BlackTrax is a hardware motion tracking system for people and objects that operates in realtime. BlackTrax is designed to work with CAST's game-changing BlackBox system of multi-directional high-speed control coordination.
"BlackTrax makes so many new scenarios possible," says Gil Densham, president of CAST, "All production aspects from increased safety to new levels of interactivity and spontaneity."
(Jim Evans)
LS-LIVE is now a facility that unifies three previously distinct areas of operation, namely hire, stage & set, and the studio, which is Europe's largest purpose-built arena rehearsal facility.
LS-LIVE has its own experienced management team to handle and coordinate every facet of live events from equipment hire to project management and support to stage and set design and much more besides, says the company.
"I'm very excited about heading up LS-LIVE and taking on the challenge of moving the business from being a division of another company t
The current tour has a very large set piece; a full size replica of an old steam locomotive, too heavy for (two) 2-ton chain hoists. During installation, a delta plate is rigged, and then two hoists are used side by side on each end of the set piece. The load cells allowed Koehler to monitor the load while building and hoisting the set piece onto the stage and alert the rigging team of any overload.
The production also uses a large video screen which is hung underneath a large truss measuring twenty meters in length (65').
The screen moves up, down, left and right on a motorized track hung from the bottom of the truss. The truss is hung from nine 2-ton cha
Show director Nicola Rowland commented: "The universally positive feedback and the strong visitor figures would be satisfying under any circumstances, but in the current economic climate it's a strong result for our exhibitors and for the show itself - it underlines just how important PLASA remains in the international events calendar.
"Numbers alone were only part of the story,&q
J. R. Clancy offers a training programme that can assist ETCP Technicians in acquiring ETCP Renewal Credits towards recertification. Rigging professionals who take courses offered by J. R. Clancy earn one renewal credit per hour of instruction. The Clancy programme began with one course; now, as an ETCP Training Provider, Clancy has expanded its programme with multiple courses. Those interested in taking an industry certification examination may find these courses helpful in preparation.
Candidates who wish to sit for an ETCP examination must meet eligibility requirements. A total of 30 credits are required to qualify for the certification exam, with points awarded for work experience and college-level degrees earned.
In 2007 the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) introduced the National Rigging Certificate to formalise an assessment of competency in the rigging sector of the entertainment industry.
The NRC Level 3 standard is currently the highest recognised measurement of competency for rigging in the entertainment industry and reinforces the company's commitment to maintaining high levels of competency, service and safety.
Also part of Hawthorn's ongoing pledge to training and development, they supported the first ever PLASA International Rigging Conference which took place alongside this year's PLASA 2010 Show.
(Jim Evans)
Specialists in producing outdoor events on a large scale, the company was commissioned to provide the technical infrastructure for the massive $60 million Government-run event at the imposing Zocalo main square in Mexico City. This featured a display of aerial acrobatics (choreographed by Ric Birch), fireworks, rock music and parades, attended by tens of thousands of people.
Having worked with PR Lighting fixtures for the past six years he knew that lighting designer Victor Zapatero would find everything he needed to bring the concept to life, from within Simply Professional's inventory.
Zapatero used 24 of PR Lighting's Century Color 2500s to colour wash th
Alan Jacobi, managing director of Unusual Rigging, says, "We've worked with Mark on many occasions over the years and his understanding and knowledge of technical theatre adds even greater strength to our team. His experience enables us now to broaden our design and consultancy services to clients who do not have
From an operational point of view, the Wakefield office will be run by managing director Lee Brooks who will benefit from a strengthened management team to enhance the sales and distribution in the UK market across all brands. The Wakefield office will also be responsible for running a group-wide custom projects division. All bulk manufacturing will be handled by the group's two European plants, and global distribution will be managed from Prolyte Products Group HQ in Leek in the Netherlands.
"We are thrilled by the new opportunities at hand," states Fokko Smeding the new Gro
"Le Mark Floors are so easy to use, they make the difference between a 'standard' shop window display and one of completely different professional character and finished appearance. The way the floor wipes clean is brilliant, scuffs are easily removed and the durability of the floor is outstanding," says Mark Gibbons of Le Mark Group.
"This is the second time The Conran Shop have used Le Mark's flooring for their retail displays, the first looked just as visually stunning, really 'setting' the products on show."
(Jim Evans)
These NOS modules are now available on the CCSKills website and industry professionals are being actively encouraged to provide initial comment and consultations. "It is vitally important," says Hitchcock, 'that the modules are reviewed and commented on by as many individuals, automation professionals and interested parties as possible, to ensure that the NOS become a relevant tool for all employees and employ
Thousands of meters of ShowTex's inherently flame retardant Paris CS Velour line the entire building as acoustic masking. The main curtains are also made from the satiny 520gr/sq.m weight velvet. Drapes attached to custom curved Alu-Pipe tracks serve to mask all technical equipment, catwalks, grids, and wiring in the venue as well.
The House of Dancing Water is a show created and directed by Franco Dragone in the Li Chung (Sandi) Pei purpose built and designed Dancing Water Theatre at City of Dreams in Macau.
As one of the main features of Melco Crown Entertainment's leisure oasis City of Dreams, the 2,000 seat venue combines advanced technologies with a traditional bla
The event, attended by Prince Harry, climaxed with a reunion performance from Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams, amongst a host of other pop stars and comedians, including Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins, Peter Kay and Michael McIntyre.
Showsec's operations director Simon Battersby along with project manager Paul Legge oversaw 280 Showsec security professionals during the show.
