UK - Lighting Designers Peter Fisker and Paule Constable are the two latest lighting designers to be invited to the Lee Filters Factory to create their own unique range of colours. Working alongside the Lee research and development team, each designer created four new colours which have now been added to the popular Lee 700 series. The new colours are being launched at PLASA 2008 and will be on show on the Lee Filters stand throughout the exhibition.

Come and see for yourself at Lee Filters Stand C68.

New colours from Peter Fisker: 700 Perfect Lavender, 703 Cold Lavender, 727 QFD Blue, 780 AS Golden Amber

New colours from Paule Constable: 768 Egg Yolk Yellow, 742 Bram Brown, 733 Damp Squib, 731 Dirty Ice

(Julie Harper)

UK - Jester TL is a theatrical version of Zero 88's popular Jester consoles, bringing the power and flexibility of this range to those operating in theatre environments. The Jester TL offers control of up to 120 dimmer channels from a numeric keypad using standard industry syntax.In common with the other Jester desks, the Jester TL features a cue stack for the play back of memories in a traditional theatrical manner. Submaster playback (via DMX-in) is also supported. As with the other Jester consoles in the range a monitor port is standard together with USB storage and easy patching. Control of up to 30 moving lights is simple using palettes, effects engines and a full fixture library. Its small form factor makes it perfect for venues that were previously limited by space.

With the addition of a dedicated theatrical console the Jester range now represents the most comprehensive

UK - Cooper Controls are pleased to announce their appointment as exclusive global distribution partner for LightFactory.

In September 2007, Zero 88 took on European distribution of LightFactory control software, bringing this incredibly powerful PC based lighting console to its extensive dealer network across Europe.

Following extremely positive response, Cooper Controls will now provide marketing, distribution, service and support worldwide. Existing LightFactory dealers will continue to service their markets. Cooper Controls will be working closely with them to ensure the continued high level of support that they have come to expect from LightFactory.

Graham Eales, Managing Director of Zero 88 said "Having seen the power of the LightFactory products we were very excited about selling them in Europe. Now that we have the opportunity to broaden the market international

UK - Goboland introduces Gobo Motion, its new video clip service, at PLASA 2008. Utilising its experience in gobo production, Goboland now turn this expertise to video content.

Gobo Motion is a growing library of Collection video clips featuring background images and textures which can be downloaded directly from the Goboland website at www.goboland.com. Gobo Motion can also be used to create custom clips from customers' artwork to provide an economical and convenient method of basic video display.

Ideal for small scale budgets, simple installations such as trade show stands or foyer exhibitions, Gobo Motion can be used to animate, for example, a company logo which can then be played from standard hardware such as a laptop or AppleTV through a simple video projector or Plasma screen or LCD screen.

This dispenses with the need for media servers or high-tech projection equipme

UK - High End Systems has introduced StudioPix, a hybrid wide-angle moving yoke LEDwash light with programmable graphic imaging. This second product in HES' new line of Pixelation Luminaires makes its global at PLASA 08 in London.

HES, a new member of the Belgium-based Barco group, unveiled StudioPix at theBarco/High End Systems stand J30 at Earls Court yesterday.

Smaller than its predecessor Showpix, StudioPix features a circular array of 61homogenous 3-watt LEDs on a 13.5-inch diameter head with an output of 11,500RGB lumens. The pixels offer unlimited possibilities by projecting not just colour, but also displaying images and effects that transform the fixture head into a display device.

"We are excited about the addition of StudioPix to the LED family of luminaires,"stated Bill Morris, HES executive VP worldwide sales."We believe that the future of lightin

UK - ETC has announced the appointment of ARRI Lighting Solutions GmbH (ARRI LS) as its preferred distributor for broadcast applications in several major markets.

The new partnership will allow ARRI LS to provide complete broadcast lighting solutions now comprised of ETC control systems and products, ARRI lighting and suspension products, with turn-key design and installation services.

The partnership covers important broadcast markets in central and Eastern Europe (including GUS) as well as the Middle East and Africa.

"ETC and ARRI have developed some of the best lighting technologies for the broadcast industry," says ETC CEO Fred Foster. "This partnership with ARRI Lighting Solutions will capitalise on the strengths of both companies to provide complete lighting systems made with ETC and ARRI products."

