UAE - The Middle East's sound and lighting industry is expected to be worth $1 billion a year in three-to five years time, according to Matthew Griffiths, CEO of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA), the leading international association for the industry. He was speaking in Dubai at the first Pro Audio Light Middle East (PALME) trade show, an event officially endorsed by the organisation.
PLASA's own research into the global market indicates that the sound and lighting sector generates $20 billion a year worldwide. "With so much construction and so many major events in the Middle East, we anticipate that the Middle East will grow to be worth $1 billion a year. The sector is already worth that a year in the UK and the Middle East can certainly match this given the level of activity here.
"This is a dynamic part of the world. It isn't afraid to be loud and proud - PLASA likes that and our industry likes that. The key is that sound and lighting technology sector isn't simply about entertainment - it is also very relevant to the large range of construction and architectural projects. The same technology that is used for live performance is being adapted and applied in shopping centres or sports stadiums, and safety-specific technology is also being developed - sophisticated voice alarm systems, for example. That's why the growth of the sector applies to all countries in the Middle East: there is massive growth in construction in Dubai, for instance, allied to which the area in general is attracting events of international standing - the F
UK - The Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) has warned its members in the past about scams in which companies are approached by organizations claiming to be 'collectors' for Data Protection Act registration. The approaches are often in the form of a letter, and carry demands for a registration fee (often £95 +VAT) along with erroneous 'reminders' that failure to register could result in a fine of up to £5,000. Other 'collectors' have even visited companies in person, and displayed convincing-looking ID tags.
It seems that the practice is still continuing, with up to 18 bogus agencies known to be engaged in the scam - for a full list, visit the web address below. Anyone being approached with a similar request is asked not to make any payments, and to contact their local police.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Channel 4 and E4's latest reality TV show, The Salon, is using Audio-Technica microphones to ensure the audience misses none of the drama. The ES933 microphone, with its combination of broadcast quality sound and diminutive on-screen presence, has proved itself well suited to the requirements of the show's unique AV system, with a total of 33 units discretely suspended throughout the studio.
Also on duty is an AT871WR boundary layer microphone. Originally developed for water sports broadcasts, the waterproof 871WR has been charged with the task of handling the high-humidity environment of the Sauna. Freelance sound supervisor, Oliver France, is responsible for specifying and running the audio system on behalf production company Endemol. Having enjoyed great successes working with Audio-Technica on the last two series of Big Bother, France had no hesitation in once again turning to A-T mics for The Salon, as he explained during a rare break from the show.
"As with Big Brother, this show employs a number of radio mics, but there are times and situations when those radio mics have to be removed or are simply ineffective, such as when a client is having their hair washed, and it is those private moments when a client and their stylist think they are safe from prying ears. It is those whispers that really make the show what it is and the ES933's make sure that the watching audience never misses out on something juicy."
Part of the wider Engineered Sound range of installation and broadcast products, the ES933's are incredibly discrete and versatile, wi
Canada - Following record sales growth in 2002, Pathway Connectivity has made another significant investment to further increase its ability to service the needs of its customers. Two new staff members have joined the company, each with a unique set of skills that will be visible to customers both in the near term and further down the road. Jon-Paul (JP) Bussoli will bolster technical support and Virginia Massey joins customer service.
JP is a graduate of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology with a shiny new Diploma in Electronics Engineering. He will complete intensive in-house training and industry orientation over the next two months, after which he will begin to handle entry-level support calls.
Virginia Massey met Kerri Parsons, Pathway's Customer Service Manager at a CITT conference last summer. They both hit it off and Kerri recommended her as an addition to the Customer Service team. Pathway President Dave Higgins quickly agreed with Kerri's assessment. She too has intensive product training ahead of her, but her 11 years in administration at Montreal's Centaur Theatre will give her a special understanding of the culture and needs of performing arts industries.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - When the latest production of the smash-hit ABBA musical Mamma Mia opened in Las Vegas on 3 February, it became the eighth full-scale production of the show running concurrently in the world - and saw the show taking delivery of a further 17 DHA Digital Light Curtains, bringing the total used by the musical to 136.
