Video and AV

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30 October 2024

Europe - Sommer Cable’s new HDMI2.1 cable offers maximum robustness and optimally protects its sensitive inner workings from potential damage. The armoured structure of the cable ensures a high load capacity and allows a tensile strength of up to 80 kg. The HDMI connectors with their robust housings also offer maximum stability and can withstand a tensile force of up to 65 kg. Despite this extremely robust construction, the cable is surprisingly slim at just 5.8 mm and can be laid flexibly with a minimum bending radius of just 20 mm.

Thanks to the integrated AOC technology (Active Optical Cable), the transmission of high-speed content is based on innovative fibre optic technology, achieving an impressive transmission distance of up to 100 meters without any loss of signal quality - ideal for large home cinemas or professional installations (art. HI-HI48) t

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29 October 2024

UK - Starlight Express, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘fastest show on earth’, has enjoyed a much-anticipated comeback at the Wembley Troubadour Theatre. The concept for the return of one of theatre land’s best-loved productions was to create an immersive visual experience, where performers race around on roller skates across multiple levels to produce a high-octane entertainment spectacle.

For the video team, led by video designer, Andrzej Goulding and video supervisor, Dan Trenchard, the focus was to obtain accurate camera tracking of up to 26 cast members and seamlessly integrate video of the performers with the live action on stage. Stage Precision’s SP software proved to be an essential tool in making this creative vision a reality.  

The challenge was to design a system that could capture the energy of the on-stage performers and a

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29 October 2024

UK - Stage Electrics Group has been named one of the UK's Top 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For in 2024 by Best Companies, an independent authority on UK workplace culture and employee engagement. Its annual rankings are based on comprehensive, anonymous surveys that assess employee opinions across various factors, including leadership, personal growth, wellbeing, and team dynamics.

Achieving a 2-star Outstanding accreditation from Best Companies and a place on the Top 100 list signifies an organisation's excellence in ‘fostering a supportive and engaging workplace’.

Dave Coull, CEO of Stage Electrics Group, commented: "This achievement is a testament to the incredible effort our team has put into cultivating a company culture rooted in core values that promote collaboration and engagement. I am delighted that our team's feedback

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28 October 2024

Australia - TDC (Technical Direction Company) has been awarded Production Company of the Year and Event Supplier of the Year at the 2024 Australian Event Awards and Symposium held on Wednesday, 23 October 2024 at Le Montage, Sydney.

"We are deeply honoured to receive these awards," said Michael Hassett, managing director at TDC. "This recognition by the industry and judging panel reflects the passion, creativity, and dedication of our team, who continuously push the boundaries of what is possible in the event space. Every project we deliver is a collaboration with talented individuals – our clients, partners, and incredible crew – who make the impossible possible."

This year, TDC has led ambitious and high-profile projects like Dream Circus at Luna Park, which won the award for Best Achievement in Design with Artists in Motion utilising advanced

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28 October 2024

UK - University of the Arts London (UAL) and Sony have partnered on a specialist Virtual Production (VP) research stage, housed within the Fashion Textiles and Technology Institute (FTTI) at UAL’s new East Bank campus in London. This features a Crystal LED wall powered by Brompton Technology’s advanced LED processing.

The East Bank campus is set to become a hub for research, innovation, creativity, and learning, driving collaboration between world-leading universities, cultural institutions, industry experts, and local communities. The VP stage will play a key role in advancing transdisciplinary, practice-led research in Virtual Production (VP) and XR textiles and dress, offering a dynamic environment for experimentation and creative exploration.

The studio is equipped with a seamless horseshoe-shaped Sony Crystal LED display that has a total siz

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28 October 2024

Slovakia - Independent broadcast company, TV Markíza has recently installed a Leyard TVF video wall in the news studio and Leyard CarbonLight CLI and CLI Flex screens in The Morning Show studio. The fine pitch LED displays add functionality and flexibility to the 24-hour, multi-use studios, allowing TV Markíza to switch effortlessly between news, weather or morning chat show layouts.

