UK - The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015 Awards took place on 13 October. Held annually at the Natural History Museum, the awards ceremony celebrates the finest wildlife photography from across the globe. Following more than 42,000 entries submitted from 96 countries, the eventual winner was Canadian photographer Don Gutoski with his image Tale of Two Foxes. Having previously worked on the event, White Light once again provided the lighting support for this year's ceremony.

The evening took place in the Hintze Hall, with 220 invited guests in attendance. As with most award ceremonies, the museum wanted to implement a particular theme for the occasion. Alice Beer, Events and filming manager at the Natural History Museum, comments, "Each year we choose an image from the finalists to establish the theme of the ceremony. For 2015, we chose the image of a pangolin.

Australia - Abba tribute band Björn Again have been delivering great nights out since their formation in Melbourne in 1988. The only tribute band endorsed by Abba themselves, they have toured the world, played major festivals and entertained the stars. Lighting designer Alex Saad is currently on the road with Björn Again, and chooses High End Systems Hog platform to light up the feel-good show night after night, venue after venue.

"We were in Port Douglas on Thursday, Townsville on Friday and Canberra on Saturday," reported Alex, "and everywhere I go I ask for a Hog and nothing else. Björn Again own a HedgeHog4, we often pick-up a HedgeHog 4N, and I prefer to use a Hog 4. Staying in the Hog family is great because I can go from one platform to the other and not lose anything. I can also take a HedgeHog home for pre-programing and run the show on a Hog 4."<

USA - Nashville, TN based production and lighting designer Chris Lisle of Chris Lisle Lighting Design has created an elegant stage look for country singer Miranda Lambert's Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour, featuring Robe moving lights supplied by Bandit Lites, also based in Nashville.

The tour runs for five weekends in the US over October and is based on the concept of playing smaller and more intimate spaces on the touring circuit, allowing Lambert - known as a great communicator - to be close to her already loyal audience and reach out to potential new fans.

Chris has worked with the prolific and successful star since she opened on a section of Keith Urban's 2005 world tour.

He decided to specify 20 x Robe BMFLs Spots, 24 x Pointes and 19 x LEDWash 600s for his primary moving lights to give plenty of versatility and scope.

The BMFLs and Pointes are spread out al

Brazil - Queen + Adam Lambert's recent Latin American tour comprised six shows in Argentina, Chile and Brazil, featuring a suitably impressive lightshow created by UK based designer Rob Sinclair, who has brought his magic visual touch to the QAL project since 2012.

Lighting for the three Brazilian dates in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre was supplied by leading Latam rental company LPL who are based in Sao Paolo and featured a total of 137 Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 2500E ATs.

This was a continuation of the ongoing 2014-15 world tour which had visited North America, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The band wanted their enthusiastic Latam fanbase to experience the proper touring QAL experience, so brought their full production including Q-shaped set and ramp, sniffer kabuki, smoke and cryo machines and backline, sourcing the lighting, LED screens a

USA - LD Nook Schoenfeld was the first lighting designer to use Elation Professional's much anticipated Platinum FLX hybrid moving head, as well as the company's new ACL 360 Matrix narrow-beam LED effect light, and came away wholly satisfied. Both lights had their show premieres at a VIP-only Sheryl Crow concert held on the Trestles Stage just prior to the opening of the inaugural Kaaboo Festival in Del Mar, California.

"I really liked the Platinum FLX and Elation should be commended for this fixture," lighting designer Nook Schoenfeld stated just hours after Sheryl Crow's performance. "Being the first time anyone had used these fixtures I had to get a rushed fixture library to use in my console. So I was actually unsure of what I would see on stage for that evening's performance as I wrote the entire light show in the light of the California sun. But here's where

USA - Global design software developer Vectorworks, Inc. has acquired the ESP Vision product line, including the well-known Vision Pro, one of the most advanced pieces of lighting pre-visualization software available for both PC and Mac operating systems.

For the last 10 years, lighting, film, TV, exhibit, concert, theatre and other designers have been exporting their light plots, scenic designs and event models created with Vectorworks Spotlight software to ESP Vision to cue and visualize award-winning experiences. This announcement creates a path to further enable such workflow collaboration.

"This purchase fortifies Vectorworks' global market leadership position and signals our continuous commitment to the entertainment design industry at a time when visualization capabilities are becoming a more mission-critical, cost-effective means of cueing a show in advance,"

UK - Stage Electrics has announced the relocation of its London operation to new premises in Southwark. The company will continue to offer Hire, Sales and Live Events services from the new London premises just 1.6 miles from the old premises and just 3 miles from the heart of the West End.

