FeATUre

Transcription

FeATUre

LDI 2007 Review, Page 20
Vol. 8.11
www.plsn.com
DEC 2007
PROJECTION, LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS
Parnelli Awards Gala Huge Success
Philips to Acquire
Genlyte
By Richard Cadena
AMSTERDAM,THE NETHERLANDS
— Philips has done it again. In a move
that seemed like déjà vu, the company managed to surprise the industry
with an acquisition of a major lighting
company. Philips Holding USA Inc., a
fully owned subsidiary of Royal Philips Electronics in the Netherlands, and
the Genlyte Group have entered into
a merger agreement in which Philips will acquire Genlyte in an all-cash
transaction for approximately US$2.7
billion or US$95.50 per share.
The last time Philips caught us
all by surprise was last June on the
very day that InfoComm opened. By
the time the ribbon-cutting ceremonies were over, the news had already
spread that Philips had acquired Color
Kinetics, thereby commandeering
the attention continued on page 7
ORLANDO, FL — The 2007 Parnelli Awards gala honored the best and brightest of the live event industry
Friday, Nov. 16, at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Fla. The hundreds in attendance constituted a Who’s Who of players in the live event industry, and they all rose to their feet in honor of Lifetime Achievement award winner Gerry
Stickells and Audio Innovator award winner Bob Heil. Even the stars paid their respect, with members of Velvet
Revolver, Queen and Jimi Hendrix’s band offering their kudos via video. All the Parnelli winners — as voted on by
readers of PLSN and FOH — were celebrated in the awards ceremony that honors the best of our business.
Patrick Woodroffe won the Parnelli for Lighting Designer of the Year. Upstaging won the award for Lighting
Company of the Year, while the Hometown Hero Lighting Company of the Year award went to Theatrical Lighting
Systems. Nocturne won the honor of Video Rental Company of the Year, and Kevin Daniels received the Parnelli for
Video Director of the Year. Seth Jackson won the Parnelli for Set Designer of the Year.
For more coverage and a complete list of award winners, please see page 28.
Martin Professional Announces Third Quarter Earnings
ÅRHUS, DENMARK — Martin Professional A/
S’s positive 2007 growth continued in the year’s
third quarter. Martin increased revenue by 14.3%
from $48.4 million in the third quarter of 2006 to
$55.4 million in the third quarter of 2007. For the
period Jan.1 to Sept. 30, 2007, Martin increased
revenue by 24.3% to $168.6 million compared
with $135.6 million for the same period last
year.
The substantial increase in revenue is broadly based across all of Martin’s market segments.
While the entertainment industry as a whole
has experienced general strong demand, Martin
has increased its market share through investments in technology and new products. Sales
of Martin’s LED products, for example, continue
to show growth and now account for 15% of
monthly revenue. Launched continued on page 8
Ad info:http:// www.plsn.com/instant-info
www.PLSN.com
Strike Over, Shows
on Broadway Resume
By Jacob Coakley
NEW YORK — Late Wednesday,
Nov. 28, IATSE Local One, which represents Broadway stagehands, and
the League of American Theaters,
whose members own the majority
of Broadway theatres, came to an
agreement for a new contract governing stagehand labor on Broadway. Both sides declared the contract
a success, with important gains for
both the stagehands and producers.
The contract has not been released
yet and still needs to be ratified by
the Union membership before it
can be officially adopted, but all signs
point to that happening. All shows
were scheduled to be up and running
for curtain on the evening of Thursday,
continued on page 6
Nov. 29.
Genesis
Turns It on Again
Genesis 2007 Turn It On Again tour
If you know the lighting industry,
you know Genesis as much for the
band’s production values as for its
music. In the early 1980s, the group
was instrumental in the development
of the first commercially available automated lighting system, the Vari*Lite
VL1, by providing the funds and the
impetus for its delivery. For that reason,
Lighting Designer Patrick Woodroffe
cites the band’s “history of putting on
big, spectacular light shows” as one of
the main reasons he enthusiastically
approached the design for the latest
tour, Turn It on Again. He and concept
Stage Designer Mark Fisher knew that
they were dealing with “people who
were knowledgeable, experienced and
prepared to support a big venture,” according to Woodroffe. But they also
knew it would come with challenges.
Turn to page 38 for more.
PLSN Installations
The Salt Lake Tabernacle’s two-
40 year renovation was a balancing
act for designers.
Fenton Williams
42 This LD’s been a mainstay of the
Dave Matthews Band for 15 years.
LD-At-Large
60 Who’s your buddy in the biz?
2007 SEPTEMBER PLSN
Ad info: www.plsn.com/instant-info
December
December
2007
www.plsn.com
P R O J E C T I O N , L I G H T S & S TA G I N G N E W S
Inside Theatre
W H AT ’ S H O T
W H AT ’ S H O T
Transylvania meets Broadway in Mel Brook’s new musical Young
Frankenstein.
C
CO
ON
NT
TE
EN
NT
TS
S
Features
Features
16
Inside Theatre
20 LDI Review
This year’s LDI was a doozy —
moreInterview
ways than one.
20inPLSN
28 Parnelli Wrap-up
The 7th Annual Parnelli Awards
24honored
Production
Profile
the best
in our industry.
33 Product Gallery
follow
up on the latest
26We
Vital
Stats
followspots.
36 PLSN Interview
28Meet
PLSNAxis
Interview
deBruyn, the corporate
gigs LD and more.
38 Production
Profile
31
Product Gallery
Genesis turns it on again with its
2007 reunion tour.
18
34
And the Tony Goes to. . .
40 Installations
The Salt Lake Tabernacle renovation
mixed modernization and
preservation.
Wide Angle
36 Product Spotlight
42Fenton Williams
It’s all about fun on country duo Brooks & Dunn’s latest tour.
This LD found a home with the
Dave Matthews Band.
36 Road Test
44 Vital Stats
From the Spice Girls to Broadway’s
musical Wicked,
Show
41hit
InfoComm
Coverage
Distribution’s Robert “Bob” Belanger
is a jack-of-all-gigs.
46 Road Test
We check out Clay Paky’s Alpha
Profile 1200.
51 Road Test
Putting the Martin Maxedia media
server through its paces.
18
32
Columns
Columns
4 Editor’s Note
4 Editor’s Note
Why is ACN MIA?
44 Video Digerati
52 Video World
Go back in time (code) and learn
about those mysterious digits.
46 The Biz
54 The Biz
Fuerzabruta at the Daryl Roth
York is pushing the
47Theater
FocusinonNew
Fundamentals
limits of special effects.
55 Feeding the Machines
48Lighting
Feedingadvice
the Machines
columnist Dear
Bradley answers some burning
questions.
48 Technopolis
56 Focus on Fundamentals
The five lighting metrics hold the
key to all you need to know about
discipline.
52the
LD-At-Large
57 Technopolis
The power of UPS — and we’re not
Departments
talking about shipping.
5LD-At-Large
News
60
An
in-depth look News
at a relationship
10 International
unique to the live event industry
12—On
thethe
gigMove
buddy.
14 Showtime
Departments:
37 Projection Connection
38News
Projection Connection News
5
12 International News
13 On the Move
14 New Products
16 Showtime
47 Projection Connection
48 Projection Connection News
50 Projection Connection New Products
EDITOR’S NOTE
P R O J E C T I O N L I G H T S & S TA G I N G N E W S
B y R i c h a r dC a d e n a
Is ACN MIA?
The Publication of Record for the Lighting,
Staging and Projection Industries
Publisher
Terry Lowe
[email protected]
Editor
Richard Cadena
[email protected]
I
don’t know if it will get you money for nothing or chicks for free,
but I want my ACN, and so should
you. ACN is the latest control protocol developed by the ESTA Control
Protocols Working Group and was
published late last year. It stands
for… never mind what it stands
for. It could stand for Another Cool
Name or Artificial Canadian Nickels
— it doesn’t matter. What does matter is what it will do and where it will
eventually take this industry.
John Huntington recently wrote
an article about the possibilities and
potential of ACN. It is very insightful,
but I believe that we have little idea
of the real possibilities it presents.
When the Internet became widespread in the 1980s, we knew that
it was a power ful tool and that it
might be a great way to disseminate
information. But we had absolutely
no idea that it could be used to sell
all your used stuff (eBay), share your
photos (Flicker), book travel (Priceline), view satellite images from all
over the world (MapQuest) and buy
Viagra (so I’m told).
When you look down ACN Avenue, you can see some really great
scenery. Remote fixture addressing,
unlimited channel count and plugand-play functionality are but a few
of the landmarks. But it’s much more
challenging — and maybe impossible — to see around the next corner
or over the top of the hill.
But we have to get to the top of
the hill before we can see over it. Was
it just me, or did anyone else notice
almost a complete lack of ACN implementation at LDI? If it weren’t for ETC,
ACN might be MIA. ETC’s Eos console
seems to be the only traffic cruising
down the lonely highway of ACN.
The same goes for RDM. If not for
PR Lighting and Robe, RDM might be
too remote for any device to manage.
PR Lighting and Robe both demonstrated their RDM capabilities at the
Control Protocols Interoperability
Booth at LDI. Where were the other
automated lighting manufacturers?
Maybe the roadmap to ACN with
all its three-letter acronyms is just
too confusing. How many of us really
know our PDUs from our UDPs? But
as end-users, we shouldn’t have to.
We should be able to take advantage
of the protocol without having to
understand how it works. It’s the job
of the manufacturers to figure out
how to do it.
ACN has the ability to provide all
the information about a device to
any ACN-enabled console. Every automated lighting fixture should, at
the very minimum, be able to send
a complete fixture profile of itself to
any device that asks for it via ACN. If
you connect an automated luminaire
to an ACN-enabled console, you
shouldn’t have to build a fixture profile for it or ask the console manufacturer to do so. If you then connect
that console to a computer running a
lighting CAD program, you shouldn’t
have to go hunting for a symbol for
it in the library — it should come
from the fixture itself. It should be
incumbent on the manufacturer who
developed and built the luminaire
to provide all the information, data,
menuing and symbols for its own fixtures. Once we clear that hurdle, not
only will it save time and aggravation
for the designers and programmers,
it will also help us to round the corner so we can see the next signpost.
Ask your favorite manufacturers
to start encoding their fixtures with
the information that you need for
your projects and use ACN to send it
to the console or computer. Support
the first ones who do by specifying
their fixtures on your jobs and buying their gear for your rental stock.
Vote for ACN with your purchasing
power, and it’s a guaranty that we
will all be the winners.
For years now, R obe has put an
8P8C connec tor, better k nown as
an RJ-45, on its automated lights
and put “ready for ACN” in its literature. Now we’re all ready for
ACN. Are the manufac turers ready
to deliver it?
Editorial Director
Bill Evans
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Geri Jeter
[email protected]
Associate Editor
Breanne George
[email protected]
Contributing Writers
Vickie Claiborne, Phil Gilbert, Rob Ludwig,
Kevin M. Mitchell, Bryan Reesman, Brad
Schiller, Nook Schoenfeld, Paul J. Duryee
Photographer
Steve Jennings
Art Director
Garret Petrov
[email protected]
Graphic Designers
David Alan
[email protected]
Crystal Franklin
[email protected]
Web Master
Josh Harris
[email protected]
National
Advertising Director
Gregory Gallardo
[email protected]
Account Manager
James Leasing
[email protected]
Production Manager
Linda Evans
[email protected]
General Manager
William Hamilton Vanyo
[email protected]
Business and
Advertising Office
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Las Vegas, NV 89119
Ph: 702.932.5585
Fax: 702.932.5584
Toll Free: 800.252.2716
Editorial Office
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Austin, TX 78749
Ph: 512.280.0384
Fax: 512.292.0183
Circulation
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P.O. Box 16147
North Hollywood, CA 91615
Projection, Lights & Staging News (ISSN:
1537-0046) Volume 08, Number 11 Published monthly by Timeless Communications Corp. 6000 South Eastern Ave.,
Suite 14J, Las Vegas, NV 89119.
It is
distributed free to qualified individuals in the
lighting and staging industries in the United
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Postmaster please send address changes to:
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ON N8X 1Z1. Overseas subscriptions are available
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Duplication, transmission by any method of
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permission of Projection, Lights & Staging News.
ESTA
ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES &
TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION
Pete Malvizzi
Dies After
Long Illness
HUNTSVILLE, AL — Pete Malvizzi,
Theatrical Lighting Systems Inc. (TLS
Inc.) employee and lighting crew chief
for Women of Faith, died Nov. 4 after
several weeks of illness. Malvizzi worked
with the company on the For Him and
Point of Grace tours.
Pete was an “all around talent,” able
to rig, tech, program and do set carp duties. Pete will be missed greatly by those
who knew him and all those whose lives
he touched. The excerpt below is from a
letter the company received from Scott
Moore officially informing the company
of Malvizzi’s passing.
“…Pete never did anything half
way. If he was going to do something,
he would do it to the full extent. He
was diligent and detailed in everything
he did. He loved everything about live
production in general and lighting in
particular.”
NEWS
Clay Paky Fixtures Hit The Road with Matisyahu Tour
REDMOND, WA –– Clay Paky’s
Alpha Spot HPE 1200 fixtures gave
a headliner look to Matisyahu’s
recent road trip. Recently, Omaha
alt-rockers 311 announced a 42date U.S. tour, tapping Matisyahu
to open most dates. The team began touring in St. Louis on June 28.
From there, the tour logged performances in the Southwestern, Midwestern and Northeastern regions
of the U.S. The tour wrapped up on
the West Coast in cities such as San
Diego, Santa Barbara and Salt Lake
City.
“A lighting package is generally the last thing a support band
is allowed to bring,” notes Lighting Director and Operator Marc
Janowitz. “But for Matisyahu, it
was an edict. Still, the support
slot posed some interesting challenges: We were trying to bring
headline-level production to a
stage that belonged to somebody
else. And there was very little time
to set up; we had to get lighting on
fast and off fast.”
Janowitz retained some of
311’s overhead rig, but supplemented it with a “pretty sizeable
package” consisting of 10 strobes
on the floor and eight Clay Paky
Alpha Spot HPE 1200s on four
rolling side towers,
which illuminated the
band on the floor and
on risers upstage.
“We needed a
fixture that could cut
through diminishing
daylight — often the
challenge of playing
outdoor venues in
summer,” he notes. “I Matisyahu on stage
also needed somelamp. The unit’s new effects secthing diverse.”
tion, color-mixing CMY, linear zoom
The Alpha Spot HPE 1200’s 10–40 degrees, and quiet operaluminosity is guaranteed by the tion delivers maximum results. The
combination of a top-performance Clay Paky fixtures were provided by
optical unit and a 1200W discharge Scharff Weisberg for the tour.
Draft Guidance
Document for
Followspot
Positions Available
NEW YORK — BSR E1.28, guidance on
planning followspot positions in places
of public assembly, is available for public
review on the ESTA Web site through
Jan. 14, 2008. The document offers advice
on planning practical permanent followspot positions in theatres and arenas.
Sometimes positions for followspots
are less useful than they might be or are
useless because they are placed so that
obstructions keep the light from reaching performers, the passage to the followspot position is so tight that large
equipment can’t be moved into position,
or there is too little power to operate a
followspot suitable for the throw. The
draft E1.28 document is intended to help
people avoid these problems.
The document and its supporting
public review materials are available at
http:// w w w. e s t a . o rg / t s p / d o c u m e nt s /
public_review_docs.php. In addition to
being asked to review the document to
see if it offers adequate advice, reviewers are asked to look for protected intellectual property in the draft. ESTA does
not warrant that its standards contain
no protected intellectual property, but it
also does not intend to adopt any standard that requires the use of protected
intellectual property, unless that property is necessary for technical reasons
and can be licensed and used by anyone
without prejudice or preference for a
reasonable fee.
Any protected intellectual property
in the document should be pointed out
in the comments.
Correction:
In the November issue feature Premios Juventud 2007, we neglected to
credit Zenith Lighting of Orlando Fla.,
as the lighting supplier. We regret the
omission.
www.PLSN.com
2007 December PLSN
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Trans-Siberian Orchestra Jumpstarts Holiday Season
Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s two identical tours are comprised of
13 truckloads of production each.
UNCASVILLE, CT — This year’s TransSiberian Orchestra tour has two identical
shows on the East and West Coasts, each
carrying 13 truckloads of production.
Included in the total equipment package for both tours are
four Wholehog 3 consoles and
30 High End Systems SHOWGUN
automated luminaires supplied
by Q1 of Canada.
Production/Lighting Designer Bryan Hartley is also touring
for his eighth year as the LD on
the East Coast leg. Lighting Director Dan Cassar, now in his fifth
year, handles the West Coast run.
Both tours started Nov. 1.
The Wholehog 3 console is controlling a lot of lights and LED products, and
also triggering the laser show. High End
Systems’ Brad Schiller helped out during
rehearsals, setting up the Wholehog software that sends MIDI commands to the
laser controller to fire off those cues in
the show.
“I’ve been using Wholehog 3 software
for over a year now, and it’s all good,” Hartley says. “The ease of operation all makes
sense. It’s got the speed that I need to do
whatever I need to do, and it runs beautifully. All the software issues are worked out
now. Also, I use the copy-and-paste function a lot. On this tour, it’s really helpful
because I have to duplicate the two shows
onto two touring consoles so it saves me a
lot of time.”
The rig also features 10 moving pods,
with a SHOWGUN positioned in the middle
of each pod as its centerpiece. Another four
SHOWGUNs hang on audience trusses over
the Front of House area. The SHOWGUN’s
main purpose is for key lighting.
“I love its color mixing, strobing, lighter
weight, LED ring, brightness and solid beam —
plus it plugs in just like a normal moving light,”
Hartley says. “We have so many LED products
on this show, so the SHOWGUN with its recognizable LED ring fits right in and looks great.
This is a heavy metal show, so rather than
do the multicolored Christmas thing, I’m using all solid colors. I love the solid beam of
SHOWGUN. I use the strobe, too, and I flash
the LEDs red and blue.”
Strike Over, Shows on Broadway Resume
continued from Cover
Coming in to negotiations, the producers were seeking to make massive changes
to the contract terms that govern how many
stagehands need to be hired during the loadin process, which the producers have repeatedly termed “lengthy,” and govern work rules
during the run of the show, in which the
producers have accused the union of “featherbedding.” By some estimates, the producers were looking for a 38% cut in jobs and
wages. Furthermore, although the producers
seemed shocked that the Union would strike,
they had been quietly building up a $20 million defense fund by directing to the fund a
few cents from each ticket sold.
It takes a long time to build up $20 million a few pennies at a time. The producers
requested cuts, combined with their combative attitude toward negotiations (accusing the union of “featherbedding” means
corruption at worst, and laziness at best), and
a public misinformation campaign (at least
one paper disparagingly — and erroneously
— reported that the average stagehand salary was $150,000, due to info from producers)
led the Union to believe it was under attack,
and the only way to protect its members was
to strike. So, on Nov. 10, it did, for the first
time in its 121-year history.
In a statement released on Nov. 11,
James J. Claffey Jr., the president of Local
One, apologized for the disruption of the
theatre schedule, but stated, “Broadway is a
billion dollar a year industry and has never
been more profitable than now. Cuts in our
jobs and wages will never result in a cut in
ticket prices to benefit the public, but only in
an increase in the profits for producers. Unlike the producers, we are not fighting for
our second or third homes; we are fighting to
keep the one that we have. We ask for your
understanding in our efforts to defend ourselves and protect our families.”
To cut to the heart of the dispute, it helps
to take a closer look at what divided the
Union and the League as negotiations broke
down: the load-in period and work rules during the run of a show.
The League has called the load-in period
“lengthy” and wishes to reduce the number
of stagehands called. While it’s hard to get
exact numbers on approximately how long a
load-in and tech period goes (specific numbers change on a show-to-show basis, and I
couldn’t get a response from the League or
the Union — and it doesn’t seem as if anyone else tracks it), talking with stagehands
and designers who have worked on Broadway, you would be hard-pressed to find a
load-in period that lasted longer than four
PLSN December 2007
www.PLSN.com
weeks. I spoke to some people involved with
a current prominent Broadway show, and
they estimated that the load-in and tech for
that show lasted approximately six weeks.
That’s six weeks to load a 20-ton lift into
a theatre that’s over 100 years old, build the
set on it, figure out how to fly the actors in
and out, program all the automation and
cues for the moving set pieces, lights, sound,
etc., and then rehearse with live actors to
make sure it all works — in six weeks. The
load-in itself was approximately four weeks.
That show had been playing on Broadway
for one year when the strike hit — 52 weeks.
Which means the load-in period is already
less than 8% of the time the show has spent
making money. As it continues to run, that
number will only get smaller. So exactly how
is that “lengthy”?
Granted, this was a hit and had an openend run. The load-in for limited-run shows is
a greater percentage of time, and the Union
demonstrates its flexibility in working with
these shows in its dealings with Dr. Seuss’
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Musical!
among others. For these shows, the Union
makes contract changes to allow more performances so the producers could recoup.
But what if the show’s a flop, like say, High
Fidelity, which only played for one week? Why
should the Broadway stagehands take measures to reduce the producers’ risk, if the producers are not willing to share the rewards of
that risk? In trying to change the work rules,
producers tried to cut the Union in two ways:
by reducing the pay on the in, and by reducing the pay (in the long run) when a show is
successful. The Union fought so that members weren’t put at financial or health risk ensuring that the proper (i..e., safe) number of
crew was on hand at all times.
Everyone benefits when a show is successful. But the producers attempted to convince
the Union to accept a deal that would put an
undue assumption of risk on the stagehands
(both in terms of safety due to lack of a proper
crew and less money to support themselves)
without a willingness to share any of the rewards (cutting pay for stagehands) when
a show was successful. Furthermore, they
planned this for years in full knowledge of
what the Union wuld sacrifice.
Now that it’s over, we can be happy that
both sides feel an equitable contract has
been reached, but during negotiations, both
sides have claimed it wasn’t about the money,
it was about respect and fairness — but when
you look at what the producers were trying to
do with the money, it’s easy to see why the
Union didn’t feel much respect.
NEWS
Tropicana Hotel Heats up with Elation
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — They’re mixing
more than drinks these days at 32 Degrees, a
stylish European-style lounge in The Quarter
shopping-entertainment complex at the
Tropicana Hotel & Casino. Since undergoing
a renovation in Summer 2007, the popular
club can mix and change the colors of its
lighting at the touch of a button to modify
its atmosphere with new color-mixing LEDs
from Elation Professional.
To stay ahead of the competition, 32 Degrees co-owner Barry Gutin commissioned
Scott Kemly of Powerhouse Sound (Cherry Hill,
N.J.) to give the lounge a lighting makeover.
Having done the original installation, Kemly
knew how to update the room with minimal
structural modification and expense.
Previously, there had been a huge sphere
in the center of the ceiling lit by purple neon.
Surrounding the sphere were dangling strands
of glass beads, interlaced with a fiber optic
lighting system. Around the sphere, in the ceiling itself, were recessed lights that were used
during the daytime for down lighting.
Kemly removed the sphere, neon and
recessed lights, replacing them with Elation’s Alkalite Riva 80 color-mixing LEDs.
Three Riva 80 systems, consisting of eight
recessed LED pods each, were installed in
the ceiling holes where the recessed lighting had been. Each of the 24 pods features
80 red, green and blue LEDs, providing full
100% additive color mixing.
The original glass bead strands remain
and now reflect the rich colors of the LEDs.
The Riva units fit into the existing ceiling
holes, requiring no costly construction
work. “We didn’t have to cut or reconstruct
anything,” Kemly said. “We ripped out the
old cans and put the Rivas in.”
In addition to the Rivas, Kemly added
eight Elation Design Spot 250 hybrid washspot moving head fixtures, which provide
motion and gobo patterns. Among the reaTropicana Hotel & Casino’s 32 Degrees nightclub modifies
sons this 250-watt fixture was chosen were
lighting — and atmosphere — at the touch of a button.
its compact size and “the Design Spot’s internal colors, which are rich, vibrant colors
forms. The panel fits into the existing platthat go well with the LEDs,” Kemly says.
form without complicated construction work.
Elation’s Alkalite PZ-720A color-changing The Elation Show Designer 2CF DMX console
LED flat panel was installed on a platform in controls the entire lighting ensemble, includthe center of the room, where a dancer per- ing the club’s original fiber optic strands.
Philips to Acquire Genlyte
continued from cover
of most of the attendees despite the fact that CK wasn’t even at the show. They managed
to upstage all of the exhibitors without even buying a booth.
This time they narrowly missed upstaging LDI, but they certainly have the spotlight
now.
“This offer creates outstanding value for our stockholders and enables our management and talented associates to continue our successful strategy,” said Larry K. Powers,
chairman, president and CEO of Genlyte.
More to the point, it represents outstanding value of the Euro against the U.S. dollar,
and it reflects the shifting economic tide influenced by high oil prices and the subprime
debacle. The offer also represents more than a 50% premium over the closing share prices from the day before the announcement. Still, with the U.S. dollar trading at $1.49 per
Euro, it’s almost a break even for the Netherlands-based company.
“This reflects the strength of Genlyte’s brands, strong customer relationships and
many years of successful growth in sales and earnings,” said Powers. “We are especially
pleased that we have the opportunity to build upon these assets as we join an entity
that understands the lighting fixtures and controls industry and can bring us extensive
creative solutions and financial resources to further grow our business.”
