Pharos - Leaderboard - Nov 2024
HOF - Banner - Oct-Nov 2024
ISE - Banner - Oct 2024

General

Details
PLASA (the Professional Lighting and Sound Association) has introduced two valuable new Membership Services. The first new service, a Business Support Helpline, offers PLASA's UK members useful and relevant advice on a range of topics (including tax and PAYE, VAT, Employment Law, Company and Contract Law, Copyright and Patents, Debt and Debt Recovery) by advisors who are all widely experienced in their respective fields. This helpline will initially be completely free to members of the association, who will have unlimited access to the service.Also new is PLASA's Business Reporting Service: PLASA has negotiated an extremely competitive rate for business risk evaluation reports through Dun & Bradstreet, a company with 150 years of experience in analysing and assessing credit risks. This service is available to all PLASA members.

Details
Vari-Lite International is embarking on what it describes as "an inventory consolidation strategy". According to a recent statement issued by the company, the Dallas and Atlanta offices are to close and product and personnel from these is to be relocated to other offices within the VLPS regional network. The statement doesn't give any indication of timing, but it is anticipated that the offices will close shortly.
HOF - Banner - Oct-Nov 2024
ISE - Banner - Oct 2024

Details
Organised by the National Aids Trust for those directly affected by HIV and Aids, the Celebration of Life concert takes place on Wednesday December 1 (World Aids Day) at Covent Garden Market on the West Piazza. The Trust have contacted PLASA in the hope that companies within our industry might support the event by providing technical equipment. If you would like to help, contact the National Aids Trust in London on 0171-814 6748.

Details
It's barely a month since the announcement, yet LSD's acquisition of Midnight Design and Spotco is already bearing fruit. While Midnight has been busy with the launch show for Sega's eagerly awaited Dream Cast games package, Spotco has been gearing up for the World premiere of Sir Paul McCartney's latest Opus, Working Classics. As part of an ongoing programme of restructuring, a design department has been established at Spotco's warehouse in Northfields, bringing in some of the talent from Midnight in Croydon.

Details
Sennheiser LIPA Scholarship Students, Adam Garret Fulton (right on picture) from Canada and Chandra Fleig from Germany, recently completed a four week work experience placement at BBC Television Centre with BBC Resources, London Operations. The two students, who are both studying for a Sound Technology degree at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, spent over a week in each of the sound, video editing and graphics departments, gaining first-hand and hands-on experience across a breadth of television production skills.

Details
Las Vegas-based GES Exposition Services has announced the formation of a new company, GES Lighting, to cater for clients requiring a turnkey package for exhibition requirements. The new company has been formed in partnership with Production Resource Group (PRG). GES is the official show services provider to more than 3,000 conventions, trade shows and events each year. With sister company Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, it is the largest full service provider of convention and exhibition services in the world, with combined annual revenues of nearly $1billion.

Details
If you're interested in how the second year of the 'Best Band on the Net' contest is progressing, then visit the site dedicated to finding the best unsigned band. Originally organised by Kaman Music, makers of Ovation Guitars, bands have been submitting material since August and during November and December, listeners can hook in and vote on-line, thus determining the top 10 bands. The panel of judges will then select a winner with the best band being announced at NAMM 2000. The winning group will receive a record deal with digital music label NewTech Music.

Details
Following research carried out by international brokers Goldman Sachs, which forecasts that the value of business conducted via the Internet in the next four years will amount to £1trillion, the publishers of Internet Business magazine are staging the UK's first two-day conference aimed at managers who want to take advantage of business opportunities offered by the Internet. The event, being held in Brighton from 7-8 December 1999, will include a conference, a dedicated Internet exhibition and a workshop programme. The conference will feature panel sessions, Q&A sessions and interactive technology to answer delegates' questions.

Details
P&O Events, organiser of the PLASA Show, has changed its name to Clarion Events. The name change, which becomes effective on November 1st, follows the acquisition from P&O of the Earls Court and Olympia Group by the Morris Family and Candover Investments. The company's portfolio of shows includes famous names such as The London Motor Show, The Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fairs, Top Drawer, Home & Gift (Harrogate), The Royal Smithfield Show and The Olympia International Show Jumping Championships. Designers are currently working on the company's new brand image which will be unveiled before the end of November.

