Lighting

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Denmark - The Entertainment Sales Division at Martin Professional's Danish headquarters has appointed four experienced and highly qualified Martin personnel to the company's International Entertainment Sales team. All four bring with them years of company experience.

Kasper Gissel joins the Division as business development manager. As former head of corporate finance, Gissel has a strong insight into the global rental market. In addition to strengthening the company's global rental position, Gissel will continue to be involved in sales, pricing and credit policy.

Karsten Petersen has been appointed leisure segment manager. Petersen is a former CFO of Martin US, current project manager for Martin's newly-opened China factory, and manager of the company's cruise line activities, and brings a mix of financial and sales skills to the Entertainment Sales team.

Claus Jensen has be

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UK - By now most PLASA members will be aware of the imminent introduction of the Working at Heights Regulations (WAHR), currently in what is expected to be the final consultation draft. The Regulations are set to become law in July this year, and any activity in which an injury could occur as the result of a fall from any height, will need to comply with this new set of Regulations.

PLASA has arranged a one-day seminar to examine the new legislation in detail and discuss the compliance issues that may cause the Industry concern in the future. PLASA intends to collate any views and comments from the seminar and respond on behalf of the PLASA membership to Government.

The seminar will be held at the NEC in Birmingham on the 10 of February 2004 starting at 10am. Ron Bonner, PLASA's technical standards manager, will present the Regulations in their entirety and invite discussion,

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UK - TMB has announced the addition of Rob "Lucky" Ludlow to the UK sales department. Although young in years and energy, Rob is a veteran of the industry. Originally from South Africa, Ludlow moved to London, where he worked for ETC Europe and then for White Light. From this background as both a TMB vendor and customer, say TMB, Ludlow developed a platonic relationship with Paul Hartley and many other TMB folks. Not put off by hard work and recognizing the inevitable, Lucky decided to take the TMB challenge.

'Lucky' is well liked in the entertainment lighting industry and, in addition to sales, TMB will utilize his talents to research and help develop new and innovative products. Even his nickname has TMB origins: "Anyone who confuses a pack of Lucky Strikes with a pack of something else and has the honesty to talk about it," says TMB European general manage

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UK - On 12 December 2003, during ETC's festive bash at the Crypt of St Martin's-in-the-Fields, London, LD Mark Johnathan presented Richard Pilbrow with a Fellowship of the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) - an organization of which he was a founding member. Pilbrow has long been a guru of theatre lighting and is respected throughout the industry for his achievements as a lighting designer, author and theatre consultant.

His first book, Stage Lighting Design, can be found in many a theatre school library and has been as a bible to countless aspiring lighting designers and theatre technicians working today. Pilbrow revolutionized stage lighting in Britain and created Theatre Projects - the first independent lighting design consultancy in the UK - which, of course, has continued to grow and is still going strong today as Theatre Projects Consultants.

(Sarah Rush

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USA - Selecon has moved its Maryland, US warehousing facility to larger premises, a result of continued sales growth increasing stock requirements: "It's another step made necessary by our success in the US market and therefore very welcome," says Jeremy Collins, Selecon's president. "The combination of high build quality, innovative features and leading performance are seeing our Selecon ellipsoidals, fresnels and cyc' fixtures being used in an ever increasing number of colleges, community theatres, schools and churches around the country. We are using this opportunity to integrate our distribution and sales office in Maryland to simplify our dealer and market support."

Selecon entered the US and Canadian markets four years ago with its comprehensive range of theatrical and architectural fixtures. To date its US stocking facility has been provided by the New

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UK - Wavicle Ltd has been appointed by Opalec of California as approved UK distributor of its NewBeam LED retrofit kit for the Mini Maglite AA flashlight. Wavicle is now welcoming enquiries from genuine retailers, seeking wholesale prices for this innovative product. A dealer application form will shortly be available for download from the Wavicle website.

The Opalec Newbeam retrofit kit consists of a three-LED module, a black light guard (to replace the reflector) and a new front 'lens' and is designed to replace the standard bulb in a Mini Maglite AA flashlight. Installation of the NewBeam more than doubles the battery life, raising it to around 15 hour's continuous use. The unit is current regulated to provide constant, non-fading light output until the batteries are virtually exhausted, at which point a fourth, red LED illuminates to warn of low battery status.

