UK - PLASA Focus Leeds returns to the Royal Armouries from 9-10 May, and alongside the friendly show floor, visitors can attend back-to-back seminars and workshops, led by respected industry leaders.
Seminar sponsors: Vectorworks, the programme sponsors, will present two sessions on their market-leading solutions – Vectorworks ConnectCAD will walk attendees through audio-visual workflows, then Production Design for Sky Sports Boxing’ will unpack the full design journey for a major TV event.
Lighting content: Lighting professionals can gain both creative and technical insights at the show. Renowned lighting designer Durham Marenghi will present Lasers as Light, showcasing his work on the Leeds Year of Culture Opening Ceremony, the World Cup Opening Ceremony in Qatar, and the 'hidden' New Year's Eve celebrations in London.
Elsewhere, ETC will present The Balance of Power, sharing considerations for new LED fixtures and how power control infrastructure could save your show.
And White Light will explore the huge issue of sustainability in venues, along with representatives from Leeds City Varieties, Royal Court Liverpool and Storyhouse Theatre in Chester, who will each discuss their recent lighting upgrades.
Plus, ChamSys will run workshops throughout the show, allowing visitors to get hands-on with pro consoles, learning about MagicQ, Timecode & Audio Timeline, and group-based programming. Plus, lighting designer David Howard will demonstrate how to set up a show file for live busking.

Germany - The global entertainment technology industry is back in Frankfurt. From 25 to 28 April, 457 companies from 34 countries will present solutions for events, productions and visitor experiences.
For the first time since 2019, Prolight+Sound will take place without global travel restrictions. As a result, the show has seen a significant increase in internationality: 56 percent of exhibitors come from outside Germany. In close cooperation with associations, companies and other partners, Prolight+Sound offers a programme that is geared to the current challenges facing the industry. Professionals will receive valuable inspiration on energy- and resource-saving events, personnel development in times of high demand for skilled workers and more gender equality in the event industry.
“The event industry is recovering and the confident underlying mood is being transferred to Prolight +Sound, which, together with the industry, is back on course for growth,” says Wolfgang Marzin, president and chief executive officer, Messe Frankfurt. “Jointly, we are looking to the future – with a lot of positive energy, but also with respect for the tasks ahead. In close cooperation with the sector, we create a place at Prolight+Sound where great ideas for the business of tomorrow are born.
“We anticipate four days full of innovative technologies and creative solutions. And we are particularly looking forward to an emotional reunion with our colleagues in the global event industry.”
Demographic change is already having an impact on the personnel situ

Europe - Founded in 1975 and reinvented in 2009, SGM Light has pushed the limits of the professional LED lighting industry towards a more powerful, flexible, and efficient product design approach. The company is now re-organising its operations in Germany and Austria.
“Germany and Austria have always been core markets for SGM Light products and SGM Deutschland as our exclusive distributor has done an extraordinary job over the years,” says SGM. “But as our product line evolves to meet the needs of entertainment and fixed installations, so must our route to market. Therefore, to further strengthen and streamline our efforts to support customers in Germany, SGM Light now has a direct to market setup.
“This makes Germany even more of a priority by handling the market with direct to factory support while increasing flexibility of sale to all customers.”
This new direct to market setup will, says SGM, strengthen its support for the entertainment lighting market, ensure closer cooperation between German & Austrian customers and SGM and help coordinate permanent-installation sales in a more streamlined way. It will also speed up communication with customers for sales and support, offer greater flexibility both in terms of sale, service, and stock levels and offer better delivery times both in Germany and to German customers in other locations.
With immediate effect, the new SGM Light direct contact details for customers in Germany are: customer support: Linus Rüdiger lru@sgmlight.com (+45 3840 3840); sales: Frank Hoehn fho@sgmlight.co

