UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians 2015 Theatre Awards took place on 24 June alongside the Stage Management Association's National Awards, after the first day of the ABTT Theatre Show in its new London home, Alexandra Palace.

The experienced jury for the ABTT Awards, comprising of working practitioners and industry peers, judged nominations meeting the entry criteria that had been previously submitted or which were brought to their attention on the day.

Commenting on the event, ABTT CEO Robin Townley said, "The Awards ceremony held in the Londesborough Room was a great event to round off the first day of the ABTT Theatre Show.

"Held at Alexandra Palace for the first time, the ABTT Theatre Show was very pleased to host the presentation of both the ABTT Theatre Awards and the SMA National Stage Management Awards.

"A great atmosphere in the Lon

South Africa - Wild & Marr, one of Southern Africa's forerunners in the distribution and installation of professional sound equipment, will be exhibiting at Africa's largest media and entertainment technology trade show. Mediatech Africa takes place at the Dome at Northgate from 15 to 17 July 2015.

Wild & Marr has developed their expertise into various professional audio and AV integration markets and are keen to showcase their quality brands incorporating some innovative technologies and to share product knowledge.

"We are excited to be part of Mediatech as it creates a fantastic opportunity to highlight and demonstrate what type of product applications our brand portfolio offers," Says Andrew Sorrill, sales and marketing manager at Wild & Marr. "It also allows us to network with various professionals in the industry and with the people behind the brand."<

South Africa - ARX's South African distributor Matrix Sound will be exhibiting the ARX product range at the upcoming Mediatech Africa exhibition.

ARX director Duncan Fry will be joining Matrix Sound's Trevor Peters and his team at Mediatech, the largest media and entertainment technology trade show for southern Africa.

On Matrix Sound's Booth A35, Matrix & ARX will be exhibiting ARX's product range including the MixxMaker Bluetooth, USB and analogue mixer, Blue DI professional Bluetooth wireless active direct box interface, USB I/O VSR digital to analogue and analogue to digital interface, USB DI and USB DI VC USB-DI series of transformer isolated dual channel USB audio to balanced XLR output DI boxes plug and play digital to analogue pro audio interfaces and the MSX 48 16 in, 48 Out ISO-transformer microphone / line splitter.

(Jim Evans)

USA - dnp denmark was able to take full advantage of the record turn-out at this year's InfoComm 2015 in Orlando, which was visited by 39,105 from 108 countries.

Theming their stand around large scale 4K content, optimised by the kind of ambient light rejection for which they are famed, the company introduced a radical change to their product roadmap by introducing bundled optical flat screen solutions - in the form of the dnp LaserPanel and dnp LaserPanel Touch.

The 100" dnp LaserPanel Touch is designed for interactivity, especially for the meeting room market. This solution also enables presenters to connect iPad, cellphone or laptop direct to the screen.

Also dominating the stand was the giant 220in diagonal dnp Supernova Infinity (constructed from 2 x 2 virtually seamless tiled panels) again showing 4K content, and the extra-large dnp Supernova XL. The company also

The Netherlands - Integrated Systems Events, the organisers of the Integrated Systems Europe trade exhibition, has announced the appointment of two new members to its board. Ollie French, from Future Automation and Tobias Lang from Lang AG will join the nine-person ISE board of directors as of 1 July.

French works as the commercial director for Future Automation, a manufacturer of motorised and non-motorised mounting and concealing solutions for televisions and projectors with its primary market in the residential sector. Lang joins the ISE board of directors as CEO of Lang AG, the German-based AV sales, rental and solution provider of visual presentation technology.

As manufacturers, both French and Lang will join the board on a fixed term basis. "It's extremely important that we get a fresh point of view and input into our strategic development," stated ISE managin

China - After months of negotiation, Prolight+Sound Guangzhou has nailed down its 2016 show dates. Being held from 29 February to 3 March next year, the show will be bigger and occupy the entirety of Area A in the China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou.

The show's organisers explained how decisions were made in close cooperation with the industry. "We talked to many exhibitors and visitors from the last show and received different opinions about the show dates, and we are highly committed to providing the best solution for everyone. Combining the comments and possibilities, we are happy to announce the new 2016 show dates and it will be held during the peak sourcing season of the industry," said Ms Fiona Chiew, deputy general manager for Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd.

The key focuses of the 2016 show are internationality and comprehensive product variety.

