Lighting

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USA - Kurt Doemelt recently joined Nautilus Entertainment Design as an associate lighting designer, AutoCAD specialist and project manager for both the live production and facility design divisions of the company. He is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and was most recently assistant lighting director for The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California.

Doemelt has a lot of experience having served as a lighting programmer for Princess Cruise Lines, a staff master electrician at The San Diego Repertory Theatre, a shipboard lighting technician and programmer for Carnival Cruise Lines, and a lighting designer for several San Diego theatres, including Asian American Repertory Theatre, New Village Arts, the Fritz Theatre, Euro Trash Productions, and McCaleb Dance.

NED principal consultant Jim Tetlow commented: "This year we are on track to design a

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UK - Creative sound and lighting installer CP Sound has installed four of its new colour-changing etched glass LED lighting panels into Bar Square, a trendy new social space in Camberley, Surrey. Bar Square's independent owners wanted 'something special' when it came to backlighting the bar of their contemporarily designed venue, and CP's new product was the ideal solution.

The company has developed the fixture specially for a diversity of day and night applications. It's a screen encased in a custom aluminium extrusion, supplied as a 10mm thick panel, and capable of unobtrusive integration into any environment. Made from laser etched acrylic or glass material, it's side-lit by DMX controllable LED strips that criss-cross the light across the screen surface. When the light is caught in the etchings, a prism effect directs it evenly across the panel fascia.

The panels in Bar Sq

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UK / Australia - Rory Dempster, the distinguished British lighting designer, has been diagnosed as having mesothelioma - a lung cancer disease associated with exposure to asbestos fibres. Since 1992 he has lived in Australia - a country which is leading the research into asbestos-related diseases - and his case is being investigated by the New South Wales Dust Diseases Board. The Board has confirmed that, since the disease takes an average of 30 years to produce symptoms, he is certain not to have contracted it in Australia.

The Board's enquiries suggest that the cause of his contracting mesothelioma was his close contact with asbestos curtains and borders - commonly used to provide heat separation between lanterns and scenery in British theatres during the fifties, sixties and early seventies. "As an assistant electrician in various London theatres at that time, I remember

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UK - Max King and Jane Potts have joined the team at Leisuretec Distribution, in the newly created roles of accounts and administration managers. In addition to becoming the 'friendly faces' within the accounts department at the company, their roles will see them developing the administration processes to accommodate increasing levels of business growth - both in the short-term and in the future. Both King and Potts have over 30 years of accounts and customer service experience between them in various sectors, including logistics and manufacturing.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Finland - FogScreen is a new system which offers an intriguing method for forming a high quality, physically penetrable dry fog display. The FogScreen, which has international patents pending, provides a highly unusual, 'floating' projection surface that people can walk through - and leaves no residue.

Dr Ismo Rakkolainen, co-inventor of the FogScreen, from Tampere University of Technology in Finland, says: "The fog is made of ordinary tap water with no chemicals or anything. Our patent does not comment on what particles are used, so any kinds of fog, smoke, or other particles can be used, but water is a safe, harmless, low-cost, and simple material to use. The device is suspended high above the audience, and it is also robustly built. The health and safety risks have been checked with many experts."

FogScreen Inc has been founded to develop, manufacture and market

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UK - Combining high-tech with low-tech: that was the approach taken by The Moving Light Company's Alex Murphy to produce a stunning display of lighting co-ordinated with pyrotechnics for the launch of the recent Bath International Music Festival.

Murphy and The Moving Light Company were working alongside pyrotechnic specialists Rocket Pyro, who were providing fireworks for the night. Murphy's challenge was not just to light Bath's famous Royal Crescent, but to co-ordinate the lighting with the fireworks in the sky above. To achieve this, he opted to use The Moving Light Company's StudioDue CityColor colour-changing exterior floodlights, which have proved hugely popular on all manner of projects since being added to the company's rental stock in 2002.