Greg Wood of Stage Electrics commented: "We continue to offer our London customers our full range of services, we move a huge amount of hire equipment and sales goods through the London operation each month and having a central London premises to coordinate this is an important part of our strategy.

Stage Electrics provides audio, lighting, staging and video equipment to a wide range of theatre, events, broadcast and corporate clients in and around London. The London operation carries stocks of consumable items, including a comprehensive range of lighting filters, tape and batteries ava

Europe - Spandau Ballet recently played their Soulboys of the Western World world tour with a lighting and stage design by Patrick Woodroffe.

The lighting was operated by lighting director and programmer Roland Greil using two grandMA2 full-size consoles and four MA NPU (Network Processing Unit) which were controlling nearly 130 moving lights and, amongst others, 315 LED panels.

Says Roland, "It was our intention to have a straight and elegant design that could provide theatrical as well as rock'n'roll looks. Therefore we focused on using only three different types of moving lights, amongst them Clay Paky Mythos and Philips Vari*Lite VL3500 Washes. That offered the flexibility we needed. Furthermore, the grandMA2 system was a great choice and proved once more its advantages and power, especially when adapting the show to various different lighting systems in the gi

UAE - Over thirty Philips Showline SL NITRO 510C LED strobes have dazzled audiences at the packed opening party for WHITE club Dubai's third season.

WHITE Dubai is situated on the rooftop of the Meydan Grandstand racecourse. Each season sees a roster of international DJs take to the decks, with the club offering one of the most extravagant audio-visual party experiences in the Middle East.

During the opening party's 'reality-altering' light show, the Philips Showline strobes were employed to deliver bursts of colour that filled the space with light. The SL NITRO 510C is the colour version of the highly popular SL NITRO 510 and boasts an array of 264 tightly packed RGB LEDs to ensure maximum output.

"The SL NITRO 510C fixtures played a huge role in providing intense colour washes in conjunction with the LED wash lights," says the club's lighting designer Dave Parry

UK - Flightcase, loudspeaker component and 19 inch rack manufacturer Penn Elcom has launched a new LED rack light - the RADM-23 Raclite.

The RADM-23 1U Raclite is designed to be fitted to any 19 inch equipment rack, providing a flexible, elegant and practical solution for illuminating equipment in dark and dingy environments.

Suitable for the stage wings or dimmer, amp and control rooms, 25 x super bright high quality cool-white (6500K) LED emitters provide a crisp wash optimised to give clear vision of all the kit in the rack, allowing the status of equipment to be checked and assessed, and all the vital information and monitoring seen at a glance.

A 130 - 150 degree variable beam angle on the LEDs offers further visibility depending on the location and set-up of the installation, and a universal 12 Volt power supply means that it can be plugged in anywhere in the world.

USA - From film to television to theatre and the concert stage, there are several tools beloved by designers; a recent addition to that list of must-have products is LED tape. Enttec has been leading the way in easy-to-use, bright, LED tape, and is now launching the 8PW and 8PX series of LED tape. Both offer designers a new option: White LEDs.

Both the 8PX and 8PW series of LED tape are individually addressable and suitable for both stage and architectural applications, as well as any other indoor application; their use is only limited by the imagination of the designer.

The 8PW and 8PX LED tape offers designers flexibility as well; they can be joined together, cut to a smaller length, and are available in three different densities: 30, 60 and 144 pixels per meter. As expected, the brightness increases with the pixel density. Both the 8PW and the 8PX tape are backed by 3M adhe

Germany - Setting up a lighting network can be a complex and time consuming process. Especially when integrating different products using various lighting protocols.

MA Lighting has a solution. With the new MA Network Switch, the setup time and the level of complexity to achieve an optimised lighting network is radically reduced, says the company. MA now offers the complete lighting control solution from MA console, via MA Network Switch and its network infrastructure to MA DMX distribution.

In combination with the MA consoles and additional MA networking devices the MA Network Switch provides a very easy to use solution, even for complex lighting systems. Incorporating the hardware and software features MA is famous for.

The MA Network Switch is designed to simplify the set-up and management of today's lighting networks. A simple and intuitive web browser based user interfa

UK - As the exclusive UK distributor for four of the most respected manufacturers in the lighting industry, Ambersphere Solutions provide a gateway to some of the most innovative lighting products on the market. As always, the team at Ambersphere went that extra mile to offer visitors the warmest of welcomes at stand B10. Representatives from all four brands alongside the Ambersphere lineup were there to welcome, inform and discuss the extensive range of products on show.