China - AV systems integrator GPA has announced that Absen has joined the GPA global partner programme.
GPA will help Absen strengthen its supply chain and provides local contact points for its global customers across 50 countries, ensuring seamless communication throughout the entire customer journey. The GPA partnership will help support Absen’s global coverage and ensure a strong and prolific offering of its LED displays to new and existing customers.
“As one of the world's leading display brands, Absen brings over 20 years' experience powering 50,000 installations to the GPA partner programme,” commented Mike Stead, GPA’s director, global partnerships. “Through this united partnership, customers have access to understand, influence and benefit from the combined power of China's leading LED manufacturer with the expertise of the world's largest AV Integrator.
“We are delighted to be joining the GPA global partner programme,” says Darren Banks, industry development director for corporate at Absen, “I’m looking forward to expanding our sales reach into new areas through the GPA network of customers and partners. I’m sure it will be a beneficial partnership that will help us deliver on our shared goals.”
Alongside technical and user-experience excellence at competitive prices, Absen has a major focus on sustainability. For many years the 'Absen Green' programme has driven the design, manufacture, distribution, low-energy operation and repairability of Absen products.

The Netherlands - Ampco Flashlight Sales, Martin Audio’s long-serving Dutch distributor, chose a classic venue for the hosting of their own showcase event.
They invited a range of audio professionals, ranging from system integrators to freelance engineers and music venues to the Gebr. De Nobel, a multi-room industrial concert venue in Leiden, originally owned by the Nobel brothers.
Ampco has a long history with the venue, and Martin Audio is woven into its DNA. Starting back in 2014 with a W8LCI compact line array, this has recently been upgraded to a scalable and optimisable Wavefront Precision (WPS) in the main room.
The 14 March event was divided into afternoon and evening sessions, and was hosted by Martijn de Jong, Ampco Flashlight Sales audio product manager and his colleagues, with full support from Martin Audio in the shape of Bradley Watson, Dan Orton, Andy Duffield and Robin Dibble.
On show were the full range of products for all sizes of live application, including WPS (with SX218 subs), WPC (with SXH218), TORUS with SXC118, CDD-LIVE and LE100, LE200, XE300 and XE500 floor monitors. Explaining the product choice de Jong said, “I deliberately wanted to showcase products intended for the live segment of our industry. In fact, if we had more space, I would have put WPM in there as well but unfortunately that was not possible. I like the concept of Martin Audio’s open day presentations and we worked closely with them to make this happen.
“We received nothing but very positive feedback from the people that attended which ma

Germany - Ayrton is revealing a number of new products at Prolight+Sound 2023 in Frankfurt (Hall 12.0 Stand D74).
The lighter the machine, the more versatile it can be. Weighing only 28.5kg, Rivale Profile has been designed to push limits and is Ayrton’s most versatile luminaire to date.
Equipped with a 160mm frontal lens and a brand new 450W high-efficiency LED module, calibrated at 6500K with a luminous flux of 27,000 lumens, Rivale Profile can produce an ultra-intensive beam of 4° - close to that of Ayrton’s famous "LT" versions – with a 13:1 zoom ratio and a zoom range of 4° to 52°.
A new high-definition progressive CMY colour mixing system allows a perfect reproduction of pastel colours. A variable Deep RED channel optimizes the colour rendering index at low levels and offers a progressive red with a high level of saturation for specific needs. A progressive CTO and a seven-position colour wheel complete the palette of tools dedicated to creating colour.
Rivale Profile is factory equipped with a wheel of seven rotating gobos, a wheel of eight fixed gobos, a framing section that allows the precise positioning of each shutter blade on 100% of the surface with a rotation of +/- 90°, an iris diaphragm, a monochromatic effect wheel, two combinable rotating prisms and two frost filters.
By utilising innovative materials and state-of-the-art technology, Ayrton has minimized this fixture’s weight to enable it to accomplishing exceptional feats and deliver outstanding performance. Developed for mixed use indoors and outdoors -