It’s hard to argue that Philips doesn’t understand the lighting fixtures and controls
industry. Their influence is felt far and wide in the entertainment lighting industry, and
their products are to be found in most every automated luminaire being manufactured
today. But one has to wonder how they will get away with competing against their own
customers. Philips Lighting is in the business of selling “globes.” Their customers include
Martin, High End Systems, Robe, PR Lighting, Elation, Clay Paky, Coemar and just about
every other automated lighting manufacturer, including Vari-Lite, which is owned by
Genlyte, which is soon to be owned by Philips. The same can be said of their acquisition
of Color Kinetics.
The acquisition of Color Kinetics has not adversely affected sales of Philips Lumileds
LEDs – they delivered their 100 millionth unit this year – and it may never be an issue
with LEDs or automated lights. But it’s interesting to consider how an automated lighting
manufacturer will react to a Philips rep peering inside of their manufacturing operation
knowing that he gets his paycheck from the same source as their competition.
The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2008. It might make you wonder if
Philips has any more surprises up their sleeve.
www.PLSN.com
2007 December PLSN
NEWS
Alvin Ailey Dance in Vogue on World Tour
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater replaced its former console
with an ETC Eos before embarking on a world tour.
NEW YORK — When the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was preparing for its latest
world tour, Lighting Director Al Crawford used
the ETC Eos to replace the dance company’s
older Obsession II console, also from ETC.
Alvin Ailey Dance was among the first
to use an Eos, which recently won a PLASA
Award for Innovation, completing a triple
crown of honors. 4Wall Entertainment Lighting supplied the Eos system to Ailey and was
one of the first rental companies in the world
to purchase the consoles.
Eos is designed to handle complex lighting rigs, and the Alvin Ailey rig is no exception
with 180 various ETC Source Four spotlights
and 80 Source Four PARs.
“We chose the Eos because we’d been with
Obsession for 15 years and have over 200 ballets in our repertoire,” says Crawford. “Changing
desks posed a significant challenge because of
the inherent and continual translation process,
so we needed a desk that could understand
the data. In our production, we use conventional fixtures, moving lights and scrollers and
needed to transfer the massive amount of repertory information seamlessly.”
Crawford says that as important as the
control system was, the excellent relationship
he has with ETC was just as critical: “The Eos
product team listens carefully to end users.
For example, there was one time when we
had an issue with the software — not a fault
— but we needed it to operate differently.
We contacted ETC and received a software
update within 24 hours. They completely
supported us during the Eos tour around
the world. That is unprecedented in my book
— they truly stepped up to the plate. I cannot
forget the ETC folks, including Anne Valentino, Dennis Varian, Luke Delwiche and Victor
Seastone. What a team!”
“I must also acknowledge the entire Ailey
lighting staff for its dedication to this process of
moving to the Eos system. Stuart Nelson, associate lighting director for AAADT, led the translation and integration process, and I’m so appreciative for his hard work and tireless hours.
Thanks also to Michael Cannon and Al Ridella at
4Wall Entertainment Lighting for their dedication to investing in new technology.”
Just finishing up in the U.K., the company’s
current tour now continues into France and China. The New York season at New York City Center runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 31 of this year.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
grew from a performance in March 1958 at
the 92nd Street Young Men’s Hebrew Association in New York. Since its inception,
AAADT has performed for an estimated 21
million people in 71 countries o n six continents, including two historic residencies
in South Africa. The company has earned
a reputation as one of the most acclaimed
international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the
preservation and enrichment of American
modern dance.
Martin Professional Announces Third Quarter Earnings
only earlier this year, Martin’s LED product
line is forecast to generate revenue just shy
of $20 million in 2007.
Profit before tax increased from $1.4
million in the third quarter of 2006 to $6.0
million in the third quarter of 2007 with an
EBIT margin of 12.7%. For the period Jan.
1 to Sept. 30, 2007, profit before tax in-
creased to $13.4 million compared to $0.5
million for the same period last year.
Several signature projects executed in
the year’s first three quarters positively affected profit. Among them was delivery of
more than 1,200 outdoor luminaires to the
Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. There were
also large deliveries associated with sev-
eral big events, including Copa America in
Caracas, the Pan American Games in Rio de
Janeiro, Singapore National Day Parade, the
Special Olympics World Summer Games in
Shanghai, as well as preparations for the
2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
With the introduction of several new
products in Q4, the company’s posi-
tive numbers are expected to continue
through the end of the year. Martin’s revenue expectation for 2007 remains unchanged at approximately $230 million,
while profit before tax is expected to increase even further to approximately $16
million compared to the previous forecast
of $13 million.
continued from cover
NEWS
Alaska Center for the Performing Arts Upgrades Lighting System
ANCHORAGE, AK — Alaska Center for
the Performing Arts, located in Anchorage,
opened its doors to the public in 1988. Until
July 4, 2007, it had the same stage lighting
controls original to the 20-year-old building.
With FDA’s help, that has now changed.
The Center, designed by Hardy Holzman
Pfeiffer Associates, has presented everything
from Broadway shows to lecture series, weddings and banquets to ballet and jazz. This
world-class facility with its four performance
spaces — the 2,000-seat Evangeline Atwood
Concert Hall, the 700-seat Discovery Theatre,
the 340-seat Sydney Laurence Theatre and
the Elvera Voth Hall — plus a performance
and rehearsal space, as well as adjoining lobbies and support areas, comprises 176,000
square feet and
FDA was
takes up just
hired to upover one city
grade the
block.
Alaska Center’s
One of Anobsolete stage
chorage’s most
lighting conunique gathertrols with a
ing places, the
state-of-the-art
Alaska Center is
control syswhere people
tem to handle
come to celthe needs of
ebrate the pertoday’s sophisfo r m i n g ar ts The Alaska Center’s new state-of-the-art lighting control system is designed for
ticated Broadand other im- all types of events, from touring Broadway shows to weddings.
way tour ing
portant social occasions. Each year, the Center shows and local productions. “A key goal
hosts over 600 performances and events and was to keep programming time during
draws over 240,000 patrons.
costly rehearsals to a minimum,” said
FDA Associate Richard Hoyes, who specified the system.
To accomplish this goal, FDA specified
three of ETC’s new Eos lighting control consoles, designed to handle complex lighting
rigs with its easy-to-use operating system.
The system includes a fiber-optic backbone
between major components, along with an
extensive Ethernet network throughout each
theatre. This new Ethernet network allows any
DMX device to be easily added to the system
and be controlled from the lighting control
console and gives leased events the flexibility
to bring their own lighting control console and
DMX devices. A wireless hand-held remote
unit allows the stage lighting crew to work
untethered throughout the facility.
Kanye West on
Saturday Night Live
NEW YORK — A number of recent Kanye
West events required the lighting design of
Starlight Visual’s Jonathan Goldstein and the
services and inventory offered by Scharff
Weisberg. The two collaborated on projects,
including two high-profile parties, the artist’s
appearance on Saturday Night Live and a number of North American concerts. Highlighting
the equipment package was the powerful, yet
compact, LittleBig 3.5.
Goldstein first turned to Scharff Weisberg
to outfit West’s album release party at New
World Stages in New York, which played host
to music industry moguls, record label executives and the press. “Kanye wants things
to look good,” remarks Goldstein, who was
excited about using the LittleBig 3.5 units for
the event.
Scharff Weisberg orchestrated and supplied equipment for the entire job.
Kanye West performing at one of his many public
appearances.
“When Kanye saw the LittleBigs, something clicked for him,” Goldstein says. “He
walked in and said, ‘What are those?’ He loved
them.” The party also sported a Hippotizer, a
Barco 10 foot by 9 foot iLite wall and a compliment of color blazes and VL 2500s. The lighting system was orchestrated from a grandMA
lighting console.
For West’s appearance on Saturday Night
Live, Goldstein requested that Scharff Weisberg bring in LittleBig 3.5s again. According to
Goldstein, it was very atypical for an outsider
to bring lights into SNL, but Kanye was “very
adamant about having them,” he says. “He’s a
very visual person; and the way the light works
with the camera lens is very cool. Scharff Weisberg has been a huge help in supplying the
fixtures, hardware and software needed for
these Kanye events.”
Goldstein adds, “The LittleBigs really
looked great on TV. I had wanted them to
blow the camera out. A lot of TV shows
won’t let me do that — SNL let us do it, let
us keep the lights at full percentage.”
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Alice Cooper Rips Through Classic Rock
COPENHAGEN — Veteran shock rocker
Alice Cooper is once again having his theatrical stage show lit by Bandit Lites. Currently in the U.K. and Europe, Lighting Director
Chad “Chopper” Lewis is working alongside
Ewan Cameron and Paul Holst from Bandit
UK and Bandit Inc. in the U.S.
This is Lewis’ second tour with Cooper
and his first visit to the U.K. “The continuity between Mike Golden at Bandit Lites Inc.
and Lester Cobrin at Bandit Lites U.K. makes
touring Europe exceptionally smooth and
ensures that the high production values
and ‘Bandit Standard’ that we expect are
maintained. I have been really impressed
with the U.K. operation.”
Artistic Director Norm Schwab and
Lighting Designer Rob Roth designed the
original production. From there, Roth and
Lewis developed and programmed the
light show. They wanted to create a classic
monochrome black-and-white feel for the
lighting — the high contrast, jerky, slightly
grainy gray impressions of early television
pictures.
Colorwise, this meant a lot of open
white, pastel white tints and pale colors —
slightly unorthodox for what is essentially
a heavy rock show. The first half of the set
sees Cooper rip through some of his classic
rock catalogue, while the theatrical pranks
come in the second half.
The lighting rig is based on five straight
trusses, two of which are made from minibeam and deal primarily with Kabuki-drop
drapes — one far upstage, and one midstage — the latter holding a cloth used for
a shadow gag at the top of the show.
The lighting rig includes numerous PAR
cans and ACLs. Some of the bars are angled
at 45 degrees to the truss to give the roof
space some architectural shaping. The
three lighting trusses are all prerigged. They
contain 20 bars of 6 PARs in total: six each
on the back and mid trusses, and eight on
the front. There are 11 bars of ACLs in total,
including two on the floor supplied by Bandit to second-onthe-bill Motorhead. There are
also two vertical truss sections
right downstage rigged with
PARs.
The moving lights are relatively minimal: 10 Martin Professional MAC 2K Profiles on the
back and mid trusses, four MAC
2K Performances on the front
truss and four MAC 2K Washes
on the floor.
Alice Cooper’s theatrical stage show
Strobes feature heavily at
various points, and there are 20
ease of use. All dimming is Avolites, and disAtomics divided between the mid truss, the tro is via Bandit’s custom PD units.
shadow-drape truss and the floor, along with
Bandit is also supplying two DF50 and
four 8-lite Molefay units on the front truss for three F100 smoke machines and four Lyaudience blinding. The shadow effects are cian 2K follow spots for the tour, plus eleven
achieved using a single 2K Fresnel upstage.
one-ton motors, three quarter-ton motors
Lewis operates the show on a full-size (to sub-hang the Motorhead backdrop and
grandMA, using an MA Lite console, which bring it in and out quickly and easily) and
is his desk of choice for its accessibility and all necessary rigging.
Justin Timberlake Justifies Lasers for Future Sex/Love Sounds Tour
MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA — Almost one
year into the Future Sex/Love Sounds tour,
Justin Timberlake’s performance is becoming recognized as one of 2007’s most entertaining and successful tours.
The tour’s success has gained media recognition, including a recent HBO documentary, which was filmed during Timberlake’s
back-to-back showings at Madison Square
Garden in New York City.
In preparation for this
HBO shoot, Timberlake
approached Head Laser
Technician Chris Blair
of Laser Design Productions, requesting a
heavier laser look for
the televised broadcast.
Laser Design Productions furthered its
effects list with two additional, 3-watt DPSS
Yag lasers to the design. Justin Timberlake rocks his body during the Australian leg of his Future Sex/Love Sounds Tour.
This brought the effects
list to a total of four
laser show is programmed and controlled
4-watt DPSS full-color air-cooled white light with Pangolin software.
diode lasers, two 12-watt red DPSS lasers,
Following the HBO shoot, Timberlake retwo 3-watt micro DPSS KTP NdYag Lasers, quested that the additional laser effects stay on
six fiber-optic fed remote scanners, eight board for the remainder of the tour. The addilaser projectors and 14 different sources.
tional lasers added an extended look to the club
Over 60 bounce mirrors are positioned feel design created by Doug Adams, designer
in the round stage and trussing, and the and president of Laser Design Productions.
12
Adams initially created the laser design for three of Justin Timberlake’s hit
songs from the Future Sex/Love Sounds
album, including “Rock Your Body,” “Love
Stoned,” and “Sexy Back.”
Recently, Adams collaborated with
Timberlake at the MTV 2007 Video Music
Awards held at the Palms Casino Resort
in Las Vegas. Alongside Timberlake for
the closing act was music producer Timberland and vocalist Nelly Furtado. Adams designed an array of machida, beam
and scanning effects to a remix of songs,
including “Love Stoned” and “Give It to
Me.” The laser effects for that particular
performance include six three-watt DPSS
Yag Lasers.
After two circuits around North
America and one through Europe, the
tour headed off to Australia and New
Zealand during October and November;
The tour is scheduled for a performance
in Abu Dhabi in early December.
PLSN December 2007
www.PLSN.com
360 Systems, a
developer of digital
video products for the
broadcast and Pro AV
markets, announced
that Jon Powell has
joined the company as
Midwest regional sales
manager,
Broadcast Jon Powell
and Pro AV Products.
In this role, Powell will provide sales channel
management, new business development
and customer support for the Midwest/Central United States, covering 14 states from
Minnesota to western Pennsylvania, and
south to the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Powell was
recruited for his expertise in working with
major video server opportunities at both the
manufacturer and the reseller levels.
LA ProPoint announces that it has made
three new hires to complement its accomplished team of project managers, fabricators, riggers and technicians.
Susan Pucelli takes on the role of senior
project manager of LA ProPoint with specific
responsibility for the company’s newly established structural steel fabrication division as
well as larger scale entertainment projects. A
mechanical engineer by training, Pucelli has
more than 10 years of project management
and project engineering experience. Robert Fisher will serve as a project
manager with responsibility for estimating,
sales and, to complement Susan Pucelli’s
role, overseeing work on structural steel
commissions. Fisher is an experienced welder
and has worked in the entertainment trades
since 1990. A set designer for theatre, television and
theme parks since 1994, Theresa Shook is
LA ProPoint’s newest designer. Her varied
background includes completing the final
drawings for the Finding Nemo attraction at
Disneyland and the Tower of Terror attraction
at Disney’s California Adventure. In her new
role, Shook will be one of the first people to
tackle the projects that Pucelli and Fisher will
manage from start to finish as well as some of
LA ProPoint’s Theme Park work.
PRG, a supplier of entertainment technology, has hired Tom Celner as its controls and
networking product manager. In the newly
created position, Celner will serve as PRG’s national resource for two proprietary products,
the Virtuoso® lighting control console and the
Series 400™ Power and Data Distribution System. Celner will work with PRG’s Research and
Development and Marketing teams and will
be based in Chicago.
Celner comes to PRG after working as a
freelance programmer and designer. Prior to
that, he spent 16 years at Vari*Lite/VLPS, which
became part of PRG in 2004. At Vari*Lite/VLPS,
Celner was closely involved in the development of Virtuoso and its subsequent upgrades.
He is a graduate of the Goodman School of
Drama at DePaul University where he earned
a BFA degree in lighting design.
Craig Smith, president, U.S. division of
AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions, has announced the appointment of David Ross to
general manager of the
Chicago branch. Ross
comes to AVW-TELAV David Ross
from Exhibitgroup/Giltspur where, as corporate vice president of
sales, he successfully led efforts at restructuring the company, which resulted in quantifi-
ON THE MOVE
able, large-scale growth in sales and percent
increase in long-term business contracts. He
brings over 20 years of sales and leadership
experience to this new position.
Kinetic Lighting Inc. announces it has
hired Sarah Granger as production coordinator and Mike Mallinson as a member of its
sales force. Granger comes to Kinetic with prior production experience and is responsible
for logistics coordination and backend support for the company’s growing production
department.
Mallinson, formerly Kinetic’s production
assistant, has assumed the role of outside
sales representative. Mallinson’s new role entails business development among Kinetic’s
production, rental and sales departments. He
specializes in projects that require equipment
and on-site labor.
Bulbtronics Inc. has announced the
appointment of John M. Dahdouh as vice
president of the newly created subsidiary designed to service the Latin American specialty
lighting market. Headquartered in Miami, Fla.,
the new subsidiary will service the entertainment, industrial, medical and scientific markets of Florida and Latin America.
Before joining Bulbtronics, Dahdouh was
the general manager and director of new
business development with Barbizon Lighting Company in Florida for 10 years.
LIVE! Technologies
has appointed Tim Jarmain as video operations
manager. Before joining
LIVE!, Jarmain served as
assistant director of the
Baylor University video
department, directing
and producing all video Tim Jarmain
content for the women’s
athletic events. Jarmain also worked for seven
years at Ohio State University as director of
live broadcast.
After many months of meticulous planning, LSC Lighting Systems (Aust) Pty.
Ltd. has moved into its new larger purpose built factory. The new contact information is: Building 3, 66-74 Micro Circuit,
Dandenong South, VIC. 3175, Australia.
LMG Inc., a national provider of
video, audio and
lighting
support
with offices in Orlando, Phoenix and
Las Vegas, has hired
Scott Sherrer as a
sales engineer for Scott Sherrer
the firm’s system integration division.
Sherrer’s duties will include developing
new business, maintaining client communication and advising clients on the
optimal equipment to meet design and
budget needs.
Sherrer previously worked for LMG
as an installation technician from 2000–
2003 and has freelanced for the firm for
the last several years.
www.PLSN.com
PROJECTION LIGHTS & STAGING NEWS
2007 December PLSN
13
NEW PRODUCTS
A.C. Lighting Chroma-Q Color Punch
The new Chroma-Q Color Punch from A.C.
Lighting provides 1,230 lumens in a compact LED
luminaire. The unit is IP rated, and convection
cooling allows silent operation. The machined
aluminum and high-impact plastic housing contains a built-in power supply, and it can operate
in standalone mode or with DMX512.
A.C. Lighting • 518.494.9988 • www.aclighting.com
American DJ LED Bar
American DJ’s new LED
Bar has four heads, each
containing 61 5 mm LEDs
(21 red, 19 green, 21 blue).
The DMX-controllable fixture has a 30-degree beam
angle, and the emitters are
rated at 50,000 hours. Features include color strobe
effects, electronic dimming,
three standalone modes
(sound active, auto or static
color) and built-in preset programs. An optional foot controller can be used to control
color selection, color fades and blackout. The unit includes a built-in power supply and
measures 19.75 inches by 3.5 inches by 5.25 inches. It weighs seven pounds and can be
floor or truss mounted.
American DJ • 800.322.6337 • www.americandj.com
Chauvet Arena Hazer
Chauvet’s new Arena Hazer™ is a water-based
haze machine that features continuous output up
to 20,000 cfm, an integral fan and an auxiliary external squirrel cage blower with adjustable speed and
direction. The system is housed in its own wheeled
road case with access to the control panel and fluid
reservoir. Also included is DMX512 control capability for output adjustment, fan speed and blower
speed, a wired remote control and a 1.4-quart onboard fluid container.
Chauvet • 800.762.1084 • www.chauvetlighting.com
D.T.S. Delta LED Color Changers
A.C. Lighting, the exclusive North American distributor
for D.T.S., is now stocking the new Delta RGB Full Color range
of LED color changers. RGB Full Color features 40 full-color
(not separate RGB) LEDs, which can independently generate
16 million colors. The range produces 370 lux at five; choices
include motorized or manual movement moving head, fixed
installation and embedded ceiling installation models. Other
features include IP65 protection, spot, medium-flood and
wide-flood interchangeable optical units, RGB, CMY and HSV
color-mixing modes, light sensor, standalone or DMX512 control, and stand-alone operation with up to 32 units.
A.C. Lighting Inc. • 416.255.9494 • www.aclighting.com/
northamerica
Elation Impression LED Intelligent Moving Head
Elation Professional has introduced the Impression, a
DMX512-controllable LED moving head. Powered by 90 Luxeon K2 LEDs, it can pan 660 degrees in two seconds and tilt
300 degrees in one second. It is available with RGB or allwhite LEDs. The RGB version contains 30 red, 30 green and
30 blue LEDs and features color correction from 7,200K to
3,200K. The all-white version contains 60 cold white LEDs
and 30 amber LEDs. It comes standard with a black housing;
silver or white is available by special order. The unit weighs
16 pounds and measures 14.5 inches by 14 inches by 5.75
inches.
Elation Professional • 866.245.6726 • www.elationlighting.com
14
PLSN December 2007
www.PLSN.com
Field Template SoftSymbols Version 3
Field Template’s Version 3 of SoftSymbols™ is a significant overhaul and expansion to the VectorWorks®-based symbol library. In addition to another 800 symbols,
it ships with DataConvert Macros, allowing
the entire software package to be converted from imperial scale to metric scale and
back. New additions in Version 3 include
the entire Rosco, GAM, Diversitronics,
Reich & Vogel, CCT and Robe product lines,
as well as the latest from Coemar, Martin,
Selador, Selecon and the City Theatrical libraries. Also included are the archive product lines from Strand and Berkey Colortran.
All the data in the symbols is exported to a SoftData© PDF reference document.
Field Template • 310.832.4700 • www.fieldtemplate.com
FocusTrack Version 1.300
FocusTrack, the production
lighting documentation software, is now available in version
1.300. New features include the
ability to detect preset- and
postset-only positions when
importing a showfile (positions
used to set up movement of
lights as they are fading in or fading out) and “FocusFinder” functionality (when new positions
are created, detects whether
identical or similar preset focus
positions have been created
for that light). RigTrack, the rig
management module, can now
generate weight and power
totals, show subsets of a rig (conventional or moving lights, tungsten or arc sources) and import rig data from VectorWorks Spotlight, Lightwright and other sources.
FocusTrack • +44.797.331.9793 • www.focustrack.co.uk
MA Lighting grandMA Pico
MA Lighting introduces the grandMA Pico, a console
designed and optimized for use in theatres. Similar to
the larger consoles of the grandMA range, a numberpad, a Go-plus, a Go-minus and a Pause key are all
present. Features include one color touch screen
display, five manual faders, five physical playback buttons on 128 pages, 1,024 DMX512
channels and free visualization software.
Additionally, it is possible to connect one
remote and up to four grandMA video
stations. The console uses the same syntax,
windows and menus as the larger consoles. Its
compact footprint makes it ideal for smaller theatres.
ACT Lighting • 818.707.0884 • www.actlighting.com
Wybron PS 450i Power Supply
Wybron’s new PS 450i power supply is
RDM compatible and is modeled after the
company’s PS series power supply products.
The permanent power supply is compatible
with Wybron’s Nexera and Forerunner, as
well as all of the company’s InfoTrace System products, including the Coloram IT, CXI
IT, Eclipse IT and Eclipse II IT. It is designed
to mount to a wall or Unistrut and has multiple conduit knockouts. All connections
are on terminal blocks with separate blocks
for main power and low-voltage/data. The
450i differs from other PS series power supplies by using three discreet 150W, 24V
outputs. It is UL listed.
STAGING • LIGHTING • SOUND
Order online TODAY at www.plsnbookshelf.com
Wybron, Inc. • 800.624.0146 • www.wybron.com
www.PLSN.com
2007 December PLSN
15
SHOWTIME
ST
Tremper Homecoming 2007
Venue:
Gear
Tremper High School
Kenosha, WI
Crew
Producer/Production Manager: Travis Wetzel
Lighting/Video Company: Trav-A-Ling Tunes
Lighting Designers: Travis Wetzel, Travis Martin
Lighting Director/Automated Lighting
Operator: Travis Martin
Lighting Techs: Travis Wetzel, Travis Martin,
Sean V.