Details
The Entertainment Laser Association (ELA) has begun a major programme of research and development on the safety of audience scanning techniques. The work will cost around £15,000 to complete of which half will come from the Health and Safety Executive who are co-funding the programme. It will be managed and co-ordinated by Paul Tozer of Lasermet who will work in conjunction with other companies from the ELA and will report to Steve Walker, the HSE project manager. The project is the first research work ever undertaken by the UK laser display industry, on the laser display industry and at the behest of the laser display industry. The research will cover Measurement of typical emission levels; Examination of the regularity of laser pulse hits in audience members; Accurate measurement of typical beam divergences out of scanning systems and Evaluation of maximum scanning speeds and scan

Details
Clever Group, the WPP Group's facilities and events company, has announced that David Pacy is returning to the company as chairman and chief executive officer with immediate effect. Pacy takes over from Stuart Appleton who will be leaving the company to pursue other interests. Pacy founded the original Clever Group (then called Metro Video) in 1980.The Clever Group includes Metro Broadcast, Metro Tyrell, Metro Staging, Metro East, Metro Ecosse and Clever Technology. From January 2000, the group will assume the Metro name once more. The creative production arm of the group, Clever Media, will be combined with Enterprise IG, WPP's global branding and identity company.

Details
The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) is asking all interested parties to comment on the first draft of a revised and updated version of DMX512, which will be formally designated BSR E1.11, Entertainment Technology - USITT DMX512, Asynchronous Serial Digital Data Transmission Standard for Controlling Lighting Equipment and Accessories. Wide public input is being sought in order to finalise this draft and ensure that the needs of the industry are being met. The comment period is now open, and will end at 4.00 p.m. ET, January 12, 2000. The draft document may be requested in hard copy from ESTA's Technical Standards Manager at the address below. When commenting, please provide the following: clear identification of the relevant clause, page, and line numbers; the proposed change marked in legislative format, with strikethroughs to indicate deleted text and underlines

Details
Stage Electrics is relocating its Bristol branch and Head Office to new premises located in the same area at the Junction of Avonmouth Way and Third Way, close to Junction 18 of the M5.The sales and hire company is refurbishing the existing warehouse space of 43,000sq.ft, whilst a new 16,000sq.ft administrative building will be added onto the 3.7 acre site. This will bring under one roof the entire Stage Electrics workforce. Work on the site has started and the first phase, the transfer of the equipment, is expected to be completed by March 2000. The administrative building will be ready later on in the year.

Details
PLASA Publishing has received news that a winding up order has been served on Metro Audio. The company, well known for its wired intercom and stage management systems, is now in the hands of the Official Receivers Office, which is currently working on establishing a full list of creditors. Although the company is trading as Metro Audio, the order, which went through the High Court on November 17th, relates to Speed 1436 Ltd - the company's official registered name.

Details
The elections for places on PLASA's Executive Committee closed on Wednesday 1 December, with three existing members re-elected and two new members welcomed to the committee. Eight candidates had stood for the five places available and collectively attracted 104 ballot papers. Re-elected were Paul Adams of PA Installations, who has just completed his final year as Chairman of the Association, Nikki Scott of Stage Technologies and Sammy DeHavilland of Deco Leisure. New to the committee are Paul de Ville of Lighting Technology and Diane Grant of DHA Lighting. Matthew Griffiths, MD of PLASA, commented that the continuing high level of participation, in both numbers of candidates and voters, was indicative of the great interest shown in the association and its work on behalf of the industry. He added: "It's good to welcome two such well-known individuals who will undoubtedly provide fres

Details
FX is marking the start of the New Year with a brand new image designed to identify and promote all areas of its business. The changes are highlighted by the company's logo that now features the FX brand name followed by the name of each of its separate divisions. These include FX Rentals, which handles all rental business; FX Copyroom, which handles transfers to and from any format - analogue and digital; FX Music Control, the company's sales arm; FX Spain, which represents its International dimension and the recently added FX Cimple Solutions, a servicing and repairs division.

Details
A 25-year-old freelance lighting crewman was killed in the early hours of Thursday 16 December when he fell more than 80ft during the breakdown of the after-show party for the Spice Girls following their recent sell-out performances at Earl's Court. PLASA Publishing has learnt that the technician, one of the crew working for lighting supplier Spot Co, was not de-rigging the stage in the main arena, but working on the second level where the after-show party had been held. He was taken to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. A spokesman for Earls Court confirmed that the fatality had occurred at 3.50am Thursday morning. Earls Court management, in conjunction with the relevant authorities, is in the process of a thorough investigation of the incident. A further statement is expected shortly.

