road with Kinesys
  4. Triple E re-designs Rearfold accessory
  5. Area Four creates Rigging Commandos
  6. Hawthorn puts BBC programmes centre-stage
Page 16 of 228
GLP - MPU - May-June 2024
Leeds - MPU - Apr24

Latest Issue. . .