Joining the team of Clay Paky fixtures, the Mythos, the Stormy, the SuperSharpy is the brand new Scenius. This moving head spotlight boasts a 95 CRI light quality and a wide 80-500 zoom combined with all the sophisticated features one would expect from Clay Paky. Also attracting interst was the Spheriscan, a whole new take on the scanner light of the 90s; its mirror has a continuous pan rotation with speeds of

UK - Battery powered LED lighting manufacturer Core Lighting recently supplied fashion and art exhibition Off The Wall with a fully wireless LED lighting solution.

Presented at the Art Couture Painswick (ACP) Gallery in Painswick, a historic town in the picturesque Cotswolds, the six-week installation included creations from fashion icons Philip Treacy, Alexander McQueen, Selina Blow and many more, plus high profile works from sculptors, leather designer Mary Wing To and Peter Pullion (creator of the original Orville the Duck puppet) and a miscellany of other artefacts and exhibits.

When it came to lighting the space, the existing lighting wasn't suitable and a completely different approach was needed that was good looking, contemporary and portable, so organisers ACP approached Core's Phil Ion with the challenge.

Phil, who also lives locally, jumped at the chance, &q

Italy - Gianna Nannini's most recent, long-awaited Hitalia Rocks tour brought the star live to major sports arenas in Italy. This tour followed and celebrated the release of Gianna's latest album, Hitalia. The entire album is devoted to the most beautiful Italian popular music songs of the twentieth century, performed for the first time by Gianna Nannini with her unmistakable voice.

Lighting designer Carlo Pastore and Gianna met professionally for the first time in 2011, in a show where Patrick Woodroffe was in charge of setting up and directing the lighting design. That tour was entrusted to the care of Eneas Mackintosh, founder of Lime Light.

At the time, Carlo Pastore was a programmer and Eneas's lighting assistant. During the second part of the tour, he was put in control of lighting desk operations and that was when he met Gianna Nannini.

"We met again this

USA - It isn't often that a new artist wins three Dove Awards, the Christian music equivalent of the Grammys, in the same year. Then again, few things about Lauren Daigle's music can be described as "ordinary." The 2015 Dove New Artist of the Year has captivated audiences and catapulted herself to the top of the Christian music charts by blending sacred music with a potent mix of zydeco, Cajun and blues from her native Louisiana. Bobby Dennis matched Daigle's eclectic performance note for high-energy note by drawing on some versatile power of his own in the form of the Rogue RH1 Hybrid moving fixture from Chauvet Professional.

The technical director of The Heights Baptist Church outside Dallas, Dennis flew six of the 330W Rogues in front of stage positions when Daigle appeared at his well-known house of worship. "There are a lot of nice performance features in the

USA - During the LDI 2015 show in Las Vegas, attendees found a range of lighting, video, and automation innovations in the PRG Solutions Studio.

This year Production Resource Group L.L.C. (PRG) showcased cutting edge developments that continue to provide practical yet inventive solutions to the various challenges of production. PRG understands that true innovation must enable producers, designers, gaffers, cinematographers and technicians to work smarter - to accomplish more, with greater efficiency, at lower costs.

One of the innovations making its debut at LDI was the PRG GroundControl Remote Followspot System. Followspot control hasn't changed for decades. It's time to take the truss spot operator out of the truss and put him on the ground where it's safer and more efficient to operate the followspot.

The PRG GroundControl System allows a technician to remotely operate a

USA - Robe Lighting rocked Las Vegas this weekend - presenting its largest booth at any LDI expo to date, complete with its first major new product launch at an LDI show with the BMFL Wash and BMFL Wash XF luminaires.

Robe upped the stakes at the popular U.S. entertainment technology exhibition to reflect the surge in growth of its business in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

The eye-catching stand was busy from the moment the show opened, where visitors could enjoy an action packed program including comprehensive demonstrations of all Robe's technology new to the U.S. market.

This included the powerful and refined DL7S Profile, an LED fixture built for theatres and TV studios; the Square, a 5x5 zoomable LED matrix for video projection, pixel animation, beam effects plus a highly effective wash and cyc light with continuous pan/tilt rotation movement; the ColorSt

UK - Russell Howard is about to start filming his 10th series of the hit show Russell Howard's Good News. At first it was made at Riverside Studios but when they closed the show moved to Shepperton. For this 2015 series it is based at The London Studios on the South Bank.