Leyard’s association with the broadcaster dates back to 2017, when three Leyard TVH series video walls were installed for the news studio. Leyard was then chosen as the supplier for the studio’s 2019 expansion, but the project was delayed due to the pandemic, with the installation of the Good Morning studio completing at the end of 2020.

“A key factor was that Leyard’s European manufacturing facility and head office is in Slov

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25 October 2024

USA - Matthieu Larivee and the team at Luz Studio designed Jason Aldean’s 24-city Highway Desperado tour, which concluded on 5 October at Georgia’s Macon Amphitheatre.

Appreciating that the lower parts of the stage are where most eyeballs (and most cell phones) are focused, they strove to make this area as fan and camera friendly as possible by incorporating multi-level fascia risers into their design.

“The risers were the start of the design,” said Larivee. “I wanted to focus on the lower part of crowd POV. This is where people are mainly watching, and this is the main background of the pictures on social media. This is especially true on amphitheatre tours where it’s hard to manage haze. Therefore, the lower part of the stage is where we get more impact with the artist.”

To ensure that this area popped for the live au

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25 October 2024

Mexico - Malak XR Production Studios commissioned Evoke Studios to collaborate with the prominent Mexican TV station TV Azteca. Together, their aim was to ‘gamify’ the station’s weekly two-minute updates on poll results during the broadcasts of the 2024 Mexican election.

Harnessing a global team of skilled project managers, illustrators, animators, texturisers, and programmers, Evoke Studios created four multi-level, yet challenging, gamified worlds. Here avatars of the presidential candidates competed with one another for poll position.

With multiple creatives working on the project, one of the challenges the Evoke Studios team faced was to ensure continuity of style across all the backgrounds and assets.

“This outcome relies on comprehensive prep work, research, and clear and concise communications,” explains creative technologist

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23 October 2024

UK - QuickLink has been instrumental in easing the remote production challenges of ITV Studios’ popular Saturday Night Takeaway television series.

Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, produces over 500 hours of television for UK audiences every year, ranging from Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, The Voice, Countdown, and University Challenge.

Saturday Night Takeaway is a mixture of live and pre-recorded entertainment, with gameshow-influenced segments and regular surprise interactivity with viewers, including children facing health challenges and their families.

At the remote end, which could be literally anywhere in the country, laptops were initially used with either video capture cards or webcams. To take Saturday Night Takeaway remote segments to the next lev

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22 October 2024

UK - Bristol’s ArcTanGent ‘post-rock and experimental’ music festival kick-drummed its way to its Fernhill Farm location in September with headliners Mogwai and a host of alt-favourites performing amid live visual content. d&b Solutions company Production AV was challenged with supplying, rigging and operating the LED screens with all content driven by their own Hippotizer Amba+ Media Server.

To do the “infectious, thrashy rock” justice, Production AV’s Olie Goulding specified an 8m x 4.5m Desay M6 screen for the Main Stage, which was selected as the best size to fit the stage and structure. The team then coupled this with their playback and control solution with the Amba+ Media Server at its core.

“As each band was supplying their own content, the Amba+ made it easy to manage large amounts of data and provides a platform that makes

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18 October 2024

UAE - Sphere Entertainment Co and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi have announced that they will work together to bring the world's second Sphere to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

“The vision for Sphere has always included a global network of venues, and today’s announcement is a significant milestone toward that goal,” said James L. Dolan, executive chairman and chief executive officer, Sphere Entertainment. “Sphere is redefining live entertainment and extending the reach of its transformative impact. We are proud to collaborate with DCT Abu Dhabi to develop Sphere in their city.”

H.E. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are excited to bring Sphere to Abu Dhabi in partnership with Sphere Entertainment, providing our residents and visitors with an extraordinary new form of entertainment. S

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18 October 2024

MENA - Brompton Technology has announced the appointment of Hassan Abu Minshar as technical sales manager for the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Hassan brings to his new role over two decades of experience in the Pro AV industry and in live events.

