HSL celebrates anniversary with open days
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The event included an exhibition space which was dedicated to 32 of HSL’s key suppliers and partner companies including high profile brands and manufacturers like Avolites, Chauvet, High End Systems, J&C Joel, Martin by Harman, Robe, SGM, Philips Vari*Lite, Unilumin and many more, who showcased their latest technologies and enjoyed the general conviviality.
HSL’s Simon Stuart worked closely and tirelessly to make HSL30 happen with a short lead time, just before the autumn touring season kicked in. He worked alongside Jeff Demain as the co-show producer to get the building prepared while event organiser Mark Walsh took care of the administration. In fact, almost everyone working at HSL participated and assisted in some way or another to ensure it was a memorable occasion for all to share.
The gallery space featured a stunning digital backdrop to each stand, created using two 60m-long by 2.5m-high runs of HSL’s new Unilumin Upad III 5 mm LED screen.
Using a disguise gx2 media server, each run of LED was divided into 16 equidistant portions to delineate the stands, and in the centre section of each stand’s LED surface allocation was a 1.5 x 1.0m ‘picture frame’ space of 3.9 mm LED onto which each company could display its own artwork, logo and showreel or video content.
The gx servers were programmed and coordinated by creative video specialist Lucid Technologies, one of the dynamic and vibrant independent companies operating as part of the HSL Group.
Throughout the event in one of the many demo room areas, Lucid also showcased the power of some of the latest live media technologies like disguise, BlackTrax and Notch.
3D content was projected via five Panasonic PT-RZ12K 12K projectors covering 270-degrees of the demo room, with the timeline triggered via another disguise gx2 media server hosting Notch realtime rendering software and combining information from an Avolites Sapphire Touch lighting desk that was controlling four Robe Pointe moving lights.
Avolites demonstrated their AI media server in another self-contained area, while Green Hippo and ETC also had dedicated studios, to showcase their latest technologies in a relaxed and quiet environment.
HSL seized the opportunity of having so much of the industry there to officially inaugurate its Coral Cooper Training Centre for Excellence. A large classroom training facility – inspired by Coral which is at the disposal of all the training and educational courses being run at HSL.
Visitors were also treated to tours of HSL’s vast warehouse facility and were able to engage in plenty of social and business interaction over three airy and attractive gallery spaces which were especially dedicated to the event.
HSL’s MD Simon Stuart admitted to being quite overwhelmed with the response. “I am so impressed and extremely moved by the sheer number of friends who turned out to share this very special moment. So many have been truly inspirational in shaping my life, and that of my family! It’s been really incredible.”
He added, “Being a business for this amount of time is hard. A lot happens in 30 years and I wouldn’t have got through it if not for all of these wonderful friends and people in my life.”
(Jim Evans)