"Originally the plan was to use the CityColors just to light the central block of the Crescent, then use MAC 2000s to proj

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UK - Robe UK, the UK distributor for the Czech Republic-based moving light manufacturer, has appointed Stuart Fenwick as business development manager. Fenwick brings a wealth of experience in the moving light world to the Robe UK team, having previously worked at Martin Professional for six years and, say the company, his lively management style is ideally suited to the pace and energy of the Robe UK team, headed by Ian Brown.

Fenwick has spent many years specializing in the nightclub and bar areas of the professional entertainment industry. At Robe UK, he will be working across all disciplines, including dealing with hire companies, corporate event producers and the retail industry. Ian Brown says: "It's great to have Stuart onboard, bringing more positive energy into the Robe UK equation, specially in time for PLASA!"

(Lee Baldock)

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USA - High End Systems (HES) has announced that John Wiseman has been promoted to the role of executive vice-president of business development. Formerly VP of worldwide sales, Wiseman will continue on at the company's Van Nuys, California office, with responsibilities for worldwide sales. HES CEO Frank Gordon comments: "This is a well-deserved promotion for John and an acknowledgment of his immeasurable contributions over the last few years to High End and Flying Pig Systems . . . we look to John to lead us into new markets as well as better servicing our existing designer and specifier base."

Meanwhile, at the company's HQ in Austin, Texas, returning HES veteran Grif Palmer has accepted the role of vice-president of Americas sales. Palmer reports to Wiseman and also manages sales operations. "There couldn't be a better time to return to High End," says Palme

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UK - In recent months, Reading-based Martin's Lights have used Coemar ProSpot 250LX moving heads on a variety of events. LD Dom Smith used the fixtures on tours with Aqualung and The Cooper Temple Clause, while the units also lit Athlete's London show at the Astoria, run from the in-house Avo Sapphire 2000, with the Coemars patched into the desk along with the house lighting system.

ProSpot 250LX heads were also in action at the National Dancesports Championships at Crystal Palace, Summer Balls at the University of Westminster and Reading University, and also Supergrass at Reading University (LD Ali Bale).

Most recently the fixtures illuminated the Club WOMAD stage at the WOMAD Festival in Rivermead, Reading. This was a co-design between principal lighting designer Geoff Blindt of Mystic Lights and Martin Dudley of Martin's Lights, who was also charged with making the design

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USA - Gear-Source, the Florida-based lighting supply company set up by Marcel Fairbairn last autumn, has welcomed Cynthia Viteri to the position of Latin American business development. In this new role, Viteri is responsible for growth in Mexico and South America for both Gear-Source and AVR products.

At the same time, Gear-Source and AVR have announced that they have relocated to a new facility in Weston, Florida. The new contact address for the companies is: 1930-1 North Commerce Parkway, Weston, FL 33326, USA. Telephone: +1 (954) 389 8866, Fax: +1 (954) 389 5747. The toll-free number will remain the same: +1 (866) 669 GEAR.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Enlightenment has recently supplied an ADB Vision 10 lighting control desk to the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft. The system comprises a 1024-channel Vision 10/ST with a Vision 10/RB back-up crate both running the company's ISIS software which provides total control of light, colour and movement through astate-of-the-art 32-bit multi-tasking Linux operating system.

Since its inception in 1997 Enlightenment has been fully committed to both the Vision 10 and Phoenix range of lighting control desks from ADB and has supplied the systems to numerous venues in the UK.

(Ruth Rossington)

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UK - High End Systems (HES) has announced that it is to provide a Wholehog III console at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), in order to give students the opportunity to experience the latest in the Wholehog line of control products.

HES has been a sponsor of LIPA since its opening in 1996. Through the years, a wide variety of HES' products has been installed into the Paul McCartney Auditorium, named in honor of the performing arts school's famous founder and benefactor. Four years ago, HES founder and chairman, Lowell Fowler, presented LIPA with a Wholehog II console, which was installed in the school's High End Systems Studio. This will now be upgraded with the Wholehog III this summer, whose installation will be overseen by LIPA production manager Mike Brown and HES Europe's Phil Mercer.