World - Depeche Mode are back touring in a big way with their Momento Mori world tour with lighting design by Jason Baeri and lighting supply by 4Wall. Elation lighting features in Baeri’s design, including three fixtures from the award-winning Artiste series of LED movers - Monet, Mondrian and Rembrandt - along with Elation’s new Proteus Rayzor Blade.
The Momento Mori tour, which is out in support of their newly released album of the same name, kicked off on 23 March in Sacramento, California, marking their first tour in five years. The European leg begins 16 May in Amsterdam with a North American fall leg set to launch in September. Baeri has support from Joe Bay, who serves as associate lighting designer and lighting programmer, while Sarah Parker is out operating the show as lighting director.
His first outing with Depeche Mode, the designer says talks with the band began in late October of 2022 and by mid-December a preliminary design was completed, which later saw small refinements. The tour features a ft-tall M backdrop, a large structural piece running video that Jason says was one of the most important aspects of the design. Dutch artist and longtime Depeche Mode photographer/videographer Anton Corbijn came up with the basic concept, which Baeri helped flush out and turn into a physical product for the production design.
The M has a dual role as Baeri explains. “It’s designed to be a scenic piece rather than just a video screen so it has depth and weight. So when you play video across both the main screen and the M, you have two p

Hungary - Szigliget Theatre, located in the central city of Szolnok, has recently opted for TiMax SoundHub spatialisation with TiMax TrackerD4 precision stagetracking to dynamically enhance the audio experience for the audience at every seat in the house. Hungarian TiMax specialists Votec recommended the solution to achieve vocal clarity across the entire auditorium where previously up to a third of the audience had struggled to hear clearly.
As well as providing full saturation audio immersion through a small number of unobtrusive loudspeaker positions, the versatile TiMax SoundHub spatialisation platform also provides playback and adds 3D sound effects capabilities.
TiMax TrackerD4 actor tracking enables the individual voices on stage to be not only heard clearly but perceived from exact positioning on the stage, which confers a deeper level of context to the audience. The theatre opted for a package of twelve TTd4 Tags, so that groups of singers and soloists can be ‘tracked’ and spatialised by TiMax SoundHub to match the performance, along with static spatial imaging for the orchestra.
Distributed above the stage and around the auditorium, a network of five TiMax TrackerD4 Sensors with inherent overlap redundancy provides reliable and responsive 3D tracking of the miniature TTd4 Tags easily secreted in the actors’ costumes.
As part of a wider audio upgrade carried out by Votec, an Allen & Heath desk also triggers cues in TiMax which in turn outputs to a total of 12 Powersoft amplifiers controlling loudspeakers from Votec’s propr

South Africa - Bethel Music, one of the foremost names in the contemporary worship movement in the US, recently headed to South Africa for a two-night concert series. Alongside a much-anticipated appearance in Pretoria, Bethel Music led an evening of song and praise with the Henry Pike Worship Band at Meerendal Wine Estate, Cape Town.
The event, organised by Tygerberg Radio, required a powerful sound system, capable of achieving sufficient coverage across a crowd of up to 17,000 fans in an open-air setting. A full d&b system provided by Cape Town-based Golden Circle Events was chosen to meet the technical requirements of the bands.
“A great deal of kit is required for a production of this size, including audio, backline, lighting, video and power supply,” explains Golden Circle general manager Lindsay Barton. “We worked closely with several other technical companies to organise the event, whilst loudspeakers were sourced by us, C&S Audio and Ultra Events. d&b’s compact V-Series line array system was chosen for its versatility and transparency of sound.”
On the day of the event, heavy rains made for a challenging set-up environment. Despite the conditions, a powerful system was deployed including 48 flown V-Series line array loudspeakers, 16 flown V-Series V-SUB subwoofers,12 B22 subs in a cardioid sub array, 4 V7Ps as front-fill and 12 Q1s, all driven by d&b’s D80 and D12 amplifiers.
“Getting the subs to spread wide enough and to project all the way to the back at the same time was initially challenging, but with

Australia - Equitana is a four-day equine extravaganza staged every two years at Melbourne Showground, celebrating the spirit and passion of Australian equestrians and the integral place that horses play in Australian hearts, minds, history, culture, and society.
The last such event was in 2018 as the 2020 one was canned due to Covid, so this year, organisers GTR Events brought it back bigger, better, and more brilliant than before!
Lighting designer and technical producer for the event Marcus Pugh specified Robe Esprites and MegaPointes as primary moving lights on his lighting scheme for the 2022 Mane Event, an entertainment spectacle staged on the Mane Stage of the Grand Pavilion venue.
This all-action night for all horse lovers showcased multiple horse-based and related skills and featured numerous breeds and equine performers!
The Mane Event was presented by Australian horseman Guy McLean, known for his magnetic wit and charismatic personality as well as his almost supernatural connection with horses which delighted the 4,260-capacity sold-out audience for Mane Event.
Marcus also lit this show in 2018 but in a different venue. The Grand Pavilion is a large 89ft high six-pole ‘big top’ style tensile membrane structure which is the Showgrounds’ centrepiece. In this case, a 70 x 30m sand arena was created inside to accommodate all the horse activities.
Rigging – with six poles – is a major challenge and creativity is a must, so Marcus and the team from Melbourne based rental specialist Harry the Hirer Productions, who

