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UK - The Product Excellence Awards at the PLASA Show has been a popular feature of the event for many years, highlighting the significance of the show as a focus for new developments for the industry. To reinforce this role, the PLASA Awards have undergone an important change for the 2004 event (12-15 September), in order to focus on genuine innovation.

For the re-branded PLASA Awards for Innovation, the judges will be looking for products which advance the industry, demonstrate a new style of thinking, represent a key step forward in safety terms, or improve technical practices. There will be eight Awards for Innovation at the judges' disposal and currently over 60 nominations have been received, with just three weeks before the deadline of Friday 3 September. Exhibitors who still wish to nominate a product are urged to submit their applications as soon as possible. Nominees w

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Italy - With the launch of the DWS2400, dB Technologies has produced the worlds first digital wireless system operating in the 2.4GHz range, thus leading the way to the future of wireless transmission. In the past analogue wireless systems have always required a 'compander system' to increase the 'signal to noise' ratio to a usable level, limiting the range of the dynamics. Not so with the DWS 2400 System.

With the digital wireless system, the analogue signal is converted through a high profile 'Delta Sigma 20bit AD-Converter' in the transmitter into digital data. The data packages are then sent to the receiver and converted back into an analogue signal. This technology produces a full dynamic range and the data transmission also avoids the frequency modulation of an analogue system. The result is a crystal clear sound without hissing.

A proprietary patented real time error co

Area 4 (Milos) - Banner #1 - August 2025

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Ireland - For about a year now, film equipment rental company Arri has been using a Telex BTR-700 intercom system - most recently on the set of the Touchstone/Bruckheimer production King Arthur. Most of the shooting for the film was done during a six-month period in Ireland, and the BTR-700 played a vital role.

Hans Lehner, one of the Arri technicians responsible for camera and stage equipment, said: "The system was used by key members of the crew - the director, the camera operators, the director of photography and the crane operator. At times, up to five of them were hooked up at the same time during a take, exchanging information and correcting or fine-tuning settings they had tried out earlier - such is the clarity of the system that they were able to communicate in whispers so as not to bleed into the production audio during passages of dialogue. The BTR-700 was

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USA - Alabama-based TLS Inc has appointed Alan Grant as a service and production technician to work with the company's growing list of lighting production customers. Recently employed as a pyrotechnics operator and designer, Grant also has experience as a rigger and lighting technician. He brings 12 years of touring and technical experience to his new job, including a number of large-scale productions such as NSYNC's No Strings Attached, Metallica's Garage Days Revisited and Reba McEntire's Starting Over.

(Lee Baldock)

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USA - Elation Professional has been appointed the exclusive North American distributor for Antari products. Based in Taiwan, Antari has been designing and manufacturing fog machines for 20 years, as well as other atmospheric effects such as snow and bubble machines.

"We are extremely proud to represent such a world-renowned supplier as Antari," said John Lopez, national sales manager for Elation Professional. "Not only do they make some of the highest quality fog machines, but for the past two decades they've been a leader in research and development and have introduced countless innovations to the category."

Elation Professional will exhibit the Antari line at the 2004 LDI Show (Booth #2000) in Las Vegas, October 22-24, and a range of the Taiwanese manufacturer's newest foggers and other atmospheric effects will be on display. "We are very excited t

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UK - tsg, the national media programming and systems design company, has recently relocated to purpose-built premises including offices, promedia production facility and media duplication suite in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The move is a controlled expansion, say the company, following recent gains across all market sectors, and provides the company with an opportunity to bring its four Sheffield offices under one roof, just 10 miles from the company's 'spiritual' home in Sheffield.

Commenting on the move, Paul Stead, tsg's managing director, said: "As an enlightened SME, we recognized the gains to be had from moving to a new location. The move will allow us to offer a far speedier response to our customers' needs through improved internal linkages, and also provides for a far stronger team dynamic. The staff love our new home and we look forward to welcoming our many custom

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UK - ETS Sales & Hire is based just outside Norwich, where it provides a comprehensive repair service to the sound and light industry as well undertaking full electro/mechanical installations.

