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UK - PLASA's Technical Resources Office would like to remind LSiOnline readers that the European RDM and sACN Developers Conference and Plugfest for 2015 will take place from 22-24 April, in the UK, at Gatwick Manor, London Road at Lowfield Heath, just south of Gatwick Airport.

The Developers Conference provides a European forum for manufacturers, designers, consultants and prospective users; and aims to ensure that the adoption of these new standards achieves desired levels of interoperability and reliability.

Conference sessions will cover the understanding, implementation and use of the published E1.20 and E1.37 RDM standards. Other projects in the current PLASA Technical Standards Program such as 'E1.33: RDMnet' and the various E1.37-X extensions will also feature.

The 'Plugfest' is a hands-on opportunity for product developers to try out their hardware and code implemen

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The Netherlands - At ISE 2015, software providers Stardraw.com logged a record number of visits to the stand, extremely healthy sales and to cap it all, Stardraw Design 7.1 was voted a winner in the InAVation Awards in the category of Most InAVative Integration Tool. The Stardraw Design 7 suite of design and documentation tools has already been bestowed with a Commercial Integrator BEST award in the Project Management & Design/Web software category and a Highly Commended from InAVate.

Commenting on this latest award, CEO Rob Robinson said, "It's always extremely gratifying to receive recognition from our peers in the industry, but this award is particularly special, for three important reasons. First, the category of Integration Tool was a very broad one, encompassing all sorts of product types from other innovative software to some very novel and interesting hardware produ

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Germany - In the installation and event technology sectors, one often has to cover long distances. Thanks to the Cardinal DVM-HDBT extender systems from Sommer Cable, customers don't need to accept any compromises regarding image and audio quality.

"With our flexible signal management and extender systems of the Cardinal DVM series customers will benefit from a stable HDMI signal transmission over max. distances of 100m. Uncompressed content can therefore be distributed using only a single cable. And this with just a regular network cable," says Peter Rieck, key account & distribution manager at Sommer Cable.

The newly launched latest generation of Cadinal DVM devices can handle a "HighSpeed HDMI with Ethernet" signal which supports the current 4Kx2K, 1080p, 3D, ARC, HDCP, 7.1CH, Home-Cinema-TrueHD as well as DTS-HD standards, thus safeguarding a long-term

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UK - ABTT training co-ordinator Geoffrey Joyce, who through his creation of the ABTT Bronze Award has been instrumental in forging the career paths of many of today's working theatre technicians, was honoured at the Creative & Cultural Skills Awards 2015.

By winning The Theatre Skills Award from amongst a very strong short list, Geoff was honoured in recognition of the debt the technical theatre sector owes to him as a theatre practitioner and trainer. Through his personal conviction and resolve Geoff has established a relevant, accessible and vocational training provision for young people wishing to commence careers in technical theatre.

A facilitator and training programme leader for the ABTT, the introductory training courses Geoff has devised distil a suite of vocational skills, to provide the essential grounding that ensures a new entrant to technical theatre will be safe

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UK - PSCo is holding a 'personal preview event' from 16-27 March for rental partners, system integrators and consultants to visit the PSCo Assessment Centre, to experience the latest in display screen technology.

A new development is the installation of a new DigitalMedia control system from Crestron, to deliver seamless support for all demonstrations. Catering for all trade needs, the space features five individual zones, displaying an impressive selection of solutions - and is currently the only place in the UK for the industry to compare such technologies in an independent environment, says the company.

Stuart Holmes of PSCo explains, "This destination will give visitors a true insight into the breadth of technologies on offer. The five zones within the centre give our clients a clear understanding of the whole range of products and support services we offer to our cha

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UK - The nominees for the Olivier Awards 2015 were announced this week by James McAvoy and Lesley Manville at Rosewood London. Technical nominations include:

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design - Jon Clark for King Charles III at Almeida theatre and Wyndham's theatre; Paule Constable and David Plater for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies at Aldwych theatre; Howard Harrison for City of Angels at Donmar Warehouse; Jan Versweyveld for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham's theatre.

