Lighting

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Compulite has introduced the new Rave lighting control console, designed to make previously unavailable features affordable to light jockeys, DJs, hire-companies, trade shows and other live applications. Rave can control up to 100 channels, 40 moving lights and 20 extras (DMX-controlled devices) through one, integral DMX512 standard output.

Enhanced Playback operation and fixture manipulation features makes Rave into a leading tool in its market - from Clubs and Discotheque to small venues - wherever enhanced live operation is needed, Rave is the answer. Rave includes an intuitive patching wizard with menus to provide fast and easy setup of the system. The three band integral equalizer enables perfect sound-to-light synchronization.

Rave also includes a powerful yet easy-to-use Effects Editor, with bundled generic effects package, for quickly creating various movement effects on any

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Home Shopping Europe Ltd went live to air at 1.00pm on 7 October from its UK home at Park Street Studios, Frogmore. Managing director Christian Unterseer hosted the launch a mere nine months after the company had acquired the site. This is Home Shopping Europe's most recently completed studio complex, expanding upon facilities in Germany, Italy and Belgium to provide extensive European coverage.

DeSisti Lighting played a major role in fully equipping the studio and supplying the lighting control system. The 316sq.m studio is fitted with a matrix grid which allows for the luminaries to be positioned anywhere as required. Hanging from the grid on adjustable length drop arms are 1 and 2kW Leonardo spotlights, 2.5 and 5kW Botticelli softlights and Giotto cyclorama top lights, all pole operated.

The lighting control is a sophisticated system from ETC, combining an Express 250 memory contr

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Creative Staging was recently selected to provide the video projection, audio and lighting design and supply to the Nike exhibition - 'Nike - A Design for Movement' - working alongside exhibition designers Tonkin Architects, and the computer graphics and video producer at the Design Museum.

The project involved four 'zones', coming together at the centre, each having its own theme with a separate video and audio sound track. Periodically, the four videos would synchronize to form 270-degree 'wrap-around' computer graphics with lighting effects. As visitors moved from zone to zone, the soundtrack changed automatically to synchronize with the video material and exhibits in that area without the headphone wearer having to adjust or change units in any way. This was achieved through the use of infra-red headsets with video and audio material run from synchronized DVD players controlled by

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Proel has unveiled a brand new series of high quality, low cost rack and display stands, designed for studio and live applications, as well as use by retailers and others. Called the Metal System, the heart of the range is the KRPRO series, which includes over a dozen variations of solid steel equipment racks, some models with castors, some with stacking capability - offering just about any configuration that might required for studio or live sound applications. Also part of the Metal System are new drum stools, music and lighting stands, a tilt-adjustable stand for combos and monitor amps and the 'Expo' series of innovative all-metal guitar, keyboards and audio equipment display stands intended for retailers and manufacturers.

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Three years in the waiting, the technical crew of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre finally have the new luminaire upgrade they have been waiting for since 1998. Over the past two months Selecon has supplied its largest order to a single client of over 700 luminaires, including Pacific 5.5-13, 12-28, 23-50 and 90 degree units and both Arena and 1200 High Performance Fresnels and PCs.

Supplied by The Production Shop, Selecon’s Queensland dealer, the decision to choose Selecon luminaires came after months of extensive tests held at the Centre under the exacting eye of lighting manager David Schultz and his crew. Tim Kennard, at that time of the Production Shop, arranged the numerous sample units and provided the technical back up. In a move away from their established inventory, QPAC are now using Zoom profiles front-of-house in preference to fixed angle units.

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130 SGM scanners and moving head fixtures have been specified for 'Torno Sabato . . . la lotteria', the top rating Saturday night programme produced by leading Italian broadcasting company RAI TV. The show, which started in September and runs through to January 2002, is seen each Saturday by a record 10 million audience, and attracts a host of international guests (these have included Cher and Jamiroquai). The show is broadcast from different locations across Italy and to meet these exacting requirements, RAI TV called on the expertise of Global Service, led by Pierantonio Faccenda and coordinated by Maurizio Corradi, to deliver the sound and lighting elements. Global Service opted for SGM fixtures for each recording, including Giotto Series Moving Heads and Victory Series Scanners.

