UK - Artistic Licence ran a competition at this year's PLASA Show in London to advertise one of its new products, an upgrade kit for the Micro-Scope DMX tester, which went on to win the Sustainability Award.
The Micro-Scope upgrade kit is a microprocessor that can be retrofitted (by the customer) to any previous generation Artistic Licence Micro-Scope product.
Micro-Scope is a rugged DMX512 tester that has been on sale for nearly 30 years. Many thousands of products have been sold, but they do not support RDM as that protocol did not exist when Micro-Scope was invented.
The kit enables any functioning Micro-Scope unit to be brought completely up to date with a full suite of DMX512 and, most significantly, RDM test functionality – at a low cost and without the need to recycle or discard the existing product.
As Micro-Scope has been on sale for so long, its inventor (Artistic Licence founder, Wayne Howell) thought it would be amusing to see who could bring the oldest unit to the show. Naturally, the prize for the most ancient, battered unit would be a new upgrade kit!
Freelance technician, Ed Jackson of Techno Tarts, was the lucky winner. His Micro-Scope tester, serial number 782, first saw the light of day in 1998.
Delighted with his win, Ed was keen to explain the benefits: "With the new RDM upgrade to my trusty Micro-Scope 3, I can now easily determine if I’m connected to a responsive device, or a piece of wet string. There’s also a new sticker for the front plus new sticky feet for use when navigating choppy waters."
UK - frame:work is a community organisation for creative video professionals working in live events, installations and virtual production. Here, frame:work co-founder Laura Frank tells us what to expect at the first in-person event, a two-day conference, set to take place on 3-4 November at central London’s CodeNode . . .
What led to frame:work becoming established within the professional video / entertainment technology industry? Did you feel there was a gap in the market for a sector-specific education and networking event?
Laura Frank: “Creative video professionals have spent years at conferences that speak to only part of the challenges faced in our work. My co-founders and I wanted a forum where someone who works across film, broadcast and live performance could talk about producing content and managing screens control for those very different production spaces. frame:work creates the opportunity to learn from a wide range of experiences focused on this narrow and technologically rich topic.”
As a community-led conference for creatives working in the ‘live pixel’ arena, what do you feel will really put frame:work on the map?
LF: “One of frame:work’s missions is to foster client education. To accomplish that, we first need to educate each other on the intricacies of what we each do. So many of us are self-taught, trailblazing new paths with each technical advancement in our field. A better understanding of ourselves as a community will allow us to advance as a cohesive professional body to our clients. Gathering
UK - Andy Bell, former operations director at KB Event, has joined Truckingby as events operations director.
Andy has over 23 years' experience in live event trucking, working with bands and artists such as Ed Sheeran, Rod Stewart, the Stereophonics and many more.
“I’m looking forward to bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge into Truckingbyand being a valuable part of their team in expanding their live events division,” says Andy.
Kevin Hopper, Truckingby managing director said Andy’s appointment to the company adds additional strength and knowledge to our live events logistics operation, we are all looking forward to working with him, and wish him all the best for the future with Truckingby.”
USA - This month, the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) welcomed Michael Nishball as its newest full member. Membership into the ASTC, follows a highly selective process that considers a candidate’s range of capability and experience, their past industry achievements, and the quality of service they provide to clients.
“I can think of no person more deserving of full membership,” offered Scott Crossfield, Theatre Projects principal and fellow with the ASTC. “Michael’s experience in equipment and systems design is unparalleled, and he is the type of person we want in the ASTC: committed to the industry, dogged about the appropriate use of technology in the design of performance spaces, and invested in safety for audience and performer as his number one priority.”
Michael is Theatre Projects’ principal theatre equipment designer and one of the industry’s leading voices on structural systems, rigging equipment, and specialty stage machinery. He makes the eighth Theatre Projects employee currently on the ASTC membership roster and brings over 40 years of experience to the elite organisation.