UK - International AV creative technology company 7thSense – specialists in creating products that meet media-based needs of theme park, attractions, and entertainment industries - has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
The team will be presented with the award by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County, in addition to an official ceremony at Buckingham Palace in June.
7thSense is a privately-owned creative software and technology company based in Upper Beeding, Sussex, with further offices in London, Orlando and Burbank.
The company invented, developed, and manufactures products including Delta Media Server, R-Series 10, Actor media server, Conjurer generative media server solution, Compere media presentation workflow software, Juggler pixel processor, and Medialon show control range of hardware and software for attractions, science centres, theme parks and live events.
As providers of unique technologies for entertainment, 7thSense is renowned for its Delta Media Server product line, an audio-visual solution designed to play the highest quality media on any large-scale screen or projected display surface while maintaining original quality and image integrity.
Matt Barton, CEO, 7thSense says, “We are honoured to have been recognised with a King’s Award. In our journey as a company, we have built a reputation for quality, performance, export success and service. I’m incredibly proud of what the 7thSense team has achieved.”
Richard Brown, CTO, 7thSense adds, “Our focus on contin

USA - A total of 2.48m guests turned out at NRG Stadium for The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, over half of them (1.36m) paid to attend the live concerts it offered by stars ranging from Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley, to The Chainsmokers and New Kids on the Block. Then there were also the 2.8m carnival riders, and some 215,000 Barbeque contest guests.
Lighting this massive and diverse affair was a tall order; and it was one that the LD Systems production services team met with help from a versatile and powerful rig that featured hundreds of Chauvet Professional fixtures, from the COLORado 3 Solo units that highlighted the iconic rodeo announcer’s booth, to the 66 STRIKE 1 blinders that filled the massive stadium concert venue with crowd-engaging audience lighting.
“Our goal was to have a lot of flexibility from day to day without sacrificing output,” said LD Systems Nate Brittain, the lighting and technical director of RodeoHouston. “Having to programme 20 different acts in 20 straight days presents a lot of challenges; one of them is to keep the looks fresh and unique for the show each day. So, having a versatile toolkit of fixtures is critical. Output is also important here because it is a stadium, so our throws are further than normal. Also, there are seemingly acres of video wall all over the place creating a lot of light pollution. IMAG throughout the stadium and all over the rodeo site as a whole is also critical for this event, so we always focus on these issues when choosing fixtures.”
Having a well-chosen collection of fixtures

USA - Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace is a virtual training module offered by Behind The Scenes.
Have you ever witnessed a co-worker being bullied or intimated? Would you like to know how to safely intervene? In just 90 minutes you will learn five easily accessible tools for use in any workplace to safely intervene without the worry of retaliation. Entertainment industry scenarios will help you understand how to choose tools to match your comfort level. The next free webinar is on Sunday, 30 April from 4-5:30pm Eastern.
The webinar is free but advance registration at btshelp.org/bystander is required in order to receive the zoom login. If you can’t make the April date, you can also register for the webinar on 17 July.
Bullying, harassment and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. These behaviours create a physically and psychologically unsafe workplace for everyone. This training will teach you how to safely intervene and help to make a difference.
Behind the Scenes is partnering with Right To Be, a social justice organisation that specialises in education around bullying and harassment, to present these free webinars. Principal Right To Be trainer, Dax Valdes, an experienced entertainment industry professional, will lead these interactive sessions that ensure attendee anonymity.
Join the entertainment industry professionals making a real difference by becoming a certified Mental Health First Aider. Take an active role in helping to care for those