Run by partners Les Bell and Paul Saunders and ably assisted by Jenny Wright, over the past six years, the company has developed a simple, methodical approach to acquiring clients and building business relationships. Naturally included are many of the holiday and leisure groups who operate along the East coast from Lincolnshire via Norfolk to Hampshire in the South.

ETS has just completed its first audio system installation for its new clients Haven, part of the Bourne Leisure Group a portfolio that includes Butlins, British Holidays and Warners holidays.

Bell explains: "We had provided repair facilities for a number of the Haven sites, but had never had the opportunity to present

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Canada - On 1 September this year Cast Software will release WYSIWYG R10, featuring long-awaited improvements to the plotting functionality of WYSIWYG. The software is available for download or purchase on the Cast Software website.

Gil Densham, president and CEO of Cast Software said: After discussing the strengths and weaknesses of WYSIWYG with many users from around the world, we realized that a common concern was the ability to create professional looking lighting plots. A new section named "New Plot" was added to WYSIWYG's Presentation mode. In this section, the "model" drafted in CAD mode is transposed into a schematic that users can easily manipulate to create a detailed lighting plot.

For the first time, users can edit fixture attribute layouts onscreen, plot vertical hang structures such as booms, and notate the lighting plot without affecting the

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USA - The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) has announced that Production Resource Group (PRG) has made a substantial $100,000 donation to the development of the new Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP). PRG's contribution brings the total pledges received to date to just over $600,000.

Announcing the donation, Jere Harris, chairman and CEO of PRG, stated: "PRG is proud to be a cornerstone sponsor of the ETCP. We recognize that our future success will be tied to the skills and training of our people, and the ETCP will help us identify the very best technicians available."

"We are very pleased that the PRG has recognized this important program with their very significant and generous contribution. For this program to succeed, it is essential to have support from major employers like PRG," said Tim Hansen, ETCP Council

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UK - MP Event Trailers and ROKA will be joining forces on a stand at the Showman's Show 2004, showcasing a selection of their state of the art exhibition and hospitality trailers and mobile bar and catering units.

MP Event Trailers has made heavy investment in its hire fleet this year, producing Rainbow 18, manufactured in Holland by pan European brand, Lamboo Specials, for which MP Event Trailers is the sole UK agent. The Rainbow 18 currently offers the largest expandable internal space (plus a roof terrace) of any specialist exhibition trailer in the UK, operated by a one-touch button hydraulic system. Due to the demand for the Rainbow 18, its smaller sibling, the Rainbow 8 will be on display at the Showman's Show, reflecting the same bespoke design and marketing opportunities as the larger trailer.

ROKA is a supplier of high quality mobile bar and catering units, both for h

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Producers will be expected to pay for much of the cost of recycling electrical waste

Just waiting around the corner for UK companies are two pieces of environmental protection legislation that may just turn the electrical and electronics equipment industries on their heads.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE, yes - an unfortunate acronym that!) and the Restriction of the use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (RoHS) are in the final stages of a governmental consultation. They are being produced in order to implement Directives 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

If adopted in their proposed form, the WEEE Regulations will see all those companies who manufacture, d

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UK - Royal London Private Equity (RLPE) has announced the completion of the £33.5m management buy-out of McKenzie Group (MKG), the UK's leading owner and operator of nationwide live music and club venues, including South London's award -winning concert venue, Carling Academy Brixton.

The investment by RLPE provides MKG with the financial strength to pursue its ongoing strategy of rolling out the Academy brand across the UK, building on its existing successful venues. Carling Academy Brixton is MKG's flagship venue, having hosted major live acts including the Rolling Stones, Madonna and Eminem. MKG owns further Academy venues in Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool and Islington (London), as well as West London's Shepherd's Bush Empire and Bar Academy sites in London and Birmingham.

RLPE is taking a 52% stake with existing shareholders, MKG's management and three of the U

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UK - Stardraw.com and Dove Net Technologies have announced that background music provider Muzak has opted to standardize its proposal-generation and audio systems design and documentation procedure on Stardraw A/V and The Project System. Originally known for its infamous 'elevator music', today Muzak provides sophisticated music, voice and sound systems to over 350,000 clients worldwide. Drawing from a vast library of over 1.5 million CDs, the company has an ever-evolving pool of original music programs that can be tailored to the client's specific requirements. Over 100 million people hear Muzak every day, be it in Gap or McDonalds or countless private homes and businesses.

