Lighting

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China - The official emblem for the 29th Olympic Games, to be held in Beijing in 2008, was presented to the world on Sunday, 3 August at a grand ceremony in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The highly energetic presentation was a festival of optimistic spirit and a showcase for Chinese culture, staged by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG).

Martin Professional equipment played a central role the ceremony with 88 Martin intelligent lights adding to the celebratory atmosphere. The unveiling occurred before a live audience of over 2,000 VIPs with 400 million television viewers watching the spectacular show, which was broadcast live.

Some 48 MAC 200 Profile and 40 MAC 2000 Wash were used to project colour onto the Olympic emblem, as well as the exterior of the Temple of Heaven. The emblem, titled 'Dancing Beijing', resembles a red Chinese seal enclosing

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UK - Following the successful launch of five new products at PLASA 2002, Australian lighting equipment manufacturer, LSC Lighting Systems, will use PLASA 2003 as a springboard to release two new products and launch the much-anticipated Version 1 software for the maXim control desk. The EKO series of fixed installation digital dimmers will be shown for the first time. This new product continues the innovative design concepts from LSC with a unique mounting installation frame - dramatically reducing installation and commissioning time over standard wiring and set-up methods. Its clever backlit touch screen provides quick and clear access to its many functions. The EKO dimmers are available in 6-, 12- and 24-channel configurations, with choices of output circuit capacity.

The production version of the new Minim will be shown on the stand along side its big brother control desks - t

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Australia - Show Technology, a leading Australian importer and distributor of specialized lighting for entertainment and architectural applications, has announced the launch of its new website www.showtech.com.au.

The new site, developed in-house, delivers up to date information on all of the products that Show Technology distribute through their extensive dealer network. Brand names include market-leaders such as Martin, Clay Paky, MA Lighting, ELC, Studio Due, Geni, Kupo, Pulsar, ADJ and Elektralite. Links to these manufacturers can be found on the Suppliers page. Every item available for purchase, from each of these manufacturers, will be itemized in the Products section of the site. The News section will be updated regularly with features on various projects and productions, as well as company news. The Download section is where you can find useful resources like price lists

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UK - Since moving into new premises earlier this summer, ARB has continued to expand. Three new members of staff have joined the team this August. The two new sales executives, taken on to develop ARB's diverse client base, are Stephen Brady, joining from De Boer, with his extensive experience in corporate events, hospitality and production areas; and Barry Clayson, who has two decades of production experience working in the outdoor events industry - including commentating at a range of country fairs and shows.

Cathy Lynn from NSR has also joined ARB as the new hire office manager. She will be responsible for enquiries and quotes and ensuring that hire operations out of ARB's Buckingham headquarters are managed efficiently.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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USA - Wybron's new CXI MultiPAR hit the road with REM for the 2003 Tour. From Tivoli in Utrecht, Holland to Nyon, Switzerland, R.E.M. rocked the house on the European leg of their 2003 World Tour.

Lighting designer Willie Williams needed durable, reliable equipment to make the trip - and that meant choosing Wybron. Bandit Lites provided eight of Wybron's new CXI MultiPAR colour mixers, mounted on ETC MultiPARs. The fixtures and changers are being used to light a large scannerchrome painted backdrop on the Tour. The silver scrim is the perfect platform for reflecting the vibrant color produced by the MultiPAR combination. Reporting from the tour, Williams commented: "The units work well and so far seem to be holding up on the road."

Powerful music and creative lighting effects left the crowds asking for more, but the band wrapped up the European portion of their 200

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Denmark - In order to take increased advantage of the recent agreement of co-operation between Seelite and Procon MultiMedia AG, Seelite A/S has hired Mikkel Behrend as AV project manager.

Behrend, who was formerly key account manager at ComTech Holding A/S, will begin at the company in October, and will be responsible for AV solutions for fairs and shows, presentations, events and festivals, areas where the company can now offer single source technical solutions including lighting, sound, AV and stage setting.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

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UK - As in the year 2002 VXCO Lighting Systems Switzerland again has an own stand at PLASA in London. The company will present news around the DMXCreator computer lighting controller. The newest interface in the product range, the DMXCreator 512 Basic, will be the highlighted product. This product also is nominated for the PLASA award for product excellence.

