Rigging / Staging

Details

14 March 2016

SceneControl 500, in use in theatres, performing arts centres and concert halls, provides top-of-the-line motion control. SceneControl 500's accurate, 3D display of the theatre lets technicians easily select the sets they want to control on the touch screen. The user-friendly interface lets users develop simple or elaborate cues and modify them to match the flow of each performance. Using SceneControl 500, operators can move scenery, lighting, acoustical banners, reverberation doors, travelers, speaker clusters, winches, revolves, orchestra lifts and more.

Scenic designers can now prepare SceneControl 500 by downloading a show from the SceneControl 500 console to a laptop computer, and using SceneControl's intuitive 3D interface to select ba

Details

14 March 2016

The roof was erected in Thuwal, a small village on the Red Sea coast to the north of Jeddah, and was the setting for a foundation stone laying ceremony to launch KAUST - the SR10 billion King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud himself laid the cornerstone. The occasion was marked with a groundbreaking ceremony. KAUST is intended to help Saudi Arabia have a world-class independent scientific research centre that acts as a scientific base and a driving force for the national economy.

Serious was

Details

14 March 2016

clearview is the first system of its kind, a parabolic reconfigurable seating design that allows each row of seats to be altered to deliver optimum sightlines for different events or venues. For event organisers in live music, stadia and sporting events, the system also affords the flexibility to increase capacity in restricted areas, while offering audiences a better view in comfort.

clearview is the result of three years research and development by the UK-based company's team of engineers and the new product has already been awarded international patents for its numerous engineering advances.

Arena director John Poyner comments, "At the core of clearview is some relatively simple bu

Details

14 March 2016

The MR5's maximum dimensions are 27.8m wide by 17.8m deep, which offers 13.5m of headroom - enough to accommodate a wide range of large lighting and sound rigs and video systems. The maximum loading on this version of the MR5 is 15 tonnes.

Milos' M950 trussing is the largest system in the current trussing range and is designed to make long spans and for flying heavy loads. It utilises 60 x 5 mm main tubes with 32 x 3mm bracing spars, and is available in Quatro and compact Folding versions as well as a variety of standard lengths.

(Jim Eva

Details

14 March 2016

The TrusSleeve is made out of Trevira CS, an inherently flame retardant (FR) yarn. The fabric is seamless and can be perforated to attach lights and hide cables.

When a TrusSleeve is lit up from the inside, the light is equally distributed, due to the ribbed fabric structure. TrusSleeves are available in black or white to create different atmospheres. Thanks to the fabric's elasticity one sleeve can fit various truss sizes.

The ShowTex Group is provide rental, sales and installation of showbiz textiles and draperies on a top international level and aims at offering a complete fabric product range with the highest flame-retardanc

Details

14 March 2016

While X Factor rehearsed in the Studio, the Litestructures stage and set department were busy putting the finishing touches on a custom stage set for Westlife. Litestructures has built Westlife's stage sets for the past five years, but this year's was the biggest yet with a 72ft wide, 40ft deep and 12ft high stage. It also featured Litestructures' 3.5m high modular climbing leg lift made of LitePro 4 Heavy Duty truss which was specially designed for the show.

Fresh from their US tour, Editors dropped into Litestructures Studios for two days in February to prepare for their European tour which started on 26 February in Glasgow.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

The Hoist & Truss workshop featured the disassembly and reassembly of a one ton Lodestar as well as a Prostar with Dave Carmack of Columbus McKinnon. Dave Sowa of Tomcat USA led a discussion on control systems and also coached an advanced troubleshooting session. Instruction was rounded out by Dana Bartholomew of Fisher Technical Services, Inc. who gave instruction and demonstrations on automation.

Rocky Paulson, retired president of Stage Rigging Inc., taught safe rigging practices and principles while Morgan Neff of Mine Safety Appliances gave instru

Details

14 March 2016

Rigging Europe has been formed by two of the largest and most well respected entertainment distributors in Europe, Sonoss of France and Louis Reyners of the Netherlands. Both are long-standing CM distributors and have been jointly distributing the Kinesys range in mainland Europe up to this point.