Set Design: Travis Wetzel, Scott Puro
Set Construction: Travis Wetzel, Scott Puro,
Travis Martin
Rigger: Scott Puro, Travis Martin
Video Director: Matt Kuehn
8 American DJ PocketScans
1 DJ screen
1 ETC Smartpack dimmer
6 ETC Source Four PARs
1 Flying Pig Systems Hog iPC
1 JEM ZR 24/7 hazer
1 Numark VM03
1 Numark AVM01
1 6 PAR 64s
1 Sanyo PLC-XP51 4,000 Lumen projector
1 Sony HDR-HC5 DV camcorder
6 12x12 Tomcat truss
2 Vari*Lite VL2500 spots
4 Vari*Lite VL500s
2 16” mirror balls
Making History — University of
Pennsylvania Capitol Campaign
Venue:
Three Large Tents @ Postal Property
Philadelphia, PA
Crew
Producers: Karen Homer/Fred Stein
Lighting/Video Company: Advanced Staging
Productions
Production Manager: Ryan McLaughlin
Lighting Designer: Jason Showers
Assistant Lighting Designer: Robert Morbeck
Lighting Directors: Jason Showers/Robert
Morbeck
Automated Lighting Operator: David Schultz
Master Electrician: Stacy Shoff, Jerreme Aldrich
Crew Chief: Stacy Shoff
Lighting Techs: Stacy Shoff, Mark Mazzone,
Jason Snow, Jerreme Aldrich
Set Design/Construction: Advanced Staging
Productions
Rigger: Robert Morbeck, IATSE Local 8
Staging Company: Proof Productions
Staging Carpenter: Steve McEntee
Pyrotechnics: Denis O’Regan
Video Director: William Noecker
Gear
1 Barco Image Pro HD
2 Barco Screen Pro II HD switchers
1 Barco 16 x 16 analog router
1 Barco 16 x 16 SDI router
1 Barco 8 x 8 DVI router
2 Canon 33x lens
1 Christie Lites MLD main distro
2 Christie Lites MPD Cam-C5 distros
64 City Theatrical B-size template holder
6 City Theatrical CB 12-way PSUs
102 4’ CL Type B 16” truss
66 CM chain hoists
36 Color Kinetics CB12 LED luminaires
8 CS 800 8-way motor distro (truss mount)
16 DFD 1-to-5 DMX isolated splitters
1 DFD DMX A/B switch
1 Encore control console
6 ETC Sensor 48 racks
160 ETC Source Four ellipsoidals 19d/26d/
36d/50d
24 ETC Source Four PAR Bars MFL/WFL
12 ETC Source Four PARs on bases
5 Extron GLI 2000s
3 Extron RGBHV ADA 1 x 6
2 Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II console
1 Flying Pig Systems Hog iPC w/playback/
programming wings
2 Fuji 55x camera lens
1 Fuji 12x camera lens
2 Grass Valley turbos
1 Jands Vista T2/E2B control console w/wing
1 Jands Vista T2 backup console
1 Leprecon VX2400 24 rack
1 Magni Scope AVN510
1 Master Cue V5 system
5 MDG atmosphere haze generators
16
PLSN December 2007
www.PLSN.com
ST
2 Panasonic 13” CRT monitors
2 Panasonic 50” plasmas
8 Panasonic PT-D7700U-K DLP projectors
2 Panasonic PT-D10000W DLP projectors
24 PAR 46 MFLs on bases
2 Quad 8” Panasonic monitor racks
1 Sony Beta deck rack
1 Sony DFS 500 video switcher
4 Sony DSR 1500s
2 Sony DSR 1800s
4 Sony D50 cameras
1 Sony D35 camera
4 Spider pods
Stage Tech Decks, 20’ turntable
1 TMB ProPower 24 x 208v PD
2 Vari*Lite S300 mod racks
4 Vari*Lite S300 APS6 chassis
20 Vari*Lite S300 smart repeaters
12 Vari*Lite S300 smart repeater plus units
2 Vari*Lite DMX power packs
84 Vari*Lite VL5 wash fixtures w/NSPs
42 Vari*Lite VL6C+ fixtures w/custom color
and gobos
4 Vari*Lite VL3000 spots w/custom gobos
12 Vari*Lite VL2000 spots w/custom color
and gobos
8 Vari*Lite VL2000 wash fixtures
8 Vari*Lite VL1000TS fixtures
5 video processors
6 9 x 16 rear projection screens
2 15 x 26.5 front projection screens
2 High-Def DVD players
Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell III Tour
Crew
Lighting Company: Creative Stage Lighting
Lighting Designer: Bill Sheldon
Lighting Director: Wayne Bukovinsky
Lighting Techs: Eric Potter
Gear
12 ACL 4xPAR 64, silver
1 Avolites Diamond 4 console
BVX-1 72x3K dimmer rack
BVX-4 72X3K dimmer rack
4 City Theatrical 64 power supply PDS
375 TRs
16 CM 1/2-ton hoist
8 CM 1-ton hoist
13 Color Kinetics ColorBlast 12 TRs
1 CSL prerigged truss 4-way corner, silver
6 CSL PAR 64
ST
Beehive, The 60’s Musical
Crew
Gear
Producer: Prather Entertainment Group
Lighting Company: Clearwing Productions
(Phoenix)
Production Manager: Matt Jameson
Lighting Designer/Director: Russell A.
Thompson
Automated Lighting Operator/Tech: David
Brooks
Set Designer: Evan Adamson
Set Construction: Prather Productions Inc.
Staging Company: PEG
Staging Carpenter: James (Cubbie)
McCorory
6 Altman 3-cell sky cycs
1 ETC Emphasis lighting console
2 ETC 48x2.4K sensor touring racks
3 ETC Source Four 19 degrees
22 ETC Source Four PAR 700 MCMs
36 ETC Source Four 26 degrees
12 High End Studio Spot 575s
2 SGM Giotto Spot 250s
6 Thomas 3-cell cyc
5 Thomas 3-cell ground row cyc
18 Wybron Forerunner color scrollers
DMX Snake-300’, 10x5-Pin, 3x3-Pin,
3xAC, 2xCat5
DMX Relay, 6-channel, 30A total
6 DMX isolated splitter
10 ETC Source Four 750w 26º w/iris
42 High End Systems studio beams
10 James Thomas 91” Prerigged truss, silver
15 James Thomas 91” ML truss, silver
10 James Thomas 12” GP truss 96,” silver
18 James Thomas 12” truss 120,” silver
8 James Thomas 20.5” GP truss 120,” silver
5 James Thomas 20.5” GP truss 96,” silver
2 James Thomas GP truss 60,” silver
12 James Thomas 4-Lite molefays
25 Martin MAC 2000 Profile II Es
4 Martin Atomic 3000 strobes
3 Reel EFX DF-50 hazer
10 6-lamp PAR 64 bar
Walters Art Museum Annual
Fundraiser Gala
Venue:
Gear
60 x 150 Clearspan tent,
Mt. Vernon neighborhood
Baltimore, MD
Crew
Lighting Company: Event Tech
Lighting Designer: Dan Hoffman
Master Electrician: Briana Binkerd-Dale
ST
25 Chauvet Colorado 3 LED fixture
28 Chauvet Colorado 1B LED PAR fixture
12 Chauvet LED Rain 56 PAR fixtures
1 CM 1-ton chain
1 Doug Fleenor Designs 123EE iso-splitter
6 ETC Source Four 19˚ fixtures
1 Jands Hog 1000 console
1 Leprecon 24-way 2.4k VX touring
dimmer rack
1 Reel EFX DF50 hazer
130’12”x12” GP truss
6 motors
PLSN wants your gig shots! Go to www.plsn.com/showtime to submit your Showtime pics or e-mail [email protected].
ST
ST
ST
www.PLSN.com
2007 December PLSN
17
INSIDE THEATRE
All Photos by Paul Kolnik
Young Frankenstein
Transylvania Meets Broadway
Megan Mullally, Andrea Martin, Christopher Fitzgerald
By JoyceStorey
L
ook out Dorothy! Kansas is out
— Transylvania is decidedly in! The
te a m t h at c re ate d t h e m e g a ex trava ganza The Producers is at it again,
this time with the musical version of the
1974 Mel Brooks Academy Award-nominated hit film comedy Young Frankenstein.
When New York brain surgeon and
professor Frederick Frankenstein inherits
a castle in Transylvania from his grandfather, deranged genius Victor Von Frankenstein, he goes to Transylvania and
carries on with his grandfather’s mad experiments in reanimating the dead. In the
process, he falls in love with his sexy lab
assistant, Inga.
Hoping for another slam-dunk success
like The Producers, which took home a record
12 Tonys in 2001, Brooks has put the “dream
team” back together. Led by Tony-winning
Director/Choreographer Susan Stroman, it
includes his Tony-winning designers: Lighting Designer Peter Kaczorowski, Set Designer Robin Wagner and Costume Designer
William Ivey Long, in addition to Jonathan
Deans as sound designer and Marc Brickman designing special effects.
If you’re thinking of catching the show,
you’d better have deep pockets. Young
Frankenstein’s top ticket prices are $450
and $375 for “premier” seats, with $120
seats available in the same area. With all
the hype and anticipation, it’s a privilege
to get an inside look behind the scenes.
Kaczorowksi took time out of his hectic
schedule to “shed some light” on the phenomenon that is Young Frankenstein.
His first question about the design was,
“Are we doing black-and-white?” According to Kaczorowski, “It was pretty clear that
we shouldn’t. Black-and-white would have
been a trap. We’re a different animal from
the movie, though I think there’s a spirit in
the show that’s very much like the movie.
18
PLSN December 2007
Shuler Hensley, Sutton Fosterr, Roger Bart, Christopher Fitzgerald and Andrea Martiñ
Some of the lighting is wry and hopefully perhaps a dummy, onto a translucency,
funny. There’s scale…a kind of daft maj- creating a true silhouette,” Kaczorowski
esty, and it has the seriousness that a lot recalls. “But this image had to cover a set
of those movies like to think they have, yet change upstage of it, so it had to be frontthere’s also that nod to self-aware parody. projected. Front projecting a shadow
At the Hilton, all tongues are firmly plant- meant animation. That was the beginning
ed in cheeks.”
of needing a projector. We have a Hippo
Though featuring some spectacular run by an MA Lighting grandMA, and the
projections, Young Frankenstein does images come out of two 12K projectors
not have a formal projection designer. working completely in line and producing
Projection was not in the original con- the same image, one on top of the other, in
cept, but grew organically during the case one goes down. It’s a little brighter
design process, and the responsibility than we were experiencing in Seattle
fell to Kaczorowski.
[where the show originated], where
In one instance,
we only had one
Stroman requested
projector.”
that the walls shake
J o s h Fr a n k e l
“Front projecting
during Frederick’s
was brought in to
a s h a d o w m e a n t create the video senightmare sequence. Kaczorowsanimation. That was quences, and Kacki took a picture of
received
t h e b e g i n n i n g o f zorowski
the lit Grand Hall
technical support
set, then projected
needing a projector.” from Scharff Weisit back onto the
berg. Kaczorowski
— Lighting Designer enjoyed his dual
image itself, using
the shake effect in
design capacity for
Peter Kaczorowski
a Green Hippo Hipthis show. “It was
potizer media servjust an extension
er to create the illuof my department,”
sion. During a lightning crash, Frederick’s he says. “It was a little more efficient that
grandfather melts out of a portrait, leav- way. I knew what the sequences were and
ing a negative space, and appears “in the booked time at Scharff for figuring them
flesh.” The moving portrait shadow was out. Josh created the work and gave it to
painted on an RP screen with two concen- us on a file. We encoded it onto the Hippo,
tric light boxes for positive and negative played it back and manipulated it with
images. Parallel lines of bright strip were lenses, focus, brightness and color.”
created one after another and controlled
One of the highlights of the producon eight channels over a span of about tion is the hayride scene. It uses a fullthree feet, so grandfather could disappear screen video of trees-in-passing to create
from the head down.
the illusion of movement, as the stationStroman also wanted the image of a ary wagon appears to travel toward the
dead body in silhouette swinging on the Frankenstein castle. Initially, the scene
gallows. “Originally, we were going to back was planned with three elaborate unfoldproject the shape of an actual person, or ing backdrops, but space and budgetary
www.PLSN.com
Christopher Fitzgerald
restrictions necessitated a simpler solution. Recalls Kaczorowski, “It was left to
me to create a roadway and the motion of
the trees passing. So I talked to Josh about
making a movie loop that we could project
onto the backdrop to create the motion of
the journey. We discussed using a forest
path and a vanishing point, silhouettes of
passing trees as they headed “away” from
the audience, and of having the castle materialize in the distance as they neared it.”
The video is projected on a dark blue
background. “It’s definitely a less vivid image on a dark surface,” says Kaczorowski.
“The hanging man works so well because
it’s on a creamy distressed silk, showing
off more detail than the dark surface, but
all of the things we were doing on the
dark surface, including the fireworks later on in the show, were about revealing
space via light and shadow. The moving
trees were basically negatives. The light
that was left showing the positives was a
little less bright than I might have liked,
but by contrast to the black trees, it actually worked pretty well.”
Kaczorowski says that once he had
the projection concept worked out, the
scene was fairly easy to light. “The projected movie told the story of where
we were going,” he says, “and because
the actors stayed in one place, I could
be quite specific on them and not have
anything ruin the sharpness of the image behind them. Also, the fog on the
floor was a perfect surface on which to
project supporting motion.”
To create a sense of passing trees,
Moving Light Programmer Josh Weitzman,
who has programmed every Kaczorowski
musical, put a tree pattern in one of the
wheels, running a gray-toned template
underneath it, which was constantly
turned. “It amplified the sense of motion,”
ver (assistant LD), Keri Thibodeau in New
York and Chris Reay in Seattle (projections
and effects). Also, Josh Weitzman was instrumental; it’s impossible to imagine the
show without his contribution. Rich Mortell is my production electrician; he puts
things up and they work. Head electrician
is Brian Dawson, contract spot operator
is Whitey Ford and Tommy Galinski is our
moving light tech.”
“As complex as this show is,” Kaczorowski concludes, “there’s actually a lot
of simplicity to it. It’s certainly more
gear than I’ve ever had on a show. I
had more things to take care of, look
after, organize and be ready for than
on any other show, but somehow, what
ended up onstage is sort of logical and
right. It’s not convoluted and difficult.
It’s kind of fluid.”
Shuler Hensley and Fred Applegate
says Kaczorowski, “and the constantly
changing fog made it something that you
could never really land on, so it was more
random and natural. It was really kind of
ideal. Then the whole image wipes away
with a slow black iris (another nod to the
movie) that ends up encircling the moon
itself. There’s still a moon in the sky for
the exterior of the castle, but the other
environment we were in gets completely
wiped away. It’s a nice transition.”
For the show, Kaczorowski runs some
120 automated lighting units with an ETC
Eos console. “Other people already have
them, but I think this is the first big show
on Broadway for the Eos,” he remarks. “The
ETC people were committed to responding to Josh [Weitzman]. They were constantly giving us new builds and working
on the software; they also sent people
out to Seattle to watch Josh program.
He told them things that he didn’t like
about the displays, what could be better and where there were bugs. It was
great. They were very solicitous and really wanted it to work. I like the board.
It’s rather Obsession-like and speaks
like the Obsession. It’s intuitive, and it’s
a syntax a lot of people already know.”
An Obsession runs the conventional
rig with almost 500 fixtures, including
strobes. The grandMA runs the two projectors and the Hippo and also does
laboratory effects chases. “The effects
package on that board is much easier
to manipulate,” Kaczorowski says. “With
all of the LED [Color Kinetics] i-Cove
channels to be dealt with, I didn’t want
it on my board, and it couldn’t really be
on the Eos.”
A critical pyrotechnical aspect of
this set was a machine hidden in the
skylight. Kaczorowski describes it as
“the ugliest machine you’ve ever seen.
We called it the alien.” A large generator with a protruding antenna releases
an enormous electrical charge on cue
and strikes a metal ground bar on the
back side of the skylight. Marc Brickman found a California special effects
company for the installation. “They set
the whole thing up and taught our guys
how to tune it up because it has to be
constantly monitored and metered. It
was a little shocking to hear how noisy
it was, but the effect was impressive,
and it sounded like something that
might be happening in a laboratory.”
The strobe sequence in “Puttin’ on
the Ritz” is another highlight. Stroman
choreographed the three sections of
the number on an open stage where
the strobe lights catch people while in
the air, but the effect avoids having the
audience see the characters land. Kaczorowski used “fantastic photo strobes,
not theatrical strobes. This show needed
some serious strobes,” he says. “They’re
a Speedotron product and they’re very,
very bright.”
Much of the show revolves around
Robin Wagner’s elaborate laboratory
scenery, with its large machines that
light up and the crackling bolts of lightning. Kaczorowski acknowledges the
collaborative effort of Dave Rosenfeld
from Hudson Scenic, Marc Brickman
(lighting designer for Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, et al.), John Viesta (associate LD) and his lighting staff in creating the spectacle for these scenes.
“I was blessed with a fantastic staff
of people who were totally committed
to Young Frankenstein,” Kaczorowski
says, “including John Viesta, Joel Sil-
FEATURE
LDI 2007
By RichardCadena
W
as LDI 2007 the biggest one ever? It’s hard to say. Even after three days of cruising
the show floor, I never saw the end. It’s hard to say if it had any more square footage or more exhibitors than previous years, but it felt like a big show.
Physical size of the show floor notwithstanding, there were many big things about
LDI this year. With the absence of Martin and High End Systems, several other companies
stepped up with big displays. The American DJ group of companies, including Elation and
Global Truss, were at the front of the hall, along with Rosco and ACT Lighting; Robe and
Chauvet were at the back. In between were ETC, MDG, Tomcat and Barco, all with sizeable
stands.
Chauvet made a big statement with its “Thinking Green” all-LED booth and walked away
with an award for the “Best Big Booth.” The stand was filled with LED products, including the
new Colorado™ 3, Colorado™ 6 and Colorado™ 1. Meanwhile, Robe made a statement of
its own by showing up with a 2,800 square-foot booth, the biggest on the exhibition floor.
Among Robe’s new products were the Media Hub 5000 DT, Media Server Qube Control,
DMX Control 248, ColorSpot 2500E AT, ColorSpot 1200E AT and the ArcSource Outdoor 36
LED fixture.
Though there was plenty of space in the Barco booth, the company chose to quietly show its soon-to-be released (June 2008) DML 1200 digital light in a meeting room
outside of the exhibit hall. Still, it made a big impression on many people. The four UHP
“Thinking Green,” Chauvet’s all-LED stand. New
products included the Colorado 3, Colorado 6 and
Colorado 1.”
Thematics brought out four new products at
the show, including the Lightbox Operating System
soft console and three new illuminators. The LBOS
works with WYSIWYG, ESP Vision, Capture and offline editors, using a USB-to-DMX connection.
20 PLSN December 2007
300-watt lamps in the fixture register big on the illuminance meter, and the XSVGA+ DLP
engine produced a beautiful image.
Other noteworthy new products on the show floor included: the d3 from UVA, a
3-D visual playback system that can be used to visualize and control playback of creative
LED video and lighting products; the Elation Impression LED moving yoke fixture with
enough punch to compete with conventional fixtures; the Horao 3-D LED display on the
Creative Technology stand, though it didn’t generate as much buzz as it did at PLASA two
months prior; and the ETC Eos, or more specifically, the ACN functionality that’s being
implemented in it.
And speaking of ACN, the Control Protocols Interoperability Pavilion on the show
floor gave us much to think about. Examples of ACN capabilities and the details of the
OpenACN project were on display, while some RDM-enabled products from 14 different
manufacturers, including a PR Lighting XL-1200 Spot fixture and a Robe ColorSpot 700E
AT, demonstrated the RDM “Discovery” process. Wybron gave away free RDM responder
source code with royalty-free licensing in an effort to boost the adoption of the standard.
There were more than a dozen takers; however, there should have been hundreds. Wybron
CEO Larry Turner says that the company is still getting inquiries about the source code.
Perhaps the industry just needed to get over the LDI/Thanksgiving holiday before
cranking up the RDM and ACN machines. That would be a beautiful thing.
Wireless Solution Sweden AB awarded the
W-DMX Visionary Awards to early adopters of
W-DMX and presented them with a custom-made
W-DMX GoldBox to commemorate the 10,000th
unit in production. New products at the show
included the W-DMX BlackBox S-2 dual universe
transmitter, the BlackBox S-1 Micro Transmitter
and the BlackBox R-512 Micro Lite Receiver.
ESP Vision version 2.3 adds transparent LED
curtains, among other upgrades.
www.PLSN.com
In the TMB “Village,” Alpha One of Germany
showed its complete range of Falcon fixtures, including the new Falcon 6,000 Xenon. TMB is the
North American distributor for Alpha One.
VectorWorks was busy demonstrating their
new version 12.5.3 software.
FEATURE
The Hippotizer V3 media server at the TMB
booth. Some of the features include on-board
timeline control, user-friendly media file import
and HippoNet with networking and control of multiple machines.
XL Video was recently appointed the exclusive
worldwide distributor of UnitedVisualArtists d3, a
3-D visual playback system that can be used to visualize and control playback of creative LED video
and lighting products. You can map content to a
wide variety of playback devices — even with different pixel density and type.
ACT Lighting showed the new MA Lighting grandMA Pico designed for theatre use. The console uses
the same syntax, windows and menus as the larger
consoles. Also at the ACT Lighting booth was the new
Zero 88 line of Jester and Jester ML consoles. The Jester ML can control up to 30 moving lights with effects
engines, palettes or preset focuses and fixture library
LDI 2007
Ocean Optics, the manufacturer of the
SeaChanger line of dichroic color changers, introduced the SeaChanger Studio Dichroics SD Series
with more saturated colors.
The Barco DML-1200 digital luminaire can
operate in video mode using a DMD with SXGA+
resolution or in lighting mode with 20K lumens.
The version without a media server on board is
scheduled for June 2008 delivery, and the version
with the onboard Green Hippo media server will
come later.
With a new office in Las Vegas, Kissbox brought
its line of networking tools to Orlando. The company’s
new I/O8 Cardcage can hold up to eight input/output
cards that can receive data, translate it to Ethernet UDP/
IP or TCP/IP, send it to the network and translate it back.
It can send DMX over Ethernet with ArtNet firmware.
The new Daktronics ProTour PT-4 modular LED
video display features 4 mm pitch, fanless operation
(great for theatre applications) and “black package”
surface-mount LEDs for greater contrast ratio.
Adrian Segeren, president of Le Maitre in Canada, with the new G3000 fog machine. It features
a stainless steel housing, a 2,000-watt heating element, and it will soon be RDM enabled.
The Enigma Matrix LED Screens from Mega Lite.
Also on the stand was the Chamsys Magic Q console.
www.PLSN.com
Apollo celebrated 15 years in business by exhibiting its Right Arm moving yoke and MXR two-string
color mixing scroller. Also at the stand was the new
Gel Miser, an infrared filter and fan that helps to
extend gel life.
ETC revealed its new Ion console on the heels of
the release of Eos at the last LDI. Ion features a 19inch-wide footprint with 1,000-, 1,500-, or 2,000-channel/output configurations, integral LCD for softkeys
and nonintensity parameter control. George Dukas
(right) demonstrates for onlookers.
The Tiny-Fogger 2007 made its debut at the Look
Solutions stand. The palm-sized, battery-operated fog
machine features a sealed enclosure, momentary fog
switch and a Sleep-Mode. The new version operates
on a Lithium battery that is half the size of the previous lead-acid battery.
Leviton displayed its new Piccolo
line of consoles including the 12/24,
24/96, 36/144 and the 48/192. The consoles will begin shipping in the first
quarter of 2008.
Eric Bernstein, the newest member
of the Strong International sales team,
discusses the finer points of the Technobeam, the newest addition to the
Strong International line of products.
Also at the Strong booth was the line of
Canto followspots.
2007 December PLSN 23
FEATURE
The Baxx-Truss made its debut at the Tomcat
stand. The self-stacking, folding truss was designed
by Rob Baxter for quick deployment at the Staples
Center during the NBA basketball games. Five 8foot sections are hinged together, and the fixtures,
dimming and cable are all prerigged and ready to
fly in 10–15 minutes using two stagehands.
PRG had at least two major product developments at its stand: the Virtuoso DX console and the
MBox Extreme 2 media server. The Virtuoso DX has
been upgraded to handle up to 54 parameters,
multiple cue stacks and a wave-based effects engine. The MBox Extreme 2 now has two outputs,
among other advances.
Rufus Warren demonstrates the new features
of LD Assistant 2008, including IES photometric
file support, a new rendering engine, new atmospheric and lens effects, photorealistic projection
of stock or custom gobos and improved animation
tools.
LDI 2007
Leprecon’s new Architectural Interface AI-512
allows the company’s Litescape dimmers to interface with DMX512 devices. Features include an
astronomical time clock, IP addressing and Ethernet panel interfacing. Other new products on the
Leprecon booth included the newly redesigned
ULD-360-DMX-HP six-channel dimmer with direct
Socopex connection.
Techni-Lux, the U.S. distributor for SGM, exhibited a range of its products, including the new
Genio and Genio Mobile LED luminaires.
Rosco’s new Enhanced High-Definition (EHD)
glass gobos render extremely fine detail. Also new
at the Rosco stand was the Delta Hazer.
Applied Electronics had a plethora of new
products on display, including the Light Moving
Truss, Collapsible Meat Rack and a new 48/96 Dimmer Rack with flush-mount breakers and insulated
jack connectors.
www.PLSN.com
The D-Color from Studio Due turned heads.
The moving LED fixture features 28 3-watt RGBA
LEDs.
Main Light Industries unveiled its new SoftMotion drapery product. This picture just doesn’t
do it justice, so a visit to www.mainlight.com is
worth the time and effort. In short, Soft-Motion is
a Soft-Scrim on a DMX-controlled, Austrian-type
drop, so the Scrim is not only animated with video,
but with motorized pick points, it is also animated
in real life.
LightConverse is popular in Eastern Europe,
but it’s new to North America. The PC-based lighting control and real-time 3-D visualizer uses a 3-D
gaming engine to render up to 16 DMX512 universes in real time with an ArtNet interface.
Lex Products won Product of the Year in the expendables category for its new Lex-Loc Edison connector. The connector uses color-coded cam levers
and spring pressure instead of screw terminals to
make terminating power cords quick and easy. Also
at the Lex booth was the new 160-400A adjustable
three-phase disconnect. It features a pagoda outdoor enclosure and a dipswitch selection for loading from 160 amps to 400 amps.