Mamma Mia first appeared in April 1999 at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, the production directed by Phyllida Law and designed by Mark Thompson with lighting by Howard Harrison. Harrison made use of a wide selection of automated lighting equipment, but central to the rig were eleven eight-lamp Digital Light Curtains "absolutely fantastic for creating a strong backlight, the clean, clear look of Greek sunlight," said Harrison.
The show immediately became a smash hit, with Harrison nominated for an Olivier Award for his lighting. More productions soon appeared with Toronto followed by an American tour, then Australia, Broadway, Hamburg, Tokyo and Las Vegas. For all of these productions, the rig was expanded to include six 6-lamp Pitching DLCs, three 6-lamp standard DLCs and eight 8-lamp standard DLCs; the additional six Pitching DLCs were subsequently retrofitted to the London production, so Mamma Mia is therefore currently using a total of 136 Digital Light Curtains.
Having made its first appearance on Miss Saigon in New York, the DLC has appeared in shows such as EFX in Las Vegas, Cats, Beauty and the Beast, Martin Guerre, Fosse, Starlight Express, Grease, The Witches of Eastwick, A Saint She
Germany - During this year's Telex EVI Audio in-house exhibition (Hausmesse), from the 24 to 26 January, the Dynacord Cobra celebrated its first birthday. Despite its acoustic merits and handling advantages, with larger applications the Cobra came up against its natural power limits. That is when customers began asking for more projection and sound pressure, and in response Dynacord have come up with the Cobra-4. Employing active 4-way technology, the latest member of the Cobra family is capable of generating twice the projection of the active 2-way system, according to Hans Bürger, Dynacord's product manager.
Responsible for the increase in power is on the one hand the Cobra-4 PWH, a horn-loaded enclosure generating higher sound pressure levels than the conventional Cobra sub-bass enclosure. To complement it, Dynacord's research and development team devised the Cobra-4 Far, which is designed for extremely long-throw applications. A rig, Hans Bürger told us, which plugs the gap just beneath the full-sized line-array systems.
Despite the increased power, the Cobra-4 retains the characteristics of the basic system, as Bürger explains: "The Cobra-4 is the equivalent of a large hi-fi PA system. Throughout its entire frequency range, the sound remains extremely clear, neutral and free from distortion. Once you've heard this system, you won't want anything else."
The Cobra's big sister is suitable for all high-quality industry events and applications. The basic configuration of the Cobra-4 system comprises the following components: 2 x Cobra-4 Far; 2 x C
UK - The optical precision of Christie digital projection has helped Immedia (the newly-formed AV division of Northern Light) to provide a lecture theatre solution for the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, Surrey. Operating in partnership with the Royal Marsden NHS Trust, The Institute of Cancer Research is one of the world's leading cancer research organizations.
The new Brookes Lawley Building is designed to implement several exciting new scientific initiatives, particularly relating to the Cancer Genome Project. It was in the new 197-seat tiered lecture theatre on the facility's first floor that Immedia installed a projection system - as part of a complete AV fit-out - based around Christie's digital Vista X3, front-projected onto a roll-down screen.
Immedia project manager, Dave Pritchard, says: "The origins of this project go back four years. We urged the Institute to find the additional money to upgrade from the middle-of-the-road LCD projector which was originally proposed - and they are delighted with the result."
According to Bob MacCormick, chief of operational services at the Institute of Cancer Research, the X3 will also be integrated with the theatre's video conferencing facilities. Christie's multimedia projector has more than 1 billion displayable colours projecting vivid and striking visuals via 3-chip DLP technology. A 13-bit user-selectable gamma table combines with 3000 ANSI lumens to deliver a high level of colour accuracy from a Cermax Xenon illumination system. It is supported by a complete range of both fixed and zoom lens
UK - Heaven, described as the most famous gay nightclub in the world, has taken delivery of a new high-powered 4-way sound system. Inspired by its new owners, David Inches (who has been involved with the club since its beginning), Jeremy Millins and Paul Savory - who recently bought out Virgin Clubs' interest in the venue - the contract was entrusted to experienced installation contractors, Blue Box Company.
