USA - Avid has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of STG in an all-cash transaction valuing Avid at approximately $1.4bn, inclusive of Avid’s net debt.
“Since our founding over 30 years ago, Avid has delivered technology that enables individuals and enterprises who create media for a living to make, manage and monetise today’s most celebrated video and audio content across the globe,” said Jeff Rosica, Avid’s chief executive officer and president.
“We are pleased to announce this transaction with STG, who share our conviction and excitement in delivering innovative technology solutions to address our customers’ creative and business needs.
“STG's expertise in the technology sector and significant financial and strategic resources will help accelerate the achievement of our strategic vision, b

UK - PCL Live, founded by Adam Wilson, is a leading audio-visual company in the Northeast of Scotland. With impressive industry experience in installation projects, event equipment hire and operation, live streaming, and video production services for over 15 years, Wilson has driven PCL Live to operate using modern technology, with a focus around Leyard Europe products.
“One of the main benefits of Leyard screens is that they’re modular, so we can build them in any configuration needed, which gives us a unique selling point,” says Alex Sherman, business development and technical manager at PCL Live. “Adam has always wanted to push boundaries, and expand delivering the latest low power, green technologies and we didn’t see any other AV companies in the area doing this.
“One of the reasons we wanted to work with Leyard Europe is because they offer a complete

UK - Audio-visual and entertainment technology company, Anna Valley has officially opened a new, multi-purpose studio complex in July 2023. The facility is located on the same block as Anna Valley’s headquarters in West London, in premises previously used to produce content for a broadcast shopping channel and includes five professional studio spaces that can be tailored to suit the production needs of media and entertainment, commercial and event clients.
The idea for Anna Valley Studios originated due to the audio-visual company’s success in using their headquarters as a virtual production and event studio during the pandemic. Despite the lifting of Covid restrictions in 2022, the demand for affordable studio spaces has remained high across their event and production client base. In addition, while the number of studios with volumes have increased in recent months, th

Canada - Theatrixx Technologies, the Montreal-based manufacturer and distributor of technical equipment specially adapted for the performing arts, events and entertainment sectors, has announced the launch of its new premium high refresh rate Nomad TPEP+ 2.6 indoor LED panel, now available with Brompton Technology processing.
The panels incorporate a new proprietary Titanium Polymer Edge Protection technology (TPEP+) which ‘ensures unparalleled module protection and durability’. They designed to meet the demands of event production and rental.
A liquid shader now replaces the traditional brittle plastic shaders, resulting in an impressive +170-degree viewing angle. The innovative polymer compound forms mechanical bonds between each pixel without covering the LED lenses or altering their colour spectrum.
Individually batched premium SMD diodes, a 1/16 drivin

South Korea - RealProtec is a technology company that offers innovative solutions for South Korea’s film and media industries. Its strong focus on virtual production enables production teams to streamline processes and bring their clients' creative visions to life in a fast, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
Supported by a highly skilled team and leveraging cutting-edge LED technologies from Brompton Technology and INFiLED, RealProtec collaborated with CJ OliveNetworks and Jinwoo M&C to create Gwangju Content Cube (GCC) VX Studio, the country’s largest VP studio operated by a Korean government organisation, the Gwangju Information & Content Agency.
GCC was created as a multifaceted space equipped with content production infrastructure for movies, games, and animations, alongside immersive content experience facilities like VR, AR, and MR. Its setup is e

UK - Pulp, live on stage, a fleetingly rare event in recent years is a moment to cherish, none more so than this current outing. Across the summer months they will visit seaside resorts, towns, cities and parks, playing theatres, arenas and festivals. Just the sort of complex logistical puzzle production manager Joel Stanley enjoys.
“Not quite,” he said with a grin. “It's just 13 shows in three months though dates keep getting added. The budget was set a year ago when the band began music rehearsals as a six piece; I came on board at the start of this year and we now have 17 people on stage.”
Balancing budget, band and venues saw Stanley reach for some certainty as a fulcrum. “My three core vendors, Neg Earth, Video Design and Skan PA have brought great attention to detail in support of making this adaptable demand actually work. With such a tricky itinerary

