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The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is set to create a new waterfront theatre village, redeveloping its historic home in Stratford-upon-Avon. The £100 million proposals include plans to rebuild a landmark modern Shakespeare playhouse on the riverside site of the current Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The Arts Council has already earmarked a total of £50 million for the project - a matching £50 million is being raised by the RSC.

The rebuilt flagship Royal Shakespeare Theatre will be the most significant new theatre building of the new century. Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat and theatre consultant Iain Mackintosh will play a key role in moving these proposals through to the design stage. It is anticipated that initial design ideas will be completed by the early summer of 2002. The key e

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Central London-based Flying Squad Aerial Rigging were recently contracted by London-based Acrobat Productions to project manage the stunning centrepiece aerial show at the Indian launch of Fiat's new Palio, staged in Goa on 20-21 September. The Fiat Palio is heralded as India's 'hot' new hatchback and the product on which Fiat India will base a complete revamp of its manufacturing performance, dealer network and brand image. With this in mind, its launch party was a stunning showcase, set in a purpose-built geodesic structure on a Helipad above a palm-fringed beach.

Flying Squad's director Jon Gee worked closely with Acrobat Productions, the Delhi-based production team and each of the artists to ensure that, after only one day of final rehearsals, it would be completely safe for them to perform. Rigorous checks were made to the design of the rig itself as well as to the specialist equi

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Paradigm recently supplied two 40" dnp Holo Screens and a rear projection rig to top executive search consultants Korn/Ferry in London. Supplied and commissioned by specialists Wave - who design and install bespoke presentation and technology systems and have a long-standing business relationship with Paradigm - the screens were part of an entire refurbishment, which included the installation of various technologies within the reception area, the board room and the training room.

Installed within the reception area - along with two Proxima projectors above the ceiling - the two Holo Screens present rolling information sourced from Korn/Ferry's website, and are controlled solely via PCs. Adrian Hicks of Wave commented: "We worked with the company’s project manager for the entire fit out and sat down at an early stage. We discussed their vision of the end result as a wh

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Indochine X PixMob Fan Immersion

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's - 40 thousand LED pixels on a ceiling!!! Indochine's whirlwind tour transports fans to another level of the live experience - immersing them from floor to ceiling with PixMob's X4 wristbands, and an LED ceiling made entirely of its NOVA Minis! With the vision of Indochine's creative team, PixMob used its LED fan-technology to turn attendees and venues into an ocean of effects, and a starry sky of LED magic. Très très cool!

Read more about the Indochine tour in the latest issue of LSi

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The Music Producers Guild (MPG) has elected Andy East as its new chairman, replacing Phil Harding who has now completed his one-year tenure as chairman but will remain on the MPG board. The appointment was announced at the MPG’s recent AGM. Steve Parr also joins the board as vice-chairman and, as part of the MPG’s rotational chair and directorships, a number of other board members were announced. These include Jim Barrett, Meg Nicholl and Roger Askew.

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Contrary to incorrect reports that have been circulated, Thales Angenieux has, in fact, appointed OpTex as its Authorised Distributor and Official Service Centre for its Broadcast and Film Lenses in the UK. Angenieux is now one of the fastest growing brands in the Broadcast Lens sector and this is set to strengthen with the introduction of the new Extreme Tele Zoom Digital 40x11AIF.HR complimenting its all-purpose 15x8.3AIF.HR and Wide Super Zoom 12x5.3 AIF.HR ENG/EFP lenses.

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Creative Technology London recently supplied a wide array of AV equipment to the Microsoft TV Corporation at the IBC exhibition in Amsterdam. Commissioned by Evolution Event Management Ltd - Microsoft's preferred supplier throughout Europe - CT provided 18 x 37" Plasma screens, a 7 x 5 Barco iLite 6mm LED Screen, extensive graphics equipment and a complete audio replay system. Hitachi 37" Plasma screens were used in Demo Kiosks and a 50" Plasma on the reception area, whilst the ultra-high resolution Barco 6mm LED screen was used for relaying pictures and graphics from the Microsoft TV station. The whole integrated installation was Dataton Trax controlled enabling the presenter to run their shows from a touch screen display, set in a lectern. Robert Bell of Evolution commented: "We used CT because they already have existing relations with Microsoft TV Corp, but mainly

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Stardraw.com has appointed David Morrison as international sales manager. Morrison joins the well-known software provider with 20 years experience of senior sales roles with majormanufacturing companies in the PC and networking industry, including Compaq and Research Machines. Stardraw managing director David Snipp told us: "David's appointment is just part of our plan for continued growth. We wanted to find someone who could add real value for our existing channel partners, and who would also be able to manage significant OEM relationships in our existing entertainment markets and beyond. His experience in the broader spectrum of the telecomms and networking industries will be invaluable to our strategic plans for expansion." Snipp hinted that Stardraw's position within the audio, AV and lighting industries will be used as a springboard into larger markets. Morrison operates o

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The Boardwalk nightclub, where Oasis began their career, has been put up for sale. Built in 1876 as St Peter’s School, it opened as The Boardwalk club in 1986 and ran successfully for 13 years until August 1999.

