Canada - Solotech has announced the appointment of Jason Howard as director of operations for the Ottawa office, effective 5 September 2018. In this role, Howard will lead the operational activities, including the integration of advanced equipment and technology for clients for all the segments of expertise (government, business, cultural and sports facilities) of the sales and integration division. Jason has been working in project and operations management for almost 20 years and his areas of expertise include quality assurance, strategic planning and process improvement. (Jim Evans)
Germany - Phil Myers has joined German IP video, audio and control specialist Lawo as senior director of IP Systems. In this newly created role, Myers will coordinate the IP product portfolio and core technology development across the Lawo business as well as supporting the Advisory Board with strategic and technology direction during this fast-changing transitional period in the broadcast industry. Myers previously held the role as IP product manager for SAM (Snell Advanced Media) and Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. Additionally, Myers has undertaken technical product management and head of technology positions at Pinnacle Systems Inc. (now part of Avid Technology), Sony and CVP. Myers comments: “It’s great to be part of a team with such a great vision about the future of our industry and that has the commitment, passion, right people, and leading-edge IP audio, vid
Denmark - Blackmagic Design reports that all video production for Denmark’s Grøn Festival including IMAG projection is handled by an end to end Blackmagic Design live solution, comprising URSA Broadcast, ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K and Smart Videohub 12G. Grøn Festival takes place across consecutive dates at eight different locations around Denmark, with the same crew and artists delivering the entire festival schedule. Live events specialist, Deadlight Lydiksen, takes responsibility for live production, handling all aspects of video from a purpose built 12G-SDI outside broadcast (OB) van. “Grøn is an amazing festival with a concept that really shouldn’t be possible. Everything is built, conducted and packed back up each day, at venues with up to 35,000 spectators. Working from the van makes it easy for us to get in and out quickly each day,” explains Ca
Australia - Australia’s largest university has established centres of academic excellence around the world, including eight on home soil – with Clayton campus its biggest, educating more than 30,000 students every year. First established in 1958, 20km south-east of Melbourne, the campus has recently undergone an extensive transformation of its Learning and Teaching building - with 65 formal and 60 informal newly equipped learning spaces spread over almost 30,000sq.m providing a truly forward-thinking, innovative environment for campus teaching. Designed to free the minds of the academics and students, liberating them from the constricts of more traditional teaching environments, the AV set up is central to this philosophy - enabling teachers and students alike to engage with the technology intuitively, rather than it being a barrier to learning. Monash Univ
Europe - RTW has announced the appointment of Thomas Valter as the company's new director of product management and marketing. Valter, who has more than 20 years of experience in the audio industry, will be at IBC 2018 (RTW stand 8.D89). He comments: "I am pleased to be joining RTW, a highly focused, professional and strong brand. I look forward to taking part in further developing and strengthening the company's position within the ever-changing global broadcast market." Valter recently served as vice-president of business management for the broadcast and production division of TC Electronic. Previous roles at TC Electronic include international public relations manager and product manager, in which he drove product development, UI/UX specifications, sales and marketing for the company. (Jim Evans)
Europe - Digital control specialist ArKaos has announced its support for software-driven IP workflows using NewTek NDI Network Device Interface protocol. Joining the industry’s largest IP ecosystem of products, and a rapidly expanding number of companies enabling IP-based customer workflows, ArKaos has integrated NDI into its MediaMaster PRO, MediaMaster Express, Grand VJ and Grand VJ XT products, which are all now recognizable as a source by other NDI-enabled applications and devices connected via a standard Ethernet local area network. The ArKaos Ecosystem allows for the maximum and most flexible control of lighting and video, in one easy-to-use comprehensive tool. ArKaos hardware and real-time video software is present in every major market sector and industry, from IOT / architectural and architainment installations to LED applications and media solutions