The light e

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USA / Finland - Renkus-Heinz Inc has announced the signing of a distribution agreement for Finland with Starlike OY (Ltd), based in Vantaa. The company, founded in 1986, is an audio and lighting distribution company and system integrator, distributing more than 40 exclusively distributed pro lighting and sound product lines include ADB, MA Lighting, Rainbow, DedoLight, Australian Monitor, Biamp Systems and L-Acoustics.

The firm employs 16 people, including in-house system design, installation and service engineers, complimenting the sales and marketing operation. Its key market segments include theatres, concert halls, sports arenas, auditoriums, schools and houses of worship. Marketing manager Jari Ukkonen comments: "Renkus-Heinz blends in perfectly with Starlike's professional audio product line. With its long history and innovative R&D, Renkus-Heinz already has a very st

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UK - Nottingham-based Look4ideas.com is a new UK company dedicated to providing the latest in LED lighting products and solutions for interior and exterior projects. The company supplies bulbs, polychrome lighting, LED strips, tubes, channel letters and custom fittings, all utilizing LED light sources, aimed at applications including architectural and stage lighting, shop fitting, club and garden applications.

The company also offers an extensive range of LED bulbs, including standard fit E27 for 220-240VAC and MR16 GU5.3 at 12V AC/DC. LED lamp products include retrofit MR16 and many more. Their low consumption cool light and pure colour without filter makes them ideal for both professional and general decoration applications. All bulbs are available in red, green, yellow, blue, white and RGB mix.

Apart from the LED bulbs, which are available in stand-alone operation, Look4ide

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USA - The Jerry Bruckheimer/Warner Bros Television show Without a Trace - a drama about the Missing Persons Squad of the FBI, uses a grandMA light console (manufactured by MA Lighting in Germany and distributed in North America by A.C.T Lighting) for controlling the lighting on their two main stages at Warner Bros studios in Burbank, California.

Gaffer Derrick Kolus chose the grandMA light, and in addition he and his team run the free grandMA offline software on a laptop computer, which is networked to the main console via Ethernet. The laptop is used on their second stage, and eliminates the need to move the console back and forth when the company moves from one stage to the other.

"We run strictly conventionals - about 500 channels - and come from an Expression 3 programming background," explains Kolus. "But Mike Falconer and Joe Cabrera at A.C.T Li

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UK - Stage Electrics has announced the launch of its new website, which combines information on all the services offered by the company, with key data on products in their extensive hire and sales inventory. David Whitehead, Stage Electrics' managing director said: "The new website is the first phase of an ongoing plan to provide customers with a 'one stop' approach to gaining knowledge on the technical equipment and services we can provide."

An added feature for the technicians in the industry is the incorporation in the Hire section with useful information on some of the equipment, such as weight, lamp, power rating, number of DMX channels etc. There is also a facility for technical manuals to be downloaded.

Linda Moore Stage Electrics sales and marketing manager said: "We believe the site is easier to navigate, we wanted it to be bold and dynamic, providing o

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UK - Stage One Creative Services are on the move as part of their continuing development and expansion programme. The company is now based at Marston Moor Business Park at Tockwith, near York.

"This move is all about creating a better service for our multi-national customer base," said Stage One's Mark Johnson. "We've timed it carefully to avoid any disruption to business."The company's new contact details are: Stage One Creative Services Ltd, Hanger 88, Marston Moor Business Park, Tockwith, YO26 7QF; Tel: 01423 358001; Fax: 01423 358016.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Lighting designer Bill Sheldon is using an Avolites Diamond 4 Vision console on the current UK arena leg of the Meat Loaf 'Couldn't Have Said It Better' tour, which has been on the road since summer 2003. The Vision is the most powerful in the current Avolites range of consoles, designed for controlling large shows with lots of moving fixtures.

Sheldon has worked with Meat Loaf since 1989. He and FOH sound engineer George Wehrlin are now the longest serving members of the team apart from Meat himself. Sheldon has always been a keen Avolites user, his first encounter with an Avo console was back in 1995, when he first used a Diamond 2, and he's not looked back since.

For the current tour, he jumped at the chance to take the new console on tour. The Vision was specially purchased by Creative Stage Lighting in North Creek, New York state. It was the first D4 Vision to land

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Sweden - Italian lighting manufacturer LDR has provided special versions of its Canto 1200 MSR followspot to light up Stockholm's most important shopping centre façade. Located in the heart of the city, close to the central square, 'Ahlens Holm' is the reference point for shopping in the whole city area. The new, permanent installation is one element of a campaign to boost the shopping trade during the dark Swedish winter.