Best Sound Design - Tom Gibbons for A View from the Bridge at Young Vic and Wyndham's theatre; Matt McKenzie for Sunny Afternoon at Hampstead theatre and Harold Pinter theatre; Gareth Owen for Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury theatre; Brian Ronan for Beautiful - The Carole King Musical at Aldwych theatre.

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Eurovision Electro-Swing - Britain's entrant at this year's Eurovision Song Contest will be Electro Velvet, the BBC has announced. Consisting of Alex Larke and Bianca Nicholas, the newly formed pop duo will perform Still in Love With You in Vienna on 23 May to an estimated global audience of more than 180m viewers, in what will be the 60th Eurovision.

Larke is currently lead singer of tribute act The Rollin' Clones. Nicholas appeared in the 1999 Johnny Depp adventure Sleepy Hollow before, at 15, deciding upon a career in music. She has since duetted with Will Young, performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and performed her debut solo single at the turning on of the 2011 Regent Street Christmas lights.

Described by the BBC as "an up-tempo electro-swing" track, Still in Love With You was chosen from hundreds of entries received by the BBC after

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South Africa - Second year students from the Department of Performing Arts Technology at The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) visited DWR Distribution for an introduction to product training on 14 February 2015.

With a revamped syllabus, developed by Hardus Koekemoer (lighting lecturer at Department of Entertainment) and Wandile Mogodo (technical manager at the Breytenbach Theatre, the TUT training venue) this was the first time the 36 students were taken on a field trip, particularly to a lighting supplier to see the latest technology available.

"It's a matter of getting the students switched on," commented Hardus. Many students sign up for the three year diploma not fully aware of what the course entails. Some have never seen a live show before; others still have never stepped inside a theatre.

"That said, our retention rate is 99%, if not 100%,"

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South Africa - DWR Distribution has been appointed as the exclusive South Africa distributor for Quartzcolor and IFF.

"These products are truly standard setters within the television and film industry," said Dave Whitehouse of DWR Distribution. "The brands are synonymous with quality and will be a fantastic addition to our stable."

Quartzcolor was founded in 1954 and has since been a leading lighting brand with a strong reputation based on pioneering fproduct innovations that have now become common names and standards in the lighting industry such as Redhead, Blonde and Bambino.

IFF offers a comprehensive range of lighting suspensions, from simple telescopic posts to pantographs, self-climbing hoists and modular systems with a wide range of mounting brackets and accessories.

Massimo Cecchini, Cosmolight international sales director, commented, "We

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UK - A final few tickets are available for Rob Halliday's Computers in Entertainment talk tonight at the National Museum of Computing, Bletchley.

In his talk, Halliday will look at how computers moved into entertainment lighting, from pioneering systems such as Strand's IDM up to the remarkable Lightboard created for the National Theatre, which still has some tricks that the current generation of PC-based control systems in use today can't replicate. The common link across all of these systems: lighting's critical need for things to happen right now, right on the beat of the music or the snap of an actor's fingers, not a few moments later when the computer decides it's ready.

The event takes place at The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley, Milton Keynes on Thursday 12 March 2015. Doors open at 7:00pm. Tickets range in price from £4.50 - £7.50.

To purc

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UK - Star Events took a depth of infrastructure and technical expertise to Southampton for the Queen to officially name P&O Cruises' new £473m flagship, Britannia - at 143,000 tons, the biggest ship built for the British cruise market.

Subject to strict accreditation and security checks in step with the event's Royal profile, Star Events supplied a 20-20 roofed grandstand, seating 1,325 invitees, a performance stage, ground support for an LED screen and PA, as well as a tiered press platform.

The company also devised a solution for the quayside fix of the zip wire behind the bottle smash. Working closely with the technical production manager Kal Butt and a US specialist team led by Mike Walsh, Star had to overcome the tidal effect on the height of the ship and the fixing point at the middle of the grandstand.

Star Events' project manager, Phil Addyman, comments, "

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UK - To coincide with National Apprenticeship week, Skills Minister Nick Boles has announced that hundreds more top employers have joined the government's successful Trailblazers programme to design high quality apprenticeships in everything from renewable energy to video games. Within that group are 13 PSA member employers, led by PRG UK, who have been approved to develop an apprenticeship for Live Event Technicians - a role that, according to many employers, has not been successfully catered for by current apprenticeship models.