USA - Matrix is supplying their PPU, camera systems and LED to the North American segment of the Phil Collins tour - Phil Collins Not Dead Yet, Live (see LSi September 2017 for a production report). This is the first tour Phil has performed in the US, in 12 years. The North American region forms part of the Worldwide tour which runs for three weeks from 3-28 October. The concerts commence in Fort Lauderdale, travelling up the west to Canada, into the Mid-West and onto the West Coast – all in all 15 shows in 25 days. Phil Collins and the band will be supported with a range of Matrix supplied equipment - most notable is the PPU, camera systems and LED inventory. The Matrix PPU with Ross Carb
USA - 311’s Unity tour is criss-crossing North America with a full video rig powered by Avolites’ Ai. The American rockers worked with production designer Bobby Grey, from Sightline Design Group, who created a video-focused show to add dynamic and fast-paced eye-candy. The band is backed by a 38'x16' 5.9mm upstage LED screen and considerable lighting rig. “For this tour, the band and their management felt strongly about bringing hi res video into the mix,” says Grey. “Touring with full video is somewhat new territory for 311, and the song catalogue that they pull from nightly is well over 120 very different sounding songs. This means that while we have mainstays that are frequently used in the set that we can plan for and timecode, there are also some deep cuts that require some fast, on the fly punting.” To find the right solution, Grey teamed
UK - Studioforce, a new company specialising in the provision of production and technical freelancers to the film and TV industry, launched on Monday, 3 September. The London business is spearheaded by former ITV Studios head of scenic and lighting, Dave Stevens. It offers a network of personnel for the broadcast and production sector, including gaffers, lighting electricians, camera operators, scenic supervisors, sound engineers, studio engineers and lighting console operators. Studioforce is also offering a service to facilitate and administer payroll contracts and handle recruitment for any clients who are looking to outsource certain roles, easing the process to make it more time and cost efficient. Stevens comments: “When the recent changes at ITV Studios were announced [the broadcaster is closing its London studios], I needed to look for a new opportunity. I’
Europe - Architectural LED lighting manufacturer Anolis and real-time visual processing technology provider ArKaos have announced a collaboration which will see the two brands team up on several product developments. Anolis’s LED lighting, pixel-based fixtures and other hardware will feature ArKaos’ cloud-based communications protocol An-Ki, which enables remote control of digital content projected on LED mappable surfaces from anywhere in the world. The deal will also involve “a fluid bi-directional commercial relationship” between the two companies, where ArKaos products will be distributed by Anolis, and Anolis fixtures will share sales resources with ArKaos. ArKaos’ MD Agnes Wojewoda comments: “This will add huge value to installation designers working in all fields. It offers the possibility of fully flexible and stable control which will be add
TMB has introduced the first ethernet patch cable with verified performance up to 100m.This one-of-a-kind, stranded, flexible CAT6a patch cable is suitable for all portable networks up to 10-Gigabit, and features renowned ProPlex durability, reliability, handling, low skew, noise rejection, and data transmission characteristics. In entertainment applications, ProPlex Cat 6a Extended cable is especially useful for front of house cable runs, where the industry standard lengths for sound, lighting, and video are typically either 100m or 300ft. Prior to the introduction of this cable, no portable, stranded Cat 6a or Cat 5e cables providing 100% verified performance were available to support these lengths. Drawing upon over 30 years of experience and over 15 million feet of ProPlex Data Cable sales, ProPlex CAT6a Extended combines the highest data transmission integrity with the
UK - Technical production event specialist Saville AV has re-branded its conference and live event division to Sparq and its AV/IT wing, to Visavvi. Both brands will sit under Saville Group, the parent organisation. The move is part of a wider investment strategy to “future-proof the business and ensure it continues to effectively evolve its technical event production service offering for clients in the UK, Europe and the USA”. Sparq offers a full production service, from creative design and staging to technical crew and kit hire. Visavvi delivers all aspects of IT/AV project for business customers - from consultation through to design and install and maintenance and support. Colin Nixey, joint MD of Saville Group, comments: “Saville has been a familiar face in the live events industry for over 40 years. However, we recognised it was time for a change