Details
A new initiative to improve the career prospects of those working within the events sector has also recognised the importance of the sector to UK tourism. The continuing growth of events in the UK is a primary reason for the creation of TTENTO, the new National Training Organisation for Travel, Tourism Services and Events. The Government-backed organisation has been set up to ensure industry employers undertake training and development and will provide the events sector with nationally recognised qualifications for its workforce and individual career paths. In particular, TTENTO is working on initiatives for small businesses which comprise some 85% of the travel, tourism services and events industries. The new body brings together all three sectors under one banner for the first time and follows the launch of the events industry NVQs/SVQs earlier this year.

Details
With so much activity confirmed around the New Year period, it's not surprising to find the big production houses organising themselves ahead of time. As such Edwin Shirley Trucking (EST) is finding itself busier than usual during the dying days of '99. In preparation for the Brussels Motor Show in Jan 2000, EST has begun to transport 30 truckloads of equipment out to Belgium for Imagination, the producers of the Ford display. Also out in Belgium, Toyota is staging a pre-Motor Show bash for its main European dealers, which will require around five EST artics to outfit the show. In a similar vein, but over here in the UK, Ford is holding aChristmas dealer review at the ICC in Birmingham for which a further seven EST trucks will be required. As if that weren't enough, during the same period 14 45-footers will be ferrying equipment over to Seville in Spain for the launch of the all new Ford

Details
Earls Court Olympia, the venue for the annual PLASA Show, is currently part-way through a £60 million six year improvement programme. Phase One sees several improvements come on line including the upgrade of the main escalators. Phase Two will address the general upgrade and refurbishment of facilities throughout the venue, including the refurbishment of several catering areas in Earls Court 1 and a new business centre. Part of this phase will also see the completion of the painting and 'column cladding' programme on the ground floor of Earls Court 1. The Warwick Road and West Brompton entrances to Earls Court 1 are on-line for upgrading during 2000. In addition to all the work going on within the Exhibition Centre, the West Brompton/Earls Court rail-link is now fully operational, enhancing the travel routes direct to this important central London venue.

Details
Two divisions within Philips Electronics UK Ltd will merge as from January 1st 2000. Philips Communication & Security Systems (CSS) and Philips Imaging and Connectivity (I&C) will form Philips Communication, Security & Imaging (CSI). The move is seen as "a logical step which will create new business opportunities and open additional sales channels." The newly formed company will cover the areas of PA, congress, private paging, healthcare, communication and intercom systems and CCTV.

Details
The team of theatre consultants which has been operating as Techplan for the past 15 years has become incorporated and is undertaking new projects as Theatreplan. Charles Wass, Roger Fox, John Whittaker and Richard Brett have been joined by Neil Morton and are trading as Theatre Planning and Technology Ltd. They continue to be contactable through the Stagehouse in Kingston, but the centre of operations will be transferred to Doughty Street in London.

Details
Manchester-based Power Gems has grown over the last eight years to become the world's largest independent designer and manufacturer of electronic power supplies for the motion picture lighting industry. PLASA Publishing has learnt that the company has entered into a strategic alliance with US-based Warner Power LLC, and as a result, is now expanding its technology into industrial and medical markets. Power Gems investment has secured a 49.9% shareholding in Warner Power, a management buy-out of WPI Electronics Inc and WPI Power Conversions Inc, with a combined $20million turnover.

Details
Following David Pacy's recent return to Clever Group, and the company's change of name back to Metro Group, further changes have been announced by the company. Pacy commented: "Metro Tyrell's business is extremely specialised. Therefore, I believe that Metro Tyrell will operate more successfully working alongside the Metro brands as a sister company and part of WPP Group plc, as opposed to being part of the Metro Group. All parties are in agreement and with the full support of WPP, we look forward to an extremely successful 2000." The company name will be changed by the end of January.
  1. Neutrik Files Patent Infringement
  2. Focus and Jansen & Jansen Combine
  3. Noise Control the Sweet Way
  4. Royal Court Delays Opening
  5. Andrew Lloyd Webber Buys Stoll Moss Theatres
  6. Mounsor Launches New Enterprise
Page 55 of 240
Robe - Large MPU
GLP - Large MPU - Nov 2024
Showlight - MPU - June-July, Oct-Nov 2024

Latest Issue. . .

Save
Cookies user preferences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline
Advertisement
If you accept, the ads on the page will be adapted to your preferences.
Google Ad
Accept
Decline