LIPA's Ffounding principal and CEO, Mark Featherstone-Witty, was delig

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USA - Chauvet has introduced the SF-4005 channel timer, a multi-tasking 2 or 4-channel timer/chaser designed to keep your lighting effects from exceeding their recommended duty cycle. Chase or sound-activated modes are also ideal for pin spots, Par cans and any other chase-able lights. A three-position switch controls timer, chase and sound-activation functions, while another switch lets you select two or four channels for timed control of up to four lighting effects.

(Lee Baldock)

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Latvia - Latvia was in full swing from 26 June to 6 July, with the XXIII Latvian Song and Dance Festival 2003. The Song Festival, which lasts for 11 days, is held every five years and is incorporated into various venues - including the Skonto Stadium and Mezaparks Open Air Stadium. The event featured over 30,000 participants, 300 different choirs, more than 500 dance groups, 57 brass bands, three symphonic orchestras and one chamber orchestra as well as an art exhibition, parades, singing and dance performances. All equipment was provided by Company NA, the Vari*Lite dealer for Latvia.

Before the festival began, Company NA was on site to plan crew logistics, and to supply the lighting equipment from cables to control systems, to both the venues. Over 12,000 people gathered in the audience to listen to some of Latvia's famous rock and pop stars, plus rock band Time after Time. Li

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UK - Slough-based lighting and sound sales company Stagetec, the UK distributor for Compulite and LSC lighting products will have a number of new products lined up for the PLASA Show this year, including the company's showpiece new product - Compulite's Vector family of lighting consoles. The Compulite Rave is also highlighted, as well as the Spark Top.

New from LSC is the Minim lighting desk, a budget-priced 12/24-channel memory desk, shown alongside their MaXim series of fader-based lighting consoles. Dimmers will include Compulite's powerful CompuRACK digital dimmer racks and their CompuDIM and MobileDIM modular racks. Dmmers from LSC include the iPRO installation dimmer range, the e1220 and the ePAK and ePRO ranges, plus their Delta power distribution units.

Stagetec can be found on stand E40.

(Lee Baldock)

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Europe / N. America - Touring for the first time in five years, R.E.M. have again come up with an event both visually stunning and musically superb. R.E.M. lighting designer Willie Williams has created a spectacular visual experience on a stage that is awash with vibrant colours. The elaborate stage is highlighted with whimsical shapes created from EncapSulite fixtures, including the word 'LUV' as well as graphic panels featuring stylized portraits of the band's members.

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USA - Baltimore's recent Artscape 2003 Festival of the Arts was a colourful event, utilizing High End Systems equipment to provide the creative palette. Cannon Stage Lighting supplied six Studio Spot 575 and eight Cyberlight Litho automated luminaires, and two Wholehog III lighting consoles for the weekend event.

George Cannon Jr, owner of Cannon Stage Lighting, commented: "We brought in two Hog III units. One was to be a backup only. Programmers Zach Edwards and Paul Rosinksy would switch back and forth laying out conventionals on one desk and intelligent lighting on the other."

Programmer Paul Rosinksy elaborates: "My reaction to the Hog III desk was very positive. The colour picker for all my colour-mixing Cyberlight and Studio Colors made things go so much faster. I also noticed that all the internal cues in the lights moved a good bit faster than on other d

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UK - A busy 2003 sees Fourth Phase expanding its project management team with the addition of Alistair Smyth as project manager, who joins from High End/Flying Pig, where for the past nine months he had been sales account manager for Central and Eastern Europe.

Previously a technical support engineer for the company for over two years, Alistair had also fulfilled the same role for two years at Vari-Lite. His technical knowledge and overseas experience will prove invaluable to Fourth Phase, as the company adds the Madrid production of We Will Rock You to its portfolio. Smyth will join the existing project management team of James Hall and Simon Harborow.

(Ruth Rossington)

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UK - For the fourth year running, drapes and rigging specialist Blackout was appointed by Henley Festival's production team to supply an extensive amount of black drape and custom sewn starcloth for the 20th edition of The Henley Festival of Music and the Arts.