The partnership - which does not affect the thea

UK - Following positive feedback from the prototypes presented at PLASA 07, Goboland has launched its range of black steel gobos which have also been nominated for the PLASA 2008 Innovation Awards.

The introduction of black non-reflective coating on the surface of the Black Steel Gobo cuts down on internal reflection to produce a crisper image when projected and eliminating unwanted halo effects, says the company.

The black coating will not burn or peel off under extreme heat and reduces the risk of image distortion caused by heat damage. The full range of Goboland Steel Collection is available in black steel, plus all custom steel gobos are manufactured from Black Steel with immediate effect.

Goboland Black Steel Gobos can be seen on the Goboland Stand F 31.

(Jim Evans)

UK - White Light to supply ETC lighting desks to the Ambassador Theatre Group, the UK's leading theatre group.

Leading entertainment lighting supplier White Light today announces that it has reached an agreement with The Ambassador Theatre Group Limited (ATG), the largest theatre owner in London's West End and second largest across the rest of the UK, to replace the lighting consoles in all of ATG's venues with Eos or Ion, the new generation of control systems from ETC.

Founded in 1992, ATG is made up of twenty-three theatres in London's West End (including the Duke of York's, Piccadilly and Savoy Theatres) and around the UK (including many of the country's leading touring theatres). The theatres currently use a mixture of control systems; over the next 24 months these will all be replaced by either Eos or Ion, ensuring that all of the Group's venues run on the same control pl

The PLASA Show got off to a flying start in London on Sunday this week, with a host of high-profile product launches from many of the entertainment technolog business's leading manufacturers. The draw of new technologies and a string of other highlights has made this a visibly successful event as we enter day three.

Tour News - With a canon of classic songs, unbowed enthusiasm and his musical faculties still sharp, Stevie Wonder has opened his first European tour for a decade. The US star took fans at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on a two-hour journey through almost 50 years of songs that helped shape soul and pop. A sold-out crowd of 13,500 saw him play with a 10-strong band and four backing singers, including his daughter Aisha. Wonder, 58, now visits Manchester and London before other European cities.Festival News - Amy Winehouse has played her last scheduled show of the year

UK - The advent of extremely wide angle profile lenses from such manufacturers as ETC and Selecon has allowed gobos to be used to project across much wider areas than was previously possible. This is ideal when using break up designs like foliage and textured patterns.

However, projection of specific images such as windows and logos has been impossible due to the pincushion distortion inherent in these wide angle lenses.

With Goboland's mastery of keystoning and predistortion of images, it is now possible to use these extremely wide angle profiles to project precise, 'corrected' images on a much larger scale and from much shorter throw distances, says the company.

Goboland has developed a system of pre-distorting gobo images to compensate for the pincushion effect, regardless of which manufacturer's lantern is used.

Each manufacturer's unit has its own unique distortion fa

USA - When John Mayer drew up plans for his 2008 summer tour, the singer-guitarist-songwriter expressed a strong desire to get back to his musical roots and make the show more "organic."

"On previous tours, we had video in the show," says lighting designer Michael Keller. "But John decided he was tired of doing video. We were going to go more straightforward rock 'n roll - the type of feeling where you're watching a band, not video. John wanted to keep everything very organic."

Keller, who has been Mayer's LD for three years, achieved the desired stage impression - and other organic benefits, too - with Elation Professional's Impression intelligent LED moving head. A small and compact, yet high-output, RGB colour-changing fixture, the Impression is the main lighting unit being used on the 30-city tour, which plays at 10,000-20,000-seat indoor and

UK - Vari-Lite unveiled the new VL3500 Wash FX luminaire at PLASA08 in London this week. The unit, exceeding an output of 50,000 lumens, is a wash luminaire that is also capable of acting like a spot luminaire. In its colour bulkhead, the VL3500 Wash FX contains one FX pattern wheel with four spring-loadable rotatable and indexable 50mm glass patterns along with one open position. The dual-wattage unit runs at either 1200W or 1500W and runs 900W in standby. The luminaire projects polished images with the ultra-clear front lens which ships with the unit.

