Pharos - Leaderboard - May 2024

Video and AV

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South Africa - The recent hosting of the international AV Alliance's annual three-day AGM in Cape Town set the stage for a convergence of global talent, innovation, and collaboration. Industry leaders, sponsors and technical experts from around the world gathered at the Westin Hotel to exchange ideas, showcase expertise, and chart the course for the future of the event solutions industry.

Hosting this pivotal event for the second time was Gearhouse Group, technical supplier and AVA's local member. At the heart of this year's AGM was the unveiling of AVA's educational initiatives and the establishment of its Education and Outreach Committee (EAOC). Charged with collating educational materials and crafting a user-friendly Learning Management System, the EAOC aims to equip AVA members with the tools needed to address current industry challenges, cultivate talen

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Sweden - The stage design for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest has been unveiled ahead of the grand final in Malmö, Sweden, on 11 May. Lighting and screen content designer Fredrik Stormby from Green Wall Designs and production designer Florian Wieder are the creative team helping to create, design, and deliver a large-scale and spectacular show to a global audience of over 160m. 

The stage and lighting design for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will focus on the audience more than ever. With the stage placed in the centre of the arena, viewers will experience a visually revolutionary concept. The 360-degree experience surrounds the audience and viewers in the Malmö Arena. The stage is placed in the middle of the audience and shaped like a cross. Movable LED cubes, LED floors, light, video, and stage technology will be able to create gre

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Finland – The popular TV contest Tähdet, tähdet returned for 2024 with a host of singers belting out numbers ranging from 1980s pop to Eurovision classics. Broadcast on Finnish channel Nelonen, audiences watched performances backed by nine Roe Vanish V8T LED screens with live and pre-made content manipulated using tvONE's Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Media Servers.

“The set design required visual appeal tailored to the viewers both in the studio and at home,” explains Varpu Sipilä from Finnish visual design company Visual45, which was brought in to create the lighting and visual elements. “Lighting design and operation, as well as video content production and operation, played a significant role. Particularly, the use of video surfaces was emphasized to enhance the atmosphere of the performances.”

On stage, the Visual45 team

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USA - Sphere Entertainment presented a special Exosphere content show in celebration of Earth Day featuring work from multi-Grammy Award-winning Grateful Dead and Dead & Company percussionist Mickey Hart, and filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg.

Hart’s and Schwartzberg’s artwork combined into an 11-minute content show that ran through the day. Their art featured individually at various times throughout the day as well. Hart and Schwartzberg are the latest artists to design for the Exosphere as part of Sphere’s XO/Art programme, which features artists’ work on Sphere’s immersive exterior. 

“Our XO/Art programme continues to make art available and accessible to the public in a highly innovative and unique way, both in Las Vegas and around the world,” said Jennifer Koester, president, Sphere Business Operations at Sphere Entertainment. “Mi

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UK - It is a year since Lightroom, a performance space in the heart of London’s King’s Cross, opened its doors. The Moonwalkers is the latest experience at the London venue, following the successful David Hockney show, Bigger and Closer (not smaller and further away).

In this experience, The Holoplot X1 Matrix Array helps to transport audiences ‘out of this world’, showcasing the impact of its powerful software toolset on the creative workflow and audio quality.

This new production is narrated and co-written by Tom Hanks and includes original NASA audio. The score is composed by Anne Nitkin and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Tom Hanks said in a recent interview, “There’s 1,000s of speakers here, and when the music begins, it’s not coming from a particular source, it’s coming

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USA - ACT Entertainment has become the exclusive North American distributor of Green Hippo media servers and digital display products. ACT acquired Green Hippo in late 2023 as part of a larger acquisition that also included tvONE, a video processing and media server brand, which will continue with its existing strategy.

Green Hippo has garnered acclaim for its innovative and high-quality media server products, which are recognized globally for performance, reliability and cutting-edge technology. With ACT Entertainment as its exclusive distribution partner, the brand’s products will now be more accessible than ever to customers across North America.

“This exciting partnership brings together two powerhouse brands that share a commitment to excellence and innovation,” says Ben Saltzman, CEO of ACT Entertainment. “The Green Hippo products align

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UK - The Immersive Technology Experience Centre (ITEC) is a hub that brings together the latest immersive audio, video, lighting, and media technologies. Created by d&b group, its aim is to provide hands-on experience for new projects, and to fuel collaboration and research and development. LED screens driven by Brompton Technology processing are a key component of the space.