Theatre Projects has been Michael’s professional home since 1995. Prior to Theatre Projects, he worked with Pook Diemont & Ohl, Inc. as a rigging contractor, and earlier on, he was a stagehand, production designer, and rigger with a variety of theatre companies. He supervised lighting and rigging for the Wooster Group all over the world and worked with the Boston Shakespeare Company, the American Repertory Theater, and several mode
UK - Production Futures exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries. The organisation’s Breakthrough Awards, presented in association with TPi magazine, recognise the impact of up-and-coming talent in all areas of production, with nominations made by tutors, mentors, colleagues or peers.
This year, the six winners received their awards at the Production Futures ON TOUR event which took place in late September at Production Park in Wakefield. The event was the first of a series taking place across the UK in the coming months and saw more than six hundred young people through its doors. Thirty-five brand partners from the worlds of audio, lighting, TV, virtual events and global logistics, were on hand to offer information, insights and advice about careers in production. A number of industry associations were also represented, joining the commercial brands in presenting panels and workshops on a range of subjects designed to explain and inspire.
Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures comments, “this year’s awards were presented at the conclusion of what was a fantastic day. We received a record number of nominations this year - an indication that our campaign to highlight and deliver opportunities for young people in the production sector is moving in the right direction. Our brand partners, many of them market-leading global companies, have really bought into our ideas, recognising the
USA - From 2014 to 2017, the University of Houston Cougars football team won 16 straight games on its home gridiron - the John O’Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium - marking the longest active home winning streak in the nation at the time. However, the PA system for the facility, which opened in August of 2014, didn’t share quite the same success, quickly falling victim to the area’s increasingly volatile weather and early component failures.
In response, LD Systems was recently able to step in and remedy the situation with a loudspeaker design from L-Acoustics that offered vastly better audio quality via a streamlined combination of K, A, and X Series products.
TDECU Stadium - its official name derived from the Texas Dow Employees Credit Union, the largest credit union in Houston - is built on the site of the former Robertson Stadium and also hosts the XFL's Houston Roughnecks.
Matt Rhodes, sales engineer at LD Systems, University of Houston’s long-time AV partner, commented on the stadium’s sound over the past few years: “We had been helping the school nurse its existing sound system through football seasons for the past two years, but it became clear that they needed a new, more modern audio system. We looked at a few options with them and found that L-Acoustics offered the right mix of components to create a powerful yet cost-effective system for the client.”
The stadium’s new system now comprises two hangs of 12 K2 enclosures over six Kara II per side of the scoreboard, flanked by a combination of A15i Wide and A15i Focus enclos
UK - The Neutrik Group exhibited at this year’s Engineering Design Show at the Coventry Building Society Arena, where it showed two new additions to its Fiberfox connector series.
During the two-day event – which took place on 12 and 13 October and is dedicated to engineering, electronics and embedded design – Neutrik unveiled the Fiberfox foxBRID and Fiberfox Rotary Joint.
The foxBRID is an expanded beam multimode hermaphroditic connector module, suited to a vast array of industrial applications, including in automation, robotics and rail transportation. The innovative design – available in two-and four-channel variants – ensures its ability for deployment in the toughest environments where constant performance and total reliability are critical. The module is designed according to the MIL-DTL-83526 standard and fits to other Fiberfox solutions.
The Rotary Joint is an expanded beam multimode solution with fits to standard optical ST connections. Offering IP56 protection, with two hermetically dust-tight chambers sealed by shaft seals, it is suitable for a wide range of engineering applications where rotation is a challenge, such as in robotics, renewable energy (e.g. wind turbines) and government (e.g. radar). The innovative design ensures maximal flexibility and high data rates in rotating systems.
Belgium - Toyota Motor Europe has had plenty of developments to share with customers and the media of late thanks to its impressive array of recently introduced hybrid and electric vehicles. Now, with the opening of its Brand Experience Centre in Brussels, it also has a sleek and engaging new platform for highlighting these innovations.
Located in a former workshop that has been transformed into a contemporary auditorium complex, the new facility features an event space/theatre, studio, and Sky Lab meeting rooms. Auvicom, which has been a major AV supplier to Toyota Europe for over two decades, was responsible for the design and equipment installation at the new centre in consultation with the D-Side Group event agency.