The Trailblazer scheme will help employers decide training content, means of delivery and methods of assessment, all designed to meet their needs and deliver relevant skills.

John McEvoy, head of production for PRG UK, said: "As suppliers to the live events industry we wholeheartedly support the idea of apprenticeships being developed by employe

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The Day the Music Died - The Music Producers Guild is backing a campaign to ensure that songwriters get a larger share of royalty income generated by digital music sales. Spearheaded by the British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and entitled The Day the Music Died, this initiative will focus on the role and importance of songwriters and composers in the digital music industry. It will press for three key actions - a 50/50 split of gross digital royalty income, the removal of auto-predictive search functionality in search engines, which point people to illegal content and a push for all digital advertising income to be paid to creators for all usage.

BASCA is also asking for more transparency around digital deals and is calling for improved regulation of illegal content on search engines, plus the easier removal of infringing websites and apps. P

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UK - Entertainment Workshops (EW), the Rye-based education facility providing essential alternative education in creative media and production arts for students of school-age - has been highly commended in the Micro Business Award category of the Apprenticeships 4 England 2015 Training Provider & Apprentice Employer Awards.

Operations Manager, Paul Byrne, received the award on behalf of the Sussex charity, which was one of seven small businesses shortlisted as finalists for the category.

Also in attendance was EW employee/apprentice, Phil Smith, who recently completed his level three apprenticeship in Live Events & Promotions. He said, "I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at EW to achieve this apprenticeship, the constant support and encouragement has been invaluable"

David Byrne, Chairman said: "It's fantastic to have another great award to add to

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UK - On 17 March, GMG Network and Pickevent hosted a number of end clients and production managers from across the industry for a panel discussion with leading H&S advisors within the industry (Simon Garrett of X-Venture and Lee Holloway of Freeman) - covering how the impending CDM2015 legislation will affect the events.

It was agreed that this revised part of criminal law will be implemented, whether the industry likes it or not, although the PSA have put up a bold fight for the HSE to present a business case. It doesn't replace existing workplace regulations and purely seeks to deal with structuring the management chain during the planning and construction phases of an event.

It was evident that the phrase "Client is King" will gain new meaning now as they really will be responsible for every H&S aspect at all of their events - this includes all subcontracted work.

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UK - J&C Joel, one of the world's leading manufacturers of flame retardant fabrics and flooring for the entertainment and event industries, is celebrating after being recognised as Yorkshire's best Small/Medium Exporter.

As well as picking up the award at this year's Yorkshire Business Masters awards, J&C Joel has also been 'Made in Britain' accredited, further showing its dedication to providing UK manufactured goods worldwide.

Celebrating the success and achievements of businesses operating across the region, the Yorkshire Business Masters award, organised by TheBusinessDesk.com and presented by the BBC's Damian Johnson at Queen's Hotel in Leeds, further reiterates J&C Joel's global business success.

J&C Joel has been providing bespoke theatre curtains, drapes, canvasses, backdrops and stage engineering services for stage shows, events and exhibitions for more than 35 year

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Fame Academy - Sir Paul McCartney is to induct former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Starr is the last of The Beatles receive the musical honour. Sir Paul will usher in the 74-year-old at the 30th annual ceremony at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum next month. The Beatles are already in the hall as a group, as are John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison as solo artists. Other inductees will include Green Day, Lou Reed and Bill Withers.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Starr said it meant "recognition" of his work. He added: "And it means, finally, the four of us are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even though we were the biggest pop group in the land."

Eagle Joe Walsh will perform some of Starr's music, while Withers' music will be performed by John Legend. It is not known if Withers, who quit

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Fame Academy - Sir Paul McCartney is to induct former Beatles bandmate Ringo Starr into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Starr is the last of The Beatles receive the musical honour. Sir Paul will usher in the 74-year-old at the 30th annual ceremony at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum next month. The Beatles are already in the hall as a group, as are John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison as solo artists. Other inductees will include Green Day, Lou Reed and Bill Withers.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Starr said it meant "recognition" of his work. He added: "And it means, finally, the four of us are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even though we were the biggest pop group in the land."