The combination of the DMXCreator software and the three DMX512-interfaces results in one of the most powerful PC lighting controller on the market, say VXCO. Running on Wiondows, the DMXCreator software is packed with features usually reserved for large and expensive lighting consoles. Features include 3D Visual Emulator, Effects Generator, Track-effects Editor, 16 multi sequences, MIDI control, Position-Memory, scene crossfade control, DMX512 input recording, physical master. Each DMX controllable device has its own custom

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USA - Color Kinetics Inc (CKI) has announced two additions to its patent portfolio, which now comprises 19 issued US and international patents, with more than 100 patent filings in process. The new patents cover innovative methods of controlling LED sources for entertainment and aesthetic purposes, say the company.

US patent number 6,577,080 is a utility patent called 'Lighting Entertainment System' that covers many entertainment and educational applications of Color Kinetics' core technology. The patent covers the use of lighting tracks encoded into any media, including video, radio, CD, broadcasting and networks, as well as the decoding from that media to provide illumination control. For example, a home theatre system might integrate LED-based lights to generate customized effects that correspond with movies or music.

US patent number 6,608,453 is a utility patent called 'M

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UK - The PLASA exhibition has traditionally been the launching pad for the latest in innovative lighting products from Martin Professional and this year's show will be no exception. Martin heads to Earl's Court with an array of new products including three new MAC luminaires, new club effects, and the first light in Martin's new Mania series of DJ products. Also on hand will be Version 1.0 of the new Maxxyz controller and other new control products.

New luminaires include the MAC 550, fully loaded with features to redefine standards for a mid-range, 400W moving head. The 550 features; multiple graphical options including a gobo animation system, two eight-slot colour wheels, motorized 14-30° zoom and a multitude of other features all wrapped within the award-winning design of the MAC 2000. Also on show will be the Entour, Martin's 250W automated profile spot. This unit includes

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UK - Receiving its world premiere at the Royal Opera House on 7 December, the opera of Sophie's Choice presented the opportunity for Triple E to design a new type of system for a travelling projection screen.

Composer Nicholas Maw was first inspired by seeing the movie and intended the opera to have a cinematic effect - fluidity accompanied by a certain realism. When Maw told designer Rob Howell that he had written one note to ring out with every mention of the Holocaust, the Olivier Award-winning designer decided there should also be one element in his treatment of Auschwitz that should be present in every scene, so that by the time the storyline arrives at the infamous camp, the audience sees it at its most complete, though it was there the whole time. He chose an angle - 16°: "I was looking at photos of Brooklyn taken in the '40s and photographs of Auschwitz a

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UK - CP Sound has completed a new sound and LED lighting installation at the Terraces Bar & Grill in Brighton for Glendola Leisure. The circular building, on the site of the old Seaworld, was originally erected four years ago as part of the Aquarium Terraces project.

Essex-based Pembroke Design was appointed to create the interiors. As a totally separate element to the sound design of the project, CP's Colin Pattenden decided to show their new side-lit, etched substrate LED panel to the designers, who sought an eye-catching form of bar illumination and were suitably impressed to order 10 to go at the rear of the bars.

The CP Sound LED panels are all etched with an attractive montage of pebbles. Four sit behind the upstairs bar and six at the rear of the downstairs bar. They are made from a special 10mm thick white, clear glass with polished edges to allow the passage of light

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UK - Adlib Audio supplied sound systems for all five stages at Liverpool's famous Mathew Street Festival, now the UK's largest free annual outdoor music festival and celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. 300,000 people crowded into Liverpool city centre for the August Bank Holiday Monday.

The festival also merged with the conclusion of the week-long International Beatles Convention, which saw presentations, talks, seminars and markets dedicated to every possible aspect of Liverpool's best known export. Adlib were also responsible for servicing all the sound needs of the Adelphi Hotel, the Royal Court Theatre and the Barcelona Club where hundreds of the Best of Beatles bands from all over the world performed. Adlib employed over 40 crew, working around-the-clock in shifts at the various sites used by the two events.

Run by Liverpool City Council's Cultural Events Departm

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UK - A.C. Lighting has announced its exclusive worldwide distribution deal for the new TourSpot and TourWash moving light range. Delivering a specification which until now has only been available in top-of-the-range moving light models, the products set a new standard in affordable, high quality intelligent lighting.