When asked to describe the market readiness for the VL3500 Wash FX luminaire, Bob Schacherl, vice-president of sales for Vari-Lite said: "Lighting designers and customers have increasingly expected feature-rich products that can be adapted or configured to meet the widest possible range of applications. We pride ourselves on

UK - Stage Electrics provided all intelligent lighting for the recent live Big Brother 9 final. Stage Electrics supplied all moving lights, LED lighting, control systems and crew for the duration of the live eviction shows, from the main launch night back in June, through to weekly Friday night live eviction shows, including the studio interviews hosted by Davina McCall.

For the final, Stage Electrics' crew moved the inside studio (normally used for evictee interviews) to the outside and onto the Orbit stage provided by Serious Structures, ready to host the live interviews as the finalists left the house. The exterior studio set included eight VL 3500, eight VL 2000 moving lights, and chroma strip from Pulsar on the eyebrow of the stage. Stage Electrics' crew had to perform a quick turnaround after Tuesday's surprise double eviction show, having to relocate the studio and

UK - Monacor International has announced the departure of Damon Crisp, who for the past 10 months has managed its UK operation in Newport Pagnell.

Crisp, who has left by mutual consent, joined the major German electronic suppliers from Numark Alesis Europe late last year and made an immediate impact.

Commented Marco Willroth, managing director of Monacor International: "We would like to thank Damon for his input and commitment, and wish him every success in his future endeavours."

Taking over as managing director, Monacor UK, is Scott Davis, a veteran of the company for the past 13 years. "This is a great opportunity for me to step up from purely an operational and sales role," said Davis.

(Jim Evans)

UK - The PRG stands at this week's PLASA08 exhibition were "a triumph of success in the face of the happiest of adversity", the company reports.

Simon Cox, PRG Greenford's deputy warehouse manager, has long been the crew chief and organiser for the company's extensive PLASA stands. However, after three years on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, Simon was given "the call" just seven days before PLASA and rushed into hospital. The rest of the PRG team rallied to the fore and were delighted and amazed to see Simon well enough to visit the show to see how they were getting on.

Everyone at PRG is delighted to see Simon doing so well and look forward to having him back to work after the great work by the transplant team at Hammersmith Hospital.

Pictured from left to right are Chris Henry (freelance), Phil Sharp (grubby lampy), Simon Cox (complete with new

UK - HSL supplied and co-ordinated lighting for the Main Stage and the massive Cream Arena at Creamfields 2008 - marking the leading UK dance festival's 10th anniversary - for producers Loudsound Events.

The event featured a host of international DJ's and bands including main stage double headliners Fatboy Slim and Kasabian, and took place at the regular Creamfields site in Daresbury near Warrington.

It is the seventh year that HSL has supplied lighting to the festival, which was co-ordinated by Mike Oates in the office and crew chief Simon Lynch on site. Oates comments, "This year, being a special year, we really concentrated on ensuring that production values were the highest yet. We had a strong team on site who really made it happen very smoothly despite challenging weather and a tight schedule."

The Main Stage was a 20m wide by 15m deep Vertech roof supplied b

Germany - After nearly five years in Las Vegas, Celine Dion has returned to the international stage with her Taking Chances tour, which started in South Africa in February 2008. Every show features six Pandoras Box Media Servers from Cologne- based coolux to help create the visual design of the show.

Lighting designer Yves Aucoin is using Pandoras Box Media Servers and Pandoras Box Media Manager, all communicating with a grandMA lighting desk. The three Media Server GREEN systems render the imagery in real time, all of which are running simultaneously as well as independently on different display technologies.

One system is controlling the extensive LED stage-floor, the second is feeding the Element Labs Stealth package and the third is used for the video switcher that is mixing the camera-feeds with the contents from Pandoras Box. Every Pandoras Box Media Server system

USA - Bandit Lites recently wrapped up a lighting renovation project at the Nashville Convention Centre. Bandit design and consultation associate, Chris Barbee collaborated with Wolf and Travis Electric and ARDEE Design Group on the project.

The convention centre requested that proposals be submitted to replace the dimming and control equipment from the original installation in the eighties. The team from Wolf and Travis Electric, ARDEE Design Group, and Bandit created a system that would function to the specifications that the convention centre clients had outlined in their request.