The original idea of the lighting designer was to empathize and renew the external façade by matching the original building design with three stripes of light. After having approached various companies, inviting them to throw suggestions about the project, Madeco (LDR dealer) and Abstract Teknisk Design were selected for the project as they came up with a cost-effective solution and could match the customer's needs.

The original project was first realized

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Austrialia - Jenolan Caves is Australia's premier cave system, located approximately 200km west of Sydney in the Blue Mountains world heritage area. Once a year, the enormous Grand Archway, which forms the entrance to the caves, is closed to traffic to make way for the annual Carols in the Caves spectacular. The event is in its 11th year and attracts thousands to its two annual shows.

Lighting designers Richard Neville and Clint Dulieu returned to the caves in 2003 with a lighting design to complement the visually stunning show. Neville remarked: "The actual show is relatively small and almost amateur in nature, so it's up to the lighting to really make the event special." The lighting for the Carols is such an integral part of the show that each year a choreographed lighting display is featured to show off the capabilities of the rig."

Neville a

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USA - A new US talk show, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest, has debuted with HES fixtures in the rig. The show debuted on 12 January on the Fox network with High End Systems' new ColorCommand in the set. Lighting designer John Conti specified the dichroic colour-changing Par/washlight fixtures after seeing a demo at High End Systems' Los Angeles office.

The hour-long show, which airs weekdays live from a studio at the Hollywood & Highland complex in Los Angeles, takes a different format from most talk shows. It's described as a daily news magazine/variety show focusing on entertainment news, celebrity guests and live performances, but it's also heavy on fan interaction, by way of instant polls, countdowns and instant messaging: for example, select fans are given video camera access to do their own interviews and reporting for the show at celebrity events.

The premiere show on

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UK - Two AFI boom lifts were among 13 hired by Concert Lights Ltd to help it install rigging for lighting, sound and video for a banking conference held recently at the NEC in Birmingham. Concert Lights of Bolton in Lancashire required 13 machines to carry out the installation work because the conference was held in three different halls within the NEC.

Working on a phased basis over 10 days, the company used the boom lifts to attach over 300 electric motors to the roof of the NEC in order to lift the structures that support the lighting, sound and video equipment. The AFI machines on hire to Concert Lights had working heights from 5.7m up to 25m. One of the largest machines - the Haulotte H25 TPX boom (see above picture) proved to be particularly versatile because its rotating jib enables the operator to gain better access by manoeuvring the cage into different positions in rel

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UK - Stagecraft has made a major investment in new hire equipment to enable organizations to use cutting-edge sound and lighting technology in their performances. The company has seen a significant increase in the demand for professional lighting, sound and staging equipment during 2003 and is currently working on installations in schools, event management for music and drama festivals, and on conferences in South Africa.

The Hire and Live Events department was recently responsible for the creative design and technical management of seven major events over three weeks. One of these included a 1920s themed event for a 60th birthday celebration. "Centred around the art deco period, this was a great event to work on," commented technical director Mike Naish. "Our team was involved from the very start of the planning stages. We designed the invitations, set, lighting

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USA - A.C.T Lighting Inc, the North American distributor of MA Lighting, Zero 88 and Artistic Licence, has announced that Mike Falconer is to leave the company at the end of the month. Falconer, who many in the UK will know from his time at AC Lighting in High Wycombe, has worked in technical sales and support at A.C.T and has been a key member of the company's support staff under technical manager Mario Collazo.

"Mike has been a valuable member of our team", said Bob Gordon, the company's president and CEO. "I am sorry to see him go, but I wish him the best and I hope to continue our close personal and business relationship."

Falconer is leaving the company to pursue a career in technical writing and is starting his own company called Doubleplusgood Media. "Writing has always been a passion for me and something that I have enjoyed immensely" sai

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UK - PLASA Media has learned that six key members of the Flying Pig Systems team based at High End Systems (HES) Europe's London headquarters, have resigned from the company. The six include company co-founder and designer of the Wholehog, Wholehog II and Wholehog III consoles, Nick Archdale and product manager Richard Mead.

Richard Mead told PLASA Media: "After so many years it is sad to be leaving Flying Pig. I don't think it is a decision any of us took lightly, and I am disappointed that it was not possible to find a way forward acceptable to all involved. All of us are very proud of everything we developed at Flying Pig and want to thank everyone in the industry who has worked with us and been so supportive over the years."