A number of new products were featured at the
Doug Fleenor Designs booth, including the Marconi
series of wireless products with W-DMX technology.
The three models are the Marconi LV low-voltage
power supply for the LED300, the Marconi SP DMX
Splitter with three isolated outputs and the Marconi
TX Transmitter. All these products have a range of
about 100 yards with the standard antennae and
about .25 miles with the directional antennae. Other
new DFD products include the PS10A2 Preset Station with new software that provides a preset mode,
DMX in/out, HTP operation and preset locks.
Physical size
of the
show floor
notwithstanding,
there were
many big things
about LDI this
year.
www.PLSN.com
FEATURE
Mark Miller (left) and Simon Beck of Swisson
with the new Sinewave Dimmer Rack, which is expected to start shipping by the end of the year.
Many new products were displayed at the
Elation booth, including the Impression moving
yoke LED fixture. It did make an impression as an
LED fixture that could compete with conventional
color wash fixtures. With a 10-degree field, the 90
Luxeon K2 RGB LEDs packed quite a punch. Also
on the stand were the newly redesigned Spot and
Wash 1400 fixtures with wireless DMX.
AC Lighting shows the new Jands Vista S1 console. The new Vista product fills in the line between
the M1 and the S3 models. It can operate on a Mac
or a PC using the same show file. Also on the AC
Lighting stand were the new Color Split RGBA LED
color wash fixture with split cells for more uniform
color wash, or for dual colors, and the DTS line of
fixtures, including the Delta 5 and Delta R fixtures.
LDI 2007
Wybron new products included the PS-600
scroller power supply, with built-in NetIT Gateway, and the Transition CMY fiber optic illuminator, with built-in twinkle effect. The company also
made available, free of charge, its RDM responder
source code for other manufacturers to incorporate into their products so that they could be RDM
enabled.
The SandNet stand showing a variety of
SandBoxes for data distribution in a variety of
protocols.
The new Dry Fogger Mammoth II with remote
status telemetry outputs enormous amounts of
fog. The machine uses Harting connectors to combine pneumatics, DMX and RDM in one cable and
reports status information to the control system.
New products at the Selador booth included
the X7 Luster, featuring 2.5-watt LEDs, the X7
Storm in both two-watt and three-watt LED version, and the X7 Desire with a unique LED array
that reduces striation.
Jesco’s new line of LED-based architectural
products.
Zoe Paine of Rose Brand demonstrates the
effectiveness of Screen Goo, the brush-on projection surface. Rose Brand also introduced FR
Spandex star shapes in red, white, blue, fivepoint stars, Gemini, Corona, Vega, Polaris, Sirius
and Nova stars.
www.PLSN.com
FEATURE
Seventh Annual Parnelli Awards
Toasting the Best of the Live Event Industry
By JacobCoakley
T
he Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Fla., was the site of the 2007 Parnelli Awards, but inside the ceremony ballroom it looked like Hawaii. Large portions of the crowd arrived decked
out in their finest Hawaiian shirts, a sartorial tribute to the fashion sense of this year’s Lifetime Achievement winner, Gerry Stickells. The hundreds in attendance constituted a
Who’s Who of players in the live event industry, and whether they were wearing flower prints or not, they all rose to their feet in honor of Lifetime Achievement award-winner
Gerry Stickells and Audio Innovator award-winner Bob Heil.
In addition to honoring Stickells, PLSN publisher Terry Lowe, editor Richard Cadena and industry notables, including Bruce Rodgers, Vickie Claiborne, Michael Ahern and others gave
out awards for Lighting Designer of the Year, Tour Manager of the Year, Production Manager of the Year and many others. Additionally, veteran tour manager and chairman of the Parnelli
board Patrick Stansfield presented Joe Aldridge of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), with a check in continued support of a Parnelli scholarship at UNLV for students studying
entertainment design and engineering.
But the evening’s highlight was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement award given to a visibly moved Stickells. In his introduction, Stickells’ long-time friend and fellow Parnelli
Lifetime Achievement winner Brian Croft retold the story of one of his first dealings with Stickells:
“It was a one-off gig in London for Queen to coincide with Elizabeth — the “other” Queen’s — Jubilee in 1977. It was planned at short notice, and I was called to see Gerry to bid on a
very complex lighting structure. The price was agreed to in a single meeting. As I was leaving he said, ‘You’ll be needing some front money,’ and pulled out a checkbook. The band obviously
trusted him implicitly — there was no referring to accountants. A single signatory for a sizable sum of money. I walked out of the door thinking, ‘Now THAT’S what I call a Tour Manager!’ ”
The audience let Stickells know that Croft wasn’t alone in his appreciation, and even the stars paid their respects, with members of Velvet Revolver, Queen and Jimi Hendrix’s band
offering their kudos via video. (Unfortunately, Mitch Mitchell’s video did not make it across the pond in time. To see it and the full presentation video, go to www.plsn.com)
It was also a night to honor the pioneers of our industry and to shine the spotlight on the people who work outside the light, yet contribute much to the industry’s success and to its
future. Thanks to the help of everyone in attendance, the readers who voted and everyone in the industry, we can continue to celebrate those who makes the show happen.
And the Awards Went to . . .
Lifetime Achievement Award: Gerry Stickells
Audio Innovator Award: Bob Heil
Lighting Designer of the Year 2007: Patrick Woodroffe
Set/Scenic Designer of the Year 2007: Seth Jackson, with Elizabeth O’Keefe
Lighting Company of the Year 2007: Upstaging
Staging Company of the Year 2007: Mountain Productions
Set Construction Company of the Year 2007: Tait Towers
Video Rental Company of the Year 2007: Nocturne
Rigging Company of the Year 2007: Atlanta Rigging
Hometown Hero Lighting Company of the Year 2007: Theatrical Lighting Systems
Pyro Company of the Year 2007: Strictly FX
FOH Mixer of the Year 2007: Tom Young
Video Director of the Year 2007: Kevin Daniels
Monitor Mixer of the Year 2007: Stuart Delk
Sound Company of the Year 2007: Sound Image
Hometown Hero Sound Company of the Year 2007: Carlson Audio
Production Manager of the Year 2007: Chris Adamson
Tour Manager of the Year 2007: Fitzjoy Hellin
Coach Company of the Year 2007: Four Seasons Leasing
Trucking Company of the Year 2007: Road Show
Freight Forwarding Company of the Year 2007: Rock-It Cargo
The 2007 Parnellis were made possible by Timeless Communications and its sponsors. Charter Sponsors: All Access Staging and Production, Apollo Design, Brown United and Martin
Professional. Gold Sponsors: Nocturne Productions, Pixel Range, Precise Corporate Staging & Dedicated Staging, Rock-It-Cargo, Sound Image and Syncrolite. Silver Sponsors: Littlelite and
TMB. Production Sponsors: Aerial Rigging, ASI Productions, All Staging Unlimited, Paradise Sound & Lights, Production Resource Group and Technilux.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
www.PLSN.com
PRODUCTION
SPONSORS
HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION
SILVER SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
We would like to take this opportunity to recognize the generous sponsors
who made the Seventh Annual Parnelli Awards such a special event. We couldn’t have done it without you!
All Staging
Unlimited
Ariel Rigging
All Photography by Kelly Milliman
Production Manager Benny Collins (left) talking to another production
manager, Mark Hogue.
Michael Tait accepting the award for Set Construction Company of the Year.
Seth Jackson accepting his award for Set/Scenic Designer of the Year. He
shared his award with Elizabeth O’Keefe, who has worked behind the
scenes with him for a long time.
Jim Evans of Mountain Productions, accepting the award
for Staging Company of the Year.
David Middelton of Atlanta Rigging Systems, making his
thanks for the Rigging Company of the Year award.
Nathaniel “Trini” James of Four Seasons Coach Leasing
salutes the crowd with their award for Coach Company
of the Year.
www.PLSN.com
FEATURE
Roadshow and David Kiely won the award for Trucking Company of the Year.
PR
JC
ET
C ITOI O
T S& &S TA
S TA
EW
PR
OO
JE
N NL ILGI G
HH
TS
GG
I NI N
G GN N
EW
SS
John Campion (left) receives a bear hug from Keith Kevan (only his arms
are visible), while David Bernstein of Rock-It Cargo accepts the award for
Freight Forwarding Company of the Year.
Paul Becher of Nocturne shows off his Video Rental Company of the Year
Award.
Joe Calzone of Calzone Cases was among the record crowd.
Terry Lowe persuaded Keith Kevan to come on stage to
give a tribute for Gerry Stickells. Terry would have similar
difficulties persuading Keith to get off the stage.
Joe Aldridge of UNLV spoke of the help the Parnelli
Scholarship offered to technical theatre students studying
in Las Vegas.
www.PLSN.com
WIDE ANGLE
Brooks & Dunn
PLSN Talks to B&D Lighting Designer/ Director Larry Boster
Photos & Text by SteveJennings
“The video content was produced by Marcia Kapuspin and Marcus Lyall. Both are
very creative and artistic. Media Visions
Entertainment was the video company.
They have been with the Brooks & Dunn
family for just about as many years as I
have.”
“Bandit Lites is the lighting company and
have been the entire time I’ve been on
board with Brooks & Dunn. As a matter of
fact, Mike Golden and Michael Strickland
handed me this account. Thanks guys!”
“It’s always a challenge to top the concept of a previous year’s tour. Kix Brooks,
Ronnie Dunn and Clarence Spalding, their manager, are very much involved in the
conceptual design process. We always strive for something new and fresh.”
“As far as the lighting design aspect,
Brooks & Dunn have let me develop and
light the show without any input from
their end. Selecting the type of lighting
fixtures to enhance their performance
has never come into question. The end
result is always satisfying and rewarding
to all.”
“I have been using the Jands Vista lighting
console this year, which was new to me.
Programming with a timeline was very
new to me. It’s the first console I’ve used
that’s never crashed during programming
or within a show; it’s very stable.”
“All my designing is done in AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max. I’ve been using AutoCAD and 3D Studio for years. I draw the design in AutoCAD in three-dimensional
space, look at it from every angle trying to see if there are any potential problems
and that helps when I go into rehearsals; I’m not rehanging everything. Once I have
this part of the drawing finished, it’s taken into 3D Studio Max and skinned, rendered and clipped. The finished clip is a short movie that will allow me to show a
client, in detail, the workings of a production design.
CREW
Lighting Company: Bandit Lites/Michael
Strickland, Mike Golden
Lighting Designer/Director: Larry Boster
Lighting Crew Chief: Mike Frogge
Lighting Techs: Chaz Martin, Andy
Knighton, Marcus Wade, Griff Griffith
Set Design: Update Design/Mike Swinford
Video Company: Media Visions
Entertainment/Mike Cruce
Video Account Manager: Wade “Ten-A-C”
Slatton
Video Content Producers: Marcia
Kapuspin, Marcus Lyall
Video Director: Dan Hanson
Video Techs: Tony Wallace, Mike Buswell,
Brandon Lewis, Presley “Magic” Slater,
Darren Spann, Russ Spann, Robert Judge
Tour Manager: Scott Edwards
Production Manager: Randy “Baja” Fletcher
Production Assistance: J. W. Dunn
Stage Manager: Steve Gudis
Tour Rigger: Mike McDonald
Set Carpenters: Edwin Skinner, Johnny
Seay, John Ristoff
GEAR
40 CM 1-ton motors
12 CM 2-ton motors
1 Fisher navigator control system
1 Jands Vista T2 lighting console
www.PLSN.com
60 Martin MAC 2000 profiles
12 Martin MAC 600 Wash fixtures
10 2-light MoleFay units
5 8-light MoleFay units
33 PAR 64 1000 watts
20 Showrig moving winch yo-yos
6 Showrig moving tractors w/moving
winch yo-yos
700’ Showrig custom-built truss
5 Vari*Lite VL3000s
PRODUCT GALLERY
Followspots
By RichardCadena
L
amp, dimmer, iris, focus and zoom: What
else is there to say about followspots?
According to Nick Mobsby, plenty.
Mobsby’s new book, The Followspot
Guide, is packed with almost 450 pages
dedicated to followspot technology past
and present. It starts with the history of the
instrument and ends with a glossary and a
manufacturer’s index. In between is a nicely
illustrated text revealing how followspots
work and addressing a number of issues
important to manufacturers and end users alike. Subjects like comfort factor, beam
quality, ability to remain in position, ability to operate iris and dimmer simultaneously, size of control levers, color-changing
systems, dimmer quality, cooling, difficult
to change and/or service lamp, problems
experienced with stand, no sight provided
and left-hand operation are among the
more compelling topics. Three manufacturers — Robert Juliat, Strong and Selecon
— are profiled in the book, and about 200
pages are dedicated to specifications for
legacy products and current products.
Looking at the historical products
listed in the book, it’s easy to see how far
the technology has advanced. No longer
do we have to “hand feed” the electrodes
of a lamp to keep it burning, and “Russian
iron” is no longer considered a feature of a
luminaire. It’s a bit more challenging to see
how the technology is advancing today,
when we’re watching the pot boil. Still, today’s followspots are far more efficient and
easy to use than their predecessors. Some
of them are precision instruments with
beautiful optics, finely tuned mechanics
and advanced features like DMX control of
dimming and color changing.
Though
followspot
technology
doesn’t advance as rapidly as automated
lighting or control systems, manufacturers typically introduce new products with
new features on a regular basis. Mobsby’s
book is great for learning about followspots in general, and it is highly recommended. But for the latest in followspot
offerings, be sure to follow our Product
Gallery, particularly this month’s feature
on followspots.
The Followspot Guide is available at the
PLSN Bookshelf (www.plsnbookshelf.com).
Omni Sistem Lancer 2500
TimesSquare 601S
PR Lighting HMI1200 Orland
Phoebus UA Titan ST
www.PLSN.com
PRODUCT GALLERY
Manufacturer
Altman Lighting
www.altmanlighting.
com
American DJ
www.americandj.com
Chauvet
www.chauvetlighting.
com
Clay Paky
www.claypaky.it
Model
Illuminance
Throw
6’ DiamDistance with
eter Spot
Lycian Stage Lighting
www.lycian.com
Lamp Type/
Wattage
Rated Lamp Life
Hot
Restrike
Operating
Voltage
Zoom Range
Gobo
Slot?
No. of Colors/Color
Changer Type
Iris? Fully
Closing?
Luminator
50’
150 fc
FLE (360W)
75 hr.
yes
110 - 240V
7.7 to 9.3 degrees
no
boomerang- 6
frame plus douser
yes- not fully
closing
1000Q
60’
165 fc
FEL (1000W)
300 hr.
yes
110 - 240V
10 to 14 degrees
no
boomerang- 6
frame
yes- not fully
closing
Comet
75’
142 fc
FLE (360W)
75 hr.
yes
110 - 240V
7.2 to 12.2 degrees
no
boomerang- 6
frame plus douser
yes- not fully
closing
Satellite-1
100’
240 fc
575HMI
75 hr.
no
120 - 240V
7.3 to 20 degrees
no
boomerang- 6
frame plus douser
yes- not fully
closing
Voyager
200’
212 fc
400HTI
250 hr.
no
120 - 240V
4 to 9.5 degrees
no
boomerang- 6
frame plus douser
yes- not fully
closing
FS-1000
n/a
575W halogen
300 hrs.
120V
n/a
n/a
white + options
iris does not
fully close
FS-2500 DMX
30’ - 60’
ELC 24V 250W
50 hrs.
110V
n/a
no
7 + white
n/a
Followspot 400G
75’
n/a
ENX 82V 360W
75 hrs.
n/a
110V or 230V
10 to 34 degrees
1
7 + white
yes
Shadow QS-LT
1200
30’ - 200’
800 fc
HMI 1,200W or
HMI 575
750 hrs.
no
200 - 240V,
50/60 Hz
n/a
1
7 + 2 (CTO, CTB)
+ white
yes - not fully
closing
GLC/GLA
300 hrs. / 1,500 hrs.
yes
120 or 240V
n/a
no
6 + open
MSD575/2
750 hrs.
no
yes- not fully
closing
Shadow QS-ST
1200
16’ - 82’
Shadow Basic
Elation Professional
www.elationlighting.
com
PRO
n/a
721 fc
n/a
523 fc
FS-H575
50’
FS-MSR575
150’
1293
100’
- 400’
2,339 fc
3,000W xenon
1,200 hrs.
M2 2.5K Short
Throw
short
throw
80 - 100 fc
HMI 2,500 W
double ended
1290
n/a
1,300 fc
Ultra Quartz II
25’-100’
182 fc at 50’
n/a
CMY+ blackout
yes
205-240V, 50
or 60 Hz
-
yes
6 color boomerang
nichrome
500 hrs.
yes
208-240V
5.7 - 11.8
yes
6 color boomerang plus 4 dichroic
rings
nichrome
2,000 W xenon
2,000 hrs.
yes
100-120V &
208-240V, 50
or 60 Hz
-
yes
6 color boomerang
nichrome
ENX or FLE 360W
approx 100 hrs.
yes
101mm iris
with black
incoloy leaves
3:1 zoom range
Phoebus Mfg.
www.phoebus.com
PR Lighting
www.pr-lighting.com
Programmi Sistemi &
Luce srl
www.omnisistem.com
Robert Juliat
www.robertjuliat
america.com
I-marc 200
SMR-200 200W
approx 2,000 hrs.
Ultra Arc II
25’ - 200’ 350 fc at 50’
HTI 400 400W
aprox 250 hrs.
I-marc 850
50’ - 250’ 837 fc at 80’
SMH-850 850W
approx 1,000 hrs.
PR-1211 Orland
Followspot
100’
- 150’
1022 fc at
16.4’
HMI-1,200 W/GS
or MSI 1,200W
discharge lamp
1,000 hrs.
W1163L – Lancer
1200 Followspot
100’
- 150’
167 fc
1,200W HMI/MSR
800 hrs.
W1196L – Lancer
2500 Followspot
131’
- 230’
181 fc at
32.8’
2,500W HMI
550 hrs.
Cyrano 1015
150’
- 400’
437 fc @
132’ w/8’ dia.
spot
2,500W HMI
500 hrs.
Victor 1159
100’
- 225’
1,000 fc at
50’
1,800W MSR
750 hrs.
Super Korrigan
1149
no
220V or 120V
w/xformer
no
220/110V
7 to 13 degrees
w/standard iris
(diam. 1.58”)
220V
1.5 to 17 degrees
208V or Universal Electronic
PSU
3 to 8 degrees
75’ - 200’ 750 fc at 50”
1,200W HMI
1,000 hrs.
Universal Electronic PSU
575W MSD
2,000 hrs.
Gladiator IV/100
550’
4,428 fc
xenon 4,500W
1,000 hrs.
360’
2,653 fc
xenon 2,000W
2,400 hrs.
LT/70
350’
1,229 fc
xenon 2,000W
2,400 hrs.
Radiance
150’
1,720 fc
850W EmArc
1,000 hrs.
410FS
100’
210 fc
FLE 360W
75 hrs.
QF1000S
125’
490 fc
FEL 1,000W
300 hrs.
601S
75’
310 fc
DYS 600W
500 hrs.
www.PLSN.com
7 to 14.5 degrees
10.5 to 22.5
degrees
2:01
yes
208 - 240V
single phase
6-color auto/cancel
boom
no
yes
yes, B
size on
slide
changer
yes, A
size
7 dichroic colors
yes - not fully
closing
7 colors + blackout
no
5 colors + blackout
no
6 removable color
frames (boomerang) plus dichroic
6 removable color
frames (boomerang
or push-pull)
yes,
optional
boomerang gel or
dichroic
3:01
no
no
220/110V
2.3:1
6-boomerang
yes
4 color boomerang
2 - 12 degrees
120V
no
4 - 10 degrees
fully
closing iris
6 removeable color
frames (push-pull)
2:01
no
6 color manual
boomerang
yes-not fully
closing
2:1 zoom range
120/208V or
Universal Electronic PSU
140 fc @ 50’
w/10’ dia.
spot
no
7 to 14.5 degrees
yes
50’ - 100’
w/i
seconds
115V, 220V
avail
no
Buxie 1124
Strong Entertainment
Super Trouper II/50
Lighting
www.strong-lighting.
Super Trouper
com
Times Square Lighting
www.tslight.com
50’ - 150’ 260 fc at 75’
6 color boomerang
4 color boomerang
yes
O J E C T I O N L I G H T S & S TA G I N G N E W S
Frost?
Stand
Included?
Weight
Dimensions
DMX Control?
Optional Accessories
Retail Price
Comments
uses gels
yes
60 lbs
233/8” x 8” x 9½”
no
no
$1,040/$1,075
120V/20 8- 240V
uses gels
yes
116 lbs
38” x 12” x 17½”
no
no
$1,365/$1,415
120V/208 - 240V
uses gels
yes
94 lbs
34½” x 12” x
153/4”
no
no
$1,395/$1,530
120V/208 - 240V
uses gels
yes
195 lbs
423/4” x 12½” x
15½”
no
Head road case/ballast road
case/casters for road case
$5,950/$6,200
120V/208 - 240V
uses gels
yes
170 lbs
493/4” x 12¼” x
155/8”
no
Head road case/ballast road
case/casters for road case
$6,950/$7,150
120V/208 - 240V
no
sold
separately
24 lbs
9” x 9” x 21”
no
Tripod, manual color
adaptor FS-6C (6 colors
- SRP $79.95)
$399.95
Entry-level followspot
no
optional
18 lbs
22.5” x 12.5” x 9.5”
yes
tripod stand
$319.95
n/a
no
20.6 lbs
22.5” x 11.5” x 6.38”
2 channels:dimmer/color
CH-W28 tripod stand
w/casters R
$270.99
107 lbs 13oz
67.5” x 17.1” x 13” h
color wheel + iris
+ dimmer + color
temperature
Wide-angle lens, side
mounting kit, M-size gobo
holder, medium stand
no
FS STAND
no
no
83 lbs 10oz
46.3” x 17.1” x 13”h
Comes with four free gobos,digital display, manual focus, fan cooled
107 lbs 13oz
no
sold
separately
34 lbs
10” x 10” x 24”
54 lbs
10” x 12” x 24”
no
yes
262 lbs plus ballast
73” L x 20½” W
no
Dipstick, gel kit
$15,250
yes, variable
yes
274 lbs
41¼” L x 20” W
no
-
$8,754
Modular design allows conversion to medium & long throw and
1,200W & 2,500W lamphouses. Also available with electronic ballast.
no
yes
262 lbs plus ballast
73” L x 20½” W
no
Gel kit
$12,402
-
3-point cast
aluminum
(included)
45 lbs (fixture), 20 lbs
(stand)
18.5” x 20” head
$1,375
Ships UPS
75 lbs w/stand
10.5” x 16” head
$2,695
Flicker-free daylight
22” x 22.2” head
$5,497
1,000 hr HTI lamp avail. soon; available in long throw
$5,489
Built-in elec. flicker-free ballast
$3,700
Can be controlled from light desk; rainbow effect controller; DMX in
rear of unit.
no
no
yes
no
3-point
aluminum
4-point
collapseable
128 lbs w/stand
19.5” x 22.2” head
yes
95 lbs
35.5” x 13” x 9”
77 lbs
41.3” x 17.7” x
18.9”
yes
variable
frosted
glass on flip
lever
frosted gel
on flip lever
yes
internal filter
holder
no
yes
yes, optional
no
no
sold
separately
yes
101.2 lbs
47.2” x 23.6” x
17.7”
143.5 lbs
65.5” x 12” x 20”
71 lbs
48.5” x 7.5” x 18”
$699.95
$1,499.95
Blacklight lamp
no
DMX-512; 4 channels & master/
slave
n/a
no
custom road case
-
$4,498
$5,899
optional DMX
controlled lamp,
shutter and frost
Tournesol rotating gobo
system, chopper, dust cover,
electronic ballast, DMX
control
optional
Push-pull color changer
option, chopper, adjustable
yoke, correction on flip lever
$20,995
$14,265
$9,995
41 lbs
36.5” x 13” x
10.5”
fixture: 310 lbs, ballast:
74 lbs
81” x 243/4” x 14”
50 lbs
58” x 16” x 19”
50 lbs
77½” x 15” x
18½”
Low boy stand, 1,600W, UV
filter
$12,495
fixture: 96 lbs, tripod stand:
16 lbs
54” x 16” x 13¼”
Welded stand
$7,995
38 lbs
16¼” H x 25” L
4-color boomerang
$917
45 lbs
16¼” H x 31½” W
no
$1,321
30 lbs
7½” W x 21¼” L
4-color boomerang
$583
no
Quartz condenser optical system, 100% closing dimmer, correction &
dichoric filters on flip levers, “projection quality” gobo image
Double condenser optical system, 100% closing dimmer, and internal
filter holder are included.
$4,495
$16,995
Can be lamped at 2,500W, 3,000W or 4,000W
Low boy stand, UV filter
POA
none
no
www.PLSN.com
Available in short and medium throw versions
UPS shippable
Sarah deBruyn
Heather Ring
INTERVIEW Axis deBruyn
Paul Mitchell “Hair Camp”
By Rob Ludwig
T
o say that Axis deBruyn’s career path has
been frenetic is like saying Bill Gates has
a little money. Today, deBruyn owns his
own company at the age of 36, and he has a
gratifying career as a freelancer. We caught up
with him to talk about how he got started in
the industry, how he got through the dot-com
bust, and how he found his niche in Las Vegas.