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High Wycombe-based AC Lighting has announced availability of the new grandMA ultra-light console from MA Lighitng. Previewed in London at the PLASA Show in September and fully launched at LDI in Orlando, the grandMA ultra-light is suitable for concert lighting, touring productions, trade fairs and exhibitions, as well as theatre, TV and studio use. The compact console provides 1,024 control channels (2 DMX lines), a full-colour TFT touch-screen, 10 manual executor faders, 10 executor buttons, four encoders and a multifunction trackball. The console features software compatibility with the grandMA, grandMA light consoles and the grandMA replay unit, permitting transfer and playback of show-files created on any members of the grandMA family.

Also available is the grandMA off-line editor software, which behaves like a real console, displaying show data and programmes exactly as experience

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The prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards took place live from the Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany on 8 November, presented by the ever-controversial Ali G. Contributors to the event were headed by main lighting contractors Vari-Lite Europe Ltd, Britannia Row Productions, who provided a Turbosound Flashlight PA, and Black Pig, who co-ordinated the live video screen production.

Al Gurdon designed the lighting, assisted by programmer/operator Mike Owen, and Vari-Lite supplied a massive system comprising over 400 automated luminaires, 700 conventional lights and a Virtuoso control desk. Vari-Lite also supplied a prodigious 3,500 feet of truss, 105 chain hoists and nearly two kilometres of cable. The stage consisted of two large curved set pieces, principally lit by a combination of VL5s, VL6Cs, VL2402s, together with 26 MAC 2000s and 13 truss-mounted Sky-Art Searchlights with beam divertor

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OPTI, the lighting effects and trussing supplier, has appointed Idunn Rodziewicz to its domestic sales team as regional sales manager. Rodziewicz brings with her 17 years of experience in the retail and exhibition market with Marler Haley. OPTI chairman Neil Rice told PLASA Media: "We're very pleased to have her on board. She has a great track record with clients here in the UK and internationally, as well as the experience to identify what they need and how to provide it."

Rodziewicz will initially concentrate on the OPTI Trilite side of the business, cementing links with clients across the retail and exhibition markets. She commented: "I'm really looking forward to it. OPTI is a leader in its field, and has great products as well as a fantastic range of support services. I think a lot of our clients, new and existing, are going to be pleasantly surprised at what OPTI c

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Vari-Lite Inc has announced it has discontinued selling the Virtuoso DX control system, with immediate effect. However, the company will continue to rent the desks and to provide customer support for units already in the field. "This was a tough and emotional decision," said Rusty Brutsché, chairman and CEO at Vari-Lite. "But in the end, sales of the Virtuoso DX console just weren't profitable for Vari-Lite. And therefore the decision was made to concentrate all our manufacturing and sales efforts on the luminaire market, which has greater potential for profitable growth. The overwhelming and positive response to Vari-Lite's newest automated luminaire, the VL1000 ERS, combined with the success of the Series 2000 luminaires - reinforced our decision."

Vari-Lite will support all Virtuoso DX consoles sold to date. "The goal is to provide the same quality service

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Le Mark Group, the specialist provider of adhesive tapes and labels and lighting accessories, and the UK distributor for Great American Market (GAM) and City Theatrical Inc, has announced that it is to become the UK distributor for the Apollo Design range of gobos and lighting accessories from the US.

Apollo Design offers a wide range of glass and steel gobos, including the SuperResolution and ColourScenic ranges which feature an exceptionally high printing quality of 20,000dpi resolution. Le Mark will also offer Apollo's Roto-Q single gobo rotator, which comes ready to use, complete with built-in speed and directional control.

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Julies nightclub is a well-known Newcastle landmark. Like most clubs, it’s had its fair share of small upgrades over the years, but owner Keith Gibbon, of Lazi Leisure, felt the time had come for a major renovation - hence Julies 2.To effect the refurbishment, the venue was closed at the end of January to allow for major structural alterations to increase its size. Keith Gibbon came up with the design concept and called in the team at Lighting Technology Projects - Craig Grieveson, Dave Philips and Ray Scott - to undertake the installation. The effects lighting rig centres around Martin Professional’s MAC 250s, MiniMACs, Mx4s and CX2 colour changers, with Abstract Moonrays, Pulsar Demon Strobe units and shed loads of neon providing further punctuation. Controlling all this, and the Jem ZR12 Smoke machine, is a Pulsar Masterpiece 216. A Sony-led, four-screen video system is al

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Richard Martin Lighting has announced another new addition to the company - Michael Stevens, who joins the company as technical manager. Stevens leaves behind his former position as senior engineer at Martin Professional UK, where he had spent the last seven years. RML is a specialist rental supplier of intelligent lighting and control systems to the film and television industry. The company's clients have included Top of the Pops, The Spice Girls, SMTV Live, BBC Studios, Comic Relief and The Brit Awards.