Germany - Lang AG has expanded its rental inventory with the addition of 50 additional units of the PT-RQ50 projector from Panasonic. With this move, the company doubles its rental stock of the 3-chip DLP projector to a total of 100 units.
With this acquisition, the company is responding to the increasing demand for high-quality, high-performance projectors.
Lang AG CEO Tobias Lang summarizes the motives for the additional purchase: "Panasonic's PT-RQ50 is the best 4K projector available on the market - especially for demanding events and large-scale events. We have increased the supply to be able to meet the increasing demand."
Jan Markus Jahn, head of media entertainment business division at Panasonic Europe GmbH, further explains, "We are delighted with the trust that LANG has placed in the PT-RQ50 and are proud that our projector is able to impress

Puerto Rico – Two Green Hippo Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers powered the visuals for multiple wraparound LED screens which formed the backdrop for this year’s televised Premios Tu Música Urbano. The Awards, which celebrate Latin Urban music, were broadcast live from Puerto Rico capital San Juan’s 18,000-capacity Choliseo and streamed live to fans worldwide on YouTube.
Florida-based production house JMT Show Concepts was commissioned by Sora & Company, producer Soraya Sanchez, and the Telemundo TV network to create and provide all of the content visuals for the event.
“Awards shows are very intense because you have to do content, show looks and programming in such a short time – for this project, it was just six days,” says Jorge Toro from JMT. “The magic of the new Boreal+ MK2 model is how fast that it is, with the 10G network connection to upl

USA - Nanolumens has announced that Rob Lamb has joined the company as chief financial officer (CFO), effective now. Rob will be part of Nanolumens executive leadership team, reporting to chief executive officer, Ney Corsino.
Rob comes to Nanolumens from Hodinkee, a New York based e-commerce and media company that specializes in the luxury watch industry, where he also served as CFO.
Prior to his role with Hodinkee, Rob spent nearly 20 years with Turner Broadcasting where he served in a variety of finance roles across the organisation.
"I am thrilled to welcome Rob to Nanolumens where his contributions will undoubtedly make an impact as our company continues to grow. Rob’s strong background as a strategic financial leader makes him the right choice to help us move forward in achieving our growth objectives and continue to position Nanolumens for the future,

Australia - Following record-breaking attendance in 2023, Australia's largest festival, Vivid Sydney, is inviting expressions of interest (EOI) for its 2024 event programme.
In 2023 Vivid Sydney attracted more than 3.28m attendees who experienced the 300+ light, music, ideas and food events of the programme. Now, artists, musicians, thought leaders and food creatives are invited to submit an EOI to be part of the 2024 programme under the unified, creative vision – Vivid Sydney, Humanity.
Destination NSW CEO Steve Cox said Vivid Sydney presented an opportunity for those in the creative sector to showcase their talents to a large and far-reaching audience as part of an event that exemplifies Sydney’s standing as the major events capital of the Asia Pacific. “Vivid Sydney is a globally recognised event that brings together creativity, innovation and technolog

UK - The UK premier of the much-publicised movie, Barbie, took place 12 July at Cineworld Leicester Square. Limited Edition Event Design with support from IPS (Impact Production Services) produced the event.
Helping to create the colourful scene was a collection of 272 IP65 rated Chauvet Professional video tiles and lighting fixtures from IPS’ own extensive inventory.
“As most of the action at a premiere event takes place outside, IP rated equipment is the most suitable, since it allows everything to keep operating whatever happens with the weather,” Tom Warden of IPS said of the event’s kit. “There is only one chance to get things right on these shows and Limited Edition Event Design does an excellent job as the technical production designer.
Film premieres are a tough gig in the best of times, especially when they take place in very busy centra

Europe - Many applications require cables with enhanced flexibility - which in turn may affect the durability of a cable. With these facts in mind, Sommer cable has developed the SC-Mercator Cat.6a Proflex network cable with a dual jacket construction to combine maximum flexibility with ultimate ruggedness.
The cable, with its outer diameter of 8.7mm (0.34“), features a cold-flexible soft PVC jacket that is extruded in two work steps. The outer jacket is applied like a tube to keep the wire pairs in a tight position even when in motion. The second, inner jacket serves as an extra protection against abrasion, pressure or kinks or as a reset force to maintain flexibility - for very good reeling properties and only little memory effect without causing annoying loops and trip hazards. The S/FTP construction with the high cross-section of AWG24/7 also works without hesitation o