UK - After more than a decade of production, Avolites has announced the arrival of its re-imagined iconic Titan Mobile professional lighting control surface.
Avolites, a world leader in the innovation of visual control systems, has globally announced its new T3 and T3-Wing professional lighting controller solution, designed and built as the lightest, smallest footprint, most affordable and exciting design look in the Avolites product range.
The new T3 has been designed for fast programming and accurate performance in a super-portable PC wing format, and offers high build quality and familiar ergonomics. This ensures that whatever venue or programme requirements users have, they can afford to purchase, easily programme, easily transport and operate the solution across all their shows.
The T3 is the leading product in the newly named, PC powered, T- Series, comprising of the existing T1, T2, and now with the addition of the new T3 and T3-Wing. Taking design cues from Avolites’ Diamond 9 flagship console, its ergonomic design requires less muscle memory to operate, as well as having a lower height profile and being 20% lighter, yet still as robust as its iconic predecessor.
Connect and power the T3 or T3-Wing via the USB-C port and use the four DMX ports and an LTC port to hook up the system to your full rig. Output up to 16 DMX universes from the host PC via Art-Net and sACN, with the option to upgrade to 32 or 64 universes if required. The T3 key features include 3 x Optical encoder wheels, nine new Titan keys to match D9 layout, 10 playback

UK - A newly-formed entity, 3LR Group, will combine the operations of 3LR Lighting in the UK and 3LR Design in the USA into a multi-faceted international service provider.
Announced by co-founders Josh Allen and Matt Lloyd, the new group will encompass both these distinct but complementary businesses under a single umbrella. At the same time, the group has announced that Josh Allen is relocating from the USA to further develop the group’s range of services as its UK-based global director of design.
Named for the recently discovered third light receptor in the inner eye – responsible for our circadian clock and other non-visual responses to light – 3LR Design started as a design consultancy in the USA, formed by Allen 2016. It was followed by Lloyd opening 3LR Lighting – as a UK-based rep agency and brand manager – in 2019.
3LR Design is a brand agnostic consultancy, but works closely with various manufacturers, including those represented by 3LR Lighting in the UK, to recommend state-of-the-art lighting solutions. 3LR Lighting’s portfolio comprises a range of products from leading international lighting brands, such as ETC and Studio Due, which can be deployed individually, or in combination, to provide complete solutions for any type of professional lighting environment.
Lloyd, who is responsible for discussing clients’ specific needs and advising on projects, explains, “3LR Lighting exists to provide the very best, top-end, professional lighting equipment specifications – be they in architectural, marine, retail, themed, b

UK - As part of Women’s History Month in April, Shure hosted its second instalment in the series of Women in Technology panels. In the Fall, the panel focused on theatre, while this panel discussed location sound.
President and CEO Chris Schyvinck moderated a panel of leading female location sound engineers from around the world to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and the future of capturing location sound for film, television, and broadcast. Panelists included:
Christy Illius – a sound engineer from New York City, Christy has worked on films including West Side Story and In the Heights. She is also the production sound mixer for the television show American Horror Story.
Lilou Augier is the co-founder and creative director of Panic Ball Productions, a Tokyo-based bilingual production house specializing in narrative-driven media.
Ivonne Gärber is a sound engineer in Germany for various film and television projects. Since 2010 she has also been teaching the art of practical sound work and sound design at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt and other institutions.
Lisa Piñero is an Emmy-nominated production sound mixer for film, television, and commercials. She is best known for her work on the films Licorice Pizza, White Noise, and Marriage Story.
The panel also took live questions from social media about how they got into their careers and what advice they could share with others.
“I think that's the great thing about diversity in general -- not just be