PLSN: You’re from the Bay Area; is that
where you got started in the industry?
Axis deBruyn: Yeah. Basically, I got
started in junior high school. [Laughs] I was
the only student who knew how to run a
Teac reel-to-reel tape recorder. That’s how
they did their musicals — they had them
on tape — and the kids sang along to the
tape. Since my father was an AV enthusiast
— he worked for Radio Shack — I actually
knew how to cut and splice tape. Eventually, it ended up being where I would have
a spotlight in one hand while I’d be pushing
play on the Teac machine as well.
In high school, no one knew anything. I
became the de facto technician. I was probably the only kid in high school who actually
had keys to the building, so I could get into
the building by myself on the weekends. Basically, the head facility person told me that
if I broke anything, I would be the one fixing
it anyway.
Because you were the only person who
fixed gear?
Simultaneously, I was the head of the
theatre, the audiovisual technician for the
school, the DJ at all the dances, and every
time a teacher had a problem with a VCR, I got
pulled out of class.
It was funny because the school district
didn’t have that many theatres, so I was actually paid to do shows at my high school. Like
when they had the SATs, I was paid to open
the theatre on Saturday and turn the lights
on. So early on I thought, “This kind of works.”
Is that when you realized that there was a
niche there?
Yeah.
Did you start working immediately after
high school?
No, I went to college briefly. I went to Cal
State Hayward, on the hill. Every summer they
had an audition for their summer stock theatre, which is three shows, and of course, they
needed technicians, too. So they had a High
School Tech Olympics as part of their admissions process. I went up there representing
my school for that; I won, and they basically
enrolled me in the school right away. So, two
days after graduating high school at age 17, I
was stage-managing a show in college.
You literally started college immediately
after high school?
Yeah. I had two-and-a-half years of college, but my grades were terrible because I
was undisciplined. I was doing seven shows
at the same time, plus outside events, and I
was getting paid. I was always working while
my fellow acting students weren’t. At that
point, Governor Gray Davis basically doubled
the tuition at Cal State, and I couldn’t afford
to go anymore. So I got hired by the Berkeley
Repertory Theatre as their assistant technical
director, right out of college at 20.
How long were you there?
I was there for one season. I was a bit
young for them to hire, and I don’t think they
realized it at the time. All the stage hands that
I was, by default, in charge of were in their 30s
and 40s and weren’t too thrilled to listen to a
20-year-old kid telling them what to do. I also
didn’t have any hydraulic expertise, and that’s
really what they needed because they started
doing a lot of automated effects.
What did you do next?
I kind of got into the freelancing world
and worked for several companies — Musson
Theatrical being one of the main ones. They
do a lot of theatre installs — probably more
theatre installs than anybody in California. So
anytime a district got a new high school or
elementary school, I would go out and help
install the main drape, the electrics and make
sure all the instruments were focused. I was
primarily a technician in the shop, pulling
lighting orders. Eventually, it would be, “Hey
this client needs an LD for their church show.
You’ve got a budget of five grand, so pull
what you need and go take care of it.”
Did you have control over the shows you
were doing?
Pretty much; it was just on the cusp of
moving lights, and they had just gotten (High
End Systems) Intellabeams. I was the only
shop kid who knew how to use them because
the old-timers were still programming on
(ETC) Expressions.
For how long did you do that?
Well, I worked for several other companies
as well. Recession hit the area in ’91 and ’92,
and they had some lay-offs. So I did freelance
work for some concert companies and primarily worked the B-circuit — state fairs and such.
That could be a great experience.
For a 24-year-old kid, it was great. You get
thrown the keys to the truck, and (you’re told) to
come back in a month and bring back the cash.
What’s the oddest thing that happened to
you while you were doing that?
I did the last Selena tour before she died,
and it was her, Gloria Trevi and Enrique Iglesias. It was a U.S. Western leg from Oregon
down to San Diego, and San Diego was the
last part of the tour. The Mexican promoter
handed me — in front of the crewmember, who were sketchy at best — $30,000 in
cash, in mostly ones and fives. So I had this
paper bag with $30,000 in cash, and I was
like, “Great. I’m not making it back out to the
truck.” [Laughs]
You must have learned a lot doing that.
When you have no other resources, you
learn to do it yourself.
I agree. When did you switch over to doing
industrials?
A start-up company called New Dimensions out of San Francisco hired me. They
www.PLSN.com
were doing mostly Chinese music acts because they were a Chinese-owned company.
But they also did movies because they were
partners with this company, Phoebus Lighting in San Francisco, who at the time didn’t
own any moving lights. They were primarily
an all-Martin house — they had the Roboscan
1220s and PALs — and they hired me right
away to do the movie Striptease in Florida
for about three months. It was tough, let me
tell you, surrounded by strippers all day and
lighting a naked Demi Moore. [Laughs]
From there, I went to a huge rock show
in Hong Kong. That was a 400-unit moving
light show, primarily all Martin, with no conventionals whatsoever. That show ran for 28
straight days, literally, because they didn’t
tour in China at that time. The roads were bad,
and the flights weren’t much better. I ended
up doing a few of these shows in China.
They also started to get corporate work
because they were right down the street
from the Moscone Center. They saw an
opportunity to start doing trade shows,
and it quickly became 80% of our work. I
became their trade show specialist, and
then production manager; I did that for a
year-and-a-half or so. I then went back to
Musson and did trade shows for them for
about another year-and-a-half, and basically, that’s all I did for them. That was part of
the boom in ’98 and ’99, when trade shows
got huge. Most of our clients were all dotcoms — Intel, 3Com, Cisco — and they all
had huge booths and a massive presence
on the show floor.
From there, an AV company that was
providing the same kind of booths, decided that rather than giving the margins
away, they would do it themselves. They
hired me to run their lighting division and
gave me a budget of about a half million
dollars to buy gear. I bought the gear and
did that for two years, until the dot-com
bust. It almost killed the company, and
they went from 101 employees down to 24
almost overnight. The height of my work
with that company was at Comdex in 2001
where I designed 22 booths.
Axis deBruyn
Axis deBruyn
Keller Williams Convention 2005
“It was tough, let me
tell you, surrounded
by strippers all day
and lighting a naked
Demi Moore.”
— Axis deBruyn
CYBEX Booth at IHRSA 2007
How do you design 22 booths and make
them all look different?
The bigger booths would have more of
a (branding) scene with a marketing company involved. Plus, most of them would
keep the same rig from year to year. The
smaller ones were mostly graphic and
product lighting.
How long did it take you to get ready for
that show?
That show was almost a month of prep
to get everything prepped and partitioned
in the shop. We’d load trailers and store
them in the lot. Also, we had to subrent a
lot of gear, and I’d go and make sure that
those systems were prepped as well.
Up to this point, it seems that your career
has been about overcoming adversity
and forging your own path. When did
you decide to start your own company?
Basically, I was laid off a month before
9/11. Because I’d been to Vegas so many
times, I had a lot of contacts there. In the
Bay Area, the dot-com bust was huge, and
it put a lot companies out of business. So
there was no work there, and that’s when I
began freelancing in Vegas.
My wife, Sarah O’Connell-deBruyn, is
a theatre director. San Francisco has the
artistic scene she wanted, and Vegas does
not. Eventually, she came around to thinking there wasn’t a choice. So we moved to
Vegas. She took over a small theatre company and grew that into a bigger opportunity. Now, she’s a professor at a college,
and I light all her shows there.
Do you think you have found your niche
in Vegas?
Now, I have a really balanced career,
and I really like it. I just got off a couple
of tours — I did Pearl Jam with LD Kille
Knoble this summer in Europe, where I was
the systems engineer and festival operator, and then I was just a programmer on
several legs of Elton John’s U.S. tour for LD
Kevin “Stick” Bye, including (Elton’s) 60th
birthday show at Madison Square Garden.
With the industrial shows I do all the time
here in the convention center and various ballrooms, I have balance; I do rock ‘n’
roll, I do corporate, I do trade shows and,
through my wife, I do legit theatre. I do all
four branches of lighting at the same time.
Sounds like a lighting dream.
[Laughs] When I can sleep!
www.PLSN.com
PRODUCTION PROFILE
Pulling the Threads Together
to Turn It on Again
Photos & Text by SteveJennings
I
f you know the lighting industry, you know Genesis as much for the band’s production
values as for its music. In the early 1980s, the group was instrumental in the development
of the first commercially available automated lighting system, the Vari*Lite VL1, by providing the funds and the impetus for its delivery. For that reason, Lighting Designer Patrick
Woodroffe cites the band’s “history of putting on big, spectacular light shows” as one of the
main reasons he enthusiastically approached the design for the latest tour, Turn It on Again.
He and Stage Designer Mark Fisher knew that they were dealing with “people who were
knowledgeable, experienced and prepared to support a big venture…with both money and
commitment,” according to Woodroffe. But they also knew it would come with challenges.
“No project of this scale is ever really the same,” Woodroffe commented. “It involves different people, different expectations and different degrees of participation from the artists.
Genesis has a history of…being very involved with the process.” Both Woodroffe and Fisher
relished the idea of attacking a large-scale project.
Woodroffe’s initial idea was to use large moving lights on masts arranged in a crescent
behind the stage. But there was a caveat issued by the band. “The band made it clear that
they wanted a design that was ‘not rock ‘n’ roll’ in appearance,” says Fisher. “What they meant
by this was that they wanted something that was not dominated by loads of scrappy old
trusses and a crudely hung rectangular video screen.”
Fisher drew up several sketches using various organic shapes and forms until he struck
upon the image of a spiky conch shell. “The spines of the shell became Patrick’s lighting
masts, and the more rounded forms of the shell became the video screens and other surfaces behind the band,” he says. “Over a period of weeks, this form evolved into the final
design.”
The idea worked well because the designers were given the latitude to create a monstrous set that didn’t need to double as acting areas for the band. “This was never meant to
be a stage that was a playground for the performers, as so many other of these large-scale
tours tend to be,” says Woodroffe. “I think that this probably gave Mark Fisher much more
freedom in that he was able to work with all the elements of lighting, sound and video simply in terms of a pleasing composition, rather than having to leave large expanses of empty
stage. All his energies could go into creating the spectacle around this very focused and
intimate playing area.”
Fisher says that his designs always start with freehand drawings in a sketchbook, and
this project was no exception. Once the drawings are refined, and he has a good idea of the
concept, he moves into CAD to build a 3-D model. It starts out simple, and then it gets more
detailed.
“I’ve been working with 3-D AutoCAD since 1989 when working out designs, so I’m
very relaxed with CAD,” Fisher says. Back at command central in the headquarters of Stufish, Fisher’s design studio, colleagues Adrian Mudd and Ric Lipson operate a rendering
farm with 60 “high-end” computers where they render animations. “We use this as the
basis for the animated visualizations that we use to get sign-off from the band,” Fisher
says. “At some stage, I hand my model on to be worked up into the final production
model. On this project, my model was picked up and developed, first by Ray Winkler,
then by Jeremy Lloyd. Jeremy picked up my CAD model, which set out the controlling
dimensions for most of the design, but which left a lot of the design and all of the details to be resolved. He worked directly with the band and with the scenery vendors to
develop the final design model.”
As the project progressed, Lloyd developed a close relationship with the band, and Fisher “kept out of the way.” Lloyd then worked directly with the band, to create the stage design
for the indoor show.”
Woodroffe also strived for a natural approach to the design. “I try to make it as organic a
process as I can, but based on quite a practical and disciplined way of working,” he says. “We
had an idea of what we wanted in terms of a generic shopping list — large wash lights and
bright profiles for the tall towers, smaller wash lights over the stage, even smaller fixtures
along the runways, large searchlights to cut through the screen and so on. Then the spec
sort of wrote itself, depending on what was available at the time.”
Woodroffe recognizes the advantages that technology can afford a designer. “This is a
golden time for lighting designers with so many choices of bright, reliable, automated fixtures with interesting features,” he says. “Some of the moving lights we had never worked
with before — the Little Big Lights, the Robe Profiles, the Coemar Washes, for example. But
they all worked great.”
Dave Hill, who codesigned the show with Woodroffe, also programmed the show.
Woodroffe and Hill have developed a shorthand method of communication based on
“many years and many projects.” Woodroffe praises Hill’s work as having “an enormous
amount of skill and detail, (that was) absolutely in tune and in time with the music.”
With a projection surface that includes over nine million pixels, video obviously plays
a huge part in this production. But it was carefully crafted, both in the design and in the
programming aspects, to blend in with the lighting and set. “The video was designed to
be the focus at times and at others to provide simpler more amorphous backgrounds,”
Woodroffe comments. “Dave Hill carefully matched colors and textures so that the overall impression was one of a series of seamless light paintings. The (video) programming
of the show was done by Sam Pattison and his team from One Dot Zero.”
Associate Lighting Designer Adam Bassett “pulled together all the threads,” according to Woodroffe, and organized the “complicated production” in the early part of the
project. He then acted as a sort of theatrical assistant for Hill and Woodroffe in the rehearsal process. Woodroffe also credited Dave Ridgeway and his crew from Neg Earth
with taking care of the details of the rigging and setting up and taking down the complex lighting system night after night on two continents “with little fuss.”
For the construction of the unique set, Fisher relied on “the usual suspects” — Brilliant
Stages, Tomcat, StageCo, XL-Video and Frederic Opsomer at Barco/Innovative Designs.
“We’ve worked with them all on many projects in the past,” Fisher says. “Our LED video experiments with Frederic Opsomer go back to (the U2 tour) Popmart in 1997.”
Though Jeremy Lloyd ended up handling the project for Stufish, Fisher says that
he enjoyed it, and he “had a great time working with the band.” “We enjoyed a very
professional relationship with all the members of the Genesis production team, and a
creative relationship with the lighting and video teams,” he says, “all of which made the
project a happy and successful experience.”
Woodroffe was well pleased with the results, and he is highly complimentary of the
team. “The whole production was one of the most organized, but fluid, that I’ve ever
worked on. Steve Jones and Howard Hopkins were the production managers for the
tour and led the whole thing with razor sharp efficiency, but also with huge style and
good humor. They also managed to pull off back-to-back shows with a production as
big as any I’ve seen.”
“The spines of the shell became Patrick’s lighting masts.” — Mark Fisher
www.PLSN.com
“This is a golden time for lighting designers with so many choices of bright, reliable
automated fixtures with interesting features.” — Patrick Woodroffe
Lighting Designer: Patrick Woodroffe
Codesigner/Programmer/Director:
Dave Hill
Associate Lighting Designer: Adam
Bassett
Stage Design: Mark Fisher
Design Development: Ray Winkler
Design Development/Technical
Design: Jeremy Lloyd
Animation & 3-D Visuals: Adrian Mudd
and Rick Lipson
Studio Project Manager: Lucy
Davenport
Production Managers: Steve Jones and
Howard Hopkins
Lighting Supplier: Neg Earth (UK)
Universal Team:
Crew Chief: Jonathan Sellers
Data System Architect: Andy Porter
FOH Mixer: Luke Radin
Head Electrician: Jim Mills
Big Lites: Simon Lake
Head Tech: Victor Livingstone
Rigging: Ganna Lupini
Advance A Team:
Crew Chief: Brian Wares
Head Electrician: Matt Burden
Technicians: Katie Flanders, Meic
Heggett
Spotlights: Bob Batty
Rigging: Hayden Corps
Advance B Team:
Crew Chief: Paul Kell
Head Electrician: Bill Frostman
Technicians: Steve Shipman,
Roan Lo-A-Njoe
Spotlights: Ben Howell
Rigging: Gavin Boucher
GEAR
7 Coemar Infinity Wash fixtures
8
6 CS6
2 High End Systems F100 fog machines
24 High End Systems Studio Beams
6 80K Hungaoflashes
7 i-Pix Satellites
2 MA Lighting grandMA consoles
26 Martin Atomic 3K Strobes
37 Robe ColorSpot 2500 AT
8 Strong 2K Super Troupers
36 Vari*Lite VL5
14 Vari*Lite VL6
17Zap Technologies Big Lites
CREW
INSTALLATIONS Salt Lake Tabernacle
Church balances modernization
with historical integrity
By DavidJohnFarinella
C
ertainly any kind of installation work
demands a high attention to detail, and
everyone from architect to designer to
installer to end user needs to be on the same
page. The team that worked on the two-year
renovation of the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, took that pressure, doubled it and then doubled it again.
After all, these pros were working on a
building that was originally opened in 1867 and
has been at the center of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints for 140 years, as well
as the venue for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s
weekly broadcast. Yet, this was not just any kind
of renovation. “It was more than an install,” reports Lorin Morse, lighting designer and operator in the LDS Church Audio/Visual Department.
“It was a gut-it and start over.”
Robert Breitenbeker, who serves as the
manager of event support for all the venues on
the Temple Square campus, concurs. “This is the
first time the building has actually been closed
and renovated any substantial amount,” he says.
“So, this was our opportunity to completely
redo all of the infrastructure — lighting, sound
and A/V systems — to bring it into the current
century.”
At the same time, the directive from church
President Gordon B. Hinckley was to make sure
that the essential structure was not altered.
“The preservation people didn’t want anything
to be changed, so we had to find an in-between
medium,” Breitenbeker says. “We were ready to
rip the ceiling down, put in catwalks, speaker
positions and all of that stuff, but because of
the very unique structure of the dome and
its acoustic properties, we weren’t allowed to
touch that. So we had to find other solutions.
Having the building closed for a period of time
[enabled us to] find solutions that fit all of the
requirements, both on the preservation side
and on the technological side.”
Before this opportunity, Breitenbeker admits with a laugh, almost every piece of lighting, projection and audio gear was bolted on. “It
was always that we got a request, and we had to
figure out a way to scab it on to the structure.”
Where to Put the Lights
In addition to improving the technology in the building, Breitenbeker says one of
the goals was to make sure that the iconic
image of the Tabernacle’s pipe organ remained pristine. “It’s sort of the trademark
look of the Tabernacle Choir, so we tried to
get all the technology out of the picture,”
he says.
40 PLSN DECEMBER 2007
The first step in accomplishing this was
moving all of the lighting positions, which
were hanging from trusses in front of the organ, to the back of the room. “The lighting
trusses used to be down in your face,” Morse
says, “but now they are way back in the east
end of the building, up as tight against the
ceiling as they can get. So, when you walk
in the room, the first things you see aren’t
the trusses hanging in your face. It’s a lot
cleaner look.”
Before the work was done, Morse recalls, there were seven trusses in the space.
“I don’t know if you could even call them
trusses,” he says. “They were old electrical
control distribution strips that had a unistrut channel on the top and bottom, with
spring nuts so stuff could be bolted on. Everything traveled up and down live, so you
could have things on that you didn’t have
to go unplug and plug to focus things, but
you still had to yo-yo focus.”
“With the new system,” he explains, “the
trusses have an I-beam on the back chord
on the bottom. We have a couple of focus
baskets (I call them birdcages) that you
hook on to those I-beams, and you trolley
back and forth to do your focusing. For the
most part, that works really well, but you
still have a little bit of fine adjustment to
do when you’re doing throws that are 70 or
100 feet long.”
Other than a handful of ETC Source
Four fixtures that were recycled, the team
installed all new fixtures for live performances in front of in-house audiences or
for broadcast performances. The list of fixtures includes eight Vari*Lite VL3000Qs, 48
High End Systems Color Commands, 120
Ocean Optics SeaChangers, 18 ETC Source
Four PARs, 145 ETC Source Four 5° and 10°
fixtures, eight Wybron Nexeras, four ARRI
5kW Fresnels and a whopping 468 feet of
Selador X7 LEDs used as cyc lights.
The cyc lights, Breitenbeker points out,
are some of the more important new lighting pieces. “Because of the historic nature
of the building, and because we’ve had
some incidents in the past where fires have
been caused by people throwing coats or
other flammable materials on top of the
cyc lights,” Breitenbeker says, “the decision
was made that all of the cyc lighting is now
LED. So, there is no heat issue, and consequently, there is no fire issue now. Yes, that
A view of the choir and organ after the seismic upgrade and renovation
was a very pricey solution to the problem,
but because of the nature of the building,
it was decided that it was well worth the
expense.”
The Nexeras were put on articulating
arms on the balcony to provide lighting from
the balcony rail when needed, but are tucked
away when not required. “That allows us to
have the nice clean balcony look or, within
about two minutes, you can have all of the
lights deployed and ready to go for an orchestra concert,” Morse reports.
Who Controls the Lights?
One of the more interesting lighting features in the Tabernacle is that the organist, who
plays in the venue just about every day, has the
ability to control the lighting system. “There
aren’t many 19th-century organ consoles running a lighting system,” Morse reports with a
laugh. “The organ has five [keyboards], and underneath the keys are a series of thumb pistons.
We went into the electronics in the organ and
put in an A/B switch on the organ console where
you push the A/B switch, and the function of
eight of those thumb pistons becomes lighting
control. They send a signal to Unison that fires
a macro in Unison. We will fire it straight to the
(ETC Eos) lighting console at some point, but it’s
not ready yet. They haven’t gotten the software
ready yet.”
Morse points out that the team continued
with Eos because the ETC software is already
embedded into the Tabernacle’s system, and
they value the company’s customer service.
“We’re familiar with their syntax for the most
part,” he adds. “We have since changed to EOS,
as has the Conference Center across the street.
The biggest reason that we couldn’t go with
Emphasis or something like that was the channel count. With all of the 130 SeaChangers, all
having four channels apiece that are all individual, plus 468 feet of LED where every two feet is
addressable seven times at seven different addresses per two feet — the channel count kind
of goes through the roof in a hurry with all the
multiparameter and multicolored fixtures and
things.”
Beyond the daily organ recitals, Morse reports that the lighting work he does on the
weekly 30-minute radio and television program, Music and the Spoken Word, is similar to
what he did before the renovation. “We have
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SeaChangers on all of the choir wash lights,” he
reports. “They are Source Four PARs, and all of
the rostrum/orchestra lights are SeaChangers
and Color Commands. We vary the colors to the
music, or we leave it the same, depending on
the conductor. We have a lot more functionality
with color and that kind of thing, but as far as
turning things on and off or on-air light changes, all of that has pretty much stayed the same.”
All of the lighting points and included electrics have been tucked away as much as possible to ensure that President Hinckley’s request
be honored. “So, they are out of the picture essentially, and we maintained the historical integrity of the building,” says Morse.
Disappearing Projection Gear
The architectural and design teams went
beyond lighting to honor that request, including the use of interesting projection features.
Well, they almost honored the entire request,
but in order to get the video projection system to work, a pair of Christie Digital Roadster
HD12K high-def DLP projectors was installed
in the attic space of the domed ceiling. The two
projectors are double-stacked via a crossfire
pattern, and any issues from that arrangement
were cleaned up using Christie Digital Twist image-warping and blending modules.
The pair of Vutec Retracta-Vu Pro screens
are tucked neatly into custom built boxes that
have been placed behind the last row of choir
seats. The projectors are run by an Extron
control system.
Interior of the Tabernacle after the seismic upgrade and renovation
All Photos Courtesy of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Exterior preparations for the upgrade
“It was more than an
install. It was a gut-it
and start over.”
— Lorin Morse
Museum of Church History and Art Curator Richard Oman (L) with
Restoration Architect Roger Jackson.
The FOH control position was designed to blend with the seating.
The system is used for both presentation
graphics as well as video display with a 16:9
aspect ratio. There are three permanent camera
positions in the Tabernacle (left, right and
center), and there is a custom-designed camera
track in the left and right balconies that is part
of the balcony handrail, so that the camera does
not intrude into the egress aisle for the balcony.
Three Sony HDC1500L cameras are positioned
at the permanent positions, while two Sony
HDC900s are stationed in the balcony.
The three permanent positions are controlled from a video control room in the Conference Center, which is about 1,300 feet from
the Tabernacle. (Lighting control, though, is
handled inside the building within a former
crying room via an Eos system. Morse points
out that there are actually three systems, one
in use, one in a rack and a spare in the back
of the room for emergencies in that control
room.) Cameramen run the balcony cameras.
“Here again, because of the historic nature
of the room, [the three permanent positions]
all disappear when they are not in use,” Breitenbeker says. “What would be the left and
right camera positions are actually mounted
on pylons so that there’s a patch in the floor.
They simply pop up at the end of one of the
existing pews, do their job and when the
broadcast is over, we can sync those back
flush into the floor, and they go away.”
Since the Tabernacle reopened, it’s been a
busy place, just like before the renovation. In
fact, there are over 500 annual events in this
historic venue and Morse, Breitenbeker and
the rest of the lighting and projection team
are putting the new system through its paces.
So far, so good.
www.PLSN.com
2007 DECEMBER PLSN
41
FEATURE
Fenton Williams
All photos by Katie Friesema
Fenton Williams
By VickieClaiborne
F
A complete visual experience from the wings to the top row of the lawn
or fifteen years, Lighting Designer Fenton Williams has been working with the
same band. In the early days, the audience was smaller than the entourage that currently travels with this group. Now, Williams
enjoys a steady gig with a popular band; so
popular in fact, that he almost has to fight his
way to the console to start the shows.