He added: "Right now we are all taking a long-overdue break and exploring various opportunities. We have always enjoyed working togeth

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USA - GAMproducts Inc has introduced the new Inno-Four 575W followspot, which uses the ellipsoidal optics and zoom focus mechanism of the ETC Source Four. The fixture is mounted on a ball bearing swivel yoke for smooth operation, and can be truss- or stand-mounted. It offers many automatic accessories such as a colour changer and dowser which, as an option, can be controlled from the followspot or from a light board.

The Inno-Four features balanced smooth and tilt operation and high intensity performance with only a 575W HMI lamp, whose light output is superior to that of 2500W HMI followspots for medium-throw applications. The lightweight 8lb ballast is completely silent and features instant hot restart with no audible starting noise, even at very close range, say GAM. It is also compact and lightweight, making it suitable for tight places such as a truss location and for trou

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UK - VLPS Lighting Services has announced the arrival of industry veteran Philip Norfolk. He has taken on the role of regional sales manager, joining Simon Roose and Colin Brooker. Norfolk will be looking after the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia territory.

Simon Roose, European sales manager commented: "Of course, Philip is well known in the industry and is a valued addition to our sales team. Sales of Vari-Lite Product have grown rapidly since the launch. With the most recent success of the VL3000 Series and the imminent arrival of the quiet version of the VL3000, the timing of Philip's appointment could not be better."

Norfolk commented: "Vari-Lite have always had the passion to create truly innovative product and has their core in providing lighting professionals with the perfect tools for the job. I am delighted to join the team here at VLPS sales and look forw

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Brazil - Martin Professional's Brazilian distributor, ProShop, has delivered the company's new MAC 550 profile spots to rental company LPL, who immediately put them into use on two prestigious events. One show featured Brazilian musical legend Roberto Carlos, who performed for 150,000 spectators in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium and an estimated television audience of 50 million people.

LPL delivered 24 new MAC 550 profile spots for the show. Mounted on vertical risers between large columns on a massive stage, the 550s provided everything from energetic pop-laden looks to more subtle, mood-generating impressions. Days later, the MAC 550 helped ring in the New Year on Brazilian television TV Globo's taping of its annual New Year's Eve show. Broadcast on 31 December, the show was expected to draw an audience of some 80 million. LPL supplied a host of MACs to TV Globo, the world

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Spain - On 17 December, Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats opened at Madrid's Teatro Coliseum de Madrid, with Fourth Phase, London providing the lighting rig. Already lighting the Madrid productions We Will Rock You and Phantom of the Opera, Cats reaffirms Fourth Phase's presence in the city. Working with lighting designer Howard Eaton, Fourth Phase provided a selection of lighting equipment including 90 moving lights, as well as conventional luminaires, control and dimming.

Taking advantage of developments in lighting technology (the moving light was still on the test bench in 1981), Eaton has devised an all-new lighting design for Cats in Madrid. In addition, his lighting company, Howard Eaton Lighting Ltd, has provided a variety of special effects equipment for the show, including fibre optic cloths, fog machines and pyrotechnic hardware. He explai

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The Netherlands - Video and lighting technology were fused spectacularly in December when 10,000 Dutch pop fans were treated to the sight of 336 High End Studio Colors forming a giant upstage videowall, augmented by Element Labs' VersaTILE LED screen. Sightline Productions and the Ampco Flashlight Group supplied the expertise and the technology for the 'Live 38' show at the Ahoy arena in Rotterdam, along with the bespoke video graphics-to-DMX software to make it all happen.

This annual show, now in its fourth year, has grown from its birth in a small Utrecht club through Amsterdam's Heineken Music Hall to the Ahoy. Presented by Dutch broadcaster Radio 538, it featured a main and a 'B' stage, a live radio broadcast and a TV highlights show. Top Dutch dance, rock and pop acts starred with headliners Simply Red.

The main stage PA, tucked in unobtrusively either side of the 'light

  1. City Theatrical creates Color Kinetics accessories
  2. D-Tek products from Projected Image Digital
  3. Robe UK supplies Trilogy, Doncaster
  4. HES lights the 2003 Nobel Awards Banquet
  5. UK seats of learning benefit from new facilities
  6. Par Can kits from American DJ
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