The facility’s 400m2 events space is fully equipped to stage press conferences, product launches and other live happenings, including recording and live-stream broadcasts. Auvicom has ensured that these activities will all take place in a supportive and optimal setting by installing a full AV system that features a 33m LED wall, a fully functional control room, PTZ cameras, microphones, sound-and-image systems, and an advanced lighting rig, which in keeping with the environmental commitment of the company and its client, is comprised of all LED fixtures.
Featured in this lighting rig is a collection of 34 Chauvet Professional fixtures, including five Ovation F-145WW Fresnels, five Ovation E-260WW ellipsoidals, six Ovation F-265 Fresnels, and 10 Ovation CYC1 FC units, as well as eight moving fixtures, four Maverick Force S Spots, an
UK - On Saturday 15 October, DJ technology exhibition BPM 2022 will open its doors at Solihul’s Cranmore Park Conference and Events Centre
Co-organised by Mark Parkhouse, Jack Wilson and Kris Dawber, BPM 2022 will include a busy show floor featuring ADJ, Bose, Chauvet DJ and Neutrik, FBT, RCF, HK Audio, Mackie and more.
The seminar programme – powered by ProMobile Focus and organised in association with Pro Mobile, NADJ, SEDA and the Mobile DJ Network – will cover topics as varied as how DJs can best connect with Gen Y and Z, how businesses can benefit from more digital marketing, and your remix skills can improve courtesy of a masterclass with renowned DJ and producer Paul Dakeyne.
Elsewhere, visitors will be able to compare sound systems from Bishopsound, Citronic, Bose, FBT, HH, HK Audio, Mackie, RCF and Studiomaster in a like-for-like demonstration area named the BPM Sound Experience.
“We can’t wait to open this year’s edition of BPM so our guests can discover everything that we’ve planned,” commented BPM co-organiser Mark Parkhouse. “We’re bringing more to the show than ever before, from unmissable networking opportunities to seminars and physical demonstrations. And, of course, there’s the always popular after-party.”
BPM 2022 opens its doors at 10am on Saturday 15 October at Cranmore Park Conference and Events Centre, Cranmore Ave, Shirley, Solihull B90 4LE.
Spain - Registration is now open for Integrated Systems Europe (ISE 2023). With just under four months until opening day, ISE 2023 already has over 52,000 sqm of space booked, over 30% more than the exhibitor space in 2022.
So far, over 700 companies are already committed to exhibiting, and alongside long-standing flagship exhibitors, ISE 2023 will play host to several new brands making their debut.
Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events managing director, stated: “We can’t wait to return to Barcelona with ISE 2023. This year’s show exceeded expectations, and we are looking forward to a bigger and even better event at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via in January 2023. We already have a great show floor packed with industry-leading brands and we’re working hard to ensure that, yet again, ISE goes above and beyond expectations.”
ISE 2023 will showcase technology innovators and solution providers which include industry-leading brands such as Absen, Blackmagic Design, Barco, Christie, Crestron, Google, KNX, Lang, LG, Logitech, Panasonic, Samsung, Shure, Sony and many more.
The ISE Conference Programme returns in 2023 with a new home. The programme of conferences and summits will take place in the modern, purpose-built conference rooms in the CC4 and CC5 areas on the upper level of the Fira Gran Via. The schedule includes an informative programme of Spanish-language content covering all aspects of the pro AV and systems integration industry as well as sessions to cover thought-provoking issues, market trends and inspirational keynote speaker
South Africa - It was with slight trepidation that the organisers of the Hilton Arts Festival opened the event on Friday, 23 September in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. After a two-year COVID-19 gap, the depressed economy, the hazardous N3 highway between Durban and Hilton and severely reduced sponsorship, it was a risky decision to take. However, driven by the sure knowledge that the arts are one of the most vital parts of a balanced society and a happy people, they forged ahead.
“With the weather playing ball (no wind, no rain) crafters and visual artists had a steady flow of visitors all weekend,” said Sue Clarence, the founder of Hilton Arts Festival. “All productions were well supported, with several selling out. The community of performers, visual artists and crafters who, over the years, have become a firm part of the success of the festival, were overwhelming in their praise, excited to be back.”