Headed by Mark Metcalf - who has a long association with Millins - Blue Box specified a QSC PowerLight system to drive the component parts of a carefully thought-out Funktion One system design. Resident production manager, Rob Barton said that the venue, situated under vaulted arches at London's Charing Cross, had recently benefited from £50,000 of sound screening and acoustic treatment, which had prevented sound leakage and enabled Heaven to raise the power rating from the previous cap of 96dB(A).
Mark Metcalf took the opportunity to optimize the sound coverage in the hard rectangular main room by designing a quad system, with two clusters of three Funktion One Skeletal Resolution 5s (12", 8" and 2 x 1" compression drivers), flown on truss either side of the stage at one end, facing two pairs at the other end. Further mid-highs form four stacks with Funktion One F218 (2 x 18) bass cabinets.
Using the highly controlled dispersion pattern of the speakers (25° horizontal, 20° vertical), correctly arrayed, Metcalf has achieved the desired projection and solved the cancellation problems previously experienced. Coverage, which previo
UK - The Newcastle Regional Art Gallery in the Hunter region of NSW, Australia, rivals all other public collections in Australia with its quality and breadth. Some 3,000 works of art present an encyclopedic view of Australian art from colonial times, and many major artists are represented in the exhibition. A recent change of curator at the Gallery has led to some key changes, one being a proposal for a new look for the front of the building. Newcastle-based company Custom Audio Installations was approached by the Gallery to develop some ideas on how to enhance the rather plain, concrete wall that greets the visitor.
Colin Rothapfel owner of Custom Audio met with gallery staff to decide what could be used to brighten the façade and attract more people to the Gallery. Custom Audio had, on previous occasions, supplied the Gallery with Martin MACs to light a number of launches and the curator was keen to see what they could offer in an external environment. Rothapfel set up two Martin MAC 250+ fixtures to demonstrate their artistic abilities - a display which impressed the Gallery enough for them to commission the scheme. The compact MAC 250+ was thus chosen for its razor-sharp image projection and light output.
Gallery staff were concerned that the lights may be stolen - it wasn't that long ago that the security cameras were stolen! Consequently the brief given to Custom Audio included the need for the fixtures to be vandal proof and sheltered from the environment. The result was that the MACs are mounted high above street level - one on a modified street light po
The Netherlands - Alcons Audio is a new Dutch company set up to develop and manufacture professional sound systems for quality-conscious clients in the cinema, installation and touring industry. The company was set up by former Stage Accompany sales and marketing director Tom Back in October. Back comments: "Not satisfied with the products available on the market and the opportunities we had in our previous positions, we left as a team and decided to establish our own company."
Alcons Audio is backed by a group of private investors with Tom Back and senior R&D engineer Philip de Haan owning the majority of shares. The company employs seven people in total, each with 15+ years experience in the different aspects of development, manufacturing and marketing of professional sound systems. "The investors are willing to allow us the time necessary to achieve a good position in the market rather than to aim for rapid success", says Back, managing director of the daily operations. "It's a very big challenge to deserve a place of our own in this extremely competitive market - we can only achieve this by offering better end-user solutions."
"Our focus is to be more than just a speaker systems supplier, but to be an audio solutions provider. This means that our involvement goes beyond the supply of a speaker or amplifier, but stretches as far as ensuring correct installation and end-usage to get the most out of the system" adds Back.
Philip de Haan says: "Our products are designed to provide the most accurate sound reproduction
UK - A.C. Lighting Ltd has recently completed an exclusive six-week training programme for new trainee sales executives to join its UK and Export sales teams. Trainees have been given a comprehensive induction to the entertainment technology industry, from cables and connectors to state-of the-art lighting control consoles.
The intensive training programme was designed to provide considerable insight to all aspects of A.C. Lighting's business, from individual products through to hands-on exposure to the entire sales cycle. By drawing on specific product range expertise within A.C. Lighting, key employees imparted their valuable knowledge from years in the industry to create customized training modules. In addition, many of A.C. Lighting's suppliers were able to provide representatives for the programme, offering informative demonstration of the features and benefits that their company's products and solutions had to offer.
