General

APRS details categories

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Members and invited guests of the APRS, the Professional Recording Association, gathered at the Bush Bar & Grill in London recently to hear more about the new recording membership categories that have recently been introduced by the Association.

The new categories recognise the changes taking place across the recording industry and are designed to address the needs of the smaller professional and non-professional members, as well as the Association's existing established membership.

APRS council members Nick Dimes and Tony Andrews introduced the new categories and explained how these will enable all professionals involved in music making to benefit from APRS membership. The Association also took the opportunity to introduce its new Terms and Conditions, a task handled by Malcolm Atkin and Dennis Weinreich (APRS Directors) and Richard Taylor and Stuart Barry from the Simki

Cast Software releases Vivien 1.1

Details: 14 March 2016

Canada - Cast Software has announced the release of Vivien 1.1 - an easy-to-use design software product for event and meeting professionals who service corporate and special events, incentive meetings, tradeshows, expositions, weddings, and parties alike, say the company.

"Event production professionals are telling us they are winning more proposals and being awarded larger contracts with huge applause from clients. This second release meets the demands of our customers and will most definitely attract more event professionals with its exciting new features, including a pipe and drape wizard, a tent tool for creating circus and frame tents, and improved seating, table, and truss wizards," comments Bob Mani, VP of sales and business development.

Vivien's library of items continues to expand with the addition of casino tables and a larger selection of banquet and class

Simon Taylor (left) and Steve Yeardsley.

OneBigStar offers event solutions

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - A company offering turnkey solutions for the event, leisure, exhibition and retail markets has been set up - with the boast that it holds no equipment, has no warehouse and no trucks: OneBigStar, set up by Simon Taylor and Steve Yeardsley, both formerly with LiteStructures, is a production and management company which promises to deliver exactly the right skills for any particular event while ensuring clients' money is spent wisely and economically.

Taylor says: "When you take into account the time scales and budgets of modern productions, no single company can currently deliver the entire solution. It's our intent to bring together those suppliers which are right for any one particular job. We will have no favourites, just companies on which we can rely to deliver the goods."

Having been a project manager at LiteStructures for two-and-a-half years, Yeardsley is

D&M Pro Cricket Cup Challenge 2005

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - For the sixth year, the industry's annual cricket cup challenge returns to the picturesque village of Littlewick Green as the Clarion Events XI (led by Nathan Waugh) sets out to defend its title against the Sound & Lighting Industry XI. Again sponsored by D&M Professional, this popular event is an excellent way to catch up with industry colleagues in the run-up to the PLASA Show (11-14 September).

Taking place on Thursday, 18 August, the 30 overs-per-side match will be followed by a BBQ (and further socializing) in the evening. The ground itself is conveniently located near Maidenhead - and a short drive from both the M4 and M40.

To register your interest in joining the Industry XI, please contact David Atkinson at D&M Professional at the e-mail address below. Alternatively come and lend your support - plenty of Pimms moments are guaranteed!

(Lee Baldock)

L-R: Niall Holden, Giles Copeman, Ben Holden and Dug Guthrie.

VDC appoint two new directors

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - UK cabling specialist VDC Trading has strengthened its corporate structure by announcing two new appointments to its Board of Directors.

Giles Copeman, who has been technical manager at VDC for the past five years, and Ben Holden, who is production manager, join managing director Niall Holden and technical director Dug Guthrie on the Board with effect from the beginning of August.

"In the last few months we have re-branded VDC to emphasize its dynamic image. This process culminated with the launch of our new website and product catalogue, both of which have been well received, as indicated by our recent record sales figures and our growing customer base," says Niall Holden.

"The decision to strengthen the Board reflects our determination to continue to grow the company by offering the broadest possible range of quality products, the best technical advice

Le Mark expands custom brand operation

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Le Mark has committed to further develop its custom brand service following numerous dealer requests received during the 2004 PLASA show. This service provides a cost-effective and visually pleasing way to keep dealers and OEM's own corporate identity regularly 'on show' through a range of consumable items used within the industry on a 24/7 basis, according to Stuart Gibbons, managing director of Le Mark Group. The most popular product so far to see 'own branding' has been the A&E's industry stalwart Gaffer Tape, says Gibbons.