Opening at the end of April, ITEC sits within London’s Science Museum. It comprises four distinct spaces. At the entrance is a control room which features a Samsung all-in-one 110” LED screen, flanked by up-and-over Recience LED creative light boxes powered by a Brompton Tessera S8 processor, along with a transparent screen dividing the Production Control Room from the lobby, along with a d&b Soundscape system.

The main Lab includes an XR studio with an LED volume co

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Germany - In August 2023, Dyn Media launched as a new broadcaster in European sports, aimed at giving sports beyond football exposure and viewership. The broadcaster is taking new approaches in the production of its content. NEP Germany was contracted as the production service provider to develop a remote production infrastructure. The technical concept, signal workflows, and process operations were also created in collaboration with Dyn. Broadcast Solutions served as the system integrator responsible for implementation.

The core of the entire infrastructure's audio workflow is a comprehensive system solution from DirectOut Technologies, featuring several of its multifunctional rodigy.MP, .MC, and .MX units. With a total of one Prodigy.MX, 20 Prodigy.MP, and 12 Prodigy.MC, this project represents the largest Prodigy installation for DirectOut to date.

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USA - Brompton Technology launched its new panel manufacturer partner programme at this year’s NAB Show, and welcomed its long-standing collaborator, ROE Visual, as the founding member of the new programme.

“As a company, we’re entirely focussed on providing high-quality LED video processing and supporting our customers,” says Richard Mead, CEO of Brompton Technology. “We do not make LED panels; our business model is to foster long-lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships with manufacturers building quality LED panels.

“We will continue to work with any panel manufacturer who wants to support our processing, but our new partnership programme enables us to recognise the close partnerships we have built with key panel manufacturers who have committed to working with Brompton in the long-term.”

The programme will have several lev

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Australia - Technical Direction Company (TDC) has announced the expansion and revitalisation of its in-house training programme, TDCT, with the engagement of Graham Henstock as training consultant.

"Technology constantly improves and evolves, and TDC is at the forefront of delivering the best possible results for our important clients, whether it be record-breaking amazing visuals for events, immersive experiences, film or theatre productions with TDC Studios," said Drew Ferors, head of technical services & training at TDC.

Graham Henstock brings over 25 years of industry experience and educational expertise to the team. His diverse career spans roles as an educator, designer, consultant, arts journalist, and technical manager. Henstock is one of Australia's prominent theatre professionals, highlighted by his recent tenure as director at the Nati

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UK - Brompton Technology has partnered with Brainstorm 3D, a specialist company dedicated to providing real-time 3D graphics and virtual set software solutions for broadcast, feature film production, and corporate presentations. Together, they offer a software solution that can be utilised for a wide range of broadcast applications, from the world’s largest broadcasters to regional stations, production houses, and content creation boutiques.

“We've collaborated with Brompton on numerous occasions for Proof of Concept (PoC), events, and presentations, including trade shows like IBC and ISE, and in partnership with LED vendors such as Alfalite and Unilumin,” explains Brainstorm’s marketing and communications director, Miguel Churruca. “Our relationship with the company dates back to 2022, and from the beginning, it has been a seamless and productive

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UK - Designed to meet the demanding need for robust yet flexible content visualisation at exhibitions, concerts, conferences, sporting events, and other commercial activities, the new Leyard LN Series LED displays deliver quality visual effects and information to any temporary event or occasion. With a user-friendly design, ‘effortless’ maintenance, and swift setup, the LN Series flexible LED displays boast a modular and lightweight structure. They are easily assembled and disassembled, offering hassle-free transportation and setup for diverse events and venues.

The displays can be tailored to support specific application requirements and seamlessly integrated with other equipment and systems, enhancing functionality and effects. 

Addressing the diverse requirements of Leyard’s clientele, the LN Series offers a range of sizes, shapes, and reso

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UK - Audiences are being treated to ‘an immersive visual feast’, thanks to RCM’s approach of combining real-time 3D generative content, utilising Epic’s Unreal Engine, with live cameras.