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Melbourne’s exciting new A$290m (£105m) museum in the Carlton Gardens is as thoroughly a 21st century museum as its predecessor had been a thoroughly Victorian natural history museum.

The wooden-framed glass cases of mineral samples, stuffed animals and neatly-pinned insects, have been replaced by interactive exhibits that recount the history of Australia, its peoples and its region, using the entire panoply of contemporary display and production technologies. Museum operations manager Craig Gamble (who started life in technical production for the performing arts), considers the museum spaces to be of three types.

There are the circulation and orientation spaces, which include the foyers that house permanent displays of iconic objects such as a whale skeleton and a tram. There are permanent exhibitions (5-10 year lifespans), and finally, there are temporary exhibition spaces

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Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone has already received great critical and popular acclaim and is expected to become the biggest grossing film ever for Time Warner. Vertigo Rigging, Spirit Design and Fourth Phase were amongst those who helped supply the magic for the recent World Première at London’s famous Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square.

Vertigo, working for production company West Design, show producer Lucy Smail and production manager Andy Cheesman, transformed the front of the building into Hogwarts School of Wizardry & Witchcraft for the evening of 4 November.

With a seven-day get in, the event required over 22 tonnes of equipment, 12 tonnes of which was hung off the side of the building - representing a huge logistical and practical challenge for Vertigo. Work began on 29 October, when project manager Paddy Burnside and his team of riggers supervised a 60 tonne

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The Entech 2002 Conference program features workshops and seminars in areas of lighting, design, rigging, audio, projection and even the business needs of a DJ. Sessions includeIntroducing the Line Array; The Future of Systems Integration and ProAV Technology; Venue Design Forum; Digital Live Sound Mixing; Lighting Designer Forum; Rigging Workshop; Stacks and Racks; Motor Training School; Location Sound Recording; Trends in Facilities; The Art of Designing with Moving Lights; We Are Surrounded (Surround Sound); and The Changing Face of Post Production.

Entech 2002, Australasia’s leading entertainment technology trade show, will be held in Sydney’s Darling Harbour from 4-6 February 2002. For further details on the conference programme and exhibits, visit the web address below:

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Luminar plc, the name behind numerous bars, restaurants and nightclubs across the UK, has recently released details of its interim financial results for 2001.

The figures make impressive reading and indicate that there is still much to be positive about in the night sector. Company turnover is up 116% from £77.2million last year to £166.4m this year. The company’s pre-tax profit has more than doubled to £29.5m.

Underpinning the financial success has been an aggressive growth strategy, which has seen Luminar acquire 10 venues from Scottish and Newcastle plc (making it the largest operator of late night venues in Scotland) and also the Life Limited brand from Whitbread. It has also continued to roll out its own brands, including Chicago Rock Cafe, Jumpin’ Jaks and Liquid, together with the development of ukclubculture - a relatively recent initiative which is aimed at

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Visitors to the Serpentine Gallery might have wondered what was going on when LA-based artist Doug Aitken brought his New Ocean exhibition to Kensington Gardens, London Crowning the mixed media installation, which included 20 video projectors supplied by DVS, and audio throughout the building supplied by Total Audio, were two Coef Show 250 scanners (programmed on a Compulite Spark console) - supplied by i-Vision in conjunction with Fentura Productions.

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Although a variety of daytime and late night talk shows have debuted since the mid-1980s, after nearly 50 years of TV broadcasting, The Tonight Show remains the gauge by which contemporary televised culture is measured.Taped from Studio 3 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, a newly installed Martin lighting system, supplied by Production Lighting Systems (Fourth Phase), is adding even more colour to America’s classic late night show. NBC lighting designer Gary Thorns is using Martin MAC 2000, 300, 250 and MiniMAC automated lights on several aspects of the Studio 3 stage.