Gibbons says: "We took the opportunity to expand and modernize our 'product finishing' department during a recent factory refurbishment. This will give us greater 'in house' flexibility to handle and produce fully customized products. The real advantage to customers is that they do not have to order a large volume at one time. Clients choose the

ESTA: draft standard for review

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - ESTA, the Entertainment Services and Technology Association of North America, has announced that BSR E1.19, Recommended Practice for the use of Class A Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) intended for personnel protection in the Entertainment Industry, is available for public review. The draft standard gives advice on where, when, and how to use GFCIs in the entertainment industry. The official ANSI 60-day public review period starts on August 5, but the draft standard is available now at www.esta.org/tsp/documents/public_review_docs.php. The public review runs through October 4, and the links on the website will disappear at the beginning of 5 October, the ending date noted.

Reviewers are also asked to look for protected intellectual property in the draft standard. ESTA and Accr

PLASA launches Manufacturers Forum

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - The 6,000 jobs recently lost at the UK-based MG Rover Group are symptomatic of a wider trend across Europe that has seen manufacturing production decrease. Britain alone has shed a million manufacturing jobs in the last 10 years - a reflection of the general economic shift from manufacturing to service industries.

Part of the reason for this decline is that manufacturers worldwide are dealing with numerous issues - increasingly prescriptive legislation, customer migration to Asia and the challenges of building a successful infrastructure to sustain and improve manufacturing. In recognition of these issues, PLASA (Professional Lighting and Sound Association) has established a Manufacturers Forum to allow the organization to better understand the issues faced by its members. An initial meeting will take place in central London on Tuesday 2 August and all 250 manufacturing mem

New auction website for production industry

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - The Diffusion Group have launched a new website to auction professional lighting, sound, staging and video equipment. Gearsales.com aims to become the industry site to buy and sell new and used equipment. "There is not an auction website specializing in production equipment. I believe that gearsales.com will enable sellers to connect easily and directly with buyers, creating quicker and hassle-free sales," said Diffusion Group managing director Darren Wain.

"Sometimes hire companies' list ex-hire equipment on their own websites - this can mean hours of searching individual websites to no avail," said Tom Nicholson, Diffusion Group director. "

The site benefits sellers due to the auction format, allowing items to reach higher prices than if they were sold with a fixed price," adds Wain.

To celebrate the launch of the site, Gearsales.com is c

ABTT Summer School 2005 - now accredited

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Building on the success of the previous two years, the third ABTT Summer School takes place during the first week August at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry from Monday, 1 August - Friday, 5 August inclusive.

The courses are for members of the ABTT wishing to develop their career in the industry by learning new skills or refreshing their knowledge of individual subjects. This year sees three firsts; the launch of the Silver Award courses, alongside the established Bronze Award, full accreditation of all courses by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and ABTT's active involvement in Skillscene, the organization developing industry standards for the live arts.

Open to members of the ABTT only, a few places remain for the Sound Technicians course for this year.

Also during the same week, the ABTT Road Show will be held on Wednesday 3 August 2005, at the same venue at

Leisuretec Distribution - an Investor in People

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Leisuretec Distribution has been recognized as an Investor in People organization after achieving the Standard in February 2005.

"We are fully committed to developing our people's skills in order to achieve our wider business aims and objectives. We have used the Investors in People planning process to address our needs and have now implemented a training and development programme. We will consistently evaluate this to ensure our workforce has the most up to date skills so that we can continue to build upon our success," commented Suzannah Hawkins, business development manager for Leisuretec Distribution.

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of Investors in People UK comments: " Putting people development at the heart of every function is the most cost effective decision a business can make. Employees are central to business success so it is vital for staff to be

ABTT visit The Junction Theatre, Cambridge

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - This month ABTT members got their first opportunity to see the new Junction Theatre, Cambridge, at a special open day hosted by the venue's development director Robin Townley and architects Plowman Brown.

Junction 2, a 220-seat timber clad theatre - nicknamed The Shed - which opened in March 2005, is the first purpose-built public theatre to open in Cambridge since the 1930s and will house the company's growing programme of contemporary drama, dance, poetry, comedy and world music.

Anne Minors, chairman Society of Theatre Consultants, said of the visit: "The ABTT visit to the Junction demonstrated how a persistent client, a design team who detailed the building early on, and an interested contractor and subcontractors, achieved good value for money, and an attractive building fit for purpose".

