UK - Anna Valley and Garden Studios are partnering to set up a new virtual production studio in central London. The announcement follows the companies’ collaboration on the recent SMPTE Virtual Production Showcase that took place at Garden Studios and featured an LED volume by Anna Valley. Together, the companies are providing a 150sqm+ volume and supporting crew and technology at Garden Studio’s facility in the heart of London’s film community. Anna Valley has an extensive inventory of ROE’s acclaimed Black Pearl BP2V2 ‘film-centric LED panels’ and facilitates a range of pop-up and hosted virtual production studios for television, corporate and film clients. Garden Studios is the largest-scale film studio in central London with a total footprint in excess of 300 000sq.ft and five sound stages totalling over 48 000sq.ft. They’re also no strangers to
UK - disguise has announced the launch of EX 3 - a 4K video playback solution designed specifically for location-based experiences and fixed installations. EX 3 unlocks the scalability of the full disguise platform, which has powered more than 600 immersive experiences in more than 50 countries. The platform - which includes disguise’s Designer software, newly-launched APIs, and the disguise Cloud collaboration toolkit - lets creatives benefit from an end-to-end workflow from concept to delivery, so they can bring their vision to life from one connected platform. “Creative studios increasingly have to deliver a wider variety of projects,” says Raed Al Tikriti, chief product and technology officer at disguise. “With the EX 3, we’ve made doing this easier and more accessible than ever. Even if you only need video playback for an hour, you’ll be able to design, edit
Germany - Film technology company ARRI is elevating ARRI Solutions to become its own business unit and has established two new senior management positions. The business unit is led by Kevin Schwutke, who focuses on the strategic and commercial direction, and David Bermbach, who is responsible for the technological backbone. ARRI Solutions designs, engineers, builds, and operates pioneering virtual production environments of all sizes, along with delivering integrated systems and cutting-edge workflows for corporations, broadcasters, and studios. With experience of leading major studio projects from consultancy through to configuration and turnkey installation, ARRI Solutions offers customers a full end-to-end service with the promise of ARRI brand quality. Dr. Matthias Erb, chairman of the executive board at ARRI, comments: “We are seeing great demand from our
Europe/USA - ALC NetworX, developer of the Ravenna audio-over-IP technology, has welcomed Netgear to the Ravenna community. Under its Netgear AV brand, Netgear is offering scalable AV-over-IP and wireless networking solutions for the commercial market. Netgear's pro AV solutions are engineered specifically for AV-over-IP with out-of-the-box support for most networked AV solutions. Netgear has been developing commercial network equipment for over 25 years and has become a market leading switch manufacturer for AV-over-IP. With the AV Line series of network switches, Netgear has reduced common installation frictions with pre-set profiles for AV-over-IP protocols, from one-room setups to very large AV networks with thousands of endpoints. Netgear’s Laurent Masia, director of product line management for managed switches comments: “We recognise the importance of key a
USA - LED technology specialist LED Studio has opened its first demo space in the US in Dallas, Texas. This will showcase the latest solutions from the company and its manufacturing partner VOD Visual as the brand continues to grow. The facility is co-located with LED Studio partners Elevated Systems in its 8,000 sq.ft. premises that combines offices, a warehouse and now demo space. The media and building services specialists provide a full turnkey solution for digital signage and wallscape installations, including design, engineering, installation and maintenance. This physical space enables visitors to experience the magnitude of LED Studio’s award-winning displays and helps determine the optimal displays for prospective installations. An extensive range of LED Studio displays will be presented to highlight the potential opportunities for end-users in respect to s
Singapore - The latest edition of the world’s largest e-sports championship, Dota 2’s The International 2022, was held in Singapore at the end of last year and attracted 67.74m hours of worldwide viewing. Singapore-based system integration company, Cgangs International Pte, partnered with the game’s developer, Valve, to create a Brompton Technology-powered virtual production set, used during the filming of the opening video and teaser campaign featuring the top four participating teams. Cgangs was introduced to Valve via PGL, a renowned esports tournament organiser, to provide its cutting-edge virtual production services for the event. "Our primary objective was to construct a temporary virtual production setup for Valve's pre-match and opening campaign," says Cgangs' director of strategic partnerships & business development, Alvin Lim. "These were used