The team decided to use ETC Sensor dimming equipment and their Unison architectural control system to replace the existing dimmers and control stations. Lutron XP Panels were used to control the switched loads. One of the prime client requirements was to have front-end control software that allowe

Tanzania - On 5 July 2008, six adults with different disabilities set off on an amazing journey to scale Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Accompanied by their individual "buddies", a medical crew, a team of guides and porters as well as a world-class film crew, the explorers set out to demonstrate what can be achieved when people with disabilities work together to overcome their individual limitations. The project was organized by Enham, a UK charity that aims to give disabled people the opportunity to fulfill their ambitions.

To aid the filming of the feature documentary, The Mountain Within, Rosco provided the crew with 6 units of Rosco LitePad HO 12" x 12" and 6 units of 6" x 6" as well as accessories. The thin light source generates a soft even illumination which is dimmable - a feature which proved invaluable during the expedition as it en

UK - An Avolites Pearl 2008 console has been touring the summer festivals with Firefly Solar, claimed to be the UK's first fully mobile, reliable solar power solution for the outdoor events industry, based around the Orion solar powered generator.

The console was specified by Firefly's production manager Andy Mead and lighting designer Doug Currie to control all lighting on the Firefly Stage throughout its extensive summer festival tour, which started in May and has included Glastonbury, Shambala in Northamptonshire, Lovebox, The Secret Garden Party, Retrofest in Scotland, the Loop Festival in Brighton and many others.

Firefly puts high production values at the top of its agenda along with the utilisation of solar energy. Mead explains, "We've been working with a number of different companies and organisations over the years to find high end, low energy technologies with

China/UK - Chinese manufacturers PR Lighting made a massive advance on the world stage at this year's PLASA show, reporting an excellent response to both their new range of automated moving lights and LED displays. This was backed up by some major orders from both installation and rental customers - including literally hundreds of PR Lighting's popular XL 250.

Cui-Lin, director of international marketing and sales, stated that the company had sold 100 of their XL 1500 projectors to Belarus distributor, FE Belimlight, whose Maxim Yugov confirmed that these will be used on a major project in Moscow. This versatile, feature-packed fixture utilises a powerful 1500W short arc discharge lamp, optimised by the use of a high quality and efficient optical system - making it one of the brightest projectors in the market, say the company.

Meanwhile, on the adjacent stand, PR Lighting's U

UK - Avolites reports an action-packed PLASA exhibition at Earls Court, receiving "a fantastic response" to the launch of its new Titan operating system for the Pearl and Diamond 4 series of consoles.

Sales director Steve Warren comments: "We had a sensational show. This is our 19th PLASA and I am amazed how we just get busier each year. We saw thousands of people and it proved the perfect opportunity for us to meet up with many industry friends, show them the fantastic Titan operating system and also say thanks for their enormous support throughout the year."

(Jim Evans)

Europe Coldplay is out on the road with a Martin rig that includes the new MAC 2000 Wash XB luminaire.

Touring Europe and North America in support of their new album, Viva La Vida, the show uses no LED screens or crowd imag at the band's request. Lighting, set, and production designer Paul Normandale makes sure of that, opting for visual impact from video projection and Martin MAC 2000 Wash XBs, MAC 700 Profiles, MAC 250 Washes and Atomic 3000 strobes.

"Coldplay are a high impact band that require dynamic looks with lots of cues," Normandale comments. "The MAC 2000 Wash XB is used primarily as a rear wash light and is so bright it means I can use less than I would with other fixtures. Plus we trim at 48ft so I needed a wash that would reach with cover to spare."

The MAC 2000 Wash XB is a new 1500W Fresnel that takes the proven optical and effect qu

Europe - Bandit Lites continues its working relationship with innovative US-based lighting designer, Susanne Sasic and maverick alternative rockers, REM, supplying full lighting production for the current UK outdoor stadium shows, European arena tour and UK/European festival circuit section of the Accelerate tour.

Lead singer Michael Stipe was very involved in the visuals from the outset, and Sasic - collaborating closely with video director Blue Leach - evolved the stage set which consists of five columns of Barco MiTrix screen and two horizontal strips of SoftLED upstage of the screen. The effect is a subtly layered video texturing to the stage and also structurally mimics the city skyline theme of the album artwork.

Stipe was keen on having video as the main visual centrepiece, so Sasic's gently asymmetric lighting design is largely positioned around the perimeters o

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