Prior to joining Brompton, Hassan worked with image processing manufacturer Analog Way where he successfully managed sales and operations in the Middle East, and built strong relationships with rental and staging companies, AV system integrators and LED manufacturers. His proven track record makes him an excellent addition to Brompton's team.

Hassan states, “I am thrilled to be part of a company that I have long admired for its commitment to delivering exceptional award-winning products. Brompton’s reputation for innovation and customer support aligns perfectly with my own values. I look f

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18 October 2024

The Netherlands/Slovakia - The global launch of the SRS Lighting VLAN-toolbox has been announced. This product is the result of a collaboration between Podiumtechniek B.V., a leading player in the entertainment industry, and SRS Group, a globally respected name in lighting, rigging, and power distribution technology. Together, they have developed a solution that will ‘significantly simplify the lives of AV technicians worldwide’.

The idea for the SRS Lighting VLAN-toolbox was first introduced by Paul van Schaik, co-owner of Podiumtechniek B.V. During the initial presentation of the prototype at CUE 2024 in Rotterdam, it quickly became apparent that there was a high demand for a simple yet powerful tool for network management specifically designed for AV professionals.

"After the presentation, we immediately saw the potential," says Paul van Schai

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17 October 2024

Thailand - Opened in September, Figment Studio is the product of a strategic collaboration between leading industry players to create ‘Thailand’s premier virtual production facility’.

The Studio Park, StageFor Co and Supreme Studio Co have invested over £4.6m into this venture. Featuring leading technology, including Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processing, Figment Studio integrates virtual and real worlds.

Mr. Chayanont Ulit, Figment Studio’s managing director, says: “Our studio was born from the collaboration of business partners. These include The Studio Park, home to Thailand’s largest sound stage and a 216-rai (345,600m²) filming location in Samut Prakan, renowned for hosting major Hollywood productions, alongside StageFor Co., experts in XR and virtual production, and Supreme Studio Co, pioneers in bringing cutting-edge vir

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11 October 2024

UK - Launched in June 2023, Eastbourne, Sussex-based Racquet Studios was born from a film and photographic creative agency that recognised the potential of virtual production. A year in the making, and after rigorous testing and trialling, facilities for virtual film production, education, and specialist research and development were created, relying on Brompton Technology LED processing to power the LED setup.

Since opening, the facility has successfully supported business and production companies through technical innovation and created a progressive creative economy. It has now relocated to new premises to expand its capabilities and be closer to key partners, which include the University of Sussex, East Sussex College, and various independent training bodies.

“We have always intended to develop clear pathways to education through our facilities

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11 October 2024

Hungary - Lightware Visual Engineering has announced its latest AV solutions, designed to deliver flexible, high-quality AV-over-IP connectivity hybrid work and meeting room AV environments. The new Taurus TPN and Gemini GVN products address the growing demand for seamless, real-time connectivity and outstanding performance in collaborative workspaces and mission-critical environments, says the company.

The Lightware Taurus TPN is a device for large meeting rooms, boardrooms, and conference settings. It offers USB-C and SDVoE technology for high-quality HDMI 2.0 4K60 4:4:4 matrix switching over 10G Ethernet networks, with a range of up to 100 metres. Its independent USB 2.0 matrix switching layer supports multiple devices, providing users with automated and manual switching options. This ensures seamless video transitions and an exceptional AV experience, ma

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10 October 2024

Spain - Alfalite has been selected by Telefónica Tech, the technology arm of the global telecom giant Telefónica, to complete one of the standout installations at the new Espacio Movistar, the company’s latest flagship venue.

Located in the Telefónica Building on Madrid’s Gran Vía, the project is part of Telefónica's 100th-anniversary celebrations. Alfalite has designed and installed a five-sided immersive LED cube, covering three walls, the floor, and the ceiling, using its Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.5 ORIM panels.

