The two 2-day courses - which were completely free and aimed at all levels expertise - included WholeHog users, programmers and operators, and were designed to be hands-on, covering High End's popular WholeHog control range, specifically the WholeHog 3 and the Hog iPC.
The courses were deliberately restricted to six people each to ensure that everyone received enough individual attention and sufficient time on the consoles. "We also used it as an opportunity to discuss people's constantly evolving operating and programming needs and expectations," says Pete Abraham, Adlib's head of lighting. High End Systems' Frank Schotman and Adlib's in house lighting designer Ian Tomlinson were on hand to demonstrate the kit and answer queries.
Attendees included a wide cross section of industry professionals. Lighting designers Stevie Marr (Maximo Park) and Richard Wolfgang (Cradle of Filth) were there, and individuals travelled from as far a-field as France and Spain to be on Merseyside.
Rental companies were represented by programmers from HSL and locally based conference company, Mulberry Grove. There were also venue technical managers and students from performing arts institutions like LIPA.
Both courses were over-subscribed. Abraham comments: "There's been so much interest that we're intending to run these events regularly. We'd like it to become a must-attend occasion."
Adlib has invested heavily in High End moving lights and control over the last two years. High End's regional sales manager for North Europe, Mark Leahy, helped set the courses up with Abraham, and says, "Adlib is a valuable client, and events like this help build all sorts of relationships, so we are happy to offer proactively support."
Attendees worked on two Hog iPCs and two WholeHog 3 consoles. A Catalyst digital media server was also available for demos and experimentation.
Abraham says: "It was excellent to see so much genuine interest in the scope of the products and applications, particularly with the advent of so much digital lighting. It was also great to promote some lively discussions and debates about the issues, value and potential of offering the most flexible control options."
(Chris Henry)
