Lighting

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Australia - Hoyts Cinemas has recently opened two new, world-class cinema complexes - one at Melbourne Central and the other at Sydney's Blacktown - which intend to demonstrate to the rest of the market just how it is done. Both cinemas are being promoted as 'Australia's premier entertainment destination.' A big statement, but one that Hoyts has every intention of proving accurate.

Hoyts wanted their foyer areas to be unique, colourful and most of all dynamic. They turned to Michael Trudgeon and David Poulton of Crowd Productions, the chief architects of Hoyts' public spaces, to design an environment that reflected the ever-changing nature of the cinema world. Their idea was to install colour-changing panels and lighting right through out the foyer and surrounding entrance areas.

Trudgeon and Poulton approached Lightmoves to transform this complex idea into reality. Lightmoves

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USA - Chandler, a US-based innovator in LED technology, has announced its new patented R30 LED theatrical coloured floodlight series, which the company says provides the equivalent of 200W of light output while using just 22W. This is due to the enLux patented LED light engine, says the company.

Chandler claims that its strong light output and low heat and energy use make the new enLux floodlights ideal for applications including theatres, nightclubs, casinos and restaurants. Remote locations where power is limited, such as in tents, will greatly benefit, and can use more of the enLux units than would be possible with traditional floodlights. There are 23 theatrical-designed colours, as well as a UV LED black light.

The R30 can be used in Par-style medium screw based fixtures, R40 Striplights, as well as architectural downlights and track fixtures. Models are available for use

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USA - Production Resource Group (PRG) announced today that it is providing a full lighting package, controlled by its Virtuoso console and powered by the PRG Series 400 system, for the Sprint Super Bowl XL Halftime Show, to be held next month at Detroit's Ford Field.

The Rolling Stones, currently on tour around the world with lighting supplied by PRG, will headline the halftime extravaganza. Produced by Don Mischer Productions, with lighting designed by Bob Dickinson and Patrick Woodroffe, Super Bowl XL will be televised live on 5 February, on ABC to over 100 million viewers.

(Chris Henry)

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UK - Rental company Richard Martin Lighting, have taken possession of 24 Martin MAC 700 Profiles. They have also strengthened their stock of the Chroma Set Kits by adding MR16 versions to their hire list.

The MAC 700's are the latest Martin product to include the animation wheel often required for optimum lighting effects within a television studio. They also house an electronic ballast and 700 watt optics.

The MR16 Set Kit is a custom made kit similar to the one RML currently stock. The main difference is that this kit has the smaller MR16 LED ChromaHearts that have proved to be very popular with set and lighting designers alike.

RML have also extended its Pulsar Chroma products by adding the ChromaFlood 200 to their stock. The 66 LEDs offer a high-powered floodlight, with 45? optics and the high IP rating means the light can be used in interior or exterior settings, provin

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UK - Richard Martin Lighting and Stagetec Distribution recently supplied equipment for the BBC Studios' Music Craft Day 2006, held in Studio 1 at the BBC Television Centre in White City. This annual event is organised by BBC Studios, part of BBC Resources Ltd, to allow their more junior staff the opportunity to extend their skills on a real show.

Four stages were set up in the studio, each with its own lighting and sound rig, three of the stages had live bands performing in six 15 minute shows, the work was then judged by three judges on the fourth stage. The four live bands (Red Eye Banquet, Kaz Simmons Jazz Band, Geniac and Barney) provided a wide range of material to enable the camera, sound and lighting operators to have experience working on a real live music show. The first day was for the rig and fine light, the second to rehearse and record the shows.

Each stage was pr

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USA - Knoxville based Bandit Lites is very proud to have again been named as the number one entertainment lighting company in the world at a new awards ceremony held in Phoenix, Arizona on 14 January. Tour Guide Magazine in conjunction with the leading professionals in the entertainment industry named the top artists, managers, agents and production companies in the industry. Bandit Lites was named as the world's top lighting company.

Bandit currently has 42 touring acts on the road in the US and 28 touring acts on the road in Europe, including: Jimmy Buffett, Toby Keith, Queen, Hilary Duff, Lord of The Dance, Keith Urban, Christina Aguilera, System of A Down, and many others. From seven locations around the world Bandit supplies the entertainment industry with a wealth of lighting services on a global basis.

