UK - The Chailey Heritage Foundation DREAM Centre in Sussex uses modern AV technology to make a range of experiences accessible for children and young people for whom it is very difficult to travel. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall opened the centre on 17 October. Chailey Heritage Foundation provides schooling and residential care for children and young adults with complex physical disabilities, high health needs, sensory impairments, and associated learning difficulties. The new sports and activity centre allows young people in wheelchairs to play indoor sports, take part in drama and musical performances, develop their balance through rebound therapy, learn to drive a powered wheelchair, and broaden their horizons through a ground-breaking immersive experience zone. “We are honoured to have played a role in creating this amazing facility for such a dese
France - Digital media specialists ArKaos have supplied two media servers, one 4K Studio server and one Stage server, to the new multi-million-pound Parisian headquarters of eSports organisation, Team Vitality. Called V.Hive, the space is a 10,700sq.ft facility built on three floors, complete with a lively storefront that is open to the public and including a streaming booth, gaming rooms, a content production studio, a cinema, a WebTV studio plus numerous offices. ArKaos’s Benjamin Bauwens project managed the installation of the servers that are running a series of digital banners, screens and LED lighting elements in the retail area of the V.Hive, which includes a shopping area and a coffee bar plus a training room for players. The company became involved in this project via Best Audio & Lighting, an installation specialist and sister company of leading techni
UK - Ilfracombe-based S+H Technical Support supplied LED screen and video flooring to Stoneapple Productions for a large event in the Great Hall at Wembley Stadium, London, for The Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG). BBG commissioned Stoneapple Productions to design, produce and co-ordinate all the technical elements required for the two-day event, attended by BBG customers and showcasing a number of their brands, including Stella Artois, Budweiser, Becks and Corona. The S+H 3.9mm LED screen was used in the main conference and presentation area, designed as a 270-degree auditorium comprising a main stage and catwalk going into the audience and surrounded by 6 banks of seats for 800 guests. The main upstage screen was configured as a 10m-wide by 3m high surface, with the central section curving gracefully at the bottom and flowing into the 10m long catwalk, completing
UK - Blitz, a GES company, brings Southampton’s unique history into the future with its three-day projection mapping experience, right in the heart of the town centre. Taking place on the evenings of 21-23 November, this spectacular visual experience was commissioned by GO! Southampton, the Business Improvement District for Southampton City Centre, and is the official launch of a series of illuminations happening all over the city this winter. Displayed on the iconic Grade I listed Bargate medieval gatehouse, the projection show told stories of Southampton’s past, present and future, narrated by the city’s mythical founder Sir Bevois, who regaled his tales to his friend - the Christmas Giant. Using mapping technology, the projections revealed a unique visual experience never seen in the city before bringing the ancient monument to life. But this
UK - Green Hippo’s Hippotizer media servers were behind an ambitious and hauntingly atmospheric son et lumière event to celebrate Halloween in the historic city of York. Staged over three nights in two of the city’s picturesque locations - Castle Museum and Library Square - the project was the result of a collaboration between York BID (Business Improvement District) and Polestar Productions. The event employed Karst+ Media Servers from Green Hippo and Epson 1755 projectors, supplied by Stage Sound Services and operated by Steve Jackson of InFocusAV, to deliver the spooky media creations designed by Polestar Productions. The challenges of the project will be familiar to many. “Outdoors, in the UK, at the end of October!” summarised Jackson, adding, “On top of that, the limited setup and programming time was an additional pressure.” Despite the inherent dif
South Africa - As the year draws to a close, AV Unlimited and 24 Carrots Event Design helped a leading financial services provider remind its staff that there is still a lot of fun to be had at its year-end function, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Event manager at 24 Carrots Event Design, Mase Langa explains that the client’s brief was fairly simple - they wanted their team to have some fun. “The main idea was to deliver an event that was, above all else, about having fun after a tough year. We came up with a design that focused on colour, and the joy and elation that vibrant colour can illicit.” The team at 24 Carrots Event Design provided the client with some renders, which showed a playful set that was designed to inspire a sense of play and whimsy. “We introduced colour and playfulness though the set, decor and lighting, and the res