Shows and exhibitions included Firefly and Mandela A Life’s Journey, Urban Circus. The new Music Auditorium raised the bar for music with its acoustic design. “This is what art is meant to do,” Sue adds. “Thanks to our sponsors, we were able to up our game technically which made a huge impression on the visiting production companies.”
This was the 28th year that technical director, Michael Taylor-Broderick from DWR Distribution, was involved in the festival. “Thank you Sue Clarence and Evan Roberts for your unfailing dedication to keeping the festival alive,” said Michael. “You took a huge risk and provid
UK frame:work is a brand-new community event series conceptualised by four key live entertainment production experts: Laura Frank, Luke Malcolm, Soren West and Elliott Dunwody, who have a collective career experience spanning decades across multiple sectors.
The first event will take place at central London’s multipurpose tech venue, CodeNode on 3 - 4 November. For frame:work:london, the team has partnered with Bild Studios, a creative house of media technologists who are pioneering the next generation of visual experiences, in order to present the two-day conference to the industry.
The event will host conversations around the unique challenges of creating video for physical spaces, live performance and virtual worlds.
Laura Frank, frame:work co-founder, who began her own career as a touring lighting programmer for Madonna and David Bowie before moving into the XR space, states: “If you work in real-time content creation, screen content for live entertainment, or interactive content, frame:work is your new home. Together, we aim to build a transparent and peer-supported future for the creative video community of ‘live pixel people’.”
She continues: “From theatre to film, television broadcast, concert touring, conferences, installations and online events, the more we learn from each other about process, the more we’ll improve our relationships across different production communities. Our end goal is to create an authentic community and share valuable insights into the practice of these specialised fields of work.”
The c
USA - Behind the Scenes has two upcoming webinars: Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace on 16 October at 4pm Eastern and Understanding Substance Use and Abuse in the Entertainment Industry on 17 October at 7pm Eastern. Both webinars are free, but require advance registration to be sent the login link.
A BTS survey strongly indicated that bullying, harassment and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. Do you know how to safely intervene if you see a co-worker being bullied or intimidated? Did you know there are different ways to intervene to match your comfort level? In just 90 minutes you will learn five easily accessible tools and get real life examples to use in any workplace to safely intervene without worrying about retaliation.
The Bystander Intervention webinar, presented by Dax Valdes of Right To Be, will be offered once a quarter over the next year with the first one on Sunday, 16 October. Visit btshelp.org/bystander to register for the webinar of your choice.
Most of us know someone who is affected by substance use and abuse. This can include concerns about our own use – or that of a co-worker, family member or friend. This webinar introduces new resources for recognizing and discussing substance use and abuse in the workplace and beyond. Taking just one hour to learn more can save lives by allowing you to say the right thing – or point someone to the right resources. Advance registration is required to receive the link to the webinar.
Membe
Europe - Showlight reminds you that there is still time to submit your suggestions for papers for the Showlight quadrennial next May.
Showlight takes place from 20-23 May 2023 in Fontainebleau, France, and its papers committee is engaged in the process of considering and selecting topics for the papers programme.
Says Showlight, “We are looking for the latest news on lighting projects and technology in our second call for papers focusing on recent projects. Have you worked on an incredible installation or a fantastic festival this summer? Has your project achieved its peak? Did your event engage the latest technology? Did your broadcast bowl its audience over?
“We want to hear from you! We aim for variety across topics relevant to all aspects of the lighting industry today. We want to hear about your experiences, your ambitions, your inspirations, your concerns, your successes and failures. We are not looking for simple product promotion.
“Please send a brief summary of the paper you are proposing, along with a description of the visuals available to papers@showlight.org
You have until 30 November to submit your ideas for consideration. This will allow the Showlight papers committee to finalise the programme in good time.”