In response to the success of the scheme, Phill Capstick, U.K. sales director of A.C. Lighting commented: "Attracting high quality staff to our business is crucial, as this assures the high standards and professionalism currently offered to our customers and suppliers. The fast-track approach of our programme has given trainees exposure to every element of our operation, empowering each of them to become a valuable member of our team. Particular thanks is extended to all our suppliers for their support, without which the overall success of the programme would not have been achieved."
Trainees were required to be thoroughly tested at
Europe - Lego has recently opened three new retail stores in Cologne, Milton Keynes and Moscow. These stores all make extensive use of effect lighting to add atmosphere and excitement to the specialist display areas in the stores. Designed and maintained in house by Lego AudioVisuals, the architectural and effect lighting in all stores is controlled by a Medialon system.
The objective of the new Lego stores is to bring excitement to users. Leif Andresen, AV project manager says: "We think it is important that there should be something to stimulate the interest of both children and adults. For example, the lighting will change colour throughout the day. The large video screens will constantly show new images, and as soon as a new Lego product is announced, it will be marketed in a special way in our brand stores."
Ethernet is used as the backbone for transmitting the lighting data from a central controller at Lego Head Quarters in Denmark to the stores. Leif Andresen selected Art-Net for the systems critical backbone. Having considered several options Art-Net was selected not only for its compatibility with Medialon, but for its ease of use, affordability and because it is supported by several other manufactures of lighting products.
Leif Andresen told us: "Not only was the Artistic Licence product a pleasure to work with but the company bent over backwards to write a custom piece of software to make our jobs easier. By using Art-Net to transmit new lighting looks as changes to store displays are made, an exciting, changing environment for shopper
UK - The penetration of Martin Audio Blackline systems into the UK's dance venues continues. The latest company to turn to the high-powered, low-cost solution is Gravesend Sound & Light, with two new installations in their native Kent for Luminar Leisure. "Blackline is a great product, and we can't seem to go wrong with it," said Gravesend installation manager Simon Middleton. "It just doesn't produce that harshness of sound we have experienced with other systems."
Club Indigo/The Beach has been a popular venue on the Folkestone coastline since its original incarnation as La Parisienne. When the sound system began to repeatedly break down the Gravesend company recommended a system comprising eight Martin Blackline F15s, flown in pairs and angled around the dancefloor.
The foundations of the sound are a block stack of S218 subs, forming a single point source. 10 further Blackline F10s have then been optimized for infilling around the periphery of the venue, processed through an Allen & Heath DR66 DSP and powered by Ecler. Gravesend Sound & Light have also added an Allen & Heath Xone 464 mixer to the roster of DJ equipment already in the console.
At the same time, the Kent sound and light contractors have carried out a second Luminar upgrade in the Medway area - at the Zone in Gillingham. In addition to a new lighting rig, the two-roomed venue now has superior audio coverage thanks to six Blackline F8s, which augment the distribution downstairs, with a further two enclosures in the second room.
The compact, versatile two-way Blackline boxes
UK - When publishing and exhibition giants CMP Information held their Business for Excellence awards recently they were set on presenting a stage backdrop that everyone would remember. Hired by production company Reality Ltd, Creative Technology dressed the stage in Grosvenor House Hotel's Great Room with an array of plasma screens, together with crisp and powerful images on two motorised projection screens - supplied by Reality - to enable the 900 attendees a clear view of the activity at the event.
A white gauze created a 72ft x 20ft backdrop, behind the stage, to create a blank canvas for the intelligent lighting to wash ever-moving colours behind the guest MC, Jack Dee. An avi file was transferred to a Doremi hard disk, which looped a continuous flame rising above the CMP logo. CT drew exclusively from their pool of Christie DLP projectors, providing Christie S6 SXGA DLP projection with running back ups. The AV solution providers also supplied 16 plasma screens. 10 of these were mounted on the stage and comprised four Pioneer PDP-503 MXE 50" displays and six Sony B1 42" plasmas.