Dave Weatherhead of Kinesys explains further: "While both Sonoss and Louis Reyners have done a great job of representing and distributing Kinesys products so far, having two companies covering similar territory could lead to potential confusion as to which company to contact for information and products. The formation of Rigging Europe means that there is now a single point of contact across the whole of mainland Europe for both existing and new customers while still

Details

14 March 2016

LTM's John Jones taught his first South African Motor School in 1999 at Gearhouse and has returned three times since then to do Motor Schools. He says: "I really enjoy the energy of South Africa. The thirst for knowledge here is incredible, and it's great to see such a wide cross section of people wanting to take their technical knowledge and understanding of such an important part of the industry forward."

The motor schools took the standard format of 16 places - with a couple of extras squeezed in. They were presented by LTM's Dave Ward, who did the majority of the technical talk, while Jones

Details

14 March 2016

The Company was awarded the Business of the Year award at the 2008 Performance Textiles Awards held this month. In presenting the award to Arena Structures managing director Grahame Muir, Colin Bryer, managing editor of Performance Textiles magazine, commended Arena "for showing significant growth and innovative development throughout the year following the management buyout of January '07."

Arena Structures also collected a silver award in the Project of the Year category for its input into the BCIC exhibition at the Sage Centre, Gateshead.

Grahame Muir commented: "These awards reflect the efforts of everyone at Arena Structures, who are continuously looking to improve the service we can deli

Details

14 March 2016

The new products from Prolyte will include the Mammoth Truss, Rotating Stage, Hybrid coupler, Stage DEX Easy frame C and the PRO-Wheels truss dolly.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

Stage Electrics provided crew together with 36 Source 4 lanterns, four MAC 250 Entours, 12 MAC 300s, 10 MAC 500s, six MAC 700s and 14 MAC 600s for the awards held on Sunday 8 March. Lighting design was by Matt Evered, the awards were project managed by Stage Electrics' Andrew Loveday.

Production Manager Andrew Loveday said, "This is Stage Electrics' third night in a row in the Great Room. We provided equipment for Revolution Awards, Variety Club Awards and the Oliviers."

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

Sales distribution for Germany will be handled by Hagen-based CAST, headed by managing director Heinz Siller.

A new company, CyberHoist Germany GmbH, will become the country's CyberHoist Service Point, responsible for all service and rental support in Germany. The company has been set up by the team from current CyberHoist rental dealer Lightcompany of Neuss, Germany, and is headed by managing director Peter Nellen.

CAST and CyberHoist Germany GmbH will together form the complete team that will support all CyberHoist clients in the fast-growing German market, says the company. Meanwhile, Lightcompany will continue in its existing role as CyberHoist rental dealer, supplying full productions using CyberH

Details

14 March 2016

Based on the model of the London TEA conferences, produced by Richard Brett in 2002 and 2006, NATEAC promises to bring together many world-leading theatre consultants, architects, engineers, technicians and technical managers. The conference will offer a forum to address issues concerning planning, design, construction and equipping all manner of entertainment venues, from grand opera houses through to school theaters.

Stage Technologies' decision to become platinum sponsor of NATEAC, follows the success of the London TEA 2006 conference, for which it was the sole platinum sponsor.

Kevin Taylor, CEO of Stage Technologies Inc said, "By supporting the conference as

Details

14 March 2016

Stage Technologies worked with production manager and lighting designer, Alex Wardle, on this project, and provided a simple, easy to use system, capable of flying a small platform carrying two performers. The red, oval-shaped piece of floor is flown to stage level during the show, to bridge a gap in two circular stages. The same oval piece is also flown approximately six feet above the stage and supports the two performers who use the platform as a swing.

Alex Wardle commented: "Part of the reason we chose the system is that the Saxis is simple to programme and operate. Dur

Details

14 March 2016

The walk through experience was entitled Inspire Life 2008 and was attended by top business executives, MEP's and Government representatives, amongst others. Products from across Hitachi's entire range were exhibited through the area.