The Boardwalk has witnessed the UK debuts of Primal Scream, Sonic Youth and Courtney Love’s band Hole. Big names such as Oasis, M People, Pulp, The Verve, Suede, Blur and the Stranglers have also appeared, along with DJs such as Paul Oakenfold, Todd Terry and Pete Tong and comics Steve Coogan and Peter Kay.

The basement rehearsal studios were as famous as the club. Acts who rehearsed at The Boardwalk included Terry Hall & Colourfield, Nico from the Velvet Underground, Simply Red, The Fall, James, The Railway Children, Manic Street Preachers, ACR and Happy Mondays. The Happy Mondays’ residence is immortalized in the new film about Factory and The Hacienda -

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One of the more eye-catching products launched at LDI was MA Lighting’s grandMA 3D visualization software - created for the design of three-dimensional stage layouts. The software allows a wizard guided design and set up of any custom stage or scenery layout with 2D drawing facilities and a library of basic graphical elements. Multiple windows can be opened and updated at the same time, and all the stage elements can be positioned in X, Y, Z directions and may also be rotated around the various axes. The set-up of lanterns, luminaires or moving lights can be simply retrieved from the grandMA console’s show file by electronic transfer. There is no need to set DMX lines, DMX addresses or operation modes as these are already pre-adjusted in the grandMA console. The software will be compatible with the whole family of MA Lighting consoles, and will be available for free download

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The 2001 LDI exhibition in Orlando ended yesterday after a successful three days which included a full and well-attended conference programme. At the LDI/ESTA Awards ceremony held at the Orange County Convention Center auditorium on Saturday evening, Jim Bornhorst of Vari-Lite was this year’s Wally Russell Award recipient. Amongst the product awards were the Omni Connector from Total Structures, Protec’s Smart Motion control system, Rosco’s ImagePro, Wybron’s Eclipse 2. Prizes for ‘Widgets’ went to Rosco, Lex Products and Lee Filters. High End Systems’ Catalyst picked up the Entertainment Lighting Product Award to add to the Award for Product Excellence it won at the recent PLASA Show. Best Audio Product was the Legend tri-purpose mixing desk from Midas.

Full details of the rest of the award winners will follow and a full report from LDI, inclu

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Electronic Theatre Controls chose LDI as the platform to launch a new lighting control product - Emphasis. The new product integrates two technologies that have never been together before - the hands-on lighting control of the company’s Express and Expression consoles and the new level of WYSIWYG’s Emmy award-winning visualization software. Emphasis can now handle the whole lighting process from start to finish: tasks don’t have to be repeated and a high level of integration means that the data only has to be entered once and the system will automatically update everything related to it. It also features WYSILink giving users a graphic representation of the system. The good news for current users of Expression and Express users is that they can upgrade to the new system.

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Vari-Lite kicked off its participation at LDI 2001 with the debut of a ground-breaking new luminaire - the Vari*Lite VL1000 ellipsoidal reflector spotlight. The special sneak preview event, in Junior Ballroom G at the Rosen Centre Hotel, featured an overview of the innovative VL1000 by Vari-Lite chairman and CEO Rusty Brutsché. "With the VL1000, we believe Vari-Lite has taken the largest single step towards one of the goals the company set for itself when it was founded 20 years ago - developing automated systems for all stage lighting.

In addition to getting the preliminary, close-up look at the VL1000, attendees at the special event had the opportunity to see history in person as Vari-Lite displayed the numerous revolutionary luminaires from its 20 years of innovation, including the first ever automated light from Vari-Lite - the Vari*Lite VL0 prototype. It was the VL0 that he

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Angelo Russo has joined giant screen manufacturer, Lighthouse, in its UK office as product marketing manager. Angelo had worked for nearly three years as marketing manager for Clipsal Vision, Australasia's largest supplier of Lighthouse screens, where he was involved in a host of prestigious projects including the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, the Jade and Eden Park stadium installations in New Zealand and the Subiaco Stadium in Perth, as well international events such as the Hanover Expo.

Angelo brings with him a vast knowledge of Lighthouse screens and will be working alongside marketing support manager Sian Sparkes. Commented Lighthouse international sales and marketing director Graham Burgess: "Angelo's arrival brings an extra dimension to Lighthouse's UK-based team and we're delighted to have him on board."

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JBL Professional has appointed industry veteran Peter Chaikin as director of marketing,recording & broadcast. Chaikin will take over marketing responsibility for the company's studio monitors, including the LSR line of powered monitors, as well as developing new products in the line.