The four Pioneer screens were mounted on upright columns and hung in portrait shape (two left, two right) above the stage; the B1s were split left and right - rigged in landscape formation on 'goalposts' provided by Roadrunner. A further six B1s were sited in the foyer. Delivering the content to the stage were seven streams generated from the Dataton Watchout system - two were sent to the projection screens and the remaining five streams were routed to the 16 plasmas.
CT a
Germany - When well-known television lighting designer Manfred 'Ollie' Olma was looking for an exciting new light to integrate into the set for the final three shows of the German version of Pop Idol ('Deutschland sucht den Superstar'), he opted for Color Stream from Pixeon.
The blockbuster show, broadcast on German station RTL was the world TV premier for Color Stream. Color Stream uses LED technology in an encapsulated package to create subtle colour effects and linear sequences which have hitherto been unattainable in the lighting designer's pallet. The system consists of one metre long diffused tubes, which conceal the LEDs, and connect together seamlessly to make long lines of light that can be programmed to evolve in a series of synchronous events.
The Color Stream tubes contain dense arrays of red, green and blue LEDs arranged in individual pixels. Each pixel is controlled separately to produce both a range of colours and dynamic movement along the length of the tube, and onwards if tubes are placed end to end.
Olma is using 150 metres of Color Stream for the Pop Idol shows, "I first saw an early version of Color Stream last year and was very impressed," says Olma, "I stayed in contact with Pixeon and subsequently persuaded A&O Lighting to buy a load of Color Stream just on my say so. Pop Idol was my first opportunity to use it on a show and everyone agreed that it is a fantastic success."
"If neon had pixels this is what it would be like," says Claas Ernst, managing director of Pixeon, Germany, "For the first time we
UK - Chameleon Audio amplifiers helped power the Apogee Sound PA system for Cirque du Soleil's recent sell-out performances at London's Royal Albert Hall. 28 Chameleon 3500 DP/2s and eight 2000 DP/2s were supplied by Alex Schloesser Audio of Cologne, a hire company supported by Chameleon's German distributor, AS Audio. The amps powered an Apogee Sound rig comprising 24 3x3 cabinets and three Apogee Sound AE 15 subwoofers. In addition, six Apogee APL-220 full-range self-powered loudspeakers were added to the existing AE-8 Compact Concert loudspeakers.
Says Schlosser: "I had no hesitation in choosing Chameleon amps to power the Apogee Sound system. They have proved themselves on past projects that I've been involved in, such as the Chancellor Party in Berlin, and did so again at the Albert Hall. The self-powered speakers worked very well with the existing system, too."
According to Schlosser, Cirque du Soleil was particularly impressed with the amps' sound and design, and the PA set-up supplied was called into service to further augment the company''s regular Apogee Sound touring rig.
(Lee Baldock)
Russia - The world-famous Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow recently took delivery of 35 DHA Digital Light Curtains, the first permanent installation of these fixtures in Russia. The DLCs will be used to add the finishing touches to the much-needed renovations at the theatre.
Damir Ismagilow, lighting designer for the Bolshoi Theatre, said: "I specified DHA DLCs after seeing them in use in New York - I really liked the many varied effects that can be achieved with them. DHA has a very strong reputation as a company and its equipment is consistently reliable. The DLC provides a unique combination of features for the lighting designer - it's a multifunctional and flexible product. There is nothing quite like it in Russia."
This project is representative of the progression towards the use of new technology in Russia. The latest equipment in theatrical applications will bring greater creative freedom, offering the lighting designer increased possibilities for developing new and exciting lighting effects and more options. "I plan to make the most of having this technology at my fingertips," continued Ismagilow. "I have never used DLCs before so it will be very interesting for me to be able to experiment with them. I think that the DLC has a bright future in Russia - watch this space!"
The arrival of up-to-the-minute technologies in Russia has meant that the role of the lighting design has evolved, although it is still relatively new - only over the last 10 years has it come to be recognised as a legitimate part of the production process. "
UK - Shure Incorporated, the leading manufacturer of microphones and audio electronics, announced yesterday that it had purchased its long-time United Kingdom distribution centre, HW International, from Wilton Investments. The new Shure subsidiary will keep all current employees, as well as the distribution of its other existing product lines - Phonic, QSC and PreSonus. Dennis Harburn will continue as managing director at HW, and will report directly to Shure Europe GmbH management.