Eagle Joe Walsh will perform some of Starr's music, while Withers' music will be performed by John Legend. It is not known if Withers, who quit

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UK - Specialist asset finance company Medialease has expanded its sales force with the appointment of long term industry professional, Stuart Fenwick, who has held management roles in the European production technology industry for over 20 years and is a familiar face to manufacturers, rental companies and end users alike.

With broadcast, live event and AV technology continuing to evolve at a remarkable pace, Medialease's specialist asset finance services are in more demand than ever to ensure that service providers and rental companies have the most up-to-date equipment. But the company also services a much wider customer base, all of whom need sound advice and dedicated, individual service - which is why Stuart was the standout candidate.

"Stuart's combination of experience, industry knowledge and being a well-known face ideally place him to provide the kind of service

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Australia - TDC - Technical Direction Company - has announced a pioneering partnership with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), which will see TDC provide expertise, guidance and support to the next generation of Australia's artists, technical theatre designers and practitioners.

Through this partnership, TDC will give NIDA students access to expert training and the latest cutting-edge stage and live performance technology including LED screens, large-scale projections, videos and broadcast camera systems.

Michael Hassett, managing director, TDC, said: "As one of Australia's largest suppliers of video technology solutions the company is honoured to partner with NIDA and looks forward to working with the staff and students to provide technical knowledge and industry-readiness."

The collaboration will see TDC provide specialist consultation and support on

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UK - There is little than can compare to the sheer joy of listening to the assembled voices of several thousand youngsters singing their hearts out. In motivational terms alone, what Young Voices does for the primary school age children of the UK is sensational; to be planted front stage centre in one of the UK arenas and perform in front of an equally large audience is a memory most of them will carry for the rest of their lives. How do we know this?

Arthur Mazzer who works for Britannia Row Productions Ltd (Britrow), the company that has provided the sound system for these events since their inception, was once one of those early choristers. "We all like music," he said, "I don't think you can work in this industry unless you love it, and for me singing was what started me off. In that sense Young Voices was a magical experience."

Astute readers will also

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UK - Fulcrum Projects is launching its unique cable management flooring system to the live events and exhibition sectors. The unique low profile system brings a new approach to cable management for expo environments and temporary events of all kinds, offering complete flexibility and access when it comes to underfloor cabling for power and data. Fulcrum's Infofloor complements company's existing extensive range of power distribution equipment and adds another element to Fulcrum's long standing status as a leading provider of technical services for live events.

At just 50mm high, Fulcrum's cable management floor is a unique grid system with channels to house the cables which can be accessed at any time; meaning different disciplines can work alongside each other during the build and break down and changes can be made in positioning of technical equipment and furniture.

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UK - Three new trustees have been appointed to industry charity Behind the Scenes UK, joining the board of trustees led by chairman John Simpson. Their combined expertise and reputation are set to help promote awareness of the charity within the industry as well as enabling greater representation across its different sectors.

Sue Dunford is currently head of production for entertainment for ITV Studios UK, responsible for the delivery of over 1250 hours of television a year. Having started her career at the BBC, Sue worked in production management across various genres. She joined ITV in 2001 as head of production for arts. Since then she has been head of production for all the non-scripted departments within ITV production, managing large teams in both Manchester and London.

Tom King began work as event manager at the Royal Albert Hall in 2006, working on a host of shows, inc

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UK - Entec was involved in a recent collaboration with The Gig Company as technical production partner for An Evening With Suggs and Friends, an intimate action-packed showcase staged in the Woolwich Suite at the Emirates Stadium which raised over £130,000 for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Hosted by Suggs and Stephen Kelly the gala dinner evening included an auction which was presented by Charles Hanson plus incendiary performances from Rudimental and Madness together with a house band comprising top session musicians.

Entec took care of all aspects of the lighting, sound and staging design and realisation, which was project managed on site for them by Matt Arthur working closely with Noreen O'Riordan and Mark 'Magic' Ellis Cope in Entec's west London base.

Jenny Johnson and Viva McPherson of The Gig Company comment, "It is wonderful working with Entec - as well as

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