Germany - Claypaky will feature a number of newly-released products at this year’s Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt this week, including first showings of Skylos and Sharpy-X-Spot.
The Skylos is a-versatile and weather-resistant fixture, billed as ‘much more than just a classic searchlight’. The Skylos offers dense, solid beams of light and ever-greater light output. It fits a custom 300W white light laser source, which provides a parallel, uniform beam. The beam pours out from a large 300mm front lens, specifically designed in Claypaky’s R&D department and it is uniform and parallel, with no visible hotspots. The beam angle can be adjusted from 0.5° to 5°.
Also making its world debut is Arolla Aqua, Claypaky's top-of-the-range weather-resistant light. It is a workhorse with IP66 rating and technical and construction features which were ‘once unimaginable for this kind of light’. The Arolla Aqua fits a white 900 W (7000 K) LED light source, capable of a 40,000-lumen output. This means it can compete with both high-power-range lights (given its output) and medium-power-range lights (given its small size and weight). Its uniform light beam is another key feature.
Sharpy-X-Spot is a simplified Sharpy-X-Frame model, with all the same lighting, optical and construction features that have made this fixture so successful. First of all, it fits a powerful 550-Watt arc lamp, which makes this fixture bright and produces deep, vivid, uniform colours, including an unparalleled deep red. If needed, the beam shaper module - provided as an accessory

South Africa - With a demand for international rigging training in South Africa, DWR Distribution welcomed Ruud de Deugd, a rigging specialist, to Johannesburg. The course, attended by 22 delegates, was held in February this year and included five intensive days of theory and calculations, with the sixth day reserved for a practical examination.
This was the third annual Rigging Training presented in South Africa by Ruud, the owner of T&E Support, which was interrupted for a couple of years by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many countries are not regulated when specifically focussing on large structures. “In certain venues in the UK, riggers are only permitted to work if they have completed the NRC (National Rigging Certificate)," Ruud explains. "It's a good course but does not regulate the rest of Europe [yet]. For many places, there are no requirements." He is happy to report that requests for rigging training are on the increase from across the globe including Mexico, Indonesia and Dubai.
Over the years, stages have changed to become technologically driven, large LED screens are part and parcel of many shows and rigs are a lot heavier. Ruud often asks his delegates to imagine a green button on a motor controller being pressed and suddenly seeing 20 tons moving at the touch of a button. "If the wrong button is pressed on a lighting console, most of the time, it would not lead to a fatality or injury, but if there is a failure or mistake in rigging, it's a disaster,” he says. “Failures often come from being unaware.”
Ruud is the first to

UK - Linea Research has been named a winner of the King's Award for Innovation, one of the UK's most prestigious business awards.
The award recognises Linea Research's outstanding innovation in the field of audio technology. The company has developed a range of high-performance amplifiers and processors that deliver superior sound quality and reliability for live sound, installation and studio applications.
Linea's amplifier platform is a sophisticated and innovative system which incorporates advanced technologies and components to deliver high power and low distortion sound in a compact package. Novel design choices in switched mode power supply design, class D amplifiers, and networked DSP allows for precise control over the performance of a loudspeaker system and ensures that the amplifier can protect itself against adverse conditions.
"We are thrilled to receive this recognition from the King's Award for Innovation," said Ben Ver, engineering director and co-founder of Linea Research. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and to the innovative spirit that drives our company forward."
Ver added, "We are committed to pushing the boundaries of audio technology and delivering the best possible solutions for our customers. This award is a great honour and a motivator for us to continue innovating and improving."
Linea Research focuses on research, holistic ground up development and system efficiency which combine to generate ‘exceptional audio performance’. Their amplifiers are manufactured in the UK.

Thailand - Mahajak Development Co collaborated with Harman Professional Solutions to outfit Grande Centre Point Space Pattaya with comprehensive audio and lighting solutions by JBL Professional, Soundcraft, dbx, Martin, BSS, AMX and Crown.
Located in the seaside city of Chonburi, Grande Centre Point Space Pattaya is Thailand’s first space-themed five-star hotel. The hotel offers a wide range of facilities that combine outer-space-inspired design and innovative amenities, including a 12,000sq.m intergalactic water park—the largest of its kind in the country.
To support the guest experiences with the latest technology, hotel owners turned to Mahajak Development Co to bring their vision to life. Mahajak worked closely with Harman Professional Solutions to outfit the complex with a comprehensive audio and lighting installation.
The Space Convention Centre required versatile AV solutions that could support a variety of functions and room configurations. Mahajak installed JBL Control 18C/T, Control 14C/T and Control 19CS ceiling speakers to provide balanced and even coverage throughout the modular meeting spaces. The team also included Soundcraft Si Impact digital audio consoles, JBL BRX308-LA line array speakers and BRX325SP subwoofers to be used as the main PA and mixing system for events requiring concert-style presentations.
Additionally, the team included JBL PRX Series portable speakers and subwoofers for maximum flexibility when organizing spontaneous events in miscellaneous locations. For the lighting component, Mahajak equipped the spa