"The purchase of HW International provides an opportunity for Shure to have more direct contact with its customer base in the UK, one of Europe's largest markets," said Mike McGinn, Shure's executive vice president of global marketing and sales. ''This supports our plan to further develop the brand there.'' Markus Winkler, managing director of Shure Europe added: "From the standpoint of our UK customers, the change in ownership of HW will be transparent, as we will continue to utilize the excellent staff that HW has assembled, and continue to carry the same product lines."
(Ruth Rossington)
USA - L-Acoustics US has made a further appointment this week with the addition of Michael MacDonald to the L-Acoustics US team in the role of sales and marketing consultant. Jeffrey Cox, L- Acoustics US CEO and general manager, told us: "Michael's 20-plus years of diverse pro audio experiences have given him a tremendous amount of insight into this industry, particularly with regard to the loudspeaker market," commented Cox. "We've also worked together successfully in the past, so when the opportunity recently arose to work with him again, I jumped at it."
During the early stages of L-Acoustics US - known then as Cox Audio Engineering - MacDonald consulted for Cox, providing information that was critical to the early growth of the company. Since that time, L-Acoustics US has evolved into one of the largest providers of touring systems in North America. This rapid growth rate was built upon the strength of the innovative V-DOSC speaker system developed by Dr. Christian Heil at France-based L-Acoustics, parent company of L-Acoustics US. The Californian off-shoot's success during that formative period was then further bolstered over the following years with the debut of several other forward-thinking products, including dV-DOSC, MTD and ARCS.
MacDonald, who recently started Pilot Business Strategies Inc, created the firm to help large- and mid-sized firms develop 'breakout' strategies. "I have frequently found that businesses - particularly those that market technical products - tend to narrowly focus on the internal technical issues that r
UK - Sister companies Tomcat USA and Brilliant Stages recently came together to create a stage system for the 'Curtain Up' show designed by Joe Ragey for Princess Cruise Lines. One of the challenges of the project was a very demanding stage system. Its complexities included the need to change several times during the run of the cruise. With this in mind, the design teams of Tomcat Global created a system which could be easily assembled and disassembled using their own bolt-free hook and channel system.
The multi-level stage system is made of a series of decks on aluminum frames. Each deck has a birch plywood surface covered with a black dance floor surface from Harlequin Flooring. As space is limited, two of the main upstage risers may be turned on their sides and used as dollies to store the remainder of the stage.
Fourteen collapsible 2ft x 2ft x 6ft dressing room lockers were also constructed for this project for use by the performers on stage to store the wardrobe that will be used throughout the show. Because centr stage is 'split', the doors on the lockers were attached to open towards centre stage. The stage system's 'maiden voyage' sets sail on 23 January to the Panama Canal.
Brilliant Stages has enjoyed an extensive history with Princess Cruises, having made sets for several of the ships including Grand Princess, Golden Princess, Star Princess, Royal Princess, Pacific Princess, Tahitian Princess and Coral Princess. The set for the Island Princess is currently being built in St. Nazaire, France. Sets for the Diamond Princess and others will begin produc
UK - Blitz Birmingham was recently commissioned to add the audio-visual elements to the biggest dating party the UK has ever seen. The first ever 'Chemistry' event, held at London's Vinopolis from 29-30 January, offered the 3,000 people who attended the chance to find Mr or Miss Right. It was managed by Brand Events, who commissioned Blitz.
A number of different zones were created to help break down barriers and encourage mingling. 'The Ocean' was the centre of the action with Capital FM DJs Martin Collins and Justin Wilkes getting the party started. A 10k d&b audiotechnik sound rig was provided for the DJs, and Blitz supplied a network of Sony plasma screens to provide ongoing images of the crowded dance floor switching to vox pops carried out during the evening, which gave participants a few minutes of fame and a chance for some self-promotion.