"We had several challenges to contend with," said Simon Wood, sales director, Stage One. "Both of which are hardly unique; the first being access and the second, time. However, we worked hard to overcome both and delivered the project on time, on budget and to the high specification required."

The eight different

Details

14 March 2016

5 Star worked closely with Pioneer's Paul Beardsall on the design of the new case which although identical in size to the 2006 version, includes some additional features.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

Following an original concept by Alan MacDonald, it took the Litestructures design team just six weeks to complete the technically advanced structure.

Features within and around the stage's 55 LiteDeck platform modules included a new 3.5m high modular leg lift, constructed using LitePro 4 heavy duty truss. This lift passes through all three tiers. In addition, Litestructures built a 10m 'totem pole', also using LitePro 4, which sits centrally atop the highest tier, and which houses a laser feature.

Rollability for the lower tier was achieved using legframe snap-on bracing. Some 32m of handrails, with per

Details

14 March 2016

Digital Print Centre - with whom Milos has worked on many previous projects - approached them with a basic brief, explains project manager Milan Kolousek. They had a quick turnaround time and needed a fairly complex design to accommodate various graphics and AV displays along with some sound and lighting equipment. Above all, the client wanted a structure that looked aesthetically stunning.

"This was the challenge" says Kolousek, "Our technical department did a good job to deliver all the drawings from a complete blank piece of paper to the final product in so short a time". The initial design also un

Details

14 March 2016

The college started with a straightforward package of Metrodeck in standard sizes. Thomas has returned to Maltbury over the years, ordering a few decks every time which slowly added to their collection as the budget allowed. "The great thing is that when I put the older pieces and the new ones together for a show there's no difference between them," he says.

(Jim Evans)

Details

14 March 2016

The Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre is a busy venue with a wide variety of performances; many of which are just a few days long or even for one night only. This poses logistical issues for the production staff who must often do the 'get-in', rehearsals, performance and 'get-out' in a single day.

The major refurbishment carried out at the venue over the last few years presented an opportunity to add to the infrastructure to make this process easier an

Details

14 March 2016

LTM offers an extensive range of lifting and rigging equipment including the Lodestar and Prostar electric chain hoists which are being highlighted at the show.

Also showing will be the compact CM Prostar hoists, with capacities up to 500 kg and speeds up to 10m/min. This higher speed version will lift at 6 or 10 m/min (increased from the industry standard of 4m a minute).

LTM started manufacturing hoist controllers in 2005 and has constructed systems for both direct and low voltage controlled hoists. The past 12 months has seen the range expand from standard units to more bespoke control systems to fit clients' exact and specific requirements.

To highlight this they will be demonstrating their latest custom products - a variable speed controller whi

Details

14 March 2016

Exhibiting as guests of VenueTech, Green Hippo's training manager, Simon Harris, will be taking the Hippotizer V3 through its paces to demonstrate its full capability to this growing market.

"The increasing number of music tours and rock and roll shows which proliferate in this region make it an area of great potential for the Hippotizer," says Harris. "Many tours are already using Hippotizer and we have found the demand for it across the Middle East is expanding. The theatre and club scene are still small but developing and some our latest technology, due for release later this year, is aimed specifically at the architectural market."

Green Hippo's newest family member, the HippoPortumus, will

Details

14 March 2016

"The show was very well attended. As well as meeting with our existing distributors, we also experienced much interest from new contacts. The movement of the Rotating Stage proved to be a real show stopper," comments Marina Prak, communications and marketing manager from Prolyte. "Presenting new products is always a challenge, but it is very rewarding to see and hear the response."

The launch of new products has had an immediate effect on sales, says the company. The Rotating Stage has already been sold to several customers including Kimix from Belarus and Prolyte distributor in Russia, JSA, who have both ordered a complete 6m rotating stage.

(Jim Evans)