UK - The renowned PLASA Professional Development Programme will once again bring global experts together to share their insight and experience at the 2015 PLASA Show, which takes place at London's ExCel from 4-6 October. The first tranche of seminar sessions has just been announced, featuring a wide range of fascinating and thought-provoking subjects.

One of the PLASA Show's new initiatives for 2015 is a sector-specific zoned layout, which will make navigation around the show easier than in previous years. The show's seminars feature a similarly zoned theme, with sector-specific stages hosting over 150 speakers throughout the three days, highlighting case studies and advice on Lighting, AV, Audio, Broadcast and Staging.

The first 16 sessions have subjects ranging from high profile productions and technical best practice

Canada - The full programme of tutorials, workshops, demonstrations and paper presentations has been announced for the AES 59th International Conference, with an emphasis on Sound Reinforcement Engineering and Technology, taking place 15-17 July 2015, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.

A recent addition to an already exciting programme, Low-Frequency Control Workshop, will be held on 16 July in the Schulich School of Music's Music Multimedia Room (MMR), and co-hosted by Flex Acoustics. Using Flex Acoustics Inflatable Membrane Low-Frequency Absorbers, Niels Werner Adelman-Larsen of Flex Acoustics will demonstrate the effectiveness of passive acoustic absorption at low frequencies using a number of seven-meter-long inflatable tubes, some installed along the walls, but some "...installed where wall and ceiling meet since we get an enormous LF pressure build up th

Germany - The supervisory board of Messe Berlin has appointed 45 year-old Dirk Hoffmann, a business studies graduate, as the chief financial officer of Messe Berlin. He will take up his post on 15 September 2015 and oversee finances, IT and human resources.

Dirk Hoffmann studied business management in Germany, the US and Canada and after working for Booz Allen & Hamilton and Fox Mobile (formerly Jamba) his last post was as managing director of ImmobilienScout24 in Berlin.

Peter Zühlsdorff, chairman of the supervisory board, comments, "Dirk Hoffmann is a highly competent business manager. I am confident that we have secured the services of a management team member who together with Dr. Christian Göke as CEO will continue to build on the successes of Messe Berlin."

Dirk Hoffmann adds, "I look forward to the many challenges and operational responsibilities that

South Africa - The move to IP is arguably the biggest shift in recent film and broadcast history, making it a key focus at Mediatech Africa, set for 15-17 July at the TicketPro Dome at Northgate, Johannesburg.

While a new global survey has revealed that the transition to IP broadcast infrastructure will take up to 10 years to complete for the majority of broadcasters, local film and media producers and distributors are already considering what the move to media over IP will mean for their infrastructures.

Steve Alves, managing director at Concilium Technologies, says: "All the major innovations in this space right now are IP-based. But for many stakeholders, there is a major investment in analogue infrastructure to consider too. At Mediatech Africa 2015, we will showcase solutions to enable a hybrid environment that allow you to start moving to IP, and control and manage

USA - From Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June, more than 200 people from around the world joined ETC in Madison, Wisconsin, for lighting education, console training and certification, networking and special events. The third professional development conference that ETC has hosted, this CUE event included more classes and events - and was attended by the largest group of lighting professionals and students representing several countries and all segments of the lighting industry - than ever before.

CUE kicked off with a keynote address by CEO Fred Foster, in which he talked about the growth of ETC over the last four decades, and the company's focus on customer service and product innovation. Foster also unveiled new products, including the affordable ColorSource Spot profile LED luminaire and console programming wings that will officially debut in July.

Josh Allen, an award-winnin

Canada - The AES 59th International Conference, with an emphasis on Sound Reinforcement Engineering and Technology, will take place July 15-17, 2015, at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. This is the first AES International Conference in over 25 years dedicated to large scale sound reinforcement, public address and live sound, and the conference is being supported by an impressive list of sponsors, including some of the preeminent forces in live-sound technology. At the conference, sponsors will be displaying cutting-edge technologies with experts available to discuss and demonstrate their products.

Confirmed sponsors include Meyer Sound, Solid State Logic, Yamaha Commercial Audio, Audio-Technica, Professional Sound Magazine, KV2 Audio, Erikson Audio, McGill University's Schulich School of Music, Gerr Audio, SMAART, Solotech, Flex Acoustics, DiGiCo, Ashly Audio, Shure, Tanno

UK - Triple E is celebrating winning Engineering Product of the Year at this year's ABTT Awards at Alexandra Palace for its ModTruss universal building system.