The Project System brings to the table a flexible estimating platform that will be used by the National Accounts Division of Muzak to speed up its estimating process on system installations around the count

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UK - Charcoalblue, the UK's newest theatre consultancy, was formed in February of this year by three theatre professionals who had previously worked together at Theatre Projects Consultants - namely Andy Hayles, Jon Stevens and Jack Tilbury. Hayles explains: "We decided that the time was right to branch out on our own. It wasn't an easy decision, but we had a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve."

Each member of the team has a strong background in the theatre. Hayles was previously chief electrician at Richmond Theatre Royal. Stevens has worked at the RSC in Stratford, toured with Opera North and was head of sound at Glyndebourne Opera. He still does lighting design when he gets a chance - most recently The Makropulos Case at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Tilbury began his career as a theatre production manager, and went on to project manage for Imagination at the Millenn

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UK - Captained by Dan Heasman, Clarion Events took a day off from the organization of the PLASA Show to take on a Pro Sound & Light Invitation XI - led by Lightfactor Sales' Paul DeVille - in the annual D&M Professional (previously Hayden Labs) Cricket Challenge.

DeVille's motley crew included three members of the press corps - Charles Ward (DJ Magazine), Lee Baldock (Lighting & Sound International) and Gez Kahan (MI Pro) - all of whom acquitted themselves with distinction. Also present were PLASA's Matthew Griffiths and Shane McGreevy. However, the man of the match award was won by D&M's Miles Brooke who, batting late in the innings, brought the Industry XI's sorry-looking tally up to a respectable score.

This is the sixth time the two sides have met in the picturesque Berkshire village of Littlewick Green, the home club of D&M Pro's Simon Curtis, who organizes the fixture. Clarion

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UK - Chris Cronin of Total Fabrications Ltd has announced the formation of Total Solutions Group, established to manage a suite of well-known brands associated with trussing in the entertainment industry.

Sitting under the umbrella of the Group will be the brands Total Fabrications, Slick (one of the oldest truss manufacturers in the industry, purchased by Total Fabrications in 2003), T2 (the Award-winning, high-specification safety truss), Total Training (the new rigging training initiative set up by the company) and New Wave (the decorative trussing brand which has won numerous awards). New Wave is marketed by TSG for its US-based sister company Total Structures, which remains separate from the new TSG structure.

Some of the Group's brand names - Total Fabrications, T2 and Slick - are available for manufacture under license in other countries around the world, through technology tr

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UK - Established in 1990, Sound Division has come a long way since its roots as a sales and service provider in the DJ technology field. Since the restructuring of the company in 2000, managing director David Graham has worked hard to develop other areas of the business with the result that now, some four years on, Sound Division is a much broader-based concern. Today, the company encompasses contracts and installations as a key area of its market, and a thriving entertainments and corporate events division run by Chris Baxter, which trades under the name of 'Sounds Good To Me' - as well as its traditional hire and sales operations.

While Sounds Good To Me is a side of the business that has always done well under Baxter's direction, and continues to do so, Graham is particularly pleased at the way in which business has taken off for the contracts division. Over the last two to three ye

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UK - The entrepreneurial aspirations of two well-known entertainment industry figures are being unveiled this month, with the launch of a new company, Global Design Solutions (GDS).

GDS is the creation of Matt Lloyd and Richard Cuthbert (both previously of Stage Electrics). The company boasts many strings to its bow, in both technical and commercial arenas, not least of which is the development of new global products specifically related to the technical entertainment presentation industries - R&D for two of which is already well underway.

"We're bringing new, innovative ideas to the marketplace and creating solutions," says Lloyd. "We've identified gaps in the market and are using our expertise and imagination to create forward-thinking design ideas which we'll license to manufacturers and end-users."

Alongside product development, the main direction of GDS wi

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UK - The entertainment technology industry seems to have reached an age where the time is right to take stock of its roots. Initiatives include the sociological - recall our report on Paul Dexter's RoadCases project (L&SI May 2004) which aims to record the experiences of rock and roll roadies for posterity - and the technological, with the NEET project . . .