The creative content for James Arthur’s Bitter Sweet Love World Tour, which hit the road in March 2024, was fashioned by RCM’s team, headed up by Video Designer Alex Vipond. They collaborated closely with the artist, along with Pete Hutchison and Edd Croft of design collective Mangata to bring the client’s aspirations to life. The visuals add energy to the show, combining a nostalgic Nashville aesthetic with a dynamic that nods to James Arthur’s rise from the X-Factor.

Pete said: “We worked closely with RCM to utilise the screens shape. The original mood board they sent captured everything we were looking for from the visuals and l

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UK - Brompton Technology has appointed Sebastian Kanabar as technical sales consultant, focussing on the broadcast and film industries.

Based at the company’s headquarters in Chiswick, Kanabar brings over two decades of experience in senior technical, sales and product management roles at Prokit Europe, Holdan (part of the Midwich Group), NM Productions, and Pixel Engine.

He has had the opportunity to work with many well-known companies including Panavision, Sky, NBC Universal and CNN, as well as leading lighting and camera manufacturers like ARRI. Most recently, he was technical director at a UK-based VFX company, handling projects for high end technology and automotive brands. 

“Working in a variety of roles has given me an understanding of the entire production cycle,” he explains. “I wanted to delve deeper into product management

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USA - Disguise will showcase its latest broadcast and virtual production (VP) solutions at this year’s NAB. Show visitors will be the first to get an early preview of Disguise’s latest release of its Porta broadcast graphics controller, which has been upgraded for Unreal Engine 5.4, and get hands-on with Disguise’s end-to-end xR and VP technology at six exhibition stands across the show floor.

Disguise and its Creative Services division, Meptik, will also be part of several speaker sessions on topics including digital twins, AR graphics, virtual production and ST 2110 with partners such as WWE, NVIDIA and the Portland Trail Blazers.

“From the Olympics to the elections, this is a big year for broadcasters. Teams need to tell data-driven stories more efficiently, while still increasing audience engagement figures,” says Disguise’s general m

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USA - CAST Group of Companies has announced Visual Endeavors (VE) as a creative solutions provider for BlackTrax in the United States.
Based in California, Visual Endeavors is headed by Aron Altmark and specialises in technical producing for XR, live events, and immersive experiences, integrating BlackTrax into its tech stack to enable clients to ‘leverage the power of real-time tracking and automation across projects’.
Aron, having first encountered BlackTrax in 2018, has since utilised the technology in various projects including installations with over 500 moving lights and 200 static lights. With BlackTrax also being used on numerous high-profile projects including Carrie Underwood’s Reflection, Las Vegas residency, and the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, the company is well placed to take BlackTrax further.
As a creative solutions provider, V

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USA - For Silver Spoon, a real-time graphics and animation company, the 2024 Super Bowl live broadcasts on CBS and Nickelodeon presented an opportunity ‘to redefine the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of augmented reality and live broadcast’.
Central to this endeavour was Stage Precision, whose SP tracking and control solutions played a pivotal role in orchestrating several broadcast firsts during this year's show.
"The scale and complexity of the Super Bowl demanded a bullet-proof solution that could seamlessly integrate across multiple broadcasts and platforms,” recounts Matthew Houstle, director of technology at Silver Spoon. “SP's tracking solutions emerged as the linchpin of our operations, providing us with the precision and reliability we needed to execute our vision.”
Part of the vision was to bring the Super Bowl to a younger aud

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UK - Full Production, the Berkshire-based specialist in the design and delivery of entertainment technology solutions, has completed the move to a much larger premises, with significant new facilities.
Located in Ruscombe, between Reading and Maidenhead, with fast access to the nearby M4 motorway and Heathrow Airport, the new site offers an attractive new working environment for staff and clients alike, including enhanced workshop, prep and testing areas, a meeting and training room, increased office space and a new, fully equipped Vis Suite.
Founded by Steve Richardson in 2010, Full Production offers complete technical resources to the entertainment production industry, from lighting, sound and rigging to staging and video. The company has also been focusing on adding facilities and capability to its in-house workshop, increasing its activity in advanced solutions R