India - Founded in 1940, Patna Women’s College was the first higher education facility of its kind to be opened in India’s Bihar state. The college recently invested in audio, video and lighting systems for its newly completed 2,500-seat Veronica Auditorium. Following the successful completion of another project for Patna Women’s College, Punjab-based Soundxperts won the contract to supply a complete turnkey solution for the auditorium, including audio, video, lighting, control, acoustics, seating, and flooring. Soundxperts worked closely with professional audio distributor, Sun Infonet, which was able to supply leading brands for the crucial audio component of this prestigious project. According to Soundxperts owner, Amninder Warraich, “Having the complete audio solution under one roof from renowned brands like Shure, Allen & Heath, Audiofocus, Quest Engi
Europe - The Inside Story has taken steps to reduce its impact on the planet by becoming CoolPartner number 054 with Cloudforests.ie, a social enterprise creating new forests along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The move will give the full-service marketing agency a verifiable nature-based solution to offset the carbon emissions created by the business. “As a company, we have been talking for a while about the impact that our actions are having on the environment and we wanted to take positive action to reduce this,” explains Barney Jameson, founder and managing director at The Inside Story. “After a period of extensive research, we decided that Cloudforests presented the best solution to help us reduce our carbon footprint.” “Joining Cloudforests is a powerful statement about what we stand for as a company,” adds John Hull, director of video at The Inside
UK - disguise has announced that it has partnered with London’s Lightroom – a new home for spectacular artist-led experiences in King’s Cross – to power its inaugural art experience by David Hockney. Called David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), the show was designed by 59 Productions, who used disguise’s end-to-end location-based experience solution for everything from pre-visualisation to show control and delivery. With the venue only open for a month, it has already attracted an average count of over 2,000 visitors a day. David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) takes visitors on a journey through 60 years of the artist’s paintings, digital art and set designs through a 50-minute, large-scale projection show powered by seven disguise vx 4 servers. In six themed chapters featuring an original
UK - Pro Media Audio Video Europe, part of the Clair Global Brand Group, has rebranded as Clair Global Integration (CGI), effective immediately. Clair Global entered the European market in 2021, led by industry veteran Eddie Thomas. Keeping the audience experience at the forefront of its delivery in audio systems, network design, AV, network management, and IT comms and infrastructure, CGI in Europe will continue to ‘design and deliver exciting work across spaces that resonate and inspire, in-line with its US operation’. Over the past two years, Thomas and his team have helped to deliver major projects for music venues in London including work at the O2 Arena and Here, the capital’s new flagship live events venue, which is situated within the immersive entertainment district, Outernet. In the professional sports industry, the company has upgraded Burnley’
Taiwan - With offices in Taiwan and Australia, award-winning production house for film and television, Reno Studios, has created Taiwan’s latest pixel pitch virtual production facility. Opened at the end of last year, it is located at the longest-running Taiwanese movie studio, Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC). Helping bring clients’ stories to the screen is Brompton Technology LED processing. “In collaboration with partners, Reno Studios provides a one stop service for international shooting projects, with access to essential services such as scenery construction, camera rental, lighting post-production and sound processing,” says Peter Huang, general manager of Reno Studios. Huang knows that image quality is one of the most important elements for virtual production, with LED panels and LED processors fundamentally determining whether image deta
China - Christie has announced that its high-performance 3DLP and 1DLP laser projectors are illuminating a new night-time tourist attraction at the picturesque Jiuge-Shangui scenic area in Zhangjiajie, a prefecture-level city in Hunan Province. Inspired by stories in the Chu Ci poetry anthology by renowned ancient poet Qu Yuan, Jiuge-Shangui integrates the legends of Xiangxi with cultural heritage of the indigenous Tujia and Miao ethnic groups, as well as the natural beauty of Zhangjiajie to deliver a large-scale extravaganza. Live performances staged across the scenic area spanning over 5 square kilometres are lit by close to a dozen Crimson WU31, DWU2022-HS and DWU1612-HS laser projectors supplied and installed by Christie’s trusted partner, Jianye Display. “Jiuge-Shangui night-time spectacular is the first of its kind in the world and
