Doughty Engineering
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Stage Technologies' Maxis control system and BigTow winches enabled Tom King (the show's automation operator) to achieve the desired effects needed for this sensitive show without detracting from the intimacy of the performance. After two years as a technical operator King is using
This is the first time a show of this nature has been granted permission to take place in the Piazza San Marco, a world heritage site and home to thousands of pigeons. The audience was joined by the film's star 'voice-over talent' including Will Smith, Robert de Niro and Angelina Jolie, along with the film's producers and directors. In addition to the 500 VIPs, approximately 5,500 local guests also enjoyed the evening - free -
With an increasingly diverse schedule of events, the hall's rigging upgrade was prompted primarily by general health and safety concerns. Working closely with the venue's head of rigging Paul Rowlands and rigging and motor supplier Bridgehouse, Kinesys' Dave Weatherhead devised a customized control system to the venue's initial brief.
A major challenge was that all Kinesys' distro racks, patchbays and control gear had to be mounted within the grid itself. This was for neatness and to minimize cable runs, for which Kinesys also developed a series of customized cable trays that run neatly with
Richard Martin and Pete Hughes with MD Yan Stile developed the idea. Experienced members of Canegreen's staff taught the next generation of staff and freelancers the skills required to work safely and efficiently at events. Focusing on line-array rigging, attendees gained an understanding of the processes involved in setting up events, from opening the back of the lorry and loading in, to rigging line-array speaker systems, de-rigging and loading out. Some attendees used the day as a refresher course, whilst others used it to advance their basic skills. The day allowed pe
"We were well placed to take the job on" explains ELP project manager Toby Dare "as we already provide all the rigging services for the Royal Festival Hall next door. We proposed and designed a new grid system for the QEH which would be flexible enough to accommodate the diverse range of productions the Hall now caters for. These now vary from orchestral performances, through to theatre, circus and modern dance."
Over a six-week period, (from the end of July to early September 2004) the ELP crew stripped out all
Vertigo director Rebecca Loughran said: "Designers in all environments are embracing the vast possibilities this technology can deliver. For Technical Managers the time saving advantages, reliability and unbeatable VGB-C1 safety standard, are making this the 'must have' motion control system for the professional entertainment industry."
The UK Service Point will pr
Consisting of two 5-foot sections of triangular trussing and two crank stands, the company says the Dura Truss System is easy to set up and take down, while the steel truss tubing is small, keeping the system lightweight and transportable at just 85lb unloaded. Quick Release pins allow for fast assembly without the use of clamps, so the system can be up and running in a snap.
The system is designed to be safe and secure and all lighting fixtures can be bolted directly to the truss via the available mounting holes. The crank stands are designed not to tip over if someone accidentally bumps into the rig. Suggested retail price is $439.95.
(Mike Lethby)
This proposal is the result of representations made by the construction industry, which is seeking to maintain its existing practices by retaining the current 2-metre rule in these new regulations. This may have implications for other industries, which is why a short sharp consultation exercise is being undertaken to gather views from construction industry and other stakeholders.
Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSC said: "There has already been extensive consultation on these Regula
It will make its live TV début at 9pm on Saturday on BBC TV's 'Big C' cancer research benefit show, which will be broadcast 'as live' from London's Alexandra Palace. Vertigo Rigging director Rebecca Loughran says: "Viewers in the production business will be able to see the versatility of the CyberHoist/InMotion 3D system being used for scenic moves and lighting effects designed by Pe
The redesigned medium duty fold flat truss, the fixed catwalk truss for permanent installations and the value engineered, industry standard trusses that form the Element range, all attracted considerable interest, but it was the Ballast Truss, a practical solution to the issue of stability of outdoor delay towers and roof structures, that won the vote. Peter Hind (Total Structures' VP engineering) acce
There will be new and used equipment to suit every budget. From large Gladiator follow spots to small birdies, Patt 23 to Strand SL Profiles, From Carousel to Barco LCD projectors. The list is endless and an up to date version can be found at the website below.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
The College is the first of its kind for London in ten years and runs a wide range of further education courses for students in the borough, including Performing Arts vocational courses in Technical Theatre, Acting and Dance. When the College was granted funding to build new teaching rooms for the Creative Arts and Media department, it commissioned Theatre Consultant Crin Claxton to produce a detailed specification of the technical facilities required for a new theatre studio, dance studio and film screening room. The theatre would be used to host multiple types of student and guest artist performances, and provide teaching space for the various production and perf
Double Gold Medallist Kelly Holmes led the victory parade of 100 medal winners from Team GB along with Paralympic medal winners. The celebratory procession, comprising five giant branded floats, started at Piccadilly and snaked along The Haymarket before arriving in Trafalgar Square. It culminated in a presentation attended by over 15,000 fans, which launched London's 2012 Olympic bid campaign slogan - " Make Britain Proud".