Triple E launched ModTruss in the UK at the ABTT Theatre Show at its new London home, Alexandra Palace. ModTruss was created by US-based Patrick Santini and will be manufactured and distributed by Triple E's new construction arm, EEE-Build.

It was Triple E's most ambitious launch since the company was formed in 1984.

Commenting on ModTruss, the ABTT Awards judges said, "The manufacturers liken ModTruss to Meccano, and this is an extremely accurate description. The judges saw numerous applications for building with ModTruss, and can instantly see where it could be used. With impressive load bearing characteristics the system allows great flexibility using standard stock to create all types of stage construction. T

South Africa - During Mediatech, One of South African's leading lighting designers, Michael Broderick will present a carefully orchestrated performance using one Robe BMFL fixture and a dancer. The 15-minute shows will be held every day from 15 to 17 July at 10:30am, 12:30am, 2:30pm and 4:30pm. Bookings can be made at the DWR Distribution stand (J47).

"We are trying to push the boundaries and wanted to see what we could do with a single fixture," said Michael Broderick. "The act consists of story which paints a picture of the relationship between the light and the graceful dancer, Belinda Henwood."

David Gouldie is the choreographer and director. He worked closely with Michael Broderick, who programmed the show on a grandMA 2. Sound design is by Liam Magner, with final sound mastering by Colin Peddie form Sonic Studio.

(Jim Evans)

UK - HOG Factor, the lighting design and programming competition for HOG4 Consoles, is to enjoy its second UK outing at the PRO Show at the NEC Birmingham on Sunday 13 September.

HOG Factor, an initiative from European Master Distributor AED Distribution in partnership with High End Systems, is coming back to the UK. The competition was first held at PLASA 2014, then most recently toured to Germany for ProLight+Sound Frankfurt.

The competition is open to young students currently enrolled in a full-time UK Entertainment technology related education course, or working at the starting level in a UK lighting rental production house. There will be six teams, each with two members, competing against each other. In advance they will be presented with a lighting rig comprising High End Systems Luminaires along with a set piece of music. Teams have to design a lighting show using the l

UK - The Knight of Illumination Awards (KOI) 2015 has announced the main sponsors of this year's prestigious event.

The Awards, which celebrate the creative talents of international lighting and digital content designers working in the UK in the sectors of TV, Theatre and Concert Touring and Events, is delighted to welcome industry heavyweights: OSRAM, Ambersphere Solutions, MA Lighting, Hawthorn, Robert Juliat, Ayrton and XL Video, who have generously supported the Awards for several years running (some since its inaugural year). Alongside them are FIX8Group and Light Initiative, who are new to the event. The ceremony will take place at East London's Troxy club on Sunday 4 October.

"We are very proud to be sponsors of the KOI Awards. It is an amazing ceremony which last year we were very happy to attend," says Valére Huart-Gyors, Ayrton. "Seeing the most

Czech Republic - Backstage Academy's BA Visual Production students have triumphed on production for The Society of British Theatre Designers' Make/Believe showcase at the Prague Quadrennial, where they created an immersive environmental projection mapping of a room in the Clam-Gallasuv Palác and won the Special PQ Jury Award.

"This has been a great collaborative process with creative and technical dialogue between professional designers, students and projection mapping experts. We are seeing the work in a completely new way," remarked Make/Believe curator Kate Burnett.

The Special PQ Jury Award, judged by a team of top international directors and designers, recognises "the richness and diversity of an exhibition that shows high quality work from across the spectrum of contemporary performance design - in a variety of venues, and embracing space, light, media an

USA - The Behind the Scenes Happy Hour, hosted by PLASA will go on sale to the public on 15 July, 2015. The biggest pre-LDI party of the year will take place on Thursday, 22 October, from 6pm-8pm at the Westgate Las Vegas. Tickets are $60 each and includes an open bar, hors d'oeuvres and music and all proceeds go to benefit the Behind the Scenes charity, the only industry charity that provides grants to ill or injured entertainment technician professionals. Following the success of the Behind the Scenes Happy Hour last year, tickets are expected to sell quickly.

Starting 15 July, tickets can be purchased online: http://behindthescenescharity.org/btshh. They can also be ordered through your LDI registration once available.