The band, of course, is the Dave Matthews Band, and Williams lights them with
the help of his partners at Filament Productions. Williams recently came off the road
and graciously agreed to talk about what
it takes to create a production involving so
many visual elements.
continually push each other to really try new
things. We are constantly passing the design
back and forth and manipulating it to our own
likes and current industry trends. Then we
continually upgrade it with new technology.
PLSN: Tell us about your latest design for
the Dave Matthews Band. What inspired
you, and how is this rig different from
previous tours?
Which console are you using? Are you
manually operating the show or is the
show synched to timecode?
We — Aaron Stinebrink, the programmer and me — are using (MA Lighting)
grandMAs to run the show. It is run manually; we have never used any timecode. It is
just the nature of the show that we have to
be able to run things on the fly. It is never
the same set list, and we typically get the
set list about a half hour before the show.
Fenton Williams: First, I should mention that I really design with a team consisting of several people: partners of mine from
Filament Productions, Aaron Stinebrink, Jeff
Crane and Mike Lane; and the team over at
Tribe Design with Bruce Rodgers, Mai Sakai
and Sean Dougall. The overall goal of this
year’s set was to completely wrap the band
in video and create a teepee-like effect. Another issue that we wanted to tackle was to
make a complete visual experience for everyone from the wings to the top row of the
lawn. The majority of our sheds have their
own unique challenges. It’s important that
we design a versatile set that can be modified on a daily basis.
I think to answer the question regarding
what it was that inspired us, I would have
to say each other. I think that as a team, we
Video plays a huge part of your design.
How long was your preproduction?
Three weeks.
How did the custom content get developed?
We have some custom footage, and
we also will manipulate stock footage
into things that will work for our show.
How long have you been with DMB? I have been with them for around fifteen
years. I started out as the tour manager and
began to experiment with the lights during
the shows.
Is the group involved in the design
process at all?
The band is typically not so entrenched
in the design. They know that the team
we have together does everything possible to make sure the design represents
them well. They also have a certain comfort level with me, as I know the music
extremely well and can effectively highlight each member throughout the night.
How many people are on the lighting and
video crews?
Six video and seven lighting.
How long did the last tour run?
Aug. 1 through Oct. 2 — mainly amphitheatres. The two largest shows on the tour
were Piedmont Park in Atlanta (55,000+) and
Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech (45,000+).
Are you the LD and the video director
too? I know you work with a team, but
who comes up with the concepts for the
video content?
Mike Lane is the video director. I will
choose the b-roll, what I feel works with
each song during rehearsals. Of course I
get the input of all my partners at Filament
who are in rehearsals with me. They will
let me know if they think it works or not.
How do you pass the design back and
forth among your team? Do you use lighting design software? And does the initial
design include video elements or only
sets and lighting?
We use VectorWorks, and we have used
WYSIWYG in the past, although we did not
use it for this tour. We pass it back in forth
by uploading it to a server; each individual
downloads it and makes revisions. After all
revisions, Mai and Sean at Tribe will redraw
the finals. The initial design does include video fairly quickly. We start with a lighting design and other elements are added quickly.
www.PLSN.com
Video Gear
Abekas DVE
2 Barco Encore systems for multiscreen image manipulation w/custom Fresco software
14 Barco 32’ strands of MiSpheres run on Barco D320 processor
3 Barco MiTrix 10’ x 24’ screens using Barco D320 processing and a Barco fiber tx/rx system
2 Element Labs 12’ x 32’ Helix G75 (clear) using Element Labs proprietary processing
4 Extron Cat5e hi res tx/rx system
4 High End Systems Catalyst servers
5 Sony D50 Digital Broadcast chains
2 w/Canon 70 x 1 long lenses
1 handheld w/.5mm wide angle
1 standard studio config 1 Fujinon P/T/Z robotic camera control
8 Sony DSR-45 DVCAM record decks
What are some of your favorite moments
in the show and why?
I would say there are three. The first note
is always very exciting. You can really feel the
energy of the crowd and appreciate the opportunity each night to be an influential part
of such a large production. Being with these
guys so long, I remember when our current
traveling road crew (70+) was larger than the
first year or so of shows. It’s a lot longer walk
to the board these days, because I have to
fight through all the excited fans ready to get
the night started.
When we go into phase two of the show
and turn the video walls on — that’s equally
exciting. Depending upon the set list, the
point where the video comes in changes on
a nightly basis. So it is exciting to see how it is
going to work with different songs. When we
use all b-roll video for a song called “Eh Hee,”
it’s special (because) I had an opportunity to
direct, and my company, Filament, produced
the music video for this song.
The band is “completely wrapped in video.”
For more information about William’s other
projects including “Dave & Tim: Live at Radio City” for which he directed the lighting and video and designed the set, visit
www.filamentprod.com.
The band is “completely wrapped in
video
Lighting Gear
2 High End Systems Catalyst media servers
4 High End Systems Cyberlight Turbos
14 High End Systems Studio Beams
15 High End Systems Studio Command 700s
15 High End Systems Studio Command 1200s
2 MA Lighting grandMA Lighting Consoles
1 MA Lighting grandMA Light Console
2 MA Lighting grandMA NSPs
21 Martin Atomic 3000 Strobes
4 Martin MAC 2000 Wash
2 MDG 5000 Foggers
9 PixelRange PixelLine 110ec
37 PixelRange Pixel PAR 90Ls
4 Studio Due CS-4s
40 Vari-Lite 3000 Spots
18 Vari-Lite 3500 Wash fixtures
16 9-lights with Wybron ColorRam II scrollers
VITAL STATS
SHOW
DISTRIBUTION’S
Robert “Bob” Belanger
Robert “Bob” Belanger
By KevinM.Mitchell
Who: Robert “Bob” Belanger, vice president
sales & rental, Show Distribution Group Inc.
What: Sales and rentals of the ChainMaster
variable- and fixed-speed hoists, as well as
Prolyte roof, truss and stage systems.
Where: Leon-Harmel, Quebec, Canada
When: Founded in 1999.
Starting at the top: “First gig was with the Red
Hot Chili Peppers. We supplied the variablespeed motors to move their truss system.”
I knew I wanted to do this when… “I saw
Madonna kissing Britney Spears.”
Current clients include… Spice Girls,
Wicked, The Police, Rush, Five Point Productions, Q1 Production, PRG, Tait Towers, Desert Specialty Rigging, In-House-Production,
Nokia Theatre/LA Live in Los Angeles, LAX night
club at the Luxor in Las Vegas and many others.
Career high point: “The Nokia Theatre/
LA Live in Los Angeles show. We supplied
18 variable-speed Jumbo lifts at a capacity of 6,000-kg (13,200 pounds), each with
everything mounted on variable-speed
trolleys of a 12-ton capacity. We moved
six giant catwalks.”
What’s in my CD player/on my iPod right
now: Zac Efron’s Ladies’ Choice.
Career Low Point: “Can’t remember —
don’t want to remember!”
My greatest fear is… planes.
Most cool thing about my job: “To be
part of all these state-of-the-art projects
and many of these kick ass tours.”
Least cool thing about my job: “Has anyone seen my lawyer?”
Coolest “toy” that you’ve recently seen/
used and were impressed with: “Darn,
you guys are getting personal!”
On the home front: “Girlfriend and
life partner Nathalie Lacroix, my sons
David and Michael, and my daughter Leanne. Nathalie also has two
children: son Ubert and daughter
Camille. It’s a full house — so please close
the door!”
If I could be someone famous for a day, it
would be… Elvis.
If I could go back in time and tell my
younger self one thing, it would be: “Get
your ass on a tour bus!”
If I were a cartoon character, I’d be: “The Coyote. I have a few new ideas for the Road Runner.”
Previous lives: “I worked 10 years in the
wood tooling industry, have done event
productions with bands and have been a
band manager. I’m a jack-of-all-trades, but
master of none.”
On vacation, please find me… “Anywhere in
the world discovering all the points of interest and the different cultures.”
Words to live by: “Whatever you do, always
cover your butt!!!”
www.EPDweb.com
The
tory
c
e
r
i
nD
e!
uctio
d
o
onlin
r
P
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l
t
b
Even w availa
tory
is no
Direc
’s #1
y’s
ustry Industr see
d
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I
e
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a
h
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b
t
T
w
ata
Is No chable D
ear
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Search by State – City and even the gear each company has!
ROAD TEST
CLAY
P A K Y Alpha Profile 1200
By PhilGilbert
W
ith the introduction of the Alpha
line several years ago, Clay Paky
began an earnest push to reinvigorate its fixture offerings. Combined
with an overhauled U.S.-based sales and
support team, it has resulted in renewed
brand awareness in North America and
around the world.
The newest addition to the Alpha
line, the Alpha Profile 1200 moving yoke
fixture is a direct answer to the framing
shutter systems incorporated into the
massively popular VL3500 Spot and MAC
2000 Performance fixtures.
Read on to see how the Alpha Profile
1200 stacks up.
tem. The other gobo wheel provides six
indexable, rotatable gobos plus open. An
additional effects wheel provides a rotating animation effect and a rotating prism,
as well as two frost filters.
The framing system makes use of
four shutters, each of which are controlled via two parameters. The entire
system can be rotated (as a whole) up
to 90 degrees. Especially convenient is
the patented framing shutter system
that Clay Paky calls a “total curtain” effect. Unlike other similar fixtures, each
shutter can extend completely through
the optical train, greatly increasing the
framing possibilities of the unit.
This is one of the quietest fixtures, for its size,
that I have ever encountered.
Physical Profile
rt
The exterior of the fixture is virtually identical to the other 1200-watt
spots in the line. It’s 17.72 inches wide
and 29.13 inches tall, with the head
pointing straight up; the base is 19
inches by 18.1 inches and it weighs almost 85 pounds. Some of the shared
features include:
• 3-pin and 5-pin parallel data connection
• Battery-powered menu system
for addressing and other changes
without mains power
• Switch-selectable
110V/208V
operation
• Quarter-turn fastener access to
frequently opened areas
Its exterior is almost indistinguishable
from its brothers and sisters, but the important parts of the Alpha Profile 1200 are
on the inside.
Features
rt
The fixture provides smooth dimming via a combination of electronic
and mechanical dimming. Strobe effects
are provided by a separate flag, allowing
dimming and strobing concurrently.
Other standard features include a 10to 30-degree zoom, electronic focusing,
iris and 16-bit pan and tilt.
What’s All the Noise About?
rt
In person, there are several striking things about this fixture. Not to be
missed are the audible noise (or lack
thereof ), dimming, color mixing, easy
maintenance and (especially) the framing shutters.
While it’s easy to overlook the noise
produced by a single fixture (and all of
its fans), the decibel output of a fixture
can be critical in some applications.
This seems especially true for any fixture with framing shutters, as it will inherently be used in many specialty applications (theatre, dance, etc.) where
shuttered fixtures are de rigueur. As
part of Clay Paky’s SV (Silent Version)
line, the Alpha Profile 1200 has been
designed from the ground up to be silent. This is one of the quietest fixtures,
for its size, that I have ever encountered. Even parameter changes that are
inherently noisy (strobe, gobo bumps,
etc.) are almost imperceptible from a
few feet away.
Clay Paky has definitely been listening to some
lighting techs as this line has evolved.
The color system includes CMY color
mixing, linear CTO and a six-position (plus
open) color wheel. The cyan, magenta
and yellow color flags are slightly oversaturated at the ends to allow for supersaturated colors.
The effects system consists of three
wheels. A static gobo wheel includes eight
fixed gobos plus open, which are individually interchangeable. The entire wheel
can also be quickly and easily removed
due to a unique magnetic mounting sys-
Clay Paky obviously spent a lot of time
tweaking the dimming curve, as the fixture
seamlessly shifts from mechanical (flag)
dimming to electronic (ballast) dimming
part way through its intensity range. It
handles long- and short-intensity changes
with grace. You can also select a standard
dimming curve or a second dimming curve
that mimics a conventional dimming curve.
As mentioned previously, each color
flag is slightly over-tinted at the saturate
end of its range. This feature is shared
throughout the line and allows incredibly rich colors to be created.
Clay Paky has definitely been listening to
some lighting techs as this line has evolved.
Each new fixture seems to be a little bit easier
to maintain and repair than the last, and the
Alpha Profile 1200 is no exception. As an example, one of the main modules comes out
of the fixture with a fan assembly attached
so that the module will stand up straight on
a work surface, resting on the fan assembly.
Other things like modular effects systems,
captive screws and circuit boards that are
shared with other fixtures make this fixture a
shop or touring technician’s dream.
Last, and possibly most important, is
a spectacular framing shutter system that
could take the industry by storm. The shutter movement and control is excellent, and
the almost infinite amount of control is marvelous. The only real problem with the system is that the shutters are just far enough
from the gobos to prevent the same great
shuttering of patterns and textures (i.e. a
sharply focused gobo cannot be shaped
very effectively with the framing shutters).
But this is a common issue in any framing
projector because it can’t focus on the gobos and framing shutters simultaneously.
The Final Word
rt
Clay Paky seems to have nailed it
with its latest effort. While focusing
on a next-generation framing system,
the engineers in Italy have quietly improved on almost every feature considered “standard” in this size platform.
Top-notch dimming, positioning, color
mixing and output, combined with a
revolutionary framing shutter system,
make this fixture well worth watching
for.
Phil Gilbert is a freelance lighting designer
and programmer. You can contact him at
pgilbert@ plsn.com.
What it is: Clay Paky Alpha Profile
1200 — a 1200-watt moving head spot
luminaire with framing shutters.
Who it’s for: Any event needing
extremely versatile framing shutters and
top-of-the-line everything-else.
Pros: Incredible framing shutters;
beautiful dimming; gorgeous color
mixing.
Cons: Some combinations of gobos and
framing shutters aren’t effective.
Retail Price: $17,300.
www.PLSN.com
Fire Tour Blazes with Video
Fashion Show Uses Eyeliner
to Create Holograms
A mock-up of the Target Model-less fashion show
LONDON — XL Video is supplying robotic cameras and Christie FOH projectors for Richard Stembridge’s
innovative video design on Arcade Fire’s current European tour. XL’s project managers Jo Beirne and Phil
Mercer have been involved with supplying the band’s video needs throughout 2007, and the latest leg of
their hugely successful Neon Bible tour is the largest yet in terms of production.
“Working with Richard is always interesting and brings visually stunning results as the show is constantly evolving and growing” says Beirne.
Lighting Designer Paul Normandale, who was looking for a specific style and approach to facilitate what
he anticipated would become a video-driven show, brought Stembridge into the equation. Normandale is
known for his offbeat designs and imaginative daring. He wanted someone with a fresh and nonstandard approach to video to match the band’s richly textured music and intense performance.
continued on page 59
Digital Lighting Training Goes Worldwide
DALLAS — Worldwide automated lighting manufacturer High End Systems Inc. and Dutch dealer Improve recently held a successful Digital Lighting University in Delft,
Holland. The two-day program hosted 40 prominent lighting and video designers and technicians in an intimate,
hands-on curriculum teaching the intricacies of products
such as DL.1 and DL.2, along with the Axon media server
and other digital products.
Keynote speakers included Richard Bleasdale, Mike
Redmer, Scott Chmielewski, Antoinette Wijffels and Fons
Hogenes, who covered everything from case studies to
the basics of art and design. Breakout sessions included
workshops on configuration, content creation and pro-
gramming, with “students” actually running the range of
Hog consoles and creating unique content. Live entertainment was brought in to accompany the content showing
on the variety of projection surfaces in the venue.
HES German dealer Arcus first launched Digital Lighting University as a way to familiarize end users with digital
lighting. The program was considered such a success that
Antoinette Wijffels, managing director of Improve, decided to organize the program in Holland.
“Digital lighting is still in its infancy,” says HES’s Bill
Morris. “These products are not the kind of thing a new
user can just see at a trade show and immediately understand how to use.
continued on page 48
Inside…
E/T/C London keeps its
48 eyes on Malta.
51
52
Road Test
Vickie Claiborne takes the Maxedia media server
out for a spin.
Video World
A brief history of time code — and why it’s on
your lighting console.
Arcade Fire in concert
NEW YORK — Target removed the model from the fashion
show with its Target Model-less Fashion Show, transforming
Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall into the site of the
world’s first virtual fashion show. High-definition holograms
allowed Target clothes to strut down a virtual runway —
models not included.
Powered by hologram innovator Musion Systems Limited,
the presentation employed an illusionary technique that uses
Eyeliner foil to give two-dimensional images the illusion of
depth. The Eyeliner foil rolls — 13- and 26-feet high — are carefully prepared during manufacture and rolling so as to retain
maximum transparency and strength when subjected to extreme tension. The resulting surface is optically clear and blemish free, a projection surface better than that of a huge plate
glass mirror, allowing the true reproduction of high-definition
video and some amazing special effects: objects can rotate in
midair, people can beam down from space and real actors can
perform next to volumetric cartoon characters.
NEWS
Malta Uses Large-Scale Projection to Explore Its Past
LONDON — Large format projection specialists E/T/C London returned to Malta to
project onto the dramatic Fort St. Angelo in
Valetta Harbour for the opening ceremony
of the HotelPlan conference. Working for the
Malta Tourist Authority and the Malta Fairs
& Convention Centre (MFCC), the event was
staged for 250 invited guests.
E/T/C London has worked in Malta several times, designing and coordinating large
format projection shows, including the Welcome Malta celebrations in 2004, when 10
new member states joined the EU.
For this latest project, E/T/C UK’s Ross Ashton was commissioned by Maltese production
company Sign-It to create a special 15-minute
narrative illustrating the history of Malta from
its discovery 6,000 years ago to the present.
Ashton researched, wrote and produced the
storyboard and originated all the artwork.
Karen Monid edited the soundtrack.
E/T/C projected 500 meters across Valletta Harbour onto the Fort from the projector
Fort St. Angelo in Valetta Harbour, Malta
position located at the Old Customs House.
They used eight 6kW PIGI projectors with
double rotating scrollers, all overlaid to optimize the image brightness, complete with
special Barco 125 cm lenses. The image was
divided into two halves, with four machines
covering each half, soft-edged together
using E/T/C’s proprietary OnlyCue software,
which was also used to program and run the
shows. The OnlyCue programmers were Karen Monid and Erlwin de Gans, with support
from Chris Richardson and Ewan Guichard.
Sign-It was also heavily involved with the
Welcome Malta show. The projections onto the
Fort proved such a great hit that Sign-It’s MD
Ruben Caruana wants to repeat the spectacle as and when the opportunities arise
for more people to enjoy. “Projection makes
such a bold, dramatic statement and is
hugely entertaining” he states, adding that a
projection show is an ideal focus for a corporate event that also involves entertainment
elements for its guests.
The projection show was part of a full evening of activities planned for the delegates
and included fireworks over the harbor.
Once again, the shows were a huge
success. Ashton comments “It was a
great privilege to be asked back to Malta
again — and also to produce a show from
scratch, undertaking all elements of the
process in-house.”
It was actually the sixth time that E/T/C
London has worked in Malta, following the
1999 launch of the Malta Freeport Container
Dock and the Malta Millennium celebrations
in 2000 as well as Welcome Europe.
I n vestors Get F i t w i t h P i x e l - P a c k i n g C e i l i n g
LONDON — Projected Image Digital (PID),
working closely with architectural lighting
design practice Indigo Light Planning, has
specified and installed a spectacular Element
Labs VersaPIXEL ceiling effect for the house
gymnasium of a leading investment bank in
London’s Canary Wharf area.
PID supplied 1500 25 mm square Versa
Pixels, a VersaDrive C1 driver and a Pharos
LPC1 architectural lighting controller for the
project, which was coordinated for them by Sam
Douglas.
PID also designed
and manufactured custom steel mounting
brackets for the VersaPixel’s, which are installed in
the room’s ceiling panels,
and created 17 special
clips of digital content,
working to a brief from
Indigo’s Paul Nulty and
the gym staff.
Investment bankers get buffed while pixels soothe weary muscles.
Nulty’s brief from
project managers Logitek was to transform
PID produced drawings and visualizathe former car parking space in the building’s tions as the content creation process was
basement into a vibrant, funky, inspirational developed, in addition to a full-scale, on-site
relaxation and workout area for staff. He, PID mock-up in front of the client avnd all the
and a team from Bennett’s Interior Design all design teams. The installation process was
collaborated to help achieve this.
coordinated for PID by Lead Engineer Rob
Indigo has designed both pixilated video Smith and Sam Douglas.
screens and gymnasium lighting schemes
The 1,500 VersaPixels are controlled from a
before, but this is the first time that Nulty has VersaDrive C1 controller. The C1 is connected
fully integrated a large digital lighting effect to 11 PSUBB units, connected and addressed
into one of his designs in this way.
via a 6-pin Element Labs data cable leading
“It was a right-time-right-place situation,” back to a number of Pharos PHUB32s, each of
Nulty explains. “We were looking for a strong which connects to up to 32 VersaPixels.
concept to produce some real dynamics in
The video content is stored on the Versathe space. From there, we seized the oppor- DRIVE C1, which is then triggered by the Phartunity of creating a modern digital lighting os architectural control unit, and then timeline
feature using VersaPixel.”
programmed to fit the gym’s opening hours.
Nulty also wanted to ensure that the gym
PID’s Digital Services Manager Nev Bull dearea was completely different in feel to the veloped the content using After Effects. The derest of the building. The shape of the front sign team saw an initial preview, fed back comend of the gym (a stepped space that has ments and then a final list was agreed upon.
been scooped out from the former car parkPID’s David March says, “Developing the
ing decks) immediately lent itself to being concept with Paul and the design teams and
fitted with some sort of visual feature, says being involved in the entire process, right
Nulty, and most of the workout machines are from mock-up to completion, has been very
lined up to face this.
rewarding for us.”
Digital Lighting Training Goes Worldwide
continued from page 47
We plan to expand this program to more cities worldwide so that those who want to learn
more about the technology get the chance in a
hands-on environment led by early adopters.”
Michel Buchner, content design and creative technology expert from The Live House
in the Netherlands, attended the program. “It
was very inspirational,” he says of the experience. “If you want to excel in this industry, you
have to know the best of both the lighting
www.PLSN.com
and video worlds, creatively and technically.
When you can combine and connect these
disciplines, you’re a step ahead of the people
who think it will stay as it is.”
Improve is active in a variety of fields, including live entertainment and special events.
The company provides innovative design and
consulting and also supplies high-quality
brands known for their ability to add unique
elements to show design.
NEWS
Berg Passes Video Transparency Test
Andrea Berg
ÅRHUS, DENMARK — Marco
Göpel, lighting designer, operator
and occasional show coordinator
for Andrea Berg, one of Germany’s
most successful solo acts and one
of the biggest-selling German
pop divas, has integrated Martin
MAC luminaires and LC Series LED
panels into her show.
More than 8,000 people gathered at the Chemnitz Arena in
Chemnitz, Germany, for what
Göpel describes as “a test for integrating effect video screens for
future shows.”
“The show is concentrated on
one person, which means there
is no background band or any others on
stage,” Göpel states. “This is decisive for
the lighting concept, as the lighting compensates for the missing background.”
Marco accomplishes this with a
beat-oriented show mixed with static
views. He chose the Martin LC panels
based on their transparency and their
40 mm pixel pitch, which allows for a
good impression for the viewer at a
short distance.
“The transparency allows me to use
the LC panels in the current show without big changes in the programming and
main setup. They also give me the possibility to create some 3-D impressions
and play with the depth of the stage.”
The transparency of the LC panels
also means that the MAC moving heads
located behind the panels are still visible
for the beam portion of the show.
“My personal impression of the LC
panels is very good, and the feedback
from Andrea Berg herself and guests is
very positive as well,” Göpel remarks.
Graphical content for the LC panels comes from a Martin Maxedia media
server and is comprised of a mix of custom content and graphics supplied with
the Maxedia system. Company Semmler
Veranstaltungstechnik supplied 12 LC Series 2140 panels, 12 MAC 600 washlights,
12 MAC 500 profile spots, four MAC 2000
Profiles and a Maxedia Pro for the show.
Double Up Tour
Gets Double Use
from Luminaires
R. Kelly in concert
AUSTIN, TX — R. Kelly’s Double Up U.S.
tour kicked off Nov. 14 with 25 High End
Systems SHOWGUNS and 18 DL.2s doing
double duty in the show.
Performance Environment Designer
Patrick Dierson of Artfag chose the HES
products, supplied by lighting contractor
Upstaging, because of their ability to perform in a variety of ways to fit his needs.
“The reliability of the DL.2s has really
been great on this run,” says Dierson. “They
play a major role in the production in doing the double duty of performing formal
collage projections, as well as intense aerial
beam work. We’ve created an array of aerial
projection clips specifically for that duty,
and it always gets a great reaction from the
audience.” Dierson, who was the first specifier of
SHOWGUN on the Live Earth broadcast from
New York this year says, “There were a few
reasons why I chose the SHOWGUNS for this
tour, not the least of which was because Kells
had seen them at a party a while back and
thought that they looked really interesting.