For each float Blackout produced five giant perforated vinyl mesh banners, each measuring 14 x 2.4m to fit each flat bed trailer deck. Designed by Mark Norton of Think Farm, they depicted five different sports disciplines - rowing/sai
The four-day Frieze 2004 was the largest ever contemporary art exhibition and events programme staged in the UK, and was enjoyed by over 40,000 visitors and art lovers. The look and feel of the exhibition space was airy, open and predominantly white. Following the phenomenal success of last year's inaugural event, this year the area Summit was dealing with increased to total 15,720sq.m. The largest of the structures measured a massive 200m x 40m with a capacity of 8,000sq.m.
The steel cable was secured to the structures using Summit's custom designed rafter clamps - two part metal clamps, which fix into the lower grooves of the roof r
Wood first worked with Jones at PCM, which he joined aged 18. He left four years later to work as assistant engineer with industrial lifting and rigging specialist Cosalt, continuing his career in the lifting business. Wood comments: "It's going to be a great challenge working with LTM - a brand new company with a brand new attitude and lots of drive and enthusiasm. I am looking forward to helping make the company a great success."
John Jones says: "Our business
This starts its UK tour at Manchester Opera House in November, following a lengthy and successful stint in the US. Kinesys initially supplied the production two years ago at the start of its US tour - providing six Elevation 1+ variable speed chain hoist controllers, an Array PD-ES power and Emergency Stop distribution unit plus a computer system, complete with proprietary Vector software. This was used to move the lighting trusses quickly and safely during the show, greatly enhancing the visual dynamics and flexibility of the touring rig.
Kinesys supplied the kit via Tomcat US, who provided the accompanying customized high speed Lodestar JJ Motors to US production company Troika. Tomcat also un
The company will manage all technical aspects of the rigging by careful planning and by supplying an in-house rigger to assist incoming riggers. In addition, directors Mark Armstrong and Phil Broad have produced a safe working procedures document specific to the venue.
The CIA venue manager Graham Walters commented: "We are aware of the reputation of Star Rigging and hope they will bring the same level of professionalism to the CIA as in the other venues they work in. Bringing in Star Rigging
The show's designer Peter Bingeman and director Tony Dickson were also keen to use the Cyberhoist system, as it would maximise time during their tight set-up and rehearsal schedule, and also be a flexible solution for moving certain set pieces in and out during changeovers, to get the next band's backline onstage.
Vertigo undertook the rigging for the event, project managed for them by Tom Roberts, who worked with a team of six Ver
This latest system, developed in close cooperation between Prolyte and Ital Stage, is based on the standard B100RV truss and the new series of towers, the C52T. As the stage is based on standard elements, it is not only a very economic system, but is also easy to build, say Prolyte, with the whole construction designed and developed within two weeks.
The roof is constructed from five arches made of B100RV truss. A hinge in the bottom connectors and a pen-fork connection with a spreader plate in the top connections, gives the complete span the arch needed. Two steel wires per span absorb the arch thrust. The arches are connected to a standard sleeve block for the B100RV t
The structural challenge of the project was to deliver a tower capable of supporting the 6.5 tonnes of glass, four thousand bottles of wine and four flying performers known as 'wine angels'. Adding to the already stunning complexity of the project the air-handling system had to deliver chilled and warm air to individual wine cases throughout the tower, maintaining ambient working temperatures for the Wine Angels and ensuring that there is no condensation on the glass.
To make this complicated system work, every element of the tower had to be perfect with the largest
Arena Seating worked closely with fellow suppliers StageCo and Kayam through the design process and rain-flooded installation, to interface its equipment to create a safe infrastructure for the televised event. The company had been given only two weeks to translate Italian seating regulations and design a layout to conform, before being given the go ahead to ship the 10 truck loads of equipment and nine crew to Rom
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Rigging Seminars is the longest established entertainment rigging training program, and is highly respected in the industry. They are taught by Harry Donovan and Jay O. Glerum, both working professionals with more than 40 years' experience in show business. Both have written respected books on entertainment industry rigging and thousands of riggers have graduated from their courses, ay the company.
Glerum has been a stagehand, scenery and lighting designer, technical theatre instructor at several universities, and systems designer for a major theatre equipment compa