USA - Created to bring the high-energy of Lucha Libre professional wrestling to the United States, the sports and entertainment media firm Aro Lucha produces a number of live events and television productions. Led by founders who have already achieved success in the professional wrestling industry, the production team understands they must create a dynamic environment that can match both the passion of the fans and the wrestlers taking the ring. Working with their partners at UNO Branding, Aro Lucha decided to enhance the impact of their design even further with the addition of a high-resolution video wall using a FLEXCurtain HD 6.25mm LED video solution from PixelFLEX. “This is a relatively new production design as we only started the company in late 2017,” says Jason Brown, chief executive officer, Aro Lucha. “When we decided to launch the promotion, we wanted
China - When car maker Audi introduced its A8L luxury saloon to the Chinese market, technical service company Redline turned to the BlackTrax real-time motion tracking system to help deliver the wow factor to the launch show. Each of the cars featured in the show was fitted with ‘BTBeacons’ which transmitted the exact position of the vehicles as they moved around the stage to ‘BTCams’, which then relayed the information to the lighting console so that any lighting look could be designed while automatically following the cars on the stage, regardless of speed or direction, with an accuracy that would not have been possible to achieve manually. Another big part of the reveal, was the futuristic graphics projected on the floor and not only accented the car, it also helped explain some of the A8L’s new built in technology and features. The mapped projection int
Malaysia - Mahajak Trio recently outfitted the Kota Kinabalu Marriott hotel with a custom Harman Professional Solutions audio system to deliver an invigorating entertainment experience for guests. This project was collaborated together with the AV system integrator Eastern Global Sdn.Bhd. Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel is a premium five-star resort located at The Waterfront entertainment centre on the South China Sea. Known for hosting opulent events held in their Grand Ballroom, Kota Kinabalu Marriott hired Mahajak Trio to install an audio system capable of delivering world-class sound throughout the resort. Mahajak Trio designed a complete Harman Professional Solutions audio system made up of JBL Professional speakers and power amplifiers, AKG microphones and BSS signal processors. “Kota Kinabalu Marriott needed an all-new state-of-the-art audio solution capable of
UK - Adlib has had a busy summer after making substantial investments in touring and rental video in the first half of 2018. The major purchase has been the addition of Unilumin’s UpadIII H5 5mm indoor/outdoor LED screen, which has been designed for quick and safe assembly with the demands of touring and concert style events in mind. Other new purchases include new broadcast quality camera channels, PPUs and Green Hippo KARST media servers, allowing Adlib to offer large scale video production options to all its clients, as well as versatile single solution technical packages for those wanting to source video lighting and sound equipment and expertise from one supplier. BBC Music's Biggest Weekend, the event which generally kicks off the UK festival season was expanded to multiple sites this year, Adlib supplied sound and lighting to both stages at Scone Palace
UK - AV technology provider BUK Solutions (formerly Brähler ICS UK) has announced an expanded product range, which now provides its customers with access to thousands of products from leading brands including Crestron AV, Polycom, Sony and BlackMagic. Simon Sainsbury, managing director of BUK Solutions, comments: “This exciting development brings us increased flexibility, enabling us to explore a wider variety of solutions that meet our customers’ exact AV requirements, no matter how complex, while providing more cost-effective solutions for customers.” Business development manager, Duncan Conway, adds: “It’s a win-win for all of our customers – not only do they have access to a vast range of excellent audio-visual solutions, but they’ll also benefit from all of our industry-leading expertise which we have built up over 30 years. We have recognised a d
UK - Event production and equipment specialists Light Fantastic Production Services partnered with award-winning international innovation festival Unbound to deliver an immersive two-day experience at The Old Truman Brewery, London. Supplying a complete production package covering every aspect of the event, LFPS provided full installation, technical infrastructure and management of the busy two-day programme attended by over 5000 visitors and featuring presentations from a host of world leading brands. Working within the ‘blank canvas’ interior space of the Truman Brewery, the LFPS team transformed the entire first floor into a series of high-tech zones, including the Main Stage, Future Stage, Networking Zone, Partners Lounge, Exhibition and VR/Interactive area. Handling every detail, LFPS provided lighting, audio, video, rigging, draping, set design and co