C.E.O. Michael T. Strickland says: "We are very proud of this

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USA - Lighting designer Michael Ledesma used Robe ColorSpot 1200 fixtures as mid and upstage effects lights and to 'paint the scenery' at the high profile Y-100 Jingle Ball, which featured nine top artists including Will Smith, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Ray-J, T-Pain, and The Pussycat Dolls.

The gig was staged at the Bank Atlantic Centre in Fort Lauderdale Florida, home to the Florida Panthers Hockey Club. It was promoted by local radio station Y-100 and attracted a crowd of 17,000. A revolving stage provided by Mountain was used to minimise changeover time between acts, and all lighting equipment was supplied by Paradigm Lighting.

Ledesma worked with his programmer Mike Smrka. Together they ensured that the many creative requirements for all LDs looking after different individual acts were achieved. Paradigm Lighting has used ColorSpot 1200s before on a myriad of television prod

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UK - Café Neo, Whetstone, has dramatically transformed itself this year - creating a modern dining and late night venue for all its customers.

Approached by the management team at the Restaurant Live Exhibition, CGA Integration was asked to provide a flexible ambient lighting solution to create eye catching effects in a small venue. The lighting had to create moods to suit clientele throughout the day and into the night - with the creative adaptability for small private functions.

To create the widest range of moods in the stylish venue, various LED fixtures were specified. Externally, Xilver Sparkles create eye catching features and internally walls and rooms are washed by MR16 Raindrop LEDs. And dimmable fluorescents hidden in a ceiling baffle accentuates design features.

Control of the entire suite is via a Qcommander replica enabling a dramatic spread of effects p

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UK - A.C. Lighting recently provided free technical training sessions for users of MDG fog and haze products.

As the exclusive UK dealer for the MDG product range, A.C. held two one-day sessions at their Northern and Southern sales offices for new and existing end users, carried out by the company's technical services manager and Gaetan Croteau, MDG Technician.

Products covered included the Atmosphere Series APS and Touring haze generators, the Max Series 3000 APS and 5000 APS fog generators, and the Ice Fog Series Compack and Ice Fog low fog generators.

The sessions were designed to provide users with the necessary skills and knowledge required to carry out regular technical preventative maintenance on products, thereby ensuring their continued maximum efficiency, performance and reliability.

After the sessions, which included training on the safe and proper use of BOC ga

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UK - Following their long-term commitment to the product, the Swedish developers of Capture have chosen Kent-based Shock Solutions as sole UK reseller for its real-time lighting design packages. Capture is a software suite for Windows that allows installers and designers to experiment with their ideas in real-time, and also acts as a training tool for operators.

The intuitive 'drag-and-drop' user interface makes any Windows user feel at home and means users can begin working on their designs immediately without the need for any training course, say Shock Solutions. Recent applications range from teaching aids in schools to providing the visualization software for the Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev.

"We're very proud to be associated with Capture. The feedback's been fantastic, especially over the past 12 months as the products begun to get the respect it deserves,"

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USA / Japan - InLight Gobos has signed Mula Corporation of Tokyo - headed by world-renowned lighting designer Mitsumasa Hayashi - as an exclusive dealer for InLight Gobos products. "I have nothing but respect for InLight Gobos and their marvelous products," says Hayashi. "I have used both their standard catalog patterns along with their custom glass patterns. The quality of custom patterns is exquisite, yet the turnaround time is very quick. I'm very impressed with their work."

Hayashi has lit everything from theatre and opera to architectural installations. His recent design credits include John Ken Nuzzo Mozart: His Life, His Operas (National Tour), Yumi Matsutoya YUMING Love the Earth Final (Aichi EXPO), Masaharu Fukuyama 15th Anniversary: We're Bros. Freedom Tour (National Tour), and Physical Theatre O En I Ost (Theatre Apple). Hayashi has also had experi

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UK - The world-renowned Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) will celebrate its tenth anniversary next week, with a joint event that will also launch Liverpool Performs 2006 - the fourth Capital of Culture themed year.