2023 will be the first return of Showlight in six years after the enforced postponement due to the pandemic, and it promises to be an exceptional event. Become part of this latest gathering as a speaker, a sponsor or exhibitor, or by attending as a student or dele
USA - Most of us know someone who is affected by substance use and abuse. This can include concerns about our own use – or the usage of a co-worker, family member or friend. Join Behind the Scenes for an online webinar as they introduce new resources for recognizing and discussing substance use and abuse in the workplace and beyond. Members of the BTS task group introduce these new tools and share personal experiences in this concise online event. Advance registration is required to receive the link to the webinar.
Substance use and abuse in the workplace affects everyone in our industry. Learn more about recognizing the signs and how to help yourself or a colleague. Taking just one hour to learn more can save lives by allowing you to say the right thing – or point someone to the right resources.
In a 2019 survey of entertainment industry workers, over 40% of respondents said they had experienced alcohol or substance misuse. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the anxiety, fear, uncertainty, stress, and isolation experienced by so many in our industry significantly increased those numbers. Many of us saw ourselves or colleagues, friends, or family members turn to substances as a way to cope with the disruption in our lives. Many found recovery could be difficult to sustain.
Behind the Scenes recently announced the launch of a website to provide resources for industry professionals to answer questions about alcohol and substance use and abuse. It offers information about how to spot the signs of misuse in yourself or others and the potential long-term
UK - Architectural and entertainment LED lighting brand Anolis enjoyed a busy and successful PLASA Show in the Grand Hall of Olympia London earlier this month, where Anolis showed its new Calumma product series for the first time at a UK expo, also highlighting its Eminere and Ambiane products.
Being located on Stand E15, right at the entrance to the busy Robe lighting booth, proved a prominent and highly visible position, ideal for getting attention from those who amassed to watch the daily Robe live performance shows, and also easy for its own visitors to find.
Anolis’s business development manager for London and the South East, Ashley Popple commented, “The show generally was very good, and the Calumma range in particular received lots of interest, with some people specifically coming to see it. They were impressed with the features and benefits of Calumma, and once on the stand were able to view Eminere and Ambiane.”
Calumma’s optical design has been carefully crafted and utilises high efficacy single-chip and multi-chip LEDs. The fixtures are available with optional LED colour variants and various beam angles.
A luminaire like the medium-sized Calumma M SC – for example – creates a powerful and rich light output that is perfect for use as a spot as well as for accent and flood lighting solutions. As with all Anolis luminaires, the unit is robust and durable to withstand exterior conditions. A special finish is available for extra harsh environments and marine applications, which still benefits from the elegant design.
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Europe - PlugFest, the technical event for entertainment lighting interoperability, returns to Lille in France from 7-9 March 2023. The popular event welcomes manufacturers, developers and technicians from across Europe to test their products and learn about the latest protocols.
PlugFest is an opportunity for participants to collectively test and demonstrate device and system interoperability with the aim of improving reliability, resolving compatibility issues and ultimately improving connectivity between all entertainment lighting and related technologies.
The event’s hosts, Hamish Dumbreck (JESE), Peter Willis (Howard Eaton Lighting) and Wayne Howell (Artistic Licence) are experts in entertainment lighting control protocols. They will host a full educational programme, diving deep into interoperability challenges affecting the live events industry. Plus, they will be on hand to provide individual support and guidance.
Previous editions of PlugFest have sold out well in advance, welcoming attendees from leading manufacturers such as GLP, Luminex, Highlite International, Robert Juliat, TMB, Claypaky, ChamSys, ETC, Chauvet and Eaton. Those interested in attending in PlugFest 2023 are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.
PlugFest takes place in the city of Lille, France which is directly connected to London with the Eurostar and all major European cities via a mainline train station. Furthermore, attendees can take advantage of specially discounted rooms in the hotel that PlugFest takes place in.
PlugFest is organised
USA/Europe - Avnu Alliance has announced expansion of its time sensitive networking (TSN) Test Tool programme by opening the test tool ecosystem to new vendors. As part of this expansion, third party vendor test tools can be verified and validated through Avnu’s rigorous process, which is designed and maintained by experienced certification management professionals and TSN subject matter experts to ensure that it meets the interoperability standards of Avnu’s Global Certification Programme.
