Designed to reflect excellence in new products in lighting, sound, engineering, AV and staging - the PLASA Awards for Innovation were first established in 1992 and have since been presented annually during the PLASA Show, which this year runs from 9-12 September at Earls Court in London. The Awards have a justly deserved reputation for identifying high quality, innovative new products early in their life and many previous winners are now firmly established in their fields.
Judged by a panel of respected industry professionals, products nominated for the Awards compete for one of eight Innovation Awards, plus an additional trophy for Environmental Impact, awarded at the judges' discretion.
Before being admitted to the Awards for Innovation, exhibitors must prove to the chairman of the judging panel that their product displays some element of 'innovation'. The judges must be satisfied that the product advances the industry by demonstrating a new style of thinking, improves technical practices or represents a significant development in terms of safety.
Only those products that fulfil these criteria in some way will be entered into the full judging process for the Awards. Following this vetting process, all successfully nominated products will be appear in the PLASA07 Innovation Gallery - a specially designed feature of the walkway between Earls Court 1 and Earls Court 2 and one of the main focal points for visitors.
The Gottelier Award will recognise the significant contribution made to product innovation by an individual or team over the years - not just in the sphere of lighting, in which Tony was best known, but across all product sectors. The Award is about reaching those often unsung R&D brains that have been behind so much vital technical advancement over the years - the product designers, innovators and engineers who drive the industry forward.
James Eade, technical editor of Lighting&Sound International magazine and chairman of the PLASA Awards for Innovation judging panel, was formerly an employee of Tony's at Wynne Willson Gottelier and says: "Tony's passion about new ideas included every aspect of entertainment technology, from theme parks to the stage. Most of all, he was passionate about this industry and keen to see it grow through innovation, and by turning ideas into reality - so it is fitting that such an award should be named in his memory."
Companies or individuals have until Friday 13 July to nominate anyone who they feel should be recognised for their contribution to product development and innovation. Nominations can be made online at www.plasashow.com/awards/gottelier.
The nominees will then be made public, and online voting will begin. The winner will be the nominee who secures the most verified votes from the industry by Friday 17 August, and the award will be presented during the Awards presentation ceremony at the PLASA Show on Monday 10 September 2007 at 6pm."We're keen to recognise innovative organisations who bring ideas to life," comments Director of Events Nicola Rowland. "The relaunched Awards underline our commitment to new concepts and new technologies."
Further information on the Awards for Innovation and the new Gottelier Award - together with other key details on PLASA07 - can be found at the web site: see address below.
(Lee Baldock)