Sweden - Brompton Technology has appointed Lotta Schiefer as its new global sales lead. With an impressive career spanning over 30 years, during which she has worked with global manufacturers such as Barco, Vari*Lite and Wireless Solutions, Schiefer brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience. She will utilise her expertise to further lead the company’s sales team in their mission to provide top level service to Brompton customers across the globe.
Having started out as a lighting technician, Schiefer soon found herself drawn into the world of pixels. Over time, she transitioned from technical roles to more commercial and organisational positions in sales, business development, and people management.
Most recently, Schiefer held the role of operations manager for broadcast and technical services at the Royal Swedish Opera. There, she established a broadca

UK - Trade-only display and video specialist PSCo (part of the Midwich Group) is excited to announce the introduction of Barco projection. This expansion further increases its professional projector portfolio for live events and large venue use for rental and sales.
Whilst PSCo already offers a selection of impressive LCD laser projectors, the addition of Barco products represents a step into DLP projection technology, expanding the array of technologies available to rental partners. The enhanced offering gives partners more versatility and choice, as well as greater lens coverage and brightness output to meet the demand from trade partners.
PSCo are introducing the UDM-4K30 3-chip DLP, the lightest laser projector in the 30K lumen category, boasting a 27,000 lumens output and best-in-class 4K UHD processing as well as a wide colour spectrum and a robust tour-ready c

Germany - Digital Signage Summit Europe (DSS Europe) celebrated its 50th edition at Hilton Munich Airport in Germany, earlier this month. A joint venture between Integrated Systems Events and invidis consulting, the summit attracted digital signage specialists from across Europe to explore this year’s theme: Engaging Experiences - Concepts, Creation & Content.
This year’s line-up of speakers, including experts from First Impression, Futuresource, Google, M-Cube, Trison, Visual Art and ZetaDisplay and spanning a wide range of sectors such as media, retail, and corporate, addressed the current market outlook and the impact of major trends.
Highlights included Dave Haynes, editor of Sixteen:Nine, and Mark McDermott, CEO at ScreenCloud, discussing How to get the message across to your employees and why agnostic software solutions that integrate with other s

South Africa - DWR Distribution has announced that Neutrik and Rean stock is now available in its stores.
“Kyle Robson has been appointed the Neutrik product manager at DWR and it will be his mission to get the brand to as many users in the country as possible,” comments Robert Izzett, sales director at DWR. “In addition, DWR will appoint Neutrik distributors throughout South Africa to make accessibility that much easier for musicians and professionals alike. Our goal is to make Neutrik the connector of choice and we will strive to be as competitive as possible.
“When investing in expensive gear, a reliable connector and the right infrastructure should be a priority,” adds Robert. “One bad connector can bring your gig down. With well over 40 years of experience, Neutrik offers a wide range of connectors that are easy to assemble, simple to use, reliable a

Portugal - Europalco delivered a memorable event using Kuka robots for the truck and bus manufacturer Fuso to unveil the new eCanter, a light truck 100% electric. Prime Minister António Costa, Secretary of State for the Economy Pedro Cilínio, and company representatives were among the 150 guests.
Team4 relied on Europalco to organise the one-day event at Fuso's manufacturing plant in Tramagal, Portugal. It took two days and 20 dedicated audiovisual and structural technicians to assemble and programme an event that marked the commencement of the manufacturing of the new Fuso truck.
The Lisbon-based provider was responsible for the scenery, stage, audiovisual, automatic controls, and furniture. Europalco built an 8x4m LED wall that displayed the opening reel of the event.
For the unveiling of Fuso's new truck, Europalco designed a show to reflect modernity, nove

UK - Pearce Hire has announced the opening of its new warehouse in Peterborough. The new facility aims to streamline workflows and enhance the quality of services provided.
Located in the heart of Peterborough, the expansion from 17,000 to around 27,000sq.ft of floor space will not only help the business to grow upon its already extensive inventory of lighting, sound, video and rigging equipment, as well as its staging and power distribution systems but also offer more space to prepare and process equipment for different departments.
As projects started to increase after the COVID pandemic, it became evident that Pearce Hire began to run out of space. From storing, to manoeuvring and maintaining equipment, more space was needed to prevent staff from working longer hours, which in time, could have increased the risk of mistakes.
Designed from the ground up, this