During the eighth annual TSN/A Conference, which takes place September 28-29, 2022, in Stuttgart, Germany, Avnu will host demonstrations in its booth of wired and wireless TSN tests for 802.1AS and 802.1Qbv based on test plans from the Avnu Express Testing Suite. These tests will be run on both the Avnu Express Test Tool and Keysight’s new TSN Test Tool, which has now met the requirements to start the Avnu Global Certification Programme validation and verification process to become an Avnu endorsed Test Tool. When approved by Avnu, Keysight’s TSN Test Tool will be available to members for both debugging and quick test certification.
“Adding new test tools, such as Keysight’s TSN Test Tool to the testing ecosystem, significantly expands the certification program providing more choice and a wider variety of test types to members,” says Ed Agis, Avnu Alliance certification work group co-chair overseeing the TSN Test Tool program and verification and validation process. “Test tools significantly lower the barrier for certification and allow members to ent
UK - Data Strategy welcomed the many conversations from new and returning customers at this year’s PLASA Show where the company demonstrated the QC-Check workstation, as well as some of the QC-Check’s most popular add-on modules, including VeriCal, Power-Check LOLER inspection and SimplyPATS integration software.
Data Strategy MD, Iain Roche, commented, “What really stood out this year was the number of enquiries about cable and RCD testing with the assumption that the provision of electrical (PAT) testing was a given. The knowledge that a simple solution exists to the time-consuming and impractical task of RCD inspections and cable testing has really captured the imagination of temporary power suppliers, in addition to production rental houses. The stand was consistently busy, QC-Check received a great deal of interest as ever and we had many high-quality conversations that we should see realised in the following year.”
Roche added, “The other area of specific interest was bi-directional integration of QC-Check with the company’s hire software. The concept of a seamless exchange of data that avoided any entry duplication was very attractive from a logistical criterion. We recently completed integration with IntelliEvent for two existing customers and this led to the introduction to a new client at PLASA.”
Data Strategy’s QC-Check provides practical safety inspection solutions that allow hire companies, venues, and temporary power suppliers to simply fulfil statutory requirements. Embedded as part of the warehouse process – with in
Germany - The DALI Alliance will use the Light+Building trade fair (Frankfurt, 2-6 October 2022) to shine the spotlight on wireless connectivity options via its upcoming certification programmes for Wireless to DALI Gateways and DALI+ with Thread.
Wireless to DALI Gateways allow the use of existing DALI wired products in a non-DALI wireless ecosystem. Certification programmes are in development for Bluetooth mesh to DALI Gateways and for Zigbee to DALI Gateways.
A certification programme for DALI+ is also in development. DALI+ enables true wireless DALI without any need for translation between protocols. The first release will employ Thread as a networking layer. Thread is an IP-based, wireless-mesh networking protocol built using open standards.
The new certification programmes, due to commence in early 2023, will build further momentum for the ongoing evolution of DALI as a globally standardized lighting-control protocol. The number of certified DALI-2 and D4i products listed on the DALI Alliance website already exceeds 2,600 devices, and the DALI Alliance is supported by more than 320 companies from the international lighting community. Recently, the organization has launched dedicated groups to focus on the specific market requirements in China and North America.
Visitors to the DALI Alliance booth at Light+Building can discuss Gateways and DALI+ with technical experts and experience demo boards which explain DALI features such as colour control, sensors, emergency lighting, groups, scenes and building-wide control, as well as D4i and Z
UK - Claypaky welcomed a large number of industry professionals and practitioners from all over the world to its booth and in the spacious rooms set up in the Henley Suite at PLASA Show 2022.
Alberico D’Amato, Claypaky sales director, said: “PLASA was, as ever, a 'must-attend' event for the British market, which has always been one of the most dynamic and proactive in our industry. However, we were positively surprised by the number of customers from other European countries, and even from Asia, Australia, America and the Middle East. It is a show with an international dimension.”
Claypaky presented all the products it has recently launched on the market, which stand out for their variety, versatility and features. The growing award-winning Xtylos family of laser-source moving heads now includes the Xtylos Aqua, featuring marine-grade C5-M protection, and the Mini Xtylos HPE, which is more energy-efficient than any other beam units made up to now. Claypaky is the only company today able to offer an entire family of laser-engine-based fixtures.