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UK - Limited Space, specialists in retail & lifestyle destination media, has undertaken a digital transformation at the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham.
Partnering with EcoVista, a specialist in sustainable digital signage solutions, they deployed Absen’s A2719 LED, part of the Acclaim series for the city’s largest shopping experience. Limited Space offers brands a platform to craft and distribute aspirational and engaging content to its audiences. Therefore, the company knew the importance of ensuring that its key digital spaces, such as the Bullring site, incorporate the latest technology capable of delivering visual brilliance to maintain appeal to advertisers.
The A2719 features high brightness, contrast and high colour accuracy, to deliver stunning visuals, as well as seamless integration capability which offers an ideal platform for brands to tel

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UK - Located just 30 miles from London, CUBE Studio’s 7,500 sq. ft. full-service virtual production studio opened in Spring 2023. It incorporates the latest VP technology, including Brompton Technology LED processing, and has attracted names such as EY, Final Pixel, McKinsey & Co., Nokia, and RadicalMedia, along with production firms, corporations, and film and TV organisations.
Investing in the latest technology was a commitment both James Hakesley, co-founder & CEO, and Roy Kimani, co-founder & director of innovation, felt strongly about. “As a business, we've consistently embraced innovation and that’s what attracted us to virtual production. After witnessing the potential of the technology when it was used on Mandalorian, we wholeheartedly immersed ourselves in it,” says Kimani.
“Virtual production is revolutionising the creative and storytell

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Portugal - Service provider Europalco has announced major investments in three Portuguese companies - Rise, NEW Audiovisuais, and AV Tech, marking a significant step towards geographic expansion and technological advancement in the events industry.
With offices in the Algarve and Lisbon, Rise specialises in offering tailor-made solutions in projection, sound, lighting, video, IT and networks, stages and scenography. Its creative approach includes 3D venue mapping and technical visits, ensuring seamless visualisation of events for clients, with operations expanding across Europe, including Spain and Italy.
NEW Audiovisuals, established in 2017, specialises in the rental of audiovisual systems and technical support for events. With a dedicated team that knows the needs of the market, NEW Audiovisuals aims to energise the sector through innovative technologies and service

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USA - Ushio, parent company to Christie, has announced the appointment of Takabumi Asahi as chief executive officer of Christie Digital Systems USA. Effective 1 April 2024, Asahi will assume his new role, succeeding Koji Naito. Asahi previously held the role of managing executive officer and chief financial officer, Ushio. He has held positions of increasing responsibility since joining Ushio in 2017 as deputy general manager.
Previous to Ushio, Asahi worked for Oki Electric Industry, a Japanese information and communications services company, where he acquired global business management experience in various cutting-edge technology fields, including semiconductor, information and telecommunication technology, as well as office automation.
Asahi brings over 30 years of experience to the role, with a commitment to moving forward Ushio’s mission to promote the use of

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USA - Christie has introduced its CineLife+ RBe projectors with Phazer illumination technology. The new projectors combine advanced features and electronics in an economical platform, with 2K resolution and brightness ranging from 6,000 to 11,000 lumens.
The CineLife+ series adds three new projectors: CP2406-RBe, CP2409-RBe, and the CP2411-RBe. With Phazer illumination, these projectors are designed for improved image performance on small, high-gain screens.
Featuring Christie’s new CineLife+2K electronics platform, projector set-up is quick and easy with auto-configuration features, motorised lens mount, and integrated proprietary electronic colour convergence (ECC) for lateral colour alignment. Compatibility with Mystique Cinema ensures the projector is perfectly aligned 24/7, 365 days a year without requiring a maintenance visit.
“Our new series further

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USA Country singer Scotty McCreery’s Cab in a Solo Tour is making its way through the US with a versatile setlist that transitions between upbeat anthems and touching ballads, backed by three upstage LED screens driven by tvONE's Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer media servers.
Landing at Boston’s new MGM Musical Hall at Fenway at the beginning of March, the North Carolina native’s production was ramped up as fans flocked to see McCreery. Striking graphics, animations and imagery from McCreery’s music videos were displayed on the three portrait LED walls, which were made up of ROE’s ultra-fine 8.33mm pixel pitch CB8 LED panels. The content was delivered by two Green Hippo Hippotizer Karst+ MK2 media servers sourced from 4Wall Entertainment and controlled using a grandMA3 console.
Production designer Drew Hornback of DH Production Designs created the concept fo
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