Both the 575W discharge spot and wash models are supplied with quick-release fixing clamps, plugs, lamps and safety bond. On the performance front, both models have been put through rigorous on the road testing. Features common to both ranges include 540°/320° pan and tilt with feedback, strobe and dimmer. The TourWash 575 also includes a CMY colour-mixing system with an additional eight-way colour wheel; remote zoom control (16° - 28°) and a directional lens for beam shaping. Notable features of the TourSpot 575 include a rotating wheel with seven gobos, a remo

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UK - PLASA is emphasizing the importance of training development via the PLASA Professional Development Programme (PDP).The format for this year's education programme at the PLASA Show has changed to offer a wider choice with sessions ranging from technical workshops for technicians through to business seminars for freelancers and company start-ups.

The industry seminars have been expanded to cover a wide range of topics on current debates including 'Theatrical Fog - Knowing when Enough is Enough' and 'White Lighting versus Colour in Architectural Application'. Conversely the masterclasses will provide a forum for industry experts to share their knowledge. Speakers will include Brough Skingley from English Heritage on 'Lighting Up The Past - the Conflict Between Historical Accuracy and Modern Technology' and Bruce Jackson of Lake Technology on 'Sydney Olympics' Audio Design.'

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UK - Ray Balcombe has joined the ever-expanding Stagetec team as education consultant. He comes onboard just in time for PLASA and just ahead of the Slough-based lighting and audio sales and installation specialists' major move to Bracknell.

Balcombe was previously working at Redbridge Drama Centre in East London. As a specialist in theatre and educational markets, his role at Stagetec will encompass education, theatre and drama sectors, focusing on development and cross-fertilisation within these vertical markets. He has an excellent track record, having trained at LAMDA and worked on tour and in the West End with major theatrical productions including Billy, A Chorus Line, A Little Night Music, Hair and Godspell.

Balcombe has also worked around the world as a theatre lighting designer and as an LD and technical director for major corporat

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UK - This year's PLASA show at Earls Court will see the introduction of a number of new and improved products from Strand Lighting - including additions to the company's dimmer range, a new tool for lighting designers and updates to its operating software.

The LD24 is a new version of the company's popular LD90 family of dimmers: its new design is aimed at cost-conscious facilities that need basic DMX control combined with a high quality digital dimmer. Strand's new SLD Sinewave dimmer will also be presented for the first time and on stand will be a working demonstration unit with a range of loads that will allow users to see the features of the new dimmer first-hand. These include true sinewave output for quiet lamps and accurate control; SST dimmer modules which can dim a wide range of loads including incandescent, inductive and capacitive devices from a fraction of a watt to

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UK - Gemini 12X48, the first of a new range of products from Multiform Lighting since its merger with Light Engineering, is scheduled for release on the Light Engineering Multiform stand at PLASA.

This budget-priced desk features 12-channel 2-preset mode, 24 channel wide mode and 48 memories, including 20 chases. Easy to programme and edit cues, the desk is aimed primarily at the small theatre and educational markets, but its compact size and aesthetic design should make it an attractive choice for any small DMX-controlled installation.

Light Engineering Multiform is on stand F10.

(Ruth Rossington)

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UK - A.C. Lighting has announced a new staff appointment at the company's headquarters in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Philip Norfolk joins as product manager for the rapidly expanding portfolio of products for which A.C. Lighting holds exclusive UK or worldwide distribution. In this new role, Norfolk will be dividing his time between the road and the company's headquarters in High Wycombe.

Norfolk has spent his entire working life in the entertainment lighting industry and joins the company from Martin Professional, where he held the role of UK stage studio and events segment manager. Prior to this, Norfolk worked in Chicago for Tech Lighting as sales training manager and specification sales manager, having also spent 13 years at the Lighting Technology Group where he moved from equipment sales up to the role of key account manager.

Phill Capstick, sales director at A.C. Li

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Germany - Eurogress Aachen, a purpose-built conference, theatre, exhibition and concert centre in the German town of Aachen, has recently replaced many of the luminaires in two of its theatres using stage lighting from New Zealand-based performance lighting manufacturer, Selecon.