"The Help for Heroes concert was in aid of a fantastic cause and an event we are very proud to have been a part of," says Battersby. "The event was an emotional one
"We originally staged the event as a free festival, as a way of encouraging more people to use the parks in the local boroughs," says Andrew Wood, Bradford Council events manager, who organises Bingley Music Live. "It was also a way of saying thank you to the ratepayers, of giving them something back.
"As the festival has evolved, we now charge £30 for a Saturday and Sunday pass, or £20 for either day, but we believe it offers very good value for mo
This new inter-European venture is the brainchild of Frantisek Zykan of Czech trussing manufacturer Milos, and Michael Daubner former MD (for 16 years) of German company Burkhardt Leitner constructiv, specialists in temporary modular architectural systems.
Based in Stuttgart, Germany, Milos Concepts GmbH is primarily a think-tank for the design, development and imagineering of new and innovative spaces suitable for a myriad of applications. The company's core business will be engaging in design led creative initiatives.
The plan is to develop a range of new structural systems that will be Milos branded as well as to undertake bespoke and custom projects on commission. All products will be defined by all the elements charac
Dave Carpenter, deputy head of lighting & sound at the theatre, says, "We were looking around for a replacement for our old desks, which were becoming old and difficult for our suppliers to support. Trying an Eos at ETC's offices in London proved it to be a perfect replacement. It had a familiar programming syntax, making it really easy to learn."
The theatre, which is the national theatre of Ireland, already had Cat 5 cabling installed, which meant that installation was as simple as plugging the desk into the gateways which Cine Electric installed around the venue. "I love the fact that the desk has direct select buttons," continues Carpenter. "They make programming so much quicker."
"We tried a new d
All products include 24/7 customer support from trained technical service representatives available at Gefen. This enhanced customer service is designed for highly demanding industries such as broadcasting and the rental/staging markets. GefenPRO products also feature a more rugged construction and internal power supplies using industry standard AC cords to improve performance in the field, says the company.
The GefenPRO product line offers advanced matrix systems with 16x16 and 32x32 switching systems supporting more sources and displays. Additional products in the line include longer distance signal extenders based on fibre optics and a mix
The draft dust effect standard is written as a recommendation, a document that gives a mixture of guidance "should" statements and mandatory "shall" statements. A great variety of materials might be suitable for dust effects, either as dust lying on props and scenery or as aerosol clouds, so it does not specify exactly what dust must be. However, the standard will help people to avoid inappropriate materials, to select those that are least likely to cause health or safety problems, and to use them with care.
(Jim Evans)
When the Weis Centre was constructed in 1988, its automated rigging control system was top of the line: 15 line shafts and a Shamrock controller designed and manufactured by J. R. Clancy. The system remained in top working order until 1995, says technical designer Dale Hourlland. "The Shamrock was damaged by a power anomaly, which also took out the computer that ran the lifts in our orchestra pit, and our lighting syst
Brittany Ferries are a leading provider of Western Channel ferry routes to Spain and France from the UK and Republic of Ireland. Depending on route and time of year, the ships feature entertainment programmes, including resident music duos, cabaret singers, close-up magic and headlining illusion sets, through to cocktail pianists, tribute acts and DJ sets - even a full pantomime production in the school holidays on one longer route.
An established supplier to the cruise ships market, A.C. Special Projects was approached by Brittany Ferries to provide a high quality upgrade solution for the Bretagne's Main Bar lighting and audio systems. The installation includes Martin MAC
Taking place last month at Earls Court Conference Centre, alongside PLASA 2010, the event brought together over 200 delegates from as far afield as South Africa, North America and Australasia to discuss a range of issues and to share experiences.
The two full-on days of discussion were opened by Unusual Rigging's Alan Jacobi LVO, an industry icon who engaged delegates with a fascinating history of the rigging industry across the past five decades. The back-to-back programme of sessions and interactive debates which followed were well received by the capacity audience.
Bill Sapsis of Sapsis Rigging, part of the international line-up of speakers at the event, summed up the view of many: "The PLASA Interna
Stageco's customised stage design was an updated version of the design previously developed for Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love tour in 1999. The 26m by 26m Super Roof has a 1400m² floor with giant 3m wide flower shaped arms reaching up to 40m into the crowd.
The stadium show is centred round the French ex-sports star turned pop singer, performing on a large 18m Stage One turntable in the middle of the stage, with stairs built up around it, giving the entire crowd an ultimate viewing experience.
Stageco project manager Thierry Nataf oversaw a crew of 18, who test built the stage in Ethias Arena, Hasselt from 15-19 September. This was followed by the construction in Stade de France over a period of four days, with the crew worki
The Dancing Water Theatre was designed by Pei Partnership and is a 270-degree theatre-in-the-round, with a central stage diameter of about 20m. The theatre houses around 260 automated fountains that spurt water up to 18m in the air, and a total of 11 hydraulic stage lifts and vomitory lifts that enable an artistic flow in performance from aquatic to conventional stage.
Contracted by Theatre Projects, Stage Technologies provided a 141-axis whole house control and engineering system for the purpose-built venue. The system includes a 40-unit track and trolley system, which can transport up to 250kg at 3.5m/sec, allowing
The elections are a unique milestone in the merger of the two Associations, as this is the first time that ESTA and PLASA Members will vote simultaneously to elect representatives to the new Board structure. The month-long ballot, in which over 1,000 companies and individuals will have the opportunity to vote, pre-empts the New Year merger date when the Associations formally unite under the PLASA name.
For PLASA, one of the major developments to come out of the merger is the move to a more representative Governance system. The new 12-member Regional Boards will better mirror the diversity of regions, market sectors, business types and technologies a