Filmed for BBC Two by Avalon Television, the topical comedy show looks at his unique perspective of some of the big stories dominating the news that week. Good News includes sketches and guest appearances as well as stand up from Russell.

Lighting director Martin Kempton has updated the rig and it now includes a mix of MAC Auras and Martin Stagebar 54s with a few MAC 700s and VL1000s, all supplied by RML. He explained that the Auras are the perfect wash light for this show. "Behind Russell are three giant projected images relating to the topic he is discussing. The stage floor is lit with a

USA - Lighting designer Benoit Richard, of Millennium Lighting Design, Inc, chose his first use of Ayrton MagicDot-R fixtures for the video shoot of NBC's spectacular NFL Sunday Night Football Open, employing 60 units in his design.

The Sunday Night Football opening sequence is the official introduction to America's prime time Sunday night programme and features Carrie Underwood for the third year running. Filmed in June on Stage 23 at Warner Brothers, Burbank, the Open was first broadcast nationwide on 13 September 2015, with weekly updates tailored to feature each Sunday's rival teams.

This year marked a style change - described as Nashville meets Hollywood - with the creation of a large virtual video backdrop and a new arrangement of the famous theme tune, Waiting All Day for Sunday Night, which Underwood performs in front of a live audience, amid real and projected

Republic of Congo - Brazzaville had the honour of celebrating the 11th edition of the African Games in September 2015, marking not only the 50th anniversary of the Games (held every four years) but also the return to Brazzaville, which hosted the very first edition back in 1965.

Organized by the African Union (AU), this multi-sports event drew in participants from 54 nations with a programme of 22 separate sports disciplines plus two additional disability sports.

GL events Audiovisual, a subsidiary to GL events Group, was tasked with the exceptional closing ceremony of the Games. From design to production, the teams focus was fully on guaranteeing top-quality service within sound, lighting and video. To achieve the best possible light installation, they selected 18 G-Spot LED moving heads from SGM with an IP-rating of 65.

French lighting designer, Vincent Mongourdin, worked

UK - The new Zero 88 FLX lighting console by Eaton made a massive difference to the power and control that lighting designer Guy Thatcher had at his fingertips on the main stage at the 2015 Tilfest event - a popular annual real ale and music festival staged in a marquee in the grounds of the White Horse pub in Tilbrook, Cambridgshire.

Technical production - including all lighting and sound - for Tilfest 2015 was provided by Phantom Power headed by Clive Nicholes, a Cambridgeshire based rental and production company supplying festivals, live events, dance and theatre shows.

The FLX console is a new purchase by Phantom Power that was supplied via Impact Products in Northampton.

Guy first saw the FLX in action at a Zero 88 product information day - Phantom Power already owned a Zero 88 Solution console, which everyone liked, but when Guy received the FLX demo, it really stood o

Italy - Next to Normal has been one of the most successful musicals on Broadway in recent years. The production has now arrived in Italy thanks to the far-sighted planning and production of the STM (musical theatre school) in conjunction with the Compagnia della Rancia (Rancia musical theatre company).

The musical made its debut as a preview on 7 March 2015 at the Teatro Coccia in Novara with a cast of professionals from the Compagnia della Rancia directed by Marco Iacomelli. The scenery was designed by Gabriele Moreschi, costumes by Carla Ricotti, choreographies by Gillian Bruce, and lighting by Valerio Tiberi.

Next to Normal started in 1998 in the United States as a workshop lasting just 10 minutes. Ten years later, it was a short step from the first Off-Broadway performance to its final seal of approval on Broadway itself. The musical made its début at

UK - PLASA (the Professional Lighting and Sound Association) has outlined its current position in the wake of various recent changes, and asked for Members' feedback on its next steps as it moves forward into a new phase of its existence.

Speaking at a meeting for PLASA Members held during the PLASA Show, John Simpson, PLASA Governing Body chairman and chairman of the White Light Group of companies, said, "Without doubt our major issue this year has been that of diminishing profit, which has led to a critical cash-flow problem for the organisation.

"We have taken action in implementing cost-cutting measures across many parts of PLASA, including reduction in staff, putting the Eastbourne office up for sale and a substantial restructure of the organisation. We have overcome the immediate cash flow problems for 2015, but will be limited in services we can provide during

Latest Issue. . .

Save
Cookies user preferences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline
Advertisement
If you accept, the ads on the page will be adapted to your preferences.
Google Ad
Accept
Decline