Staged on the banks of the Thames, the five-day Festival is recognized for fusing an eclectic mix of music and art and follows on from the legendary Henley Regatta. Comprising two main stages - the 'Floating Stage' where world class performances included Lesley Garret, Bryn Terfel, Sir Tim Rice and the 'Club Marquee', where artists included The Fine Young Cannibals and Mel C. Working closely with production manager Bob Caple, Blackout supplied all the blackout drapes and necessary rigging equipment to facilitate the dramatic set-design on the famous Floating Stage - a giant Edwin Shirley structure measuring 20m wide by 8

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UK - DHA Lighting, the leading manufacturer of gobos and optical effects, has announced that the company - or at least some of it - is on the move. From Friday 29 August 2003, DHA's manufacturing, production and despatch teams will move from DHA's current base in central London to a new base in Crayford, Kent.

The new contact numbers for staff in Crayford, including UK and Eire sales manager Louise Tester, Asia and Pacific sales manager Julie Harper and production manager Karen Simkins, will be +44 (0)1322 520052. The new fax number will be +44 (0)1322 520055. Email and web addresses remain unchanged.

"The move of our operations and production teams to Crayford has been in the planning stage for some time, as part of our ongoing work to make the company more efficient." comments DHA Lighting's managing director, Diane Grant. "Our customers are already seeing the

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UK - Former Martin Professional employee Simon Allan has rejoined the company as product manager for the stage, studio and event segment, which includes Martin's popular MAC range of moving heads. Allan's responsibilities will also cover Martin's growing range of lighting controllers, including the newly-released Maxxyz lighting console.

Simon has 10 years of experience in the lighting industry and returns to Martin UK after three years as technical manager at moving light rental company Set Lighting & Sound. Prior to that he was employed at Martin UK as a technical support engineer, working on various on-site projects, as well as conducting training courses and helping to run the Martin University.

(Ruth Rossington)

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UK - DPL Production Lighting is supplying lighting, trussing and drapes to Cranborn House Productions for a series of summer classical/jazz events, taking place across several weekends and various heritage sites around the country.

The most recent event took place at Audley End in Cambridgeshire, one of the finest Jacobean houses in England, which provided an impressive backdrop to the 60ft Orbit stage and drew over 5,000 people each night. The 17th century mansion was lit by DPL's Darren Parker and his team using six Studio Due City Color architectural wash luminaires. They also highlighted the trees either side of stage with blue and green metal halide fixtures.

For the event at which Jools Holland's appeared - undoubtedly the highest profile show of the run - DPL, sound contractor RG Jones and other production departments (including Aggreko generators), battled with the mo

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Germany - London-based Park Avenue Productions collaborated with German sister company Citigate SEA to produce a spectacular live show for the launch of the newly-formed HSH-Nordbank in Hamburg. The event, staged at the city's Colour Line Arena, celebrated the merger of two of North Germany's main financial institutions - Hamburgische Landesbank and LB Kiel.

Whilst the event's logistics were handled by Citigate, it fell to Park Avenue to co-ordinate all the technical and creative aspects of the show, one of the highlights of which, was a dramatic 20-minute aerial display of colour and movement artistically directed by lighting designer Simon Tapping and choreographed by Micha Bergese- well known for his work on the Millennium Dome's Central show.

Park Avenue realized an ambitious immersive environment, which included the tasteful branding of all Colour Line's foyer, public an

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UK - Brighton's Komedia has become one of the most popular venues in the UK for the promotion of new talent in theatre, comedy, cabaret and music. It's also become a leading light on Edinburgh Festival's Fringe in recent years. Its theatre and smaller cabaret space pack in over 500 shows a year, a figure that's set to rise sharply with the completion this summer of a comprehensive re-fit.

The theatre's home for the past five years has been a none-too-elegant former Tesco supermarket building in Gardner Street, in the vibrantly bohemian North Laine district at the heart of Brighton. Inside is a different story, with the upper floor a traditional end-on 200-seat theatre complete with a small bar, and the downstairs room a smaller cabaret, music and comedy space.

Director Tim Hawkins explains: "The theatre's only used around three or four days a week, but that's still quite

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