Chaikin has held high-level product marketing and marketing managementpositions at Alesis and Yamaha, where he was instrumental in the success ofseveral digital recording and mixing products. He also has 15 years ofindependent recording engineering experience, working with dozens of nameacts including Quincy Jones, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Michael Sembelloand Harvey Mason. Chaikin received RIAA Gold and Platinum Records and aGRAMMY nomination for "Best Engineered Recording."

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You don’t get to see too many of these in your average shopping day. These illuminated mannequins are the latest thing in High Street retailery (we made that word up, but it’ll do) currently striking a pose at Selfridges in London. Rare Basic Ltd are the company behind these rather unique mannequins, which are crafted by former Madame Tussaud’s sculptors. Manufactured in a translucent wax effect finish, the material lends itself to a colour changing facility developed for Rare Basics by AVR Colourmaster.

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The final phase of the restoration of Reading Town Hall’s concert venue - with the renovated Father Willis organ providing a magisterial backdrop - has been completed this month under the guidance of English Heritage.

Marquee Audio was responsible for supplying and fitting all the audio, working to a specification from audio consultant Peter Mapp, who had been introduced to the project by former technical manager, Paul Kennedy. By completion, the whole project will have cost around £5 million. Given the constraints of the protected architecture the installation had been no easy feat, as the venue’s chief electrician Tim Liddle emphasized. "We got a grant from English Heritage who wanted the hall restored to its original 120-year-old grandeur. The Borough Council have been restoring the building over a 15-year period and when I came here 10 years ago, there were pigeon

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Following straight on from an incredibly successful PLASA and a stack of Autumn contracts, Stagetec has taken on several new staff to cope with its very healthy work load. Joining the Slough-based pro lighting and audio sales and installation team are Gillian Brades, Jason Walsh and Jonathan Coles. Brades is a qualified accountant, and joins Stagetec as financial controller, taking over the running of the accounts and the busy administration department.

Walsh joins the sales office where he'll be dealing with technical sales enquiries by telephone and internet. He has extensive experience working as a sound and lighting technician in theatre and conference. More recently, he handled technical sales for electronics giant Maplin. Jonathan 'Speedy' Coles is now working alongside Stagetec's Mick Cocker, promoting the high profile Compulite and LSC product ranges. He's recently returned to

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Specialist AV company, Blitz communications, has appointed Martin Green and Martin Clowes as branch manager and operations manager respectively, to handle the running of its new Birmingham office.

The 'two Martins', who have already worked together as freelancers and project managers for seven years, have a wealth of industry experience. In his role as branch manager Martin Green will be helping to ensure that Blitz's clientele in the Midlands receive exactly the right solutions, whilst Martin Clowes, who is operations manager, will be supporting him in his efforts by maintaining smooth client relations.

Michael Breen, managing director of Blitz told us: "The Birmingham region is host to a whole gamut of AV opportunities due to the mix of venues and a healthy business environment. I am confident that our appointment of the two Martins with their technological expertise, custo

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QSC Audio Products Inc has introduced the DSP-30 digital processor. Building on the power and success of the DSP-3 signal processing module, the DSP-30 is a cost-effective, highly customizable, single rack unit, 2-channel signal processor featuring a high degree of functionality that can improve the performance of any sound system, say QSC Audio. The DSP-30's powerful processor facilitates a wide range of signal processing functions, including screen channel crossovers, multiple parametric EQ and time delay for surround channels, or subsonic filters for subwoofers. Compound these functions with compression/limiting, precision attenuation, mixing, plus tone or noise generation, and the DSP-30 is as flexible as your system's needs - easily capable of performing the most complex speaker processing tasks.

Featuring an intuitive front panel layout for easy program selection coupled with a c

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Martin Professional Inc presented its first annual Martin Intelligent Lighting Technology Grant to Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama at the recent LDI exhibition in Orlando. The grant will be awarded to an accredited college or university in the USA each year. Martin Professional Inc CEO Troels Volver comments: "Making available our cutting-edge technology to more students and future lighting professionals is our goal, and while we cannot give our products to everyone we would like, we are committed to this annual grant for the future and expect to generate increased exposure and knowledge of our products by its establishment."

The Grant is valued at $50,000 and consists of a variety of Martin fixtures and control products including the Martin ShowDesigner virtual software design system and Martin Lighting Director tracking system. The Grant does not stop wit

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The 2001 Volkswagen Stand claimed the entire ground floor of Hall 3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and featured an innovative multimedia experience ‘The Big Box’ which was produced by HP:ICM of London. The exhibition environment was designed by German architects Cebra who worked closely with HP:ICM to create the perfect environment for the ‘Big Box’ theatre, a circular room containing a 170 degree video projection screen.

The 50 metre wide, seven metre high screen was used to show a specially commissioned film directed by Robert Butcher and Liam Lyons with a score by Jonathan Goldstein and produced by HP:ICM, in front of this screen was a huge water ‘lake’ which concealed submerged water and pyrotechnic effects which accompanied dynamic moments in the film; the roof supported a comprehensive lighting system and was covered by a 35 metre diameter fibre

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