Speed dating, an adult version of musical chairs, provided participants with seven dates every three minutes. Blitz provided a large LED timer system so that everyone could watch those vital seconds counting down, whilst Elvis Presley's 'A little Less Conversation' playing through the d&b PA added to the atmosphere. Blitz selected headset radio microphones and a d&b sound system for the on-stage salsa dancing demonstration, essential for those who really wanted to get up close and personal. Additional equipment supplied by Blitz included radio microphones and PA for relationship experts Ben Renshaw and Peta Heskell who were on hand in the 'Style Surgery' for anyone in need of a little advice.
Neil Levene, director at B
UK / France - Anytronics took advantage of the SIEL show in Paris from 2nd - 5th February to launch their new Anycolour stacking light box system on the Areco stand. Their demonstration was based on 12 of the new Anycolour Lightboxes arranged 3 high and 4 wide to give a seamless 2m x 2.6m wall of colour. The light boxes were controlled by the DMX output of an Anycolour ColourDesk controller via a DMX interface to give a wall of attractive and easily-controlled moving colours.
"The entire installation took me less than 20 minutes to unpack and construct from time of arrival on site, thanks to the simple interlocking Lightbox design and the 'plug and play' interconnection system," said Bob Hall, managing director of Anytronics, who was reportedly delighted with the attention that the new product attracted to the stand throughout the show. The Anycolour Lightbox is an extension of the successful Anycolour colour lighting range which was launched at the PLASA Show in London last year and is aimed principally at retail, architectural and exhibition applications where speed and simplicity of assembly are paramount.
(Lee Baldock)
Austria - Five giant Lighthouse LED video screens are greeting visitors to the Austrian Tyrol this winter in a networked advertising project by Munich-based advertising specialists City Channel. City Channel run LED advertising billboard sites in a number of European cities, and for this year's ski season decided on five prime locations at leading ski resorts for semi-permanent screen installations, showing a mixture of advertising and TV and satellite broadcasts.
The locations are in the Tyrol region, in the Kitzbuhel area at the Fleckalmbahn ski-lift (800 metres), the top of the Pengelstein ski-lift (1939 metres), by a popular bar in Mayerhofen at the foot of the Penkenbahn ski-lift, nearby at the bottom of the Horbergbahn ski-lift, and at Haus near Schladming at the foot of the Hauser Kaibling ski-lift.
The screens were installed between 11-13 December and will be used throughout the skiing season, with four of the screens running during the ski lifts' opening hours, while the town centre Mayerhofen screen will run 24 hours a day. Next summer they will be removed and used for general event rental.
The screens are all Lighthouse LVP1650F - the new rental version of the 15.875mm pixel pitch/5000 nits screen installed at Seattle. They feature Lighthouse's proprietary M4 Uniformity Control technology for maximum image quality. Each screen is four panels across by three high, creating a screen area of 9.3sq.m, and the surround escutcheons and support frameworks were fabricated by Austrian staging company Klik.
The screens are being used to advertise ski equipme
France - Le Petit Prince has come back to life in the Casino de Paris Théâtre. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's grand novel is now a journey through worlds of enchantment and colourful characters, a metaphor for man's vices and virtues. The show began on 1 October, 2002 and will run through the end of June 2003. Produced by Victor Bosch/NODO Productions, the show features music by Riccardo Cocciante, with lyrics by Elisabeth Anais, and is directed by Jean-Louis Martinoty.
Jean Kalman served as lighting designer, a lighting artist whose work has appeared onstage at the National Opera of Paris, the Musical Theatre, the Royal National Theatre of London and numerous other theatres, festivals, and concerts the world over for internationally acclaimed artists.
In Le Petit Prince, Kalman demonstrates how recently the possibilities of theatre lighting have expanded with the advent of 'intelligent' projector technology and the use of increasingly versatile and professional products. Kalman uses 100 CP Color 400 Clay Paky's aligned in five rows of 20 each on the stage's back wall. The colours are rear-projected on vast semi-transparent printed screens which serve as the framework for different scenes.
Kalman performed a number of trials in order to decide which colour changer was most suited to his needs. Clay Paky's CP Colors proved to be the most versatile and complete: the CMY colour-mixing system produces endless colour combinations with crisp and flawless uniformity, even at wide angles and close range. The silent operation of the units was al