On Monday 30 January - 10 years to the day since LIPA's inauguration - nearly 250 LIPA students and graduates will take part in a gala performance at Liverpool's Philharmonic Hall.The performance will also herald the official launch of Liverpool Performs 2006 - a 12-month celebration of Liverpool's outstanding track record in the arts, sport and business - the latest in a series of themed years leading up to European Capital of Culture in 2008.

LIPA itself is one of the city's best known success stories, committed to its aim of providing high-quality teaching to prepare students for sustained careers in the industry, either as performers

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USA - PRG is pleased to announce that Tim Brennan has re-joined its operations in Las Vegas as sales and customer development executive. Brennan is tapped to develop lighting and theatrical solutions for customers in a variety of markets including theatre, television, concert touring, clubs, and themed environments.

"We're delighted that Tim has returned to PRG," says Jere Harris, PRG's chairman and CEO. "With a wealth of industry experience and resources from his days at Cinema Services and Martin Professional, we look forward to having him continue expanding PRG's business in one of our fastest growing geographical markets."

Brennan got an early start in his entertainment career by accompanying his father, Jim Brennan, founder of Cinema Services, to visit clients at television events and theatres. Before moving to Martin Professional where he was director

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Japan - Kururu is a shopping complex made up of two buildings, each six stories tall. The complex includes more than just shops and restaurants however. A cinema complex and other amusement facilities make Kururu an amusement shopping centre that has been attracting customers since its opening.

The shopping centre sought to add an attractive, eye catching element to the complex, both on the outer façade and inner courtyard area. A dynamic colour changing solution was supplied by Martin Professional Japan in the form of Martin Architectural Exterior 200 and Alien 02 colour changers with lighting design by Reiko Chikada Lighting Design Inc.

Six stories of opal glass windows on both sides of the buildings are illuminated internally using 22 full-range color mixing Alien 02 architectural lights. Vividly distinguishable against the nighttime sky, and visible from around the surrou

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UK - Projected Image Digital provides a one-stop solutions service for Digital Media products. Digital technology is opening up new and exciting possibilities for anyone involved in designing and creating environments and spaces.

As the UK partner of award-winning manufacturer Element Labs, PID will be demonstrating the full range and diversity of their various innovative LED display devices, all of which are being specified for architectural installations worldwide. This will include Versa Tile, Versa Tube and the new Versa Pixel. Using digital media to control the Versa range, any built environment can be transformed into a visually mesmerising space.

Versa Tube is a linear LED effect tube that can produce fabulous moving colour patterns that glow with dynamism. By using live video signal for control, Versa Tube delivers a myriad of different looks from vibrant patterns to l

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UK - Software provider Stardraw.com have announced that support for Mode Lighting (UK) Ltd's Evolution system of architectural lighting control products has been incorporated into their ground-breaking new application, Stardraw Control.

Mode Lighting Ltd is part of the Mode Group of companies dedicated to the design and manufacture of electronic products principally for the lighting industry, including architectural dimming systems, electronic transformers for low voltage lighting, electronic convertors for neon and cold cathode lighting, colour-changing lighting and control systems and LED lighting systems.

Stardraw Control is a software-based application designed expressly to control systems that contain diverse products. It generates stand-alone, customized control programs that can manage and monitor any type of addressable equipment from any manufacturer using any protoco

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UK - Zero 88 has appointed Paul McEwan in the new project sales role, helping consultants, dealers and customers with specifying and installing Zero 88 products. He will also provide a link between the Zero 88 Sales and R&D teams to further improve external feedback regarding product design and manufacture, say the company.

UK market manager Grant Bales-Smith explains: "We are delighted to have Paul on-board. Paul has been specifying and installing Zero 88 products for a number of years and has direct experience of how they perform in the field. His knowledge of the installation sector and its specific requirements will help us enormously as we continue to develop our product range."

Paul fell into the theatre world whilst studying for his 'A' Levels at North Tyneside college in 1982 and has been involved in it ever since. He brings with him a wealth of project and i

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UK - Mercedes-Benz relied on laser specialist LOBO for the presentation of its new GL-Class SUVs on the occasion of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

With recent oil price rises, fuel efficiency is becoming an issue even in the USA, but still Americans hesitate to part from heavy off-road cars. Taking these two factors together, Dieter Zetsche, president of DaimlerChrysler and Mercedes-Benz, presented the audience with a new full-size SUV with what they call the most environmentally-friendly and economical diesel engine of all time.