USA - Broadcasting globally in more than 150 countries and territories, World Poker Tour (WPT) has ignited the worldwide poker industry. WPT also hosts a number of high-profile corporate and VIP events throughout the year. Needing a design element that could accentuate the visual experience at each tournament and event, WPT global events manager Steve De Santis invested in reFLEXion LED video systems from Nashville-based PixelFLEX. “WPT features a lot of professional and recreational players we see often who look for comfortability and reliability with tournament structures they trust from people they recognise and know,” says De Santis. “We have a footprint on six continents and our players love the quality and consistency of our events.” Knowing the level of trust and commitment shown by the players, De Santis wanted to ensure that each event provided the mo
Italy - Optocore and its partner company BroaMan have appointed Parma-based Audiolink as its sole distributor for the Italian market. Stefano Cantadori, Audiolink general manager, comments: “The reason we chose Optocore was simple. Today’s integrations require a massive chunk of fibre optic data, and Optocore, together with BroaMan, allows all the different signals to be managed on a single fibre ring with 100% redundancy. Total redundancy means avoiding any type of problem - unforeseen circumstances that can lead to a lot of expense for the installer and the customer.” Tine Helmle, Optocore MD of BroaMan and director of sales & marketing, adds: “We are very happy to have found a strong partner in Italy that will best represent our two brands. Stefano and his team are very competent people, with whom we can’t wait to start this collaboration.” She
UK - AV and entertainment technology company Anna Valley has announced that operations director, Peter Jones, has been promoted to the position of MD with immediate effect. The move follows an extensive hand-over period with exiting MD, Steve Jones who has led the company for 13 years. Peter Jones worked for 10 years as a sound and video technician before joining Anna Valley in 2010 as a senior project manager. After working his way up through the ranks, Peter was appointed as Anna Valley’s operations director following a management buyout in 2015. Since then he has played an integral role in the company’s expansion, the purchase of Matrix UK Solutions and Anna Valley’s move to new premises earlier this year. “As operations director, I’ve been as involved in the financial and business aspects of the company as I have in the process and procedure of service
USA - Absen recently carried out the 100th training session of its free, globally-recognised ACE training programme as it welcomed technicians to its North American HQ in Orlando on 3-5 December. The Absen Certified Engineer (ACE) Programme is aimed at the LED display manufacturer’s partners and customers involved in the installation, configuration and maintenance of Absen products. Since its 2014 inception, more than 1,500 professionals have been certified worldwide, with 518 engineers certified in 2019 alone. “The goal of an ACE training programme is to teach participants how to set up a complete LED video wall from scratch,” comments Kenny Jin who heads up Absen’s ACE training programme. “Through the training programme, participants are able to master new technologies and develop their skills in this increasingly competitive marketplace. Moreover, it allo
UK - Shure has opened a new Experience Centre and office in London. The move further establishes the company’s presence in the UK and wider EMEA region by providing a location for product demonstrations with corporate, government and education customers looking for audio solutions for their respective facilities. The Rose Shure Experience Centre, named after the company’s late former chairman Rose L. Shure, was inaugurated earlier this month with a VIP opening that featured key Shure executives, including CEO Christine Schyvinck. Schyvinck comments: “I think Rose would be honoured by having such an amazing complex named after her, especially given the short amount of time it has taken to complete such an ambitious project.” “The Rose Shure Customer Experience Centre has been the accumulation of many, many months of work by Shure employees from all are
UK - Anna Valley has announced their purchase of over 500sq.m of 3.9mm Unilumin LED, making the AV and entertainment technology company one of the biggest suppliers of single-batch high-resolution LED in the UK. The purchase was motivated by increased demand for super-sized screens for projects like X Factor: Celebrity 2019 where 200sq.m of Anna Valley’s new stock was used to create the digital backdrop for the live final at the SSE Arena, Wembley. The improvement in LED resolution and the increase in the computing capability of video processors and servers has prompted a surge in demand for large screens to display ultra-high-resolution content for live events and broadcast shows. However, in order to achieve image consistency across these video walls, they have to be built from LED panels that are not only from the same supplier, but from the same production batch