NEET - the National Exhibition of Entertainment Technology - first materialized in 1999, founded by Jason Williams. After serving as the secretary for the Projected Picture Trust, which deals with protecting the heritage of the cinema industry, Williams realized that there was very little effort being made to protect the heritage of other entertainment technologies. Hence NEET, created with a simple set of objectives: to locate, preserve, and exhibit early examples of entertainment technology, providing a valuable educational and h

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Money raised by the PLASA Awards for Innovation was presented to the following good causes in order to help with the purchase of new equipment and facilities. Each organization received a cheque for £3,500 during the Awards ceremony.

Livewire Youth Project: A youth centre in Cornwall providing facilities for young people in music and performing arts.

Rehearsal Room Pilot Scheme: Supported by the Live Music Forum. Aims to provide rehearsal facilities and equipment in three UK urban areas.

Camberwell Music Project: Aims to enhance the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) aspect of music teaching, and provide facilities for the local community.

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UK - PLASA 2004 opened its doors on Sunday 12th September to enthusiastic crowds, with a full show, hundreds of exciting products and a real buzz across the show floor. Both visitors and exhibitors are commenting that the excitement is back and the industry future looks bright.

The Product Excellence Awards at the PLASA show have been a popular feature of the event for many years, highlighting the significance of the show as a focus for new developments for the industry. To reinforce this role, the awards have undergone an important change for 2004 with the focus being much more on genuine innovation and have been relaunched as the PLASA Awards for Innovation. The previous assessment criteria, which segmented the nominations into sectors, has been removed so that products were not judged within category lines, but on the grounds of their innovation alone. The judges looked for

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UK - At the close of the 2004 PLASA Show in London this week, it was clear that a new level of confidence has returned to the industry, with buyers making substantial orders of new equipment and a high level of visitor quality being reported by exhibitors across the show floor.

James Thomas Engineering, Cadac Electronics, A.C. Lighting, Artistic Licence, D&M Professional, Vidicom, LSC Lighting, Le Mark, LDR, Strand Lighting, Robe Show Lighting, Fuzion and Rackz were among the many companies who expressed their satisfaction at the level of business conducted and the quality of the trade visitors to the exhibition.

Glyn O'Donoghue, product development director at A.C. Lighting, told PLASA Media that the response to the Jands Vista console had far exceeded expectations, with no less than 12 consoles sold at the show - as well as hundreds of the new Chroma-Q Color Block LED modul

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USA - Road Cases, the organization established to chronicle on-the-road exploits through the eyes of backstage and sometimes onstage touring personnel, has joined with TV documentary experts, Incue Productions to shoot their first film in Las Vegas at the Entertainment Technology Show (ETS) on 24 October, 2004. Incue, a Los Angeles-based production company specializing in HBO First Looks, behind the scenes 'making of' specials, promos and documentaries, will be taking HD cameras into the seminar rooms at the Sands Convention Center.

"Filming guest panelists in a 'talk show' setting is just one segment of the concept," says Paul Dexter, who founded Road Cases along with partner Larry McNeny. "We have invited a diverse group of road guys with a tremendous amount of experience and personality that range from serious and sophisticated to cynical and witty."

R

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UK - Anthony Newton has succeeded Katharine Williams as technical director of NSDF; The National Student Drama Festival. The Festival, held over the Easter period each year, will be celebrating its fiftieth birthday this March and Anthony welcomes the challenge this unique event will bring.

Anthony, now an Edinburgh based lighting designer, has attended the festival as a member of the technical crew since 1999. He was then at school in Scarborough; his home town and home of the Festival for 16 years now. Aged 21 Anthony is one of the youngest technical directors to date and comes to the position fresh from graduating from Queen Margaret's University College, Edinburgh.

Katharine has stepped down from the role she has held for over three years in order to further develop her career as a freelance lighting designer. From her base in London, Katharine has worked throughout the UK

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  3. Power Logistics: no Virgins to Festivals
  4. JVC command wall installed at Warrington Council
  5. John Henry's acquires Sensible Music Rental
  6. Sarah Cox for Live Business International
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