I love the fact that you can be sitting in the
cheapest seat in the house and still have a
beam shoot straight by your head. The photonic output of this instrument is amazing. I
was also very interested in having a unit that
could do double duty in being a wash and
hard-edged fixture. I also knew that we’d be
using the SHOWGUN LED ring specifically
throughout the show. In particular, there’s
a segment where Robert ‘conducts’ the
lighting as if he were conducting a symphony. The SHOWGUNS’ various abilities
are used extensively throughout that part
of the show.” “All-in-all,” he says, “my experience with
the DL.2s and the new SHOWGUN software
upgrade with the Gobo Animation feature
has been nothing short of spectacular on
this production.”
www.PLSN.com
NEW PRODUCTS
Daktronics ProTour® PT-4
For-A HVS-1500HS Hanabi 1.5 M/E Switcher
Daktronics Inc. has released
the new ProTour® PT-4, modular
LED video system featuring four
millimeter line spacing, 22-bit
image processing and fanless
design for quiet operation. The
module incorporates cast magnesium into the front mask and
rear housing for durability. Each
PT-4 panel houses four PT-4
modules that can be removed
and operated individually or
in combination. Three-in-one
“black package” surface mount
LED display technology provides
2,000 nits of calibrated brightness and increased contrast. The system uses a bidirectional
signal for active monitoring and diagnostics to aid in troubleshooting and configuration.
The V-Tour® controller is used for setup and operational control.
The HVS-1500HS Hanabi 1.5 M/E
Switcher from For-A supports all major
HD formats with three types of control
panels: 24-button, 16-button and rack
mountable 12-button versions. Within
its 4RU main chassis, it’s possible to add
memory cards and optional storage. An
optional frame memory provides three
seconds in each of its two channels to
record HD, or 19 seconds in each of
two channels to record SD video. With
memory expansion, these recording
times can be doubled. The unit offers
DVE capable of real 3-D DVE effects, including polygonal-based effects where
video is wrapped around 3-D shapes. It
operates as a dual channel in SD mode
or as a single channel in HD mode.
Daktronics • 800.843.5843 • www.daktronics.com.
For-A • +44.020.8391.7979 • www.for-a.com
Gepco RGB250S
Miniature 25-Gage Solid Component Video Cable
Sanyo PLC-XL50 LCD Projector
Gepco International’s new series of miniature HDTV component video cables features
subminiature 25-gage solid coaxial elements, 3 GHz bandwidth, low-loss gas-injected dielectric, and solid copper conductors for lower attenuation and simplified connector termination. The flexible and low-friction outer jacket is easy to strip and install. To facilitate
installation in almost any environment, the RGB250S series is UL Riser-rated Type CMR.
Gepco International Inc. is headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., with branch locations in
Burbank, Calif., and Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.
Sanyo Presentation Technologies has introduced
“the world’s shortest throw
distance” LCD projector, the
PLC-XL50. It offers horizontal
or vertical placement with a
fixed ultra-short focus lens
and proprietary optical engine for the projection of images up to 80 inches from a
distance of about three inches. Features include 2000 ANSI
lumens, 1024 x 768 resolution,
4:3 aspect ratio and built-in
two-watt mono speaker. Additional features include Top
and Bottom Keystone Correction for proper alignment of the projector, a Color Board Mode, which allows adjustment of the hue when projecting an image on a colored (nonwhite) surface so that it
appears to be projected on a white surface.
Gepco International Inc. • 800.966.0069 • www.gepco.com
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. • 888.495.3452 • www.sanyoLCD.com
Sharp
XR-30Projectors
Sharp expanded its Notevision®
series of DLP® projec tors with the
new XR-30X and XR-30S featuring
Texas Instruments® DLP® technology and TrueVision™ (DDP2000) image processing. The XR-30X has native XGA (1024 x 768) resolution with
2200:1 contrast ratio, and the XR-30S
has native SVGA (800 x 600) resolution with 2000:1 contrast ratio. Both
output 2300 ANSI Lumens. A 3x speed
four-segment color wheel with an enhanced white color segment optimizes white level and brightness.
Sharp Electronics Corporation •
866.484.7825 • www.SharpLCD.com
www.PLSN.com
ROAD TEST
Martin Maxedia
Maxedia cue page
By VickieClaiborne
[Few people are as qualified to write
a product review about media servers as
Vickie Claiborne. She has been a freelance
programmer for a long time, and she has
worked on many high-profile productions. In the interest of full disclosure, we
should mention that she does conduct
training seminars on the Maxedia for
Martin. – ed.]
T
he Martin Maxedia is a powerful
DMX512-controllable media server
capable of handling a wide variety of
digital media, including still images, video
clips, 3D graphics, text, audio and more. The
flexibility of the Maxedia’s digital video signal means that it will output to most types
of display devices, including LED walls and
digital projectors.
Hardware
rt
There are three versions of the
Maxedia: the Maxedia Pro, the Maxedia
Compact and the new Maxedia Broadcast. The Maxedia Pro is a complete
touring package that includes a road
case, pullout keyboard with trackpad,
Maxedia I/O (Input/Output) module
and the Maxedia Pro PC. The Compact
version is a standalone version that is
geared toward permanent installations
like clubs and retail environments. The
Maxedia Broadcast offers advanced extra power for HD content. All of these
systems are PC-based systems running
Windows XPe.
The Maxedia Pro system comes outfitted with a Pentium D 945 processor
running at 3.4 GHz on an Intel D975XBK
main board. It has two gigabytes of
RAM and two Maxtor DiamondMax 10
200GB SATA hard drives: one for the
system and one swappable drive for
media (gives approximately 10 hours of
high-quality video). The video card is a
PCIe X1950XTX Sapphire, and there is
an internal video capture card. A read/
write DVD is included, and the system
is prewired and rack-mounted in a 19inch custom 9U rack flightcase with
lockable castors.
The I/O module is accessible from the
front of the rack and includes: DMX512
in and out, EtherDMX (ArtNet) in and
out, Ethernet remote, two USB ports
and one IEEE 1394 Firewire for storage
media/hardware/network/video; CVBS
in, buffered CVBS in and buffered SDI in
(optional); VGA, RGB, two DVI outputs,
Composite, S-video and a backlit LCD
display with menu buttons.
Software
rt
The Maxedia User interface is based
on an embedded Windows XPe OS. The
video output resolution options include
800 x 600, 1024 x 786 and 1920 x 1080,
depending on the attached output device. It supports media content in AVI
and MOV formats with DV codec in SD
and HD quality, WMV and still image
formats, including JPEG, BMP and Flash
media. A Media Manager is built into
the application to help import custom
media. Another nice feature of the Media Manager is that you can export all
of your media when saving your show
should you want to use the same show
on another system. Also built into the
Maxedia is the MaxNet network system
that enables easy networking of multiple media servers as well as networking
with the Maxxyz control system. Networking Maxedia servers also allows for
easy synchronization of media content,
cues and timecode.
Programming
rt
The Pro Version and the Broadcast
Versions have 20 independent 3D engine layers and the Compact version has
six. The Graphical User Interface (GUI)
is one of the strong points of the software. In addition to being optimized for
easy programming with a touchscreen,
it uses real-world,
intuitive images,
dynamic text labels and thumbnails. It displays the information clearly
without the need for multiple menus. In
fact, the Maxedia user interface was designed to reflect the Maxxyz user interface, so programming on the Maxedia
looks and feels similar to the Maxxyz,
reducing the learning curve between
the two products. All the screen layouts
are customizable, with up to 16 saved
configurations possible at a time.
Software effects include: blending,
moves, transitions and wipes; smoke,
plasma, particles, ribbons and landscape; shader and shader media; live
video cue recording with no limits on
effects; keystoning and framing; masking; CMY and RGB pixel mapping (up to
32 universes including any automated
fixture with CMY parameters and ArtNet
import and refresh. Other features include: DMX viewer for DMX-in value reports; keymapping (cues and transitions
assignable to keyboard keys for instant
triggering); fixture patching identical to
Maxxyz, (the patches can be imported
directly from the Maxxyz); and integrated test pattern generator.
Playback
Example of a maxedia library graphic
Summary
rt
Cues are programmed easily via
the Graphical User Interface (GUI) using a touchscreen, and playback is user
friendly with A/B control, complete with
transitions and screen wipes. The GUI is
easy to navigate and intuitive.
DMX512 can be used to control global layers or trigger cues directly from
a lighting console. DMX512 does not
control each individual channel of the
Maxedia. This helps keep the number of
DMX control channels to a minimum on
a lighting console. Plus, building cues
can be done quickly and easily via the
GUI. It isn’t necessary to spend time doing it from a lighting console.
rt
Cues recorded in the Maxedia show
can be easily played back via the builtin A/B mixer, and transitions and wipes
can be applied easily from the same
screen. Crossfade times are also easily
edited from the A/B Mixer screen, making cue playback from the Maxedia directly user friendly.
Maxedia ships with five DVDs of
stock content; new DVDs are issued periodically. The Maxedia Pro and Broadcast versions support HD playback; the
Compact version does not. An additional application, the Content Navigator, ships with every system. It allows
you to preview your video clips on any
computer, which can be helpful when
a Maxedia system isn’t accessible for
browsing content or you are offsite.
What it is: Media server with stand-alone
programming or DMX512 control.
Who it’s for: Maxedia Pro is designed for
the touring market. The Compact version
is a more economical and practical choice
for permanent installations such as retail
environments and clubs, and the Maxedia
Broadcast is for more advanced HD applications including TV shows, concert touring
shows and theatrical applications, and industrial events.
Pros: Ease of programming, Maxxyz console connectivity, networking capability.
Cons: Content must be preformatted
correctly — no built-in formatting
application.
Retail Price: Maxedia Broadcast $41,995;
Maxedia Pro $29,995; Maxedia Compact
$11,495.
www.PLSN.com
2007 December PLSN
51
VIDEO WORLD
A Brief History of Time (code)
By PaulBerliner
I
know you’ve seen the numbers, those little
incrementing digits that appear on the
video screen now and then — sometimes
by accident, sometimes on purpose. You’ve
also run across them on many types of professional gear, including editing systems, videotape recorders, media servers, audio boards
and even lighting consoles.
The numbers are called timecode, or more
formally, SMPTE timecode, named for the national organization that developed and standardized the system in the late ‘60s — the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
A timecode number is arranged into four
groups of two digits each, separated by colons
or semicolons (and yes, the punctuation does
have significance). From left to right, the groups
stand for hours, seconds, minutes and frames.
To simulate a real-time clock, the Hours
column counts up from 00 to 23, the Minutes
column counts up to 59, the Seconds column
counts up to 59 and the Frames column (in
NTSC video) counts up to 29. And, if you left
your timecode generator continuously running, at 23:59:59:29, the whole thing rolls over
— back to 00:00:00:00 and clocks up again.
Figure 1: Timecode is made up of four groups of two digits
separated by colons or semicolons.
Well Paul, that’s just peachy, but what do
those numbers actually do — and why are they
hanging around my user interface?
Cue Dots
pc
By way of history, when I started editing
professionally in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I cut programs using Ampex AVR-2 videotape recorders. These remarkable beasts weighed in at
around 600 pounds each and used huge twoinch tape reels. The high-band images were
beautiful, but the editing was fairly inaccurate because the machines relied on control
track pulses for synchronization. (Essentially,
control track pulses are electronic sprocket
holes, for want of a better analogy.)
Editing was very linear (and rather labor intensive). To make just a single edit, you placed
an electronic “cue dot” on the record machine at
the point where you wanted to cut. This dot was
recorded on an audio track, and it instructed the
VTR to start a clean “insert” edit. Next, you found
the desired “in-point” on the playback machine,
and you reset both tape counters to zero. Then,
you manually rolled each machine back five seconds and started a multimachine gang roll. The
VTRs would roll up to the edit point together,
lock horizontally and vertically, and if the stars
were aligned perfectly in the heavens, you just
might get the desired edit. If not, back to square
one, hoping that the tape counters didn’t drift.
If you wanted to trim the edit by a frame or two,
serious skill was required.
Precision Guaranteed
pc
And then a miracle occurred at our production house. Along came timecode, an electronic digital signal that was recorded on the
audio track of the VTR. Using a timecode generator, this signal was recorded along the entire length of the tape, and it essentially locked
each frame of video to a single unique eightdigit timecode number. You could search to
that number, cue to that number and, most
importantly, synchronize to that number. Suddenly, editing was frame accurate.
For example, if your “keeper” take started at 01:21:18:01 on playback reel 1, it was
always that exact number. Even if the tape
counter drifted, even if the reel was put away
and brought back, that visual in-point was
locked to that timecode. Using a computerized editing system, you could now control
the VTRs remotely, preview over and over
again to your heart’s content and trim frames
with complete precision.
Figure 2 — Yours truly, at the controls of an AVR-2, circa 1978.
NDF and DF
pc
But all was not well in timecode land. In
NTSC video, the color television frame rate is
29.97 frames per second — not quite 30 fps.
Because of this small discrepancy, editors
soon discovered that if you cut a show to exactly an hour in timecode length (01:00:00:00),
and compared this length against a real-time
clock, the timecode program length was 108
frames (3.6 seconds) longer than an actual
hour. The sponsors were not pleased.
To reconcile the difference, a special variation of SMPTE timecode was developed, called
drop frame. The original version, now called
non-drop frame (or NDF), is characterized by
the colons between digits. Drop frame (or DF) is
characterized by semicolons between digits.
In the drop-frame scheme, to run the
timecode in sync with a real-time clock, two
frames are dropped every minute, except for
the tens-of-minute changes. For example, in
NDF, 01:02:59:29 advances to 01:03:00:00. But
in DF, 01;02;59;29 advances to 01;03;00;02.
The two missing frames don’t affect the video
at all because the timecode still runs sequentially. However, the net result is that after an
hour of DF timecode, an exact hour of realtime has elapsed.
About That User Interface
pc
Today, DF is the timecode standard in
NTSC, and you’ll find that it’s the default setting on most professional gear that works with
video clips. This includes editing systems, media servers, cameras and much more. For example, in addition to audio and video tracks,
a timecode track is also recorded each time
you press the Record button on a DV camera.
Besides “free run” mode, the camera’s internal
timecode generator can be set to the time of
day, or it can be preset to assist with multireel
edit sessions (e.g., Reel 1 timecode starts at
01:00, Reel 2 starts at 02:00, etc.).
But why would there be a timecode interface on my lighting console? The answer is
connectivity. If you look at the specs for any
top-flight console, a SMPTE timecode interface guarantees a high degree of control and
synchronization with external gear — and
that’s the name of the game with pro equipment. By adding SMPTE timecode to a console’s array of DMX512, MIDI, Ethernet and
serial control interfaces, the LD can say yes
when called upon to control a video device
with timecode precision.
Paul Berliner is president of Berliner Productions
in Davis, Calif. — a company providing video
production and marcom services to the broadcast and entertainment industries. He can be
reached at [email protected].
www.PLSN.com
Your Future in the Live Event Production Industry
find the job you really want.
Presented by Richard Cadena
• Is it a challenge just to keep up with your job?
• Do you want to advance in your career?
• Do you need help keeping pace with technology?
There is cause for concern: We're living in exponential times.
Technology, products and methodology are rapidly changing. Keep up or risk being left behind.
It is no simple task staying current with the changes. The fact is, if you want to move ahead in our industry
industry, you have to keep pace with technology.
Quite frankly, your future will depend on how you meet these challenges. Ask yourself, “Are you prepared to take action to
secure your place in the entertainment technology industry of the future?”
Are you ready to jump-start your career?
If so, make the right move today and enroll in PLSN Editor Richard Cadena’s webinar:
Your Future in the Live Event Production Industry:
How to unlock your earning potential and find the job you really want.
This webinar is rich with ideas on how to prepare for your future today. Find out how to keep pace with new technology, products, positions and
paradigms in production. Prepare yourself to recognize opportunities and make the most of them while increasing your earning power
power.
Are you ready to take control of your future?
Enroll today and find out what your future has in store for you.
•
•
•
•
In this hour
you will
learn:
The technologies that will influence your future in the industry
How the live event production industry will look in the future
How to recognize opportunities
How to best prepare for the future in the industry
• What factors are most influencing our industry
• How the population explosion is affecting your career
• How to move up in the industry
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s most highly trusted voices.
Richard
Cadena
About Your Presenter — Richard Cadena
Richard Cadena, editor of PLSN magazine, is a well-respected thought leader and consultant and an ETCP-recognized trainer. He is the author of: Focus
on Lighting Technology, Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light and Lighting for Modern Houses of Worship. As a lighting designer, he
has completed designs for dozens of projects, toured as a lighting director and consulted on a variety of lighting, scenic and projection installations and
performances. As editor of PLSN, Richard is a portal for industry news and information. This position allows him the perfect platform to present this oneof-a-kind seminar. His unique style and irreverent sense of humor make his webinars amusing, as well as highly informative and educational.
Your Future in the Live Event Production Industry is an interactive webinar where you will have the opportunity to ask
questions in real time. All questions will be addressed, time permitting.
When you sign up for this PLSN University webinar, you will be given a password. This password entitles you to a
single phone-line connection.
connection However, you are welcome to invite your colleagues to gather around your computer to
listen to this webinar with you for FREE!
Mastering the Media Server
Presented by Vickie Claiborne — freelance programmer, trainer, and Video Digerati PLSN columnist
Date: November 14, December 14,
January 14 and February 14
Time: 1:00p.m. Eastern time
(10:00a.m. West Coast time)
Cost: $99 per one hour session or
$199 for all four
Visit www.plsn.com/university for course synopsis.
Other great learning opportunities coming to PLSN University soon!
• Lighting Design for the Rock Concert Tour with
Nook Schoenfeld
• Motor School with Don Dimitroff
• Lighting Design with David Taylor
When
you sign-up
for the webinar:
• Lighting Design with Steve Shelley
• VectorWorks Spotlight with Steve Shelley
• Assembling an A/V Worship Team with David
Rauch
1
You will receive a confirmation e-mail.
3
2
This e-mail will provide you with a web address and a
password where you sign in before the webinar begins.
4
If you have additional questions, please e-mail [email protected]
•
You will be given a call-in phone number to receive the
audio portion of the webinar.
What happens if I miss the seminar. Don’t worry, we will record
the seminar, and you can take it at a time convenient to you.
Contact customer service at 702.932.5585.
THE BIZ
A Really Big Shew
E
d Sullivan’s famous catch phrase
takes on a new level of import as
the theatrical performance industry
reaches for ever-more-complex productions. Just loading in the paraphernalia
for the new show Fuerzabruta at the Daryl
Roth Theater in New York in October, it
looked as though it would require the
services of more than a couple of tractor trailers proceeded by cars announcing, “Wide load coming through.” It took a
45-man crew 15 hours to bring in a 20-foot
flying curtain and an oversized treadmill, in
addition to a 45-foot, clear-bottom swimming pool that, secured to the ceiling,
would hover above the audience.
Fuerzabruta — the word means
brute force in Spanish, the language
of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the
show was conceived and first performed — is in the vanguard of a number of shows whose special effects
and machinery push the boundaries
of even the ever-expanding Las Vegas theatres, where production wait-
ing lists are longer than that for a new
Trump condo, and which attract shows
that de-emphasize the narrative qualities in favor of the spectacle. (Special
effect shows with effective story lines
usually head for Broadway, which has
been known to fit a crashing helicopter into the script on occasion.)
These theatrical extravaganzas are
defining themselves with technology
as they move forward. They are not the
narrative fantasies of Broadway and conventional theatre, nor are they the more
technologically bombastic progeny of
By DanDaley
tent, immersing the audience viscerally
as opposed to engaging it intellectually
or emotionally. Other shows, including
Stomp and Speigeltent, also use technology as a significant part of the attraction,
as did De la Guarda, the Argentine predecessor of Fuerzabruta, but Fuerzabruta
takes the notion to another level.
Fuerzabruta’s technology is as
complex as a Swedish existentialist
whodunit, and well beyond the artsycrafty cuteness of troupes like Mumenschantz, which can be credited with
popularizing the genre 25 years ago,
If we start the show with the
helicopter crash, where do we go
from there for the next 90 minutes?
other content or titles — this is not High
School Musical on Ice. Slava’s Snow Show,
which continues to tour, relies upon
technology to replace narrative to an ex-
or even Blue Man Group and Cirque du
Soleil, both of which turned the notion
into a franchise.
As the show’s press release puts,
it, “Fuerzabruta breaks free from the
confines of spoken language and theatrical convention, [and] both performers and audience are immersed
in an environment that floods the
senses, evoking pure visceral emotion
in a place where individual imagination soars.” Put more prosaically by
Steve Garcia, the associate general
manager of the Daryl Roth Theater,
“This is a show that you’re not going
to get on your iPod.”
No irony is necessary — the apparent pursuit of the overwhelming and
immersive industrial theatrical experience may well be a reaction to an
entertainment industry that has become engrossed with migrating the
entertainment experience from large
scale to small. It could also be the
theatre’s reaction to the fact that the
music industry is refocusing itself on
live performances as recorded music
revenues disappear. Will theatre come
to rely more and more upon technology to attract and retain its audience?
Tips
Will the helicopter in Miss Saigon become less an effect than a surrogate
for narrative in the future?
One thing that this trend does
augur is for the all-encompassing
theatrical experience to take place
in smaller venues. This, says Garcia,
serves the purpose of making the
show “intimately” immersive, as in
the case of Fuerzabruta, by letting
the audience actually touch the sides
of the Mylar fishbowl as it’s lowered
into the house. “ This wouldn’t work
in a typical Broadway house with a
balcony,” he says.
Probably not, agrees Bradley
Thompson, “Fuerzabruta’s technical
supervisor and a member of a small,
but growing, cohort of technology
translators for the visions of increasingly imaginative theatrical performance art directors. But technology
is being relied upon more and more
to attract what he believes is a developing demographic of theatergoers who want more than Disney and
warmed-over ( Tim) Rice. “ There is a
definite group of people out there
that wants to see flying 40-foot swimming pools, and there are people out
there that can dream them up. The
technology exists to satisfy both of
them,” Thompson says.
But will technology for its own
sake overtake artistic vision at some
point? Will something be done simply because it can be done? If we
start the show with the helicopter
crash, where do we go from there for
the next 90 minutes?
Thompson agrees that is a danger.
“It’s teetering into the realm of modern
dance-meets-high-tech or performance
art-meets-high-tech,” he says. “But look,
the technology does keep getting more
complex and interesting. There’s always
new gadgets, new moving lights. In
some ways, I can’t see the theatre not
using what technology offers it.”
Contact Dan at [email protected]
The Clear Reality of HD
T r i c k s ing. We would all do well to get a reality check. Have you
The day when HD is everywhere is rapidly approach-
given any thought to your content development as it applies to HD? Will you be able to use your existing content
when your production upgrades its existing equipment? Are you thinking ahead
and getting all new content created at the higher resolutions suitable for HD? Or
are you putting it off into the fuzzy distant future, telling yourself that you’ll do it
when you have to? If you aren’t taking steps right now to prepare yourself for that
changeover, you may not be able to make the changes when you need to. Don’t wait
until you’re on site to repair the problems when you’re faced with the challenge of
displaying your content on HD equipment. Do yourself a favor. Think about it now,
and you won’t be kicking yourself when the time comes.
— Vickie Claiborne from Video Digerati, PLSN November 2007.
www.PLSN.com
D
ear Bradley is a world-famous
lighting advice columnist who has
graced the pages of publications
such as the Broadway Programming Times
and Automated Lighting Syndicate. PLSN
is pleased to bring this tantalizing sample
of Dear Bradley’s works.
Dear Bradley:
I am 18 years old and looking to start
a career in automated lighting programming. I read PLSN each month, have read
some books and log onto the Light Network
daily. I have mastered all the major consoles by using the offline editors, and I am
ready to program all the big shows. How do
I get to program for the Olympics next year
in China?
— Ready to Rock
Ready to Rock:
I am glad to see that you are enthusiastic about your career choice. However, I
suggest that you take your time and gain
lots of experience before expecting to
work on large productions. You can learn
many programming principles and procedures by working on local productions in
ballrooms, churches and outdoor stages.
Take your time to perfect your skills, meet
some people and prove your worth.
Use your determination to show the
world that you desire great things and
are willing to work for them. You should
contact local lighting shops and ask to be
placed on their crews. After you work as a
lighting crewmember for some time, then
you will be allowed to show your stuff on
the console. Remember, programming
and operating a show is much like driving
a racecar. You must first prove to the other
team members that you understand how
the car and track work before they will let
you take it for a spin.
Dear Bradley:
How do I trigger nonlighting devices
such as lasers and animatronics from my
lighting console? These items do not respond to DMX, and I am at a loss as to how
to get control of them. I tried to write a library for my console, but it did not say how
to control a moving truss.
— Need More Control
Need More Control:
There are several methods you can
use for triggering nonlighting devices.
The most common is through Musical
Instrument Device Interface (MIDI). By
using MIDI Show Control (MSC) or MIDI
Notes, you can send specific commands
to other devices such as laser controllers
and audio equipment. Most automated
lighting consoles are capable of sending
out MIDI; however, you should check the
documentation for your console. Another
idea would be to use a DMX relay to turn
on/off various devices with a DMX signal.
These can be acquired from several indus-
Dear Bradley…
try manufacturers and are simple to operate, as they behave like any other fixture
on your console.
Dear Bradley:
What is the best way for me to apply the
skills of automated lighting programming
to my personal life? I am confused as to how
button pushing and flashing of lights can
be useful. I know that I can offer backstage
passes to girls, but I want them to better understand my job.