South Africa - VWV Technical Business Unit has invested in PixelPlus’s LED visual solutions through Stage Audio Works. As an experiential agency that serves as the technical partner to VWV Group, the company hosts events and buys equipment based on these shows or specific client requests. The VWV team was looking to purchase something that would stabilise its portfolio and deliver an experience above and beyond for its clients. Following discussions with the team at Stage Audio Works and comparing the proposed solutions against other options, VWV eventually chose LED panels by PixelPlus due to the ease of set up and the visual beauty the solutions presented. “Over recent years, we have used projection,” explains Martin Slabbert, VWV technical manager. “Projection can be great, but it’s never quite the same as LED. We looked at purchasing LED purely so we coul
UK - Light Fantastic Production Services once again supported CoppaFeel with a full production package as well as taking on the overall production management mantle for Festifeel 2019. The work being done by CoppaFeel raises awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer particularly amongst young people. Held at House of Vans London, deep within the arches below Waterloo Station, Festifeel is the charity’s annual music and comedy festival that flies the flag for the work they do and highlights the help they provide. Having provided a full production package, including lighting, audio, rigging and video, LFPS transformed the underground venue with a vibrant, creative mix of colour and projections throughout the urban interior. The lively look provided an appropriate backdrop to a host of musical performances that included Bombay Bicycle Club, James Bay a
Europe - Lithuania system integrator TVC has completed construction of an OB Trailer for Norwegian public broadcaster NRK around a Lawo IP audio infrastructure, including mc²56 mixing console, A__UHD Processing Engine and VSM control. The new vehicle with advanced equipment is an investment for NRK’s ambitious future productions and is part of a technological standardisation within the broadcast production facilities and mobile studios as NRK already uses mc² consoles in their concert hall and for news program productions. The 13.6m-long single-side expansion (4.15m expanded), 26-tonne NRK OB24 features a large interior space with 24 dedicated workplaces, high levels of both sound and heat insulation, automatic preparation for operation and transportation, and easy maintenance and reliability. It features two production rooms, slow-motion operator’s row, camera c
UAE - JoeCo is growing its reach in the Middle East thanks to a new distribution relationship with Provision AVL. The Dubai-based distributor will now represent the brand across the GCC region and follows hot on the heels of a similar deal with Boujikian Bros in Lebanon. The new relationships mean that the manufacturer has direct representatives in every territory across the Middle East. “We had been looking for some time to find the right partners for JoeCo in Middle Eastern territories,” explains Graham Murray, business development at JoeCo. “We feel it is important to have strong partners and a local presence to promote and backup JoeCo equipment sales. Provision AVL can provide the facility to support local customers and effectively promote JoeCo solutions to the Middle Eastern markets. After spending a few days with Kevin and seeing him and his team in action, it
UK - Production AV's concert touring services expansion is on track as the company appoints video and sound technician Nathan Dunbar as technical project manager. Dunbar brings industry knowledge, experience and contacts in the sector, having worked on some of Europe’s largest AV projects including Glastonbury, UK-produced Hollywood movies and the MTV Europe Music Awards. “We’re thrilled that Nathan has joined our growing team as Production AV looks to expand the scope of our projects and services in 2020,” says MD Pete McCrea. “His kit know-how, contacts and standing in our industry is an incredible asset to Production AV as we look to further strengthen our live music offering. We look forward to working with Nathan to achieve our goals in this next stage of growth.” Dunbar comments: “I wanted to join a company where I could feel part of the famil
Japan - Evidence of the increasing popularity of Calibre UK’s solutions, and of its rapidly growing network of partners, could be found at the recent Inter BEE (International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition) in Japan. At the Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, Calibre’s range was present on the stands of two exhibitors - Techno House and ARK Ventures. Techno House distributes the HQPro1000 and LEDView scaler/switcher products, while AZBAY - of whom ARK Ventures is a customer - is responsible for sales of Calibre’s innovative All-in-One LED Display solution. “The technology leadership built into our platforms is finding widespread acceptance in growing numbers of highly complex projects in a broad range of applications,” said Willy Tsai, managing director of Calibre UK. “End users and resellers alike are recognising that, when it comes to the collaborative enterpri