The full project team for the Capital Development Project undertake

Showlight 2005, Munich

Details: 14 March 2016

Germany - Showlight, the quadrennial conference about lighting design in all its manifestations, took place in Munich in May. Under the guiding hand of chairman John Watt, the Showlight committee brought together designers, business-people, technicians, educators and students to talk about lighting. There was no grand theme; the constant clash of ideas was, in fact, the point. Thanks to the stimulating topics, the good companions, and the excellent German beer, a good time was had by all.

Sunday, 22 May opened with Mark White, regional manager or ETC UK and Eire, chairing the opening sessions. First, Australian lighting designer Nick Schlieper presented 'Four Years on Wagner's Cycle', his epic tale of how the smallest opera company in Australia (official staff number: five) took on the first locally-created staging of Wagner's Ring Cycle. The result, a strikingly sleek, modernis

The Tides of Time

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Based since 1990 in the seaside town of Scarborough, and celebrating its 50th anniversary, the National Student Drama Festival chose 'The Tides of Time' as the theme for this year's event, to coincide with 2005 being the Year of the Sea.

Amid the intense activity of the Festival week - the preparation and in some cases creation of six venues,16 productions running concurrently, the logistics of deploying a 75-strong team of student technicians, and the inevitable socializing - lies a fundamental emphasis on education. The event aims are to harness the enthusiasm of so much young talent and develop them into the technical and performance professionals of the future.

With participants from all over the country, the organizers confront a wide range of skill levels. Safety aspects are covered by a series of training forums on subjects including manual handling and rigging, bu

Neutrik at 30: the right connections

Details: 14 March 2016

Liechtenstein - Neutrik, the world's leading manufacturer of audio connectors for entertainment applications - has celebrated its 30th anniversary. In June, the company invited L&SI out to its brand new headquarters and factory in Schaan, Liechtenstein, the tiny Principality sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria. It was here in 1975 that the company began with just two people in an old stables building.

Today, the company employs 650 people in subsidiary companies around the world including the USA, UK, Switzerland, France, Japan, China and Germany, and has a network of exclusive distributors in more than 80 countries. CEO Werner Bachmann, one of those original two staff members, heads up a truly international company which is tackling the move into digital technology head-on with its EtherCon RJ45 connectors, the new USB and FireWire chassis connectors, and its latest Opti

ETCP Rigger's exams deadline extended

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Due to "overwhelming interest", the ETCP (Entertainment Technician Certified Program) Council has voted to extend the application deadline for the first ETCP rigging examinations (arena and theatre) to 1 September, 2005. Both exams will be held on Saturday, 12 November, in conjunction with the ETS-LDI tradeshow in Orlando, Florida.

Candidates who pass the examinations in November 2005 will be acknowledged as the only members of the 'Class of 2005' on the ETCP website and will be the first ETCP Certified Riggers in North America. The rigging certifications are designed for highly experienced riggers (rigging supervisors, high steel riggers, flypersons, etc). Qualified riggers can apply for either one or both exams, and individuals must meet eligibility requirements to apply.

Under the auspices of the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA), ETCP

Unsustainable product design - how to avoid it

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - On Tuesday, 29 November 2005 at The IEE, Savoy Place, London, UK the IEE Engineering for a Sustainable Future Professional Network will present the seminar Beyond WEEE: Unsustainable Product Design, and how to avoid it.

The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive begins to roll out across the member states of the European Union from August 2005. This directive requires the collection and recycling of WEEE, and passes the responsibility for this back onto the producers. Manufacturers and designers of EEE now have a vested interest in sustainable product design, as by employing suitable design techniques, companies have a chance to minimize these costs, maybe even reducing overall product cost.

The event has two threads running through it. The "Practical" thread will seek to explore the state of the art in Sustainable Product Design an

A qualified success for Showsec

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Showsec reports some impressive landmarks in its ongoing educational programmes this month. Two of the company's senior managers became the first to receive foundation degree qualifications in Crowd Management, the 1000th Showsec employee has achieved their Level 2 NCFE event stewarding qualification, and the 500th member of staff has been SIA accredited - all in addition to the recently qualified IOSH staff.

Leading by example, managing director Mark Harding and southern regional manager Simon Battersby are amongst the first intake of students to successfully graduate from the newly established foundation degree in Crowd and Safety Management at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, with two other managers expected to complete the course within the coming months.

In September 2004, the company embarked on a policy to train all staff to the NCFE Event stewarding l

Draft Standards for public review

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Two draft standards are available for public review on the ESTA website at the address provided below. BSR E1.20, Entertainment Technology - Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512, is available for public review until 11 October 2005, while BSR E1.24, Entertainment Technology - Dimensional Requirements for Stage Pin Connectors, is available for review until 18 October 2005.