UK - HIVE has forged a strategic partnership with live experience and entertainment campus, Production Park. This partnership is based on the shared future visions of HIVE and Production Park - innovative technology with a reduced carbon footprint that is disruptive to the marketplace. Additionally, through this partnership, HIVE now has access to capital to support its growth and product roadmap.
HIVE and Production Park’s partnership will continue to strengthen through the sponsorship of HIVE products within Production Park studios & classrooms, whilst Kane Sargent, an ex-student of Backstage Academy at Production Park, has joined the HIVE team as a full-time support engineer.
“Production Park is where the industry comes together, and we’re thrilled that our technology has a place there,” remarks Mark Calvert, co-founder at HIVE. “It’s also important

UK - Tateside, provider of technology solutions, has announced the launch of its Managed Services solution, which will offer ‘AV as a service’ (AVaaS) to businesses across various sectors. With a focus on optimising the client experience whilst meeting evolving market demands, Managed Services will provide both new and existing clients with comprehensive technology packages that cover the entire system lifecycle, from design and deployment through to long-term maintenance.
AV and IT as a service have gained significant traction in recent years. These services allow clients to purchase hardware, software, and support on a contract-based service, often minimising or eliminating upfront costs. Tateside’s Managed Services include full system design, installation, and maintenance by the London-based support team throughout the duration of an agreed contract term, which can

USA - A Green Hippo Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2 media server drove centre stage visuals at the VEX Robotics World Championship 2023, which brought young innovators from around the world to compete using their school-engineered robots.
Held at the 10,000-capacity Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Centre in downtown Dallas, the championships took place over 10 days and featured an opening and closing ceremony, competition battles, and an awards presentation. This year’s visual setup was made up of a 3:1 aspect ratio (63’ wide x 20’ high) main stage wall, which included a 12’ x 9’ guillotine door in the centre for presenters to enter and exit throughout the show.
To accommodate all audience members in the in-the-round arena, a huge LED screen ‘chandelier’ was hung in the centre of the venue above the stage, creating a viewing opportunity to any seat in the house. T

China - Wuxi Studios, nicknamed Chinawood Studios, is owned and operated by the China Research Institute of Film Science & Technology (CRIFST). Established in 2013, the place holds a distinguished position as a nationally acclaimed digital film industrial park, seamlessly integrating commercial film technology with a vibrant leisure destination that brings the enchantment of a ‘movie city’ to the fore.
A recent milestone for Wuxi Studios is the grand launch of a virtual production lab studio, heralding a new virtual production facility in China. This addition showcases China's largest LED volume, powered by Brompton Technology LED processing.
Zhang Wei, director of CRIFST, explains that this integrated high-tech project combines LED virtual filming technology, 5G network transmission systems, and artificial intelligence. "The establishment of this volume outli

UK - After 14m albums sold, including two No. 1 hits, and a fistful of awards from Grammys to Brits, Mumford & Sons continue to surprise fans by pulling out widely varied musical influences, from ancient folk to highly polished modern rock.
On the band’s current global festival tour, designer Ed Warren reflects this expansive sense of discovery with a background that uses a combination of video tiles and lighting, along with fireworks from Strictly FX, to convey dramatically different impressions throughout the band’s 90-minute-plus shows.
At times, Warren creates a bright, seemingly solid wall of light behind the group, using the majority of the 108 Chauvet Professional Strike 1 fixtures in his kit, which is being supplied by Neg Earth in the UK and Europe, and Upstaging in the USA/Canada. During other segments of the show, the designer will have video images

The Netherlands - Successful singer-songwriter duo Nick & Simon (Nick Schilder & Simon Keizer) played six sold-out nights at Rotterdam’s Ahoy Arena, the culmination of their Nu of Ooit (Now or Someday) tour which also was the last time they will appear in this format, as after 17 years of performing together, both artists now intend to pursue solo careers.
Lighting was designed by Martijn Steman of Triple Showtechniek working closely with artistic / show director Ad de Haan from Live Legends with the help of approximately 220 x Robe moving lights on the live show rig, plus another 60 x Robe Spiiders appearing as virtual light sources within the digital scenery that defined the stage design and show aesthetic.
Jim de Brouwer from Live Legends created the set design in conjunction with Sander van der Ham of Bluepaper and creative Desiree van Giezen, wh

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