Rigging / Staging

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14 March 2016

"This year, Xerox and the EMCC were looking to do something completely different and less corporate, whilst maintaining the Xerox Corporate Brand and the ability to use their standard PowerPoint presentation content," said Hawthorn's project manager, Oliver Moores.

The Hawthorn solution in the main auditorium was to provide a 24m x 7m cyc white backdrop as a massive projection screen, utilising a triple projection system driven by Barco's encore system. This gave the ability to use many creative and interesting backgrounds, both static and animated, with an infinite numb

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14 March 2016

With over 30 years' experience designing and coordinating a wide variety of projects, Suesse specialises in stage rigging and motorised stage equipment. In 1993 he was elected to be a Fellow of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) and is a committee member of ESTA (The Entertainment Services and Technology Association). In 2004 and 2005 he was appointed as a Rigging Subject Matter Expert for the Entertainment Technician Certification Program Council (ETCP). For the past several years he has been an instructor at the IAAM Backstage Boot Camp, instructing facility managers about the operation an

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14 March 2016

Briefed to create a glitzy grand entrance to the red carpet evening at London's Royal Opera House, the Vertigo team designed and built a 660sq.m. roof on Bow Street, using Vertigo's UK-exclusive Libera Flat Truss system to create the roof and supported on 68 Thomas Supertruss legs. The structure had to be designed to allow access room for the public to buildings on Bow Street.

The temporary

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14 March 2016

This major undertaking was funded by Scarborough Borough Council, the Yorkshire Forward regional development agency and the European Regional Development Fund. The 1,924 capacity Grand Hall, at the heart of the Spa Complex, has already reopened for business with brand new production lighting, audio and video systems.

Aside from the new, installed lighting rigs, most of the new production systems have been fligh

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14 March 2016

ENO says it fears reduced funding if government money to the Arts Council does not increase. ENO chief executive, Loretta Tomasi, was quoted on the BBC News website as saying: "Many options have been considered to achieve increased flexibility and a decrease in these 'fixed' costs and, whilst we believe it is vital that ENO retains a strong core of staff, the contractual overhaul includes the potential loss of around 45 jobs across the company."

Commenting on the co

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14 March 2016

Both were among the first in the UK to be awarded the foundation degree in Crowd Management at Buckingham and Chilterns University, in line with Showsec's ongoing training and development programme for all staff.

Showsec managing director Mark Harding comments, "Over many years of dedicated service to Showsec, Mark and Simon have proved themselves to be both great leaders and team players, with unrivalled passion for their work. The loyalty and commitment they have shown, combined with their continuous influence on the progression the company, has left no doubt in my mind that

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14 March 2016

Dublin-based Douglas has used Avolites consoles since the start of his professional career. He used a D4 on the previous US leg of the tour, "so it was a natural choice to continue" he says. He's also the show's programmer and operator, so he wanted a powerful desk that he knew was fast and easy to set up. He adds that with their schedule already including a festival season in the summer, "Features like Fixture Exchange are really invaluable".

Equipment for the European section of the tour is being supplied by Siyan. The stage features some spectacular red curtains, borders and legs, with monitor and guitar worlds onstage also wrapped in matching red materia

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14 March 2016

J&C Joel's Fiona Blackett states, "We chose Brusan to complement the diverse range of theatrical fabrics that we already offer. It's unique and also highly practical for our industry, allowing set pieces to be made quickly and easily. It is also reusable which is perfect for touring companies or those with limited storage space for sets from past productions".

Brusan's flexibility enables endless possibilities in terms of the quick and easy creation textures, three-dimensional shapes and special effects,

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14 March 2016

The staff is retained in its entirety and current managing director Gavin Weatherall continues to run the company, which will now trade as a specialist subdivision of Star Rigging focusing on theatre and trade show/corporate work. He will also take up a place on the board of SEGL as a director and shareholder.

"The inclusion of The Rigging Partnership's team of highly trained technicians undoubtedly gives us the finest collection of event rigging an

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14 March 2016

Hosted by Suggs, of Madness fame, a record 1,200 people from the live entertainment industry attended the ceremony. "It's a great honour to be recognised as an industry leader by your own peers," said a clearly delighted Cronin.

Over the year, Total Solutions provided staging for Kylie, Il Divo and George Michael along with a host of other top artists. The Company specialise in blank paper design challenges such as

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14 March 2016

LTM offers an extensive range of lifting and rigging equipment including the Lodestar and Prostar electric chain hoists which will be promoted at the show. Also on show will be the compact CM Prostar hoists, with increased capacities and speeds. This higher speed version will lift at 6 or 10 m/min (increased from the industry standard 4m/min). A small, lightweight 250kg at 4m/min version is also available.

LTM started manufacturing hoist controllers a year ago and has constructed systems for both direct control and low voltage controlled hoists. The past twelve mon

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14 March 2016

A 14-way Kinesys system - along with all rigging and crew - was supplied by Summit Steel for the UK section of The Killers tour. This was a sub-hire to lighting rental contractors Siyan. Lighting designer Steve Douglas' upstage truss featured four contemporary chandeliers - consisting of steel wire rope drops of lights - rigged onto a truss flown on two Kinesys motors. This was brought in and out at the appropriate moments.