Placed behind host Jay Leno’s desk and guest seating area, a row of MAC 300 wash lights bathe a line of wooden columns in various shades and provide colour washes for the ceiling and beams above the set. Above the band area where Kevin Eubanks directs The Tonight Show band, MAC 300 wash lights add colour

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As tribute bands go, the Australian Pink Floyd are a touch different: for a start they imitate a band that, on stage at least, have virtually no physical presence, so they are relieved the task of attempting to look like them.

Lead guitarist Steve McElroy - the David Gilmour of the band - does make some small gestures towards his cipher, the mic stand arrangement is identical, with the tuner strapped just so off a separate stalk. He even manages those strange facial gestures during the guitar solos that I remember so well from my time working with Gilmour in the early eighties. But essentially this is all about the music, and they don’t make a bad fist of it - indeed The Times is quoted on the band’s flyer as saying: "Probably the greatest tribute band in the world," which, in the wider scheme of things, places them on a par with Carlsberg Lager, entirely appropri

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CP Sound has just completed phase one in a major new club sound and lighting installation, in the Cellar Club at Reynolds nightclub in Stafford, West Midlands. The intimate 150-capacity space has vaulted ceilings, with arched passages snaking mysteriously below ground level. Above are two additional floors which are currently being developed and which will soon to become an integral part of what will be a much larger venue.

The sound system is all JBL, supplied by JBL's UK distributors Arbiter Pro Audio. The Cellar's dancefloor area features four JBL MS112 top speakers and two MS125S subs. The bar is serviced with four of the new JBL Control 29s, with Control 24 speakers also in the toilets. For the DJ booth, CP Sound supplied Technics SL1210 turntables and an Allen & Heath Xone:464 mixer, complete with a Denon DN-1800 twin CD player. The mixer was chosen to provide the facility of liv

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Sarner and ESP have combined resources to provide a creative solution for Liverpool’s new multi-million pound International Astronomy and Space Centre (IASC). Sarner, which has recently been bought-out by two of its directors, Michael Bennett and Ross Magri, is thrilled to have such an innovative and important project under its creative direction. "This is a great win, not just for us but for the team at Sarner and for all our clients and colleagues," comments Bennett. "Sarner has been highly successful for over 30 years and we intend to build on that reputation and drive the company forward with new commitment to delivering innovative design solutions that have so often won clients’ belief in our skills, quality and service."

Sarner will be responsible for the design and production of special effects for the new visitor attraction, while ESP will projec

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South London-based exhibition and corporate creative lighting specialists Stage Light Design produced a simple but effective lighting design for Microsoft TV's stand at IBC, as well as supplying all lighting equipment and crew for the event. Lighting designer Alastair Crooks lit the double deck stand inventively, using Source Four profiles to project ripples, wind, sky and other effects onto a series of crescent-shaped canopies that curled round and descended from the top of the stand in a corkscrew effect.

Crooks also used Source Four profile lanterns generally around the stand to produce break-up and texturing effects. Par cans were then employed for a crisp daylight blue wash across the two decks and the various banners and graphic displays around the stand. The short set-up time meant Crook took full advantage of Stage Light Design's WYSIWYG facilities. The complex stand design dic

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The new FiberSource CMY 150 from Martin Professional is a fibre illuminator for permanent outdoor and indoor installations. The fixture's full CMY colour mixing capability and unprecedented brightness for a fibre optic source open up new possibilities for fibre optic applications, say Martin. Intended for permanent installations, the FiberSource CMY 150 is designed around a robust IP44-rated housing. It is based on a very efficient 150W lamp giving 6000 hours of lamp life.

The FiberSource CMY 150 features an extremely broad color spectrum achievable from a full CMY color mixing system. Additionally, a full range dimmer gives the user an added effect dimension. The large fiber port accepts up to 800 pieces of 1mm fiber optic cable. The fixture features DMX control and a very comprehensive stand-alone operation including real-time clock activation.

  1. Let There be Light
  2. Wireless Ethernet Solution Provides the Link
  3. Wybron & TMB at ETC NY's Open House
  4. Artistic Licence Travels The World
  5. First UK Sale of grandMA ultra-light
  6. EL&D Creates Winter Wonderland
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