To help present this new concept, a sophisticated laser production by LOBO was employed.The presentation of the new evhicle began with a video sequence photographed in California by Jaques Steyn, which then smoothly merged into the laser projection. Three-dimensional laser projections symbolized the route from vision to realiza

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UK - Specialist lighting students at Central School of Speech and Drama will benefit from sponsorship and equipment totalling in excess of £125,000. The equipment has been bought and gifted as part of the School's designation as the UK's Centre for Excellence in Training for Theatre.

The equipment will be installed by the end of October, and will provide theatre and studio lighting, as well as furnishing the lighting playground where undergraduate and postgraduate students can work alongside practicing professionals to push the lighting equipment to its limits. It will be situated in newly refurbished buildings, which include a lighting playground, two-floor design studios, editing suites, as well as music practice rooms and brand-new rehearsal spaces.

Lighting tutor Nick Moran says: "Thanks to the award of Centre for Excellence, we have been able to spend over &pou

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UK - Futurelight fixtures provide the heavy artillery in a remarkable Bournemouth nightclub conversion which has provided CanDu Entertainment with its flagship venue, 'Censo'. The former Berlins was given a near £1m makeover in preparation for a pre-Christmas opening. Various design themes were considered before architect/designers Carey Jones Interiors conceived a stunning first floor scheme with both mystical and North African overtones. Shisha pipe smoking areas adorn the tented Arabesque Lounge, while opposite they have borrowed inspiration from the Supper Club in Amsterdam with a series of giant beds.

Facing each other on the other two axes are very distinct areas - the bordello-chic red velvet bar staring down the room at 'The Gods' - a raised, bookable VIP booth holding ten people. And in this theatre of the absurd actors blend inconspicuously to spice up the social

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UK - Isis, a 2000-capacity nightclub on the outskirts of Liverpool, features a retro lighting rig commissioned by Lightworks Technical Services whose Martin Harrison enlisted DiFuzion's Graham Baron to assist with the design.

"We wanted something completely different," said Harrison. "Thus the design became a joint venture, also involving Phil Parsons, who produced all the drawings for the lighting rig."

As a result, the £5 million conversion of the former two-level Smilin' Sams near Croxteth has, as its centrepiece, an aluminium-fabricated full mechanical rig bearing Futurelight scanning and moving effects (distributed in the UK by DiFuzion, the lighting division of Fuzion plc) alongside a DMX Starlite ceiling. These are augmented by various generics, strobes, neon and pinspots - while LED and fibre-optic lighting around the bar represents the

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Iceland - Audio visual rental company Exton has purchased 23 sq m of Barco DLite7 and is the first rental company to buy LED panels in Iceland. The purchase was made via brokers displayLED.

It has taken no time for Exton to put the screen into action. Initially, it has been installed as a digital signage screen in a local mall while a permanent display is built. The screen will then be made available to the local rental market.

Exton's technical manager Kristjan Magnusson comments, "displayLED is the only company we know of that specialises in sales of new and used LED screens. Their wealth of readily available products and knowledge made them the right choice."

Long established, Exton's clients include government agencies, foreign and domestic corporations such as Ford Motor Corporation, Coca Cola and Pirelli, the NATO Ministerial Meeting, Airwaves Music Festival,

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UK - Stage Electrics supplied all moving and intelligent lights for two Celebrity Big Brother locations - in the studio and the outdoor set - plus additional kit for the finale, won last week by Chantelle Houghton.

Darryl Noad was the lighting director for the high profile Endemol-produced series recorded at Elstree Studios for Channel Four. Stage Electrics' project manager was Simon Baker.

The studio element of the rig consisted of 19 Martin Professional MAC 2K washes, used for the regular bi-weekly broadcasts. Sixteen PixelLine 110ec's were also supplied by Stage Electrics to the Little Brother chat show.

The weekly show's exterior rig included 15 MAC 600 NTs in inflatable domes, 8 MAC 2K profiles, 4 MAC 2K washes and 16 JTE PixelLine battens under-lighting the stairs. These were used extensively to light and project graphics and gobos onto the wall of the Big Brother hous

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