— Need a Date
Need a Date:
While it is true that working in the entertainment industry provides many perks,
you will also find that many other skills
can be passed on to your personal life. For
example, you might learn an enhanced appreciation for music that can help you be
a better dancer. Additionally, by exercising
your fingers regularly on a lighting console,
you will find that your added dexterity and
strength can be useful when providing
massages or loving touches.
Dear Bradley:
My crew has done a great job setting
up the rig. Now they have asked me to
check the fixtures to ensure everything is
OK. I am confused as to how to do this because on my last gig, I turned all the lights
on at full and reported all was fine. Then,
when programming started, we found
lots of problems, and the LD was very
mad. He would not even share his coffee
with me until I saw that all the problems
were fixed. Please teach me how to better
check a rig.
— Perplexed Prepper
Perplexed Prepper:
A common mistake is to check the status of a rig by simply turning on all the
lights. While this does indicate if everything turns on, it does not focus on specific problems. A better option is to check
each fixture individually to ensure that
each one has the proper address.
A good method is to use the console’s
highlight function. With this, you can select all the fixtures and then press the
console’s Next key to look at one fixture
at a time. If you are also turning the encoder for tilt as you do this, then you can
usually verify that each fixture works on
the address as expected. Furthermore,
you should check all the fixtures to ensure
all functions, colors, gobos, etc., are correct, matching and working. Many newer
fixtures also include manual pan/tilt locks
that the crews often forget to disengage.
Be sure to confirm that all fixtures can pan
and tilt. Once you know every function of
every fixture works individually according
to the plot, then the rig is ready and so
too will be your coffee.
Dear Bradley:
I have just entered the field of lighting.
I am very excited to be a part of this amazing industry, but at the same time, I feel
very frustrated. I have been working and
helping out with many shows, and I do not
seem to get the help I need. It seems like
all the people I have been asking for guidance have been steering me in the wrong
direction. I have all these ideas in my mind,
and I am working very hard to bring them
out. I go home at night, and all I do is think
about lighting. I want to try to trust my
own intuition and myself and create looks
that no one has ever thought about. How
can I gain more inspiration, respect and
experience?
— Dazed and Confused
might be too much. What do you do at
your house?
— Wizard of Winter
Wizard of Winter:
Holiday lighting of your house can be
fun, just do not make a video and leak it
to the Internet. We have enough of that
already!
You can pose your questions and problems
to Dear Bradley at [email protected].
Dazed and Confused:
Our industry is full of talented
people who wish to share their experience and knowledge. I suggest that you
reach out to others who may not be in
your immediate circle. Send your questions by e-mail to well-known designers
and programmers. Contact other lighting companies to see if they can provide you with work. Take some classes
through manufacturers, tradeshows and
on-line. Use your drive and determination to gain the knowledge and respect
you deserve.
Dear Bradley:
I like to gain inspiration from watching productions on T V and DVD. Can
you provide me some insight as to what
to watch?
— Eager to Learn
Eager to Learn:
Any live TV productions, and now
most game shows, are filled with automated lights. Be sure to record the production and read the credits to learn the
names of the designer and programmer.
Then you can try to contact the people
involved with shows you like so you can
learn more about the production.
As for DVDs, there are many great
concert DVDs. One all-time lighting favorite is Pink Floyd Pulse. This concert
from 1994 really showcases what can
be accomplished with automated lighting. What make this concert even more
spectacular is that no effects engines
existed at the time of the production,
and many other console functions had
not yet been invented.
Dear Bradley:
Every year in December, I see videos
of an amazing house that is covered with
Christmas lights, and I am inspired to do
more with my own house. Since I am a
lighting professional, I am unsure of what
is acceptable in my neighborhood. I would
love to have a rig of 12 moving lights and
blow everyone away, but I am worried it
By BradSchiller
FEEDING THE MACHINES
FOCUS ON FUNDAMENTALS
The Five Lighting Metrics
“As the circle of light increases, so does the circumference of
darkness around it.” — Albert Einstein
By RichardCadena
I
was fortunate enough to start in the
lighting business when my own personal circumference of darkness was oh so
small. I didn’t even know enough to know
how little I knew. I was in the lighting business a long time before I stumbled across
the secret to understanding the relationship between the five lighting metrics. It’s
called ED-100.1.
“ED-100.1 Light & Color” is the first
section in the Fundamental Level of the
Illuminating Engineering Society of North
America Lighting Education (www.iesna.
org). The entire course is excellent, but if
you do nothing else, read and understand
pages 1-12 to 1-16 — the part that explains the five lighting metrics. You’ll learn
in just a few minutes what it took me years
to find out: The five lighting metrics hold
the key to understanding all you need to
know about lighting.
What are the five lighting metrics?
They’re the fundamental ways that light
can be measured and quantified. They tell
us how much light a source produces in
EVENT
CALENDAR
MARTIN PROFESSIONAL
TV/Show-Rental Production
Field Tech Training
Dec. 10–14
Austin, TX
www.martinpro.com
HIGH END SYSTEMS
WholeHog Console Training
Technical Training
Dec. 10–11
Los Angeles, CA
www.highend.com
56 PLSN DECEMBER 2007
total, how much light is falling on a surface
area, how intense the light is in a certain
direction, how much light is bouncing off
of a surface and how much light is reflected and transmitted through a surface. In
lighting terms, these are known as luminous flux, illuminance, luminous intensity,
luminance and luminous exitance. Before
you turn the page, give me five or ten minutes to illustrate these seemingly complex,
yet rather simple concepts.
Luminous flux is simply the rate of flow
of light. The yardstick that we use to measure it is called a lumen. If it helps you visualize the concept, you can think of light
as a flow of particles. Then the light flux,
or luminous rate of flow would be the total number of particles emanating from a
source at any one time. It’s a bit more complicated that our simplified visualization of
“particles” of light, but we’ll leave that in
the circumference of darkness for the time
being.
Now imagine that those tiny little particles of light are projected against a wall.
Band Pro Film & Digital Inc.
One World on HD ‘07 Open House
Featuring the latest in HD Technology
Dec. 13
Burbank, CA
www.bandpro.com
ESTA
Mid-Atlantic Technical Training Week
Jan. 21–26
Prince George’s Community College
Largo, MD
www.estafoundation.org/seminars/
schedule.php
La Guardia High School of
Performing Arts
3rd Annual Stage Lighting Super Saturday
Jan. 26, 2008
www.stageseminars.com
The Inverse Square Law
If they all hit the wall within a very small
area, then that area would be lit up very
brightly. If, on the other hand, they spread
out across a very large wall, then it wouldn’t
be as bright. How many light “particles” fall
in one area determines the brightness in
that area. That’s called the illuminance,
and we measure it in footcandles or lux,
depending on which side of the Atlantic
Ocean we reside. In numerical terms: The
illuminance is equal to the luminous flux
divided by the area.
The force with which our imaginary
particles of light are leaving the source is
the luminous intensity. It’s much like the
water pressure in a hydraulic system or the
voltage in an electrical system, except in
Why? Because the area of a circle is pi (π or
3.14) times the square of the radius. If we
double the throw distance, then the radius
doubles; consequently, by squaring it, the
area becomes four times as large.
Looking at our relationship between illuminance and area, we can see that the
illuminance falls off exponentially in relation to the area and the throw distance. If
we put all of this together, we can get to
this relationship:
illuminance = luminous intensity ÷ (distance)2
That little line is what’s known as the
inverse square law, and it says that the illuminance drops off exponentially with
The five lighting metrics hold the key to
understanding all you need to know about lighting.
lighting terms, the intensity can vary according to the direction we’re looking at. If
we think of a typical household light bulb,
the base blocks the light in that direction,
so the luminous intensity is zero. That’s an
example of its directional dependency. Luminous flux is measured in candelas, and
one candela is defined as a source that
produces one lumen at a one-square-foot
spherical surface one foot away from the
source.
Let’s keep our imaginations fired up
for this one. Suppose now that the stream
of particles emanating from our lamp
source is as sharp as a laser beam. In fact,
let’s imagine that they are traveling in a
perfectly parallel beam, neither converging or diverging. That means we could
measure the illuminance one meter from
the source or 384 million meters from the
source on the surface of the moon, and
it would read the same (except for the
light that bounces off of the particles in
the earth’s atmosphere and in space). But
in real life, the lights we use typically diverge, and the light spreads out as it travels. How much it spreads out, of course,
depends on the distance it travels and the
angle of divergence.
Suppose we have a source with a luminous intensity of 100 candelas. At one
foot away from the source, if all the light
falls on a one-foot-square surface, then it
is producing 100 lumens, by definition, at
that surface. Therefore, the illuminance is
100 footcandles (illuminance = luminous
flux ÷ area).
If we double the throw distance, then
the area will increase by a factor of four.
www.PLSN.com
the square of the throw distance, but it’s
directly proportional to the intensity. It’s
an important relationship that will explain
lots of lighting phenomena.
There’s one more little observation
that ties all of this together. The area of a
sphere is four times pi times the square of
the radius of the sphere (4 x π x r 2). So if a
sphere has a radius of one foot, then the
area is four times pi, or 12.6 square feet.
Then a 100 candela source at the center
of that one-foot sphere would produce
100 footcandles at the sphere. Since we
know that the illuminance is equal to the
luminous flux divided by the area, we also
know that the luminous flux is the illuminance times the area. So we can calculate
that the luminous flux from that 100 candela source is 100 times 12.6, or 1,260 lumens. So if 100 candelas is 1,260 lumens,
then one candela is 12.6 lumens. Therefore, when we’re given the luminous intensity, we can convert it to luminous flux and
vice versa.
Now that we better understand these
lighting metrics, we can turn our attention
to the light “particles” that we have been
imagining. It turns out that light behaves
as both a particle and a wave. If that’s difficult to understand, then you can better
appreciate Einstein’s comment about the
circumference of darkness. In other words,
the more you know, the more you understand that there is even more to know and
understand.
Whether this article increases your circle of
light or leaves you in the dark, e-mail the author and let him know. [email protected].
TECHNOPOLIS
The
Power
of
UPS
(No, we’re not talking about shipping.)
By PhilGilbert
S
cenario A: It’s 3:00 a.m. You’re in the
middle of an all-night programming
session, and your console seems to
be freaking out every few minutes. You, in
turn, are freaking out too.
Scenario B: It’s ten in the morning.
You’re thirty minutes into a corporate
event, and you suddenly lose control
of your rig. Someone eventually
notices that the DMX optical isolator at
dimmer beach is dead. You feel like you
might lose control of your bowels.
Scenario C: It’s 8:00 p.m. The
headline act of your outdoor festival
has just launched into its first song.
The lighting system seems to dim
momentarily, and then your board
suddenly reboots. You feel like your heart
has rebooted as well.
Any one of these problems probably
could have been prevented with a
piece of equipment called a UPS (or
Uninterruptible Power Supply). The
primary intent of a UPS is to provide
constant — or uninterrupted — power
to an electrically powered device. It’s
basically a battery pack for your sensitive
electronics.
At its simplest, a UPS is a big battery.
You plug your equipment into the battery,
and you plug the battery into the wall. If
there is a loss of power at the outlet, the
battery stops charging, but you still have
the battery to power your equipment
until it becomes drained.
Just like a flashlight, the bigger the
battery, the longer you can run your
equipment.
Of course — as is so often the case —
a UPS isn’t quite so simple, and there is a
lot more important information to know.
Online vs. Offline
Tech
While there are several different types
of UPS units available today, the two
largest categories are the online and off-line
varieties. Although each type may have its
own benefits, this is definitely a product
where you “get what you pay for.”
In standard operation, an off-line (or
standby) UPS supplies power directly
to your electronics while, at the same
time, charging its battery. While your
equipment gets power directly from the
wall, an AC-to-DC converter charges the
battery. When a power failure is detected,
the unit quickly switches to battery
power, providing power via a DC-to-AC
inverter. This switch to battery power
typically happens in 4 to 25 milliseconds.
An off-line UPS provides protection
from short-term power outages and lowvoltage scenarios such as brownouts or,
in the extreme case, a complete blackout.
They also offer about the same high-voltage
protection as the surge suppressors in
everyday power strips, which is most likely
a metal-oxide varistor that acts as a shunt
should any high voltage, such as a lightning
strike, happen to find its way to the power
circuit.
An on-line UPS is significantly different
in that it constantly powers the load from
its internal battery. Sometimes referred
to as dual conversion online systems, this
type of unit is generally more costly than
an off-line model of similar size, but offers
major advantages over the prior. Most
obvious is that no switch has to be made
when a voltage drop or power outage is
detected. Since your equipment is already
being fed from a combination of batteries
and capacitors, your protected equipment
never knows the difference if wall power is
lost.
The dual-conversion process simply
indicates that the power from the wall is
being converted from AC to DC and back
again before it ever reaches your precious
electronics. This adds significant protection
from power problems like voltage spikes
and irregular frequency changes.
While all this information is a great step
toward understanding which UPS to buy
for your needs, there are a few extra pieces
to the puzzle. Most electrical equipment in
the United States is designed to be run off
a power grid that supplies 110 to120 volts
of alternating current. The polarity of the
voltage alternates 120 times per second in
a 60 Hz system in the form of a nice, smooth
sine wave.
Unfortunately, many DC-to-AC power
inverters only switch polarity between
positive and negative and actually output
a square wave instead of a sine wave. While
a lot of electrical equipment will still run
off this type of output, it is possible that
it could cause damage to some electronic
equipment if it’s operated from a square
wave output for extended periods. Be sure
to look for a UPS that has a true sine wave
output. Your equipment will thank you.
In Summary
forever, and regular maintenance and
testing of your UPS systems must be a
priority.
Phil Gilbert is a freelance lighting designer
and programmer. You can contact him at
pgilbert@ plsn.com.
Tech
UPS systems should never be difficult
to justify. In an industry where a typical
lighting control area often can have
more than $100,000 worth of equipment
plugged in, spending less than 1% of that
on protecting your investment seems like
an easy decision. That said, a UPS has to be
treated like any other piece of equipment
in your shop or office. Batteries don’t last
www.PLSN.com
MARKETPLACE
For Marketplace/Classifieds rates call Greg
at 818.216.5336 or email [email protected]
ADVERTISER’S INDEX
COMPANY
PG#
PH URL
COMPANY
PG#
PH URL
4 Wall Entertainment
50
702.263.3858
http://plsn.hotims.com/12804-181
Penn-Elcom
7
973.378.8700
A.C. Lighting
15, 25
416.255.9494
PR Lighting/ Pearl River
31
253.395.9494
A.C.T Lighting Inc.
19
818.707.0884
Prolyte Products
9
31-0-594-851-515
All Access Staging & Production
54
310.784.2464
Roadshow Services
15
800.861.3111
Applied Electronics
47
800.883.0008
Robe Lighting s.r.o.
3
954.615.9100
Atlanta Rigging Systems
48
404.355.4370
Rock-It Cargo
30
215.947.5400
Branam Enterprises
2
661.295.3300
Roc-Off Productions
15
877.978.2437
Bulbtronics
33
800.227.2852
Sew What
55
866.444.2062
Chauvet Lighting
5, 43
800.762.1084
Staging Dimensions
17
866.591.3471
Checkers Industrial Prod.
14
800.438.9336
Strictly FX Lighting
29
435.635.0239
City Theatrical Inc.
57
800.230.9497
Techni-Lux
C2
407.857.8770
CM Rigging Products
23
800.888.0985
htp://plsn.hotims.com/12804-116
Tyler Truss Systems
12
317.485.5465
Coemar/ Inner Circle Distribution
C3
954.578.8881
Upstaging Inc.
57
815.899.9888
Color Kinetics
11
888.385.5742
UV/FX Scenic Productions
37
310.821.2657
Compulite/Inner Circle Distribution
27
954.578.8881
VXCO Lighting
7
41 (0)32 621 88 80
Creative Stage Lighting Co., Inc.
8
518.251.3302
Wybron
52
800.624.0146
Doug Fleenor Design
14
888.436.9512
Xtreme Structures & Fabrication
39
903.473.1100
Elation/American DJ
C4
866.245.6726
Four Seasons Coaching
30
615.444.0280
Full Sail
33
800.226.7625
MARKET PLACE
Gemini Stage Lighting & Equipment Co.
8
214.341.1822
4Wall Entertainment
58
702.263.3858
58
404.713.3742
High End Systems
21
512.836.2242
Arena Drapery Rental
Leprecon/ CAE
16
810.231.9373
City Theatrical Inc.
58
800.230.9497
Lex Products Corp
12
800.643.4460
DK Capital
58
517.347.7844
Light Source, The
4
803.547.4765
ELS Entertainment Lighting Services
58
800.357.5444
Lightronics
1
757.486.3588
Fog Supply/ Trinity Chemical Corp
58
512.250.2301
Martin Professional
C1, 49
954.858.1800
Light Source Inc.
58
248.685.0102
MDG Fog Generators Limited
13
800.663.3020
Lightronics
58
757.486.3588
Mega Lite
56
210.684.2600
New York Case/Hybrid Case
58
800.346.4638
Mega-Stage
41
(01)450.359.4000
RC4 Wireless Dimming/ Theatre Wireless
58
866.258.4577
Milos Structural Systems
10
800.411.0065
Special FX Lighting
58
435.635.0239
Mountain Productions
6
570.826.5566
Theatrical Lighting Systems, Inc./ TLS
58
866.254.7803
Nocturne
45
815.756.9600
Upstaging
58
815.899.9888
Employment
Fire Tour Blazes with Video
continued from page 47
The two Christie 20K machines supplied by XL Video are
positioned at FOH and doubled up to produce one large image. They project onto a 20%-filled heavy burgundy colored
curtain. Most of the content going onto this is highly contrasted black-and-white footage, which produces a series of
subtle and slightly mysterious effects.
Stembridge’s design specifically avoids large white expanses of video screen onstage, “I find them really unforgiving and somewhat dictatorial,” he says, “and basically I
wanted to get right away from that conventional ‘boxy’ video
look.”
Normandale came up with the idea of small elements of
video dotted around the stage, and then Stembridge decided that these should be round in shape.
At mid-stage is a 16-foot diameter circular white projection screen that is revealed and concealed by a burgundy
drape at the appropriate moments and also receives front
projection. This continues the circular screen theme as featured in five onstage “pods” — self-standing projection
chambers specially developed as the band’s summer festival
specials.
These look deliberately like a product from early 20thcentury humorous illustrator Heath-Robinson. Each contains
a BenQ 3.5K projector and a circular front made from Rosco
screen. They pop up in jaunty lollipop style across the stage
and have caught many eyes, including Dave Pollock writing
www.PLSN.com
in The Independent, who describes their effect as “like a silent
film shot through a pinhole camera.”
There are also two white banners revealed on the backcloth that are projected onto it for the duration they are visible — which is dependent on the order of the set list.
The six robotic cameras supplied by XL are Sony BRC300s,
and they are fixed at strategic points across the stage from
where they can track various band members. Damion Gamlin
and Steve Falconer, sitting at the side of the stage, operate
them. In addition to these, Stembridge has 20 lipstick cameras scattered all over the place, plus 4 wireless cams attached
to mics, megaphones and other odd places — giving a total
of 30 camera feeds for him to mash up and route to the pods,
the screen or the burgundy drape.
The camera mix, which Stembridge operates live each
night, is an art-house style fusion of energy, movement and
essence given off by the 10 musicians, and the eye-catching unorthodox visuals helped to inspire the rave reviews
received by the show.
Stembridge routes everything, including both cameras
and playback video content, via a 32-way Kramer Matrix
and into three Catalyst digital media servers. He’s using serial control from the Catalysts to control a lot of the camera
switching, all of which is triggered from his Hog PC lighting
desk.
LD-AT-LARGE
By NookSchoenfeld
Who’s Your Buddy?
I
Andy Au
have a feeling that we in the
entertainment biz actually
like our jobs. The reason is
that we are always working with
different people on various jobs
until that project ends; then
we start another project with a
whole bunch of different folks.
Along the way, we meet a lot
of buddies — people who we
meet with on occasion, but with
whom we don’t stay in constant
contact.
Instead of seeing the same
faces at the office each day, we
are forced to broaden our horizons by gigging with new people, or what I call yearly friends,
every month of the year. By this,
I mean those friends who hire
me every year around the same
time to design and program
something for them. I may not
talk to them for nine months at
a stretch, but when the event
starts coming closer, you get a
call from these old buds.
After being in this biz long
enough, you can almost establish a yearly routine of gigs
— if, that is, you are a nice person and play well with others.
Every year at Thanksgiving, I do
a medical show at a convention
center where I spend two weeks
working with the same great
folks from Catalyst Exhibits. It’s
always a good gig when I get to play with
Gino and his crew. And they ask me back
every year because I do my job without
confrontation. It’s a pretty simple concept: Do what the client wants, make it
look pretty and solve the problems on
site, all the while maintaining a smile.
Every January, I have one rock artist
who starts up his yearly tour. My buddy
Shakes Gryzbowski runs his production.
on that list I have not seen in
a while. Or just walking into
the hotel bar on the first night
and seeing the same faces you
haven’t seen in a year is cool.
There’s a set company in the
Chicago area called Production
Plus. My buddy Bruce runs it. I
like working gigs where Bruce
provides the scenery and video
elements because his company
has some of the most fun guys
to work with. They constantly
joke and talk smack, but they
get their job done in a wellexecuted manner. I don’t think
I can remember the names of
any of his guys because I don’t
see them often enough, but I
remember all of their faces. And
I love hanging with them at the
hotel bar. I know I’m going to
see these buddies every year
at the NRA convention or some
other party.
There are a lot of people in
this business who I don’t ever
gig with. But they help me in so
many ways that they are indispensable. Through many conversations over the years, these
people have bailed me out. Many
of these folks work for lighting and console manufacturers.
A lot of them I’ve never met in
person — they have become my
buddies over the phone.
One of my favorite guys in this biz is
Ofer Brum. I have never met him. Well,
he does reside in Israel, and I don’t make
it there too often. Ofer is a fixture library
specialist who does a lot of work with
visualizer programs. I use Martin Show
Designer for a lot of my previz work, and
he can build their fixture symbols.
I often need something that I cannot find. This week, I needed a CAD
symbol for a Fag pod. Last week, I
needed some custom scrollers on a 5k
Fresnel, and today I asked him for a fiber optic cur tain. Not only does Ofer
get back to me within a few hours,
he usually builds what I need by the
end of the workday. I know he’s working late to help me, and I owe this guy
about 10 steak dinners and a case of
wine. But I know he’s happy to just
help out his American buddy.
The same goes for all those people
who work in the lighting, video and scenic rental houses. I know a lot of these
people behind the scenes, and I have
seen them go the extra mile to get
something built right for me. Maybe
that’s because we have a mutual respect
for what we each do in this biz. I like to
take a moment to rap it down with these
folks when I can, not because I want
something extra from them, but because
they’re my buddies.
It’s your buddies who you work with
through the years who keep you busy.
COMING NEXT
MONTH...
• On the road with
Gypsy
• Using video in
houses of worship
• Product Gallery
looks at automated
lighting consoles
Whenever I see Shakes, I know I’m gonna
have a good time. Every fall, we start passing ideas back and forth until we have a
set and lighting design for this artist. We sit
down over a few beers and catch up. Then
we get together for a week of rehearsals
and have fun. Then I don’t talk to him for
months. But that’s okay. He’s my buddy.
You see, it’s your buddies who you
work with through the years who keep
you busy. And they are your buddies because you play well with them. If you are
a difficult designer, they may think twice
before they ask you back next year. They
may meet another designer who’s a genuinely nice person and decide that they
will give him a try this year. And all you
are left with is your attitude, which incidentally, does not pay your mortgage.
I have a new buddy this year. He’s a
production manager, he’s a tour manager,
he’s an accountant. He’s David Norman,
and he has a way of handling huge productions with a smile on his face. I just met
him this year, but he’s the kind of guy you
want on your side — a no-nonsense, ironfist-followed-by-a-grin-of-satisfaction kind
of guy. Last week, I designed a tour for one
of his clients. At the end of the first show,
he spotted me backstage and gave me the
finger wave — you know, the one your
mom used to give you before she backhanded you for hitting your little brother?
So I walked over thinking I’m about to get
a good talking to before the band and
management kick my ass.
He said one thing; “The drummer was
dark in a few places.” I waited for the next
After being in this biz long enough you can
almost establish a yearly routine of gigs.
I totally understand getting upset
when your design is not coming to fruition in a timely, cost-effective manner.
It happens to most designers as soon as
we walk into some convention centers.
What I design on paper cannot always be
constructed as easily as I thought. But I’m
on site, prepared for quick modifications
and snap decisions, and I have a smile
for everyone. The no-worries attitude is
reassuring to everyone and seems to be
catching.
line, but there wasn’t one. Instead, he
paused, then stuck out his hand and said
that everyone was thrilled with the set
and lights, and everyone just wanted to
thank me for a good job. He had me so
wound up for a minute, then laid that on
me. Now that he had a good wind up with
me, I knew we were buddies. And we shall
gig together again one day.
I like checking into hotels and looking at the rooming list of technicians at
an event. Chances are there is someone
www.PLSN.com
Nook Schoenfeld is a freelance lighting designer.
You can e-mail him at [email protected].

FeATUre

Transcription

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