The venue has up to 22 conference rooms, theatres and exhibition areas, the largest capable of accommodating 1,700 people, the smallest a mere 10, with a variety of different sized rooms to fit most requirements. Through its dealer Lucifer GmbH, Hagen-based Selecon partner RST Distribution GmbH supplied 34 Selecon Pacific 12-28°s, 20 Pacific 23-50°s, 30 Arena High Performance fresnel GY16s and 20 Arena PC GY16s.

"This was a significant order by a major player in the multi-purpose conference and corporate hire sector," said Christian Pies of RST Distribution. "I've no doubt that this i

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UK - Martin Professional comes to this year's PLASA exhibition with the Magnum and Jem brand smoke machines encompassing everything from compact DJ foggers to heavy fog generators. Magnum is a range of high quality, high value fog effect generators for today's DJ and late night venue operator while Jem is a professional range of high quality haze, smoke and heavy fog machines designed for the stage, studio and event markets. Both ranges offer users the latest in high quality fog generation.

Martin Magnum 550 is a portable yet powerful smoke machine providing the DJ with a light-enhancing atmosphere. It houses a 600W ECO-Mass Vaporizing System for economical and even distribution of haze. It has a fast heat-up time and extended operation and comes supplied with remote control and a high quality overheat protection.

The Magnum 2000 delivers high smoke output, advanced microproc

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USA - Robe America has appointed Michael Carattini as Eastern US sales manager. A well-known and highly regarded industry figure, Carattini has held key sales and marketing positions with lighting companies in both Italy and North America.

In his new position, Carattini will be responsible for working with Robe America dealers east of the Mississippi, as well as in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Canada. Formed in late 2002, Robe America is the exclusive North American distributor of Robe lighting products. The 'new' company is backed by the extensive experience its founders have acquired over the years in lighting design, development, service and marketing.

"I'm very impressed with Robe America management in the US and the Czech Republic," said Carattini. "They have an in-depth understanding of the lighting industry, and I believe in what they're doin

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Switzerland - The 37th Montreux Jazz Festival closed its doors at the end of July with a suitably rousing ZZ Top concert in the Stravinski Hall, the main auditorium in the Congress Centre perched on the Lake Geneva waterfront. It was the culmination of 17 days of music and performance that featured acts from across the musical spectrum performing on a variety of stages, both inside and out.

The Festival drew some top names with 2003 headliners including Radiohead, Yes, Bonnie Raitt, Jethro Tull, Cypress Hill, Morcheeba, Craig David, Herbert Gronemeyer, Stereophonics, George Benson and The Pretenders - plus just about every musical genre you might care to mention.

The production elements of this ambitious schedule were managed by technical co-ordinator Andre Vouilloz, while audio aspects were in the hands of Patrick Vogelsang, MD of Meyer's Swiss distributor Niveau2 and the fes

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UK - Chris Hunt has been promoted to managing director for High End Systems (HES) Europe and Flying Pig Systems (FPS), both housed in the same London, UK office. Hunt was formerly director of operations for both entities. In this role, Hunt will maintain responsibility for all operations, inventory, accounting and finance, reporting directly to HES chief financial officer Peter Duff.

Says Duff: "Chris has organized our international operations and managed a major systems conversion in the UK office during the past year. It is natural that this opportunity would present itself to elevate Chris to another level, providing much input and direction to the operational functions of our European headquarters."

Hunt joins the existing European management team of FPS Founder Nick 'Beaky' Archdale, who manages the development side of the organization; and John Wiseman, Executi

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UK - Germany-based Smoke Factory has always been known for innovation and user-friendly features with its fog products: from output control via 0-10V or via DMX, the use of standard DMX-cables as control cables, or the flightcase design for reliable touring, most international exhibitions have witnessed a new feature from the creative minds in Hannover, Germany.

One of the most revolutionary concepts Smoke Factory presented a decade ago at the PLASA Show in London was Scotty - the first truly battery-operated fog machine. Since then, Scotty has been sold all over the world and has been used in all kinds of environments, from theme parks to photographic shoots and from special events through to school theatres.

Now, the new Scotty II - to be shown for the first time at PLASA 2003 - will have a major new feature over 'old' Scotty which had one small disadvantage - the relatively

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