EMEA - Production Resource Group (PRG) and VER have completed their merger in Europe and the Middle East, becoming the largest entertainment and equipment and services provider. The entities will be controlled by The Jordan Company, GSO Capital Partners and PRG Management.Jere Harris will serve as chairman and CEO of PRG and VER, and Stephan Paridaen will be president and COO. Harris comments: “For more than 20 years PRG has been diligent in offering its clients the best production service and equipment in the entertainment industry. Growth across disciplines, markets and geographies has always been a key part of our strategy. Now, our ability to support all types of entertainment productions globally will take on new meaning, raising an already high bar to an unprecedented level.” According to a statement, combining PRG and VER’s strength will now offer
USA - Ed Grabscheid has joined the executive team at Atlona as chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. Grabscheid has spent more than three years at the company as its vice-president of finance and administration. In his new role, he will report to CEO Ilya Khayn and look after all aspects of Atlona’s strategic investments, reporting functions, human resources, and tax and treasury requirements. Grabscheid’s finance experience spans more than two decades, including leadership positions with several Silicon Valley technology companies. Prior to joining Atlona, he served as VP of financial planning and analysis at ServiceMax; and senior director of finance at Intermolecular, where he built and managed the financial reporting function through the transition from a private company to a successful IPO. Among other management positions over his career, Gra
South Africa - Kilowatt AV has taken productions up a notch since acquiring 200 Absen D2V indoor panels. The panels have been on shows continuously for the past eight months on events including Ultra Music Festival, Adidas Product Launch, Food Lovers Market Annual Conference and a long list of others. “We were the first in Cape Town to see the Absen demo by DWR and the first in the Cape to place an order,” comments Neil Zaayman, chief operating officer at Kilowatt AV. “As with most new products there were initial teething hurdles, but it was more around understanding how the screens like to be programmed rather than product issues. The screens have been amazing and have added huge production value to our events. “The biggest motivation for the purchase was the pitch, and black face LED. We've seen high-res LED on the rental market for a while, but the Absen sol
Colombia – The 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games (CACG) kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony at Barranquilla’s Roberto Meléndez Stadium, featuring projection mapped visuals to the stadium pitch and huge LED screens using Avolites Ai RX8 servers. The opening ceremony’s most famous performer was Latin superstar Shakira, who was born in the Games’ host city. During the ceremony, the 47,000-capacity crowd experienced a video concept based on a story of time travel from the future to the present, offering a perspective of Barranquilla, which highlighted local culture, folklore and its vibrant music scene. The ceremony was produced by Victor Ariza from Performa SAS. Miguel Carrillo from Foro IQ designed the stages. The main stage was backed by video-mapped content, displayed on a 664sqm LED screen. “We needed to manage a lot of pixels
USA - This year’s Electric Daisy Carnival, known to most as EDC, powered into action with a three-day flagship festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. Winner of the Festival of the Year award at the Electronic Music Awards 2017, EDC has grown since its 1991 launch to become one of the world’s leading electronic dance music festivals, and this year’s event, held in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, cemented EDC’s position as North America’s largest EDM festival. Over 400,000 visitors flocked to Vegas and EDC organiser called upon Tenfeet to help deliver visuals to match festival goers’ expectations. Working alongside Insomniac and LEG, Tenfeet was responsible for the lighting design, media control and supply, as well as programming and operating. Following on from the Vegas event, EDC goes global with Tenfeet adjusting the design into a touring version. Tenfeet knows Gre
UK - Video production company Media Flare has added three Hippotizer V4 Boreal+ Media Servers to its hire stock of nine Hippotizer V4 and Hippotizer V4+ media servers. Media Flare’s freelance TV lighting designer Tom Sutherland comments: "Our Hippos have never let us down, and with the V4+ models' new features and enhancements providing even more creative flexibility, for us it was the only way to go. It's great that I can rely on a media server which can cover such a range of productions and budgets." Freelancer programmer Nick Hansen adds: "Hippotizer Media Servers are so user-friendly. The Output Manager side is incredibly powerful and flexible, enabling us to handle things when a show's technical needs can change quickly during production. Also, we are really excited by the potential of Notch, which we will definitely be using on future projects to manipulate c