UK - Full-service technical production partner, JLL, has acquired Scruffy Bear Pictures, an independent film company. The acquisition comes hot off the heels of the business’ recent merger announcement. As members of EVCOM, ICE-HUB, Essa, Isla and Albert, the acquisition will enable JLL to further underline commitments to deliver sustainable and by 2030, net zero carbon technical production services to all sectors of the television and events industries. By bringing the Scruffy Bear Pictures team into the JLL fold, their combined skills will ensure the full team can continue to support agencies, studios, and creative teams, as well as innovate and lead the way as the world of corporate events continues to evolve. Phil McMichael, group commercial director at JLL, comments: “The first three months of 2023 have been game-changing for the team here at JLL. The coming
UK - The Christie-sponsored National Film and Television School (NFTS) Most Promising Student Award was recently announced at NFTS’ annual graduate showcase, held at the BFI Southbank. Lisa Kenney, a student in the Directing Animation MA programme, won this year’s award. The showcase screenings took place from 27 February to 2 March, 2023, with Kenney winning the award and trophy for her inspiring work and attitude throughout the year. Robert Bradbrook, head of the Directing Animation MA programme, NFTS commented: “Lisa is a wonderful and caring student who understands that the process of making a film is just as important as the final animation. Not just her journey, but the students that work with her. She always goes out of her way to ensure that the needs of others come first, resulting in a supportive family environment that allows everyone to do their best
Germany – tvONE’s powerful CORIOmaster2 video processor has been installed at the heart of German AV distributor Kern & Stelly Medientechnik’s new showroom in Hamburg, driving a wide variety of displays throughout the space. When Hamburg-based Kern & Stelly moved into its new premises, the team took the opportunity to completely redesign their showroom to showcase AV technical possibilities and configure it for events. The tvONE CORIOmaster2 is now the central video management processor for large and small screens hung around the showroom, including an artwall installation with seven displays. The content ranges from digital signage and demonstration videos to marketing messages and partner information. “The CORIOmaster2 offers endless creative possibilities and helps to present the products of our display partners in an optimal way,” says Mario Mühr
Iceland – The popular Idol TV singing competition burst back onto Icelandic screens recently after a hiatus of more than 10 years, updating its staging and visuals with four LED screen elements which were all driven by Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers. The fifth season’s finale was broadcast live from Reykjavik as contestants battled it out in front of a live audience, judging panel and TV viewers at home. The stage was dominated by an upstage centre Absen PL2.9 LED screen at 2688x1680px, flanked by two LED side walls at 2688x1512px. An additional Absen PL3.9 lite LED floor at 3584x512px completed the video fest, enveloping the set. Icelandic TV technology solutions company Luxor served as production designers for the show, specifying the Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers for video designer Ingi Bekk’s creations. “We used two Boreal+ MK2 servers running as
UK/South Africa - Hall Technologies has expanded its presence and supply chains in EMEA via UK technical solutions distributors, Visualization, as well as Cine AV, in South Africa. Hall has announced a strategic distribution agreement whereby both will have full access to Hall’s range of products covering connectivity and UC. “We’re excited to add such a broad line of class leading products to our distribution portfolio,” states the managing director of CineAV, Tyron Ackerman. “Along with VueAV and our other sister companies, we believe that the market across the countries in which they are active will benefit from both the unique product lines and Hall Technologies' excellent customer services,” says Nick Pidgeon, Visualization’s managing director. Hall Technologies Hal Truax, VP of sales and marketing comments, “We are delighted to announce Vi
USA - Hall Technologies has appointed Steven Pedroza as western regional sales manager. Pedroza has a long AV career supporting projects across a wide range of applications on both the manufacturers and system integration side of the industry. “The West Coast is a key territory for Hall, and we could not be more pleased to have Steven on our team,” says VP of sales and marketing, Hal Truax. “He came highly recommended and is known for being very customer-focused and thorough. Those are key traits we look for on our team.” “I’m extremely excited to join the Hall Technologies team at such a pivotal time in the company’s history, as well as within the AV industry I love so very much. Hall is a perfect fit for me and where I want to be in the industry, working side-by-side with a talented like-minded team that truly wants to help others succeed via technology