Europe - The recent European tour by a-ha saw the introduction of 10-bit video into the world of concert touring (full production report coming up in LSi December, out later this week). Content was produced by the band’s chosen video creative, Knut Helgeland and realised live by Icarus Wilson-Wright. Alex Leinster of Video Design, who oversaw the upscaling of technological standards, outlines the challenges: “There were three important issues to be addressed - how to render out Helgeland’s content in 10-bit; finding an LED screen that could accept the 10-bit source natively, and creating the backbone to transport and manage the data traffic flows. “Icarus had obviously been thinking about this for some time,” he continues. “I think the content he saw being developed by Helgeland was so beautiful that he felt this was the ideal opportunity - that the result
USA - After three sold-out performances at Amsterdam's Eye Filmmuseum, which saw Cosmos Within Us win a VR Days Halo award, the Future of StoryTelling will present the theatrical preview of Tupac Martir’s mixed reality performance piece at New York Live Arts on 2 December (Monday). A co-production between Satore Studio, a_BAHN, and Satore Tech, Cosmos Within Us ‘turns the solitary experience of virtual reality into a multisensory performance piece for an audience of 100-150 people, creating an entirely new artform’. It features 13 live performers, including five musicians, voiceover artists, live digital animations, two dancers, a conductor, and one ‘interactor’. Director Tupac Martir comments: “Performing at the Eye was very special. Being able to take our piece outside of the film festival circuit and show it to over 100 people per screenin
South Africa - Newzroom Afrika, a channel on Multi-Choice’s DStv satellite pay-TV service, went live earlier this year in time for the South African elections. The set, based at their new premises in Linden, was designed by Michael Gill Designs, built by Sets Drapes Screens (SDS), part of the Gearhouse Group of Companies and features Absen DW 2.9 LED panels, Green Hippo Boreal+ and dot2 lighting console supplied by DWR Distribution. “The project was very exciting,” says Michael Gill of MGD. “I can honestly say that Thokozani Nkosi and Thabile Ngwato, the television producers and entrepreneurs, are the two most forward-thinking individuals I have ever worked with. Their way of thinking is so youthful, fresh and digital. The mindset behind Newzroom Afrika is that news breaks on your telephone these days and not always on TV. With an emphasis on social media platforms l
South Africa - DWR Distribution has been appointed as the sole distributor of Magnimage display control solutions for the South African market. Magnimage specialises in manufacturing display control solutions for LED/LCD and DLP displays. The company’s comprehensive range of display control solutions have been successfully deployed for a range of applications, including for large-scale video walls for the eventing industry, permanent installations in entertainment venues, as well as for the out-of-home advertising, education and corporate markets. “Magnimage’s range of consoles, scalers, switchers and processors are well-suited to the South African market, where technical service providers want high-quality products at an affordable price,” says Lee Harry, sales supervisor at Magnimage. “Our products are used extensively by the government and other high-prof
UK - 3D beamforming and wave field synthesis technology from Holoplot were an integral part of a recent showcase organised by White Light at the Science Museum in London. Held in the Level 1 exhibition space, the three-day event It’s Virtually Reality: The Future of Technology attracted more than 300 people keen to find out about the application of augmented, virtual and mixed reality technologies to the broadcast, education and events markets. Sound Technology, Holoplot partner in the UK, supplied and installed the loudspeaker array for the event. The It’s Virtually Reality: The Future of Technology showcase provided an opportunity for Holoplot to demonstrate the new dimension it has brought to installed audio. According to White Light, “Guests were blown away by the impact of this directional sound capability and the personalized experience that i
Europe - Digital Projection has announced the appointment of three key sales employees across the EMEA region. The new hires - Christoph Hellmuth, Artur Kita and Nizar Nasser - will serve Digital Projection’s interests in DACH, Poland and the Middle East, respectively. Hellmuth, who has been hired as regional sales manager for the DACH region, brings decades of experience in the pro AV market. After serving as an audio engineer for major musicals, Hellmuth worked as a senior marketing manager for Shure in EMEA, before becoming the CEO and founder of VividAudio Media. As the new regional sales manager for Poland, Artur Kita joins Digital Projection with a wealth of experience in the Polish AV market, where he has been responsible for the sale of screen mounting solutions, projectors and other AV equipment. Joining Digital Projection’s Dubai team as the new reg