The ending dates noted on the website are when the reviews end; on those dates the links to the review documents will disappear. BSR E1.20 describes a method of bi-directional communications over a USITT DMX512/1990 data link between an entertainment lighting controller and one or more remotely controlled lighting devices. The protocol also is intended to work with the ANSI E1.11-2004 control protocol. It allows discovery of devices on a DMX512/E1.11 network and the remote setting of D

10 reasons to visit the PLASA Show

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - With little more than two weeks to go until PLASA 2005 opens its doors, here are 10 reasons why you can't afford to miss out on this year's Show - taking place between Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 September at Earls Court, London:

1. You'll see lots of new ideas - over 1,000 new products will be launched, and the best of these will be featured in the Innovation Gallery.
2. You'll see all the major international brands and manufacturers from around the globe.
3. You'll find more new companies exhibiting this year than ever before.
4. You'll hear about numerous new industry initiatives.
5. You'll find out what others are spending their money on and why.
6. You'll get to talk to lots of different people, many of them potential customers.
7. You'll take back knowledge to your workplace.
8. All the major industry trade associations will be there to offe

Feel the Vibe at PLASA 2005

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - DJs keen to see all the latest DJ technologies should head to this year's PLASA Show, which runs for four full-on days at Earls Court 1 in London, from 11-14 September. Both show floors will be packed with the hottest DJ gear - everything from the smartest decks to top-of-the-range mixers.

Denon, Numark, Pioneer, Stanton and Vestax will be just some of the big-name brands at the Show, and a key part of the 300-strong line up of exhibitors showcasing current trends in lighting, sound, AV and multimedia technologies.

DJ Sunday, sponsored by iDJ magazine, will get the show off to a flying start with numerous events, giveaways and on-stand demos by leading DJs. In the DJ Lounge (at the back of the hall), visitors can watch the winners of iDJ Magazine's monthly Raw Talent competition and there will also be an opportunity to take the first steps into music production with a Tal

Cast Software launched WYSIWYG Release 14

Details: 14 March 2016

Canada - Cast Software launched WYSIWYG Release 14 featuring multiple streaming video display capabilities, plus many more feature updates, including speed efficiencies found primarily in the CAD engine and shaded views.

"WYSIWYG has been the indisputable leader in lighting design software for the past decade. Over this period, we've listened to the needs of our users and strived to provide dynamic software solutions. The introduction of Streaming Video in Release 14 will give them the opportunity to bring live or pre-recorded video streams into WYSIWYG and play them back while creating looks in Design mode or pre-cueing in Live mode," says Gilray Densham, president and CEO of Cast Software.

Other new features that have been implemented include a cross-fading function giving users the ability to see a timed transition between any two stored looks in Design mode. Desi

Technical Standards available on ESTA website

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - The ESTA Foundation has announced the launch of its new website (follow the link below). The entire range of ESTA Technical Standards Program publications, including American National Standards and recommended practices, is for sale, available via electronic download or hard copy. Discounts are available to ESTA members and for quantity purchases.

The Foundation's Seminars and Training area offers educational resources for entertainment technicians, including a comprehensive bibliography of rigging reference materials and rigging seminars. The site also includes information about the Essential Skills for the Entertainment Technician Program, now in development.

The ESTA Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established in early 2005 to create and support educational and charitable programs for the entertainment technology industry. The primary goals of the

L-R: Sales rep Bob Podolinski of RLA, Steve Raslevich of NSL and Aaron Kunz of dbx/Lexicon.

Northern Sound & Light receives award

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Northern Sound & Light (NSL) recently received the Outstanding Sales Performance Award for 2004-2005 from dbx/Lexicon Professional Products. The company was chosen from many competitors in the Eastern region of the United States

The award was given to NSL based on a phenomenal sales performance representing 23% sales growth year over year for the dbx/Lexicon product line. It was personally delivered to Steve Raslevich, president of NSL, by sales rep Bob Podolinski of RLA and Aaron Kunz, eastern regional sales manager for dbx/Lexicon Professional Products.

"The partnership between NSL and dbx/Lexicon is a winning combination," said Kunz. "We have a collective goal to increase sales and brand promotion while offering first rate service and expertise to the pro audio market."

"I am thankful that Bob and Aaron took the time and effort to recognize

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