Current sponsors for the Behind the Scenes Happy Hour include: Altman Lighting (Executive), Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. (Platinum), Ultratec (Platinum), Hea

Germany - With new opening times, a new hall layout and a new "Education and Associations" area, it's all-change for Prolight+Sound 2016. Taking place at Messe Frankfurt from 5 to 8 April 2016, the exhibition is moving to the eastern part of the expansive venue. Here it will occupy six halls, two outdoor arenas, a new indoor arena and a new, bigger outdoor area all targeting specific themes.

Organisers comment: "At last year's event more than 900 exhibitors welcomed over 42,000 visitors to their booths. In 2016, we are moving to the east of the Frankfurt Exhibition Centre in order to accommodate our increase in size. Prolight+Sound is the perfect industry forum for face-to face discussions and for developing your business networks. Benefit, too, from the synergies of the parallel Musikmesse and meet the right target groups for you."

Within the framework of

USA - Following the completion of the 2015 cycle of PLASA Focus events in Orlando and Kansas City, a full review was undertaken to ascertain the progress and success of the PLASA events produced in the North American market over the last 4 years. While some progress had been achieved over this period it was decided that significant change was necessary to create an event that better satisfied the business needs of the exhibitors, creating a profitable event for all those involved.

To fully explore and understand the changes necessary the decision of the PLASA Governing Body and the PLASA Executive Management has been to take a hiatus from producing new events in 2016.

Christopher Toulmin, PLASA's Director of the Events Division comments: "Despite considerable financial investment from PLASA and a great deal of hard work from the various members of the events team in the U

The Netherlands - Monitoring specialist Bel Digital will launching "the world's first Dante audio monitor" at IBC 2015, the BM-A1-64Dante, which provides audible monitoring as well as visual signal strength indication.

Designed to provide a simple and effective way of monitoring the audio present in Dante networks, the BM-A1-64Dante provides a visual indication of signal strength on all 64 selected Dante channels. Each individual channel can also be audibly monitored, or the operator can combine up to 16 channels to provide a unique stereo monitor mix.

An on-board matrix enables access to 512 audio sources using Dante Controller software, with the audio present at the front panel mounted speakers also available via balanced analogue (2 x XLR) and AES/EBU (1 x XLR) outputs.

Housed in a rugged, compact 1U rack chassis, the BM-A1-64Dante features a redundant power sup

UK - PLASA London has announced a number of exclusive and exciting additions to its 2015 seminar sessions, including two new audio panel sessions chaired by industry journalist Phil Ward, three sessions from audio production power house Britannia Row, a further session from the Institute of Professional Sound (IPS), three demo sessions from Adobe and a keynote presentation from Pixar Animation Studios.

PLASA London is delighted to have secured some of the most informative and interesting speakers it has ever had for this year's show. Particular highlights include Britannia Row's sessions, which take a close look at education and industry in this fast maturing sector and the keynote presentation from Pixar Director of Photography Danielle Feinberg and Adobe's Niels Stevens showing off the very latest developments in their Creative Cloud content creation tools and services.

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UK - Acorn has a well-established history of providing temporary structures to prestigious motor racing events and, in June 2015, the company serviced two major sporting events . . .

First, Formula E chose Acorn to supply a range of temporary infrastructure at the inaugural London E Prix, which took place in Battersea Park. The layout of the London park, and in particular the tree-lined avenues that made up the circuit, led the organiser to choose tiered viewing platforms instead of traditional grandstand seating. Acorn provided 50 viewing platforms, totaling over 4,000m2 and providing enhanced viewing positions for 12,000 spectators.

To allow spectators across the track and into the infield, Acorn supplied six pedestrian bridges at strategic points around the circuit. Utilising the Layher Bridging System, each bridge had a unique configuration, the largest of which spanned ov

UK - A new event aimed at conference organisers and event managers is to be staged in Birmingham on 3 September by conference specialist Saville Audio Visual.

Engagement is seen as the key word at conferences and events today, as audiences become more discerning in the fast paced world of technology. Organisers looking for new and innovative ways of keeping audiences engaged can see the newest solutions here, with on-the-spot demonstrations and advice from one of the UK's leading creative technical teams.

Midlands Conference Tech Expo takes place at the CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Birmingham B1 2LF on 3 September from 9.00am to 3.00pm.

The event will allow visitors to experience the sheer impact of the latest high resolution LED display technology first hand, plus much more.

Saville event manager Vicky Fennell says, "Organisers looking to make a BIG impression at the

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