UK - The Neutrik Group is exhibiting at this year’s Engineering Solutions Live. The event, taking place on 23 March at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, encompasses a breadth of engineering design and manufacturing applications, as they relate to ‘fastening and joining’, ‘materials’ and ‘PCB’. The Neutrik Group develops, designs, manufactures and globally distributes innovative electrical and electronic interconnect products and systems, under the Neutrik, Contrik and Rean brands. The group’s product portfolio is used extensively throughout the AV entertainment and installation, media production and broadcast sectors, and in wider industrial applications. Within the portfolio of Neutrik product on display, the Fiberfox series of HMA fibre optic connector systems will be of major interest, bringing multimode fibre connectivity alive, wit
USA - The Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is famous for offering its customers world class entertainment and unforgettable moments. Hosting one of the largest New Year’s Eve parties in the whole of Las Vegas is therefore anything but a standard affair, the goal being to creatively outdo last year’s party each time anew. Julie Palmisano and Keith Floyd have been the creative masterminds of the technical team and have led the charge for many years on the complex production. This year, BC Video Services had the opportunity to support them in designing and executing the highly anticipated 2023 Caesars Entertainment New Year’s Eve party. Brian Crow was invited to the team in order to help them bring their latest creative vision to life, by adding his extensive knowledge and experience of media server technology to the mix. The collaboration led to
Europe - Brompton Technology has recently appointed Oliver Dier as its new technical sales manager. Dier, who has a wealth of experience working with professional AV systems such as camera systems for live events, film, and television, made his first appearance for the company at the ISE Show in Barcelona. Based in Germany, he will be reporting to Dries Vermeulen, Brompton's business development manager for Europe. "Given that Germany is our largest market in continental Europe, hiring someone in the region that speaks the same language seemed the most natural thing to do," says Vermeulen. "As technical sales manager, Oliver will be instrumental in developing and nurturing robust relationships with our customers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, plus other key areas, while also ensuring they are kept informed of the most recent advancements and developments in Brompton's in
UK - At first glance an inconspicuous cuboid venue, Lightroom presents a blank canvas set to host a varied programme of original creative content. The opening show DAVID HOCKNEY: BIGGER & CLOSER (not smaller and further away) is set to be the first in a series of exhibitions, created in collaboration with leading artists and innovators. The Hockney show features a specially created score written by American contemporary composer Nico Muhly and sound design by Olivier and Tony award-winning sound designer Gareth Fry. Lightroom’s sound system is supplied by Berlin-based pro audio company Holoplot’s revolutionary X1 Matrix Array and was installed by Creative Technology. Four and a half years in the making, Lightroom was conceived by award-winning design studio and production company, 59 Productions, and is a joint venture between them and London Theatre Com
Europe - Absen has announced the appointment of Vegard Børresen and Dawid Laskowski business development managers for the Nordic region and Poland respectively. Børresen brings extensive experience in sales and regional development to his role, most recently serving as business development director in the Nordic region for another LED brand. Laskowski brings with him 17+ years of experience in sales, marketing and regional management across the digital print and AV markets. “I am delighted to join Absen and be at the cutting edge of LED technology,” says Børresen, “Absen understand and respects that regional business development has cultural nuances. I am excited to bring my experience and market knowledge to Absen to help reach our goals in this territory.” Ruben Rengel, vice President of global business development comments, “We are deligh
UK - America’s Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace has landed in London, offering fun-seeking skaters an AV-rich, club-like experience. Billed as ‘the world’s best rink’, its West London location is decked out with 10 LED screens, five projectors and 200 Lucenti Tubes, all driven by Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers which were bought by the venue owners. With the original Los Angeles Flipper’s known as ‘Studio 54 on wheels’ due to its disco soundtrack and famous faces, and the more recent New York Rockerfeller Centre revival resetting the party tone, the London incarnation has big shoes to fill. The new two-storey, 34,000sq.ft space is able to welcome 2,500 people per day, and is set up as a live music venue and bar-restaurant in addition to the rink. Rigged around the main skating area are a number of screens, LED walls and projections, enhancing the vi