Downstage were three box shaped lighting pods, each suspended on four Kinesys motors - all half tonne CM Lodestar JJs running at up to 21-me

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14 March 2016

For the first time ever, L&SI is offering full-time professionals on the European mainland the chance to sign up for one year's FREE subscription to L&SI magazine - a subscription that would usually cost around 75 euros (£50). Visitors to the show can sign up for this great offer by visiting the PLASA/L&SI stand at the Hall 8.0 Walkway, stand J80. (Look for the VPLT, ESTA & PLASA signs).

(Lee Baldock)

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14 March 2016

The purpose built 3,500sq.m headquarters, just a few miles from Bucharest's Otopeni International Airport, is divided into offices and warehouses. The space enables Paradigma Group to maintain large rental stocks of audio, lighting, video and staging equipment, to provide professional servicing and training facilities, as well as housing the group's sales company including a showroom and maintenance department.

Paradigma Group is a joint venture between Ampco Flashlight Holding BV of Holland and AEI Broadcast Concept, one of the leading facilities companies in R

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14 March 2016

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14 March 2016

During a dormant period of nearly two decades the building greatly deteriorated and suffered extensive water damage. A major restoration project in the 1980s worked to retain and dramatically enhance the building's historic appearance. Without detracting from the prime aesthetics of the building, a new power flying system has been installed to automate the theatre's existing scenery bars, enabling a much quicker turnaround for performances.

The venue is now equipped with 32 BigTow winches and controlled from an Acrobat control console. The power flying system eliminates the use of counterweight cradles, improving the theatre's health & safety backstage. Sta

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14 March 2016

The two companies have exclusive distribution of Kinesys' chain hoist related control products, including the new K2 3D visualisation and control system and the Elevation 1+ hoist controller, for Benelux, Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark.

Dave Weatherhead from Kinesys says that these companies were chosen because: "They are well established, have excellent reputations in their markets and both are already selling complementary products, including chain hoists, cable, basic fixed speed control and so on."

Sonoss also has a rental operation. This allows clients to test the water with new and innovative products without initially having to commit large su

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14 March 2016

These compact winches fly objects at speeds of up to 9m/s and are supplied as stand-alone products or mounted inside truss frames. They have been used for a wide variety of moving effects in the UK and USA including most recently for a high-speed stunt for TV's Desperate Housewives. The truss-mounted products have also been used to fly a stunt man in Mission Impossible 3 in Los Angeles, whilst the same technology whizzes cameras around the sets of Harry Potter and the Golden Compass, for example, in the UK. The winches were also used to defy gravity in the movie Sunshine, which is released on 4 April.

(Lee Baldock)

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14 March 2016

Schlüter brings nearly 10 years experience in the lighting and entertainment industry to Rosco. Most recently, she worked for Lightpower (Rosco's German dealership) and MA Lighting / Rainbow International as the international key account manager.

"I really enjoyed my long-term work with the team of Lightpower and MA Lighting, but now look forward to a new step in this exciting industry. Rosco represents a whole new challenge to me. When the opportunity came up to join them and become a part of their team, I had to go for it. Rosco is on the move and cl

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14 March 2016

Launching the venture at the USITT expo in Phoenix, HSNA announced the deal, with an initial roll call of 10 key dealers including Thern inc, John S. Hyatt & Associates, Gopher Stage, Centre Stage Lighting & Rigging, Schell Scenic Studios, and Westbury National Stage Equipment already confirmed. HSNA will be accepting applications for new dealerships until later this year.

Charles Haines, Hall Stage owner and UK CEO says, "We have been planning an entry into the North American market for over two years, but could not have imagined such a positive response - the reception has been truly

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14 March 2016

This technology enables Stage One to machine out both scenery and 3D objects such as moulds or sculptural pieces, in wood or plastic, with the utmost precision, making "an astonishing variety of 3D models a possibility and allowing the company to offer a rapid prototyping service to customers.

"Machines such as these have been used in other industries, such as furniture making for some time," says Stage One production director Chris Augur. "We believe, however, that this machine is unique to our industry and added to our portfolio, will allow us to provide yet another exclusive service for our clients; in fact it has already caused quite a stir."

Purchas

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14 March 2016

Silent Aircraft Initiative is a joint project between the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute to Technology (MIT). This was set up with the aim of developing a conceptual design for a new low noise aircraft - with sound almost imperceptible outside the perimeter of a daytime urban airport. This requires radically different aircraft and engine designs.

The resulting

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14 March 2016

The Guildhall is a popular venue on the live touring circuit and one with which the touring fraternity is well familiar. The use of the venue was negotiated between GLS's Ian Turner and the Guildhall's head technician, Simon Williams.

Turner explains, "Live Nation and GLS both had technicians, engineers and freelancers, who were interested in doing the Motor School, and it also provided a chance for some of the new people we know who are just getting into the business to get close-up to one of the basic industry standard pieces of kit." The Guildhall was in a similar position, with lots of hoists in their house rig a

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14 March 2016