The Volero Batten Aqua is a high-performance IP66 LED moving batten. The Tambora Linear is an advanced line of static LED pixel mapping bars designed for versatile lighting effects and artistic set decoration. The Tambora Flash is the only IP66 hybrid fixture on the market that can act simultaneously as a strobe, wash light and blinder, specifically designed with a modular approach for use in a linear array.
The Sinfonya Profile 600 is a low-noise LED-based unit, conceived and developed exclusively
UK - Having delivered a series of successful live events from 2016 to 2019, Production Futures produced several equally popular online events during the pandemic, and is now set to return to the road in company with industry experts and brand partners, to open more doors of opportunity by engaging directly with young people.
The first Production Futures On Tour event will take place at Production Park, Wakefield on 29 September, and will be live-streamed as part of the Leeds Digital Festival 2022.
Festival director Stuart Clarke comments: “The Leeds Digital Festival was set up to celebrate all things digital and we’re delighted to be working with Production Futures during this year’s event. The Leeds City Region has a fast-growing digital and creative sector which can directly benefit from Production Future’s approach to providing access and opportunity for young people in the events, music, broadcast, film and TV sectors.”
Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures adds: “We are thrilled to be a part of the line-up for Leeds Digital Festival and to have one of our physical events live-streamed for the very first time. It’s the perfect launchpad for us as we begin our autumn tour around the UK, enabling us to share the experience, knowledge and insights of our expert industry partners with the widest possible audience of young people. We look forward to delivering all of our shows as hybrid events in the future.”
UK - Out Board reported a busy PLASA Show (Olympia – 4-6 September 2022), with interest echoing that which its innovative and award-winning spatial audio and stage tracking products have been receiving throughout the year. The company unveiled several significant developments to existing products at PLASA this year, including the new TiMax 600-Series Mac and PC software, with significant augmentation to TimeLine and PanSpace object-based spatialisation functionality, as well as workflow UX enhancements.
With stagetracking now such a vital addition to the spatial audio process, visitors to the stand showed significant interest in the enhancements to TiMax TrackerD4, which has steadfastly become the leading live control system for real-time immersive audio spatialisation on premium live shows and events. New features for refined error correction filtering, which not only enhance the agility and robustness of the system to meet the growing show control demands for spatial audio, but also for lighting and media control, garnered a great deal of interest, capturing the imagination of visitors.
Out Board’s new smart plug-in for the award-winning TiMax Tracker D4 precision stagetracking system, still in its beta testing phase, was also a hit on stand. The plug-in intelligently directs and focuses groups of moving-head light fixtures, and also executes smooth and synchronised handovers between groups of fixtures across multiple tracked objects.
Out Board director, Dave Haydon, comments: "The quality of conversations we’ve had and the inter
UK/USA - The deadline is approaching for UK companies to receive funding to exhibit at LDI in Las Vegas for the first time. As part of a ‘Meet the Brits’ initiative, PLASA is working in conjunction with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to help UK-based businesses exhibit at LDI in Las Vegas for the first time this year.
LDI will return to the Las Vegas Convention Centre from 17-20 November and will feature a ‘Meet the Brits’ pavilion. The aim of the pavilion is to connect UK-based companies with new customers in the USA. Thanks to financial help from the DIT, UK companies who have never exhibited at LDI can take advantage of a reduced and subsidised rate.
The price for a branded kiosk in the Meet the Brits pavilion has been reduced to $2,775. However, PLASA is offering six companies $1,000 each to contribute towards the exhibiting costs, bringing the price down to only $1,775.
In addition to a branded kiosk in the Meet the Brits pavilion, successful applicants will be invited to a Meet the Brits networking reception and have onsite support from both PLASA and the DIT.
To be eligible, your company must be based in the UK, must not have any US distribution in place, must not have exhibited at LDI before, and must not have already booked a stand at LDI. Those who wish to apply are invited to contact PLASA’s Managing Director Peter Heath via peter.heath@plasa.org by the extended deadline of Friday 14th October.