UK - When Projects Department were contracted to kit out a studio at The Bartlett School of Architecture, at UCL in Here East in Stratford, East London, they turned to Doughty Engineering to provide its Studio Rail. The room, which will be used by students for motion capture, required a solution for mounting cameras as well as curtains for both privacy and to aid with acoustic absorption.
Peter Daffarn, director Projects Department said: “In 2020 we supplied and installed a similar system at another UCL site. For projects like these our preferred supplier is Doughty as we know we can get any bespoke items made and the sales team are invaluable in listening to what we need and then suggesting alternatives that might work better. For a job like this, the products have to be high quality and operate to a high standard."
To complete the job, Projects Department specified some made-to-order IWBs as well as the Studio Rail. Studio Rail is a light and extremely strong track system with several unique features. A pair of four-wheel double swivel carriages allows an adjustable moving rail to be mounted to a pair of fixed parallel rails. The six-wheel carriage with a 28 mm receiver has a SWL of a massive 100 kg. Fitted with a friction brake it stays where it’s put. It can be used for luminaires, monitors, pantographs, and drapes.
Peter concluded: “Doughty is our go to supplier for grip and suspension because we know they will always give the customer the best end result. The product range is diverse and there is always a solution to any challenges we fa

Belgium - Since recent reviews of the Nerdland Festival in Wachtebeke, building on the enthusiasm of nerds of all ages, were universally positive, it was decided a spectacular show at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp would be next.
Featuring captivating presentations on scientific wonders, and a captivating visual spectacle, the Nerdland for Small Nerds show provided entertainment for young and old alike. A significant contribution to the visual aspect of the show was the vivid and dynamic lighting design by Yann Windey that made use of 68 Chauvet Professional fixtures supplied by Splendit.
“For the past few years, I have been closely involved creatively and technically with projects by Working Class Heroes, so this was a project I looked forward to working on,” said Windey, owner of WNDY. “The hosts of the session in the Lotto Arena, Lieven Scheire and Hetty Helsmoortel, bring a great deal of energy and genuine enthusiasm to the program, so we tried to reflect that attitude in our lighting.
“Pre-made content was created for the LED screens, so it was essential that we matched them in terms of colours and overall look,” continued Windey. “We found that a mix of warm and cool palettes, combined with different accent colours worked best, taking into consideration practical considerations as well. For example, the ‘football robots’ could not function properly under overly bright blue or red light. We had to balance the lighting carefully to meet the technical requirements of the equipment. No one wanted to see the robot featured in the event

The Netherlands - Unlimited Vision & Sound is a full production event rental company based in Den Bosch, capital of the North Brabant area and a renowned beauty spot.
Owner and CEO Pascal van Engelen, started the business in the 1990s whilst studying electronics at the local university, initially supplying his own DJ shows and party sets. After he graduated in 2000, he was enjoying the industry so much, that he decided to make it a more serious enterprise, adding several corporate clients and events to the portfolio, with the idea of providing the full technical package.
Clients liked his energy and attitude, so Unlimited Vision & Sound grew steadily and sensibly during this time. The company earned a great reputation for being creative, delivering excellent value and investing in quality technology, and the full-time team is currently 15 people, all retained through Covid.
Pascal has kept the rental stock relevant and contemporary, and right from the start wanted to work with leading brands.
The first Astera AX3s were purchased in 2021, Pascal comments that they are “great little fixtures” with “many ingenious mounting options”.
In 2022, they purchased AX9 PowerPARs, which he reckons is a “perfect product in every way” again offering much flexibility.
Using their time and space effectively during the two pandemic years, a high-quality streaming studio was added to the warehouse, as the demand for this service continued growing even once in-person events returned, with the part-live-part-streamed becoming a dyn