This LED cube creates an immersive sensory experience for visitors, leveraging state-of-the-art visual technology. The cube’s multiple high-resolution screens, combined with the durability of Alfalite’s panels draw viewers into dynamic and immersive content. The installation is part of Telefónica Tech’s strategy to infuse i

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08 October 2024

Turkey - Gen Z-oriented Fanta Fest returned for 2024 to visit seven of the country’s biggest cities, with five large LED screens displaying more than 43m pixels of performer-specific content, all driven by a Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Server.

Video designer and programmer Gürkan Çalışkan worked with Fanta Fest’s technical director Can Besbelli to deliver strikingly different visual content for the range of artists playing each venue, including prominent Turkish singer Tarkan Tevetoğlu and Turkish rapper CEZA.

Çalışkan was given media content from each performer’s production team, designed to the dimensions of the LED screens, which he loaded onto the Boreal+ MK2 Media Server using Hippotizer’s Media Management feature to organise the show.  

The LED screens were rigged stage left and stage right and as a backdrop, with two

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08 October 2024

UK - Holotronica was part of Brighton Festival this year, the largest annual curated multi-arts festival in England.

“We were very happy to install Hologauze for the visionary string orchestra, 12 Ensemble. Max Ruisi, the orchestra’s artistic director worked with art director Ben Ditto to create an immersive sensory experience using audio reactive, AI-generated holographic visuals on Hologauze,” says the company.

Holotronica installed a 10m by 5m Hologauze XL at the Corn Exchange venue in Brighton Pavilion Gardens. “We provided the installation so once our production team were on site, everything worked perfectly. We used a Panasonic RZ21, which provided the optimum brightness for the venue and the holographic visual piece enveloping the orchestra looked incredible.”

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07 October 2024

Portugal - Europalco has announced a new phase of expansion and innovation with its transformation into a group of companies: the Empowerment Ecosystem. This move aims to consolidate Europalco as the central brand of a dynamic ecosystem, with new companies strengthening its portfolio: New Audiovisuais, Rise, and Av Tech.

At the heart of this new system is Europalco, which takes on the role of empowering all the companies in the group. The Empowerment Ecosystem is built on a differentiated systemic narrative, where Europalco drives the growth and expansion of its companies, always focusing on the people who are part of this universe.

“The creation of the Empowerment Ecosystem is a natural step in Europalco’s evolution. We believe the synergies between New Audiovisuais, Rise, and Av Tech, backed by Europalco’s expertise, will ensure sustainable g

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07 October 2024

USA - Donald Glover’s recently completed The New World Tour was his last run of shows as the Grammy-winning artist Childish Gambino before he retired that stage persona.

“The idea of the whole tour was to build a world – The New World, as a sort of parallel universe, conveying a feeling of high tech but LOFI,” says production designer Tobias Rylander. “The world was to be dystopian and futuristic, not revealing if we’re headed toward darker times, or if we have just come out of them. It is a world where technology is modern but broken – and a world of not so high resolution.”

Lit by a carefully curated collection of fixtures, including the Chauvet Professional PXL Curve, this show opens with Gambino appearing on one of the two side stages dressed in a futuristic space suit surrounded by smoke, lights and laser beams. As he be

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07 October 2024

UK - Holotronica provided a bespoke Hologauze installation for the Island in a River exhibition created by Matthew Rosier at the refurbished Yarm Town Hall Heritage Centre in Stockton-on-Tees.

The Island in a River film was designed to be viewed from outside at night. Reflections of the river Tees are projected onto the Hologauze and float past a canoe, connecting river use past and present.

The exhibition features a collection of local artefacts interpreted by 10 films, created by the artist in collaboration with local residents. The objects are displayed inside the exhibition centrepiece – a replica iron age canoe, carved by local volunteers throughout summer 2023.

The exhibition room is open to the public in the daytime, and so the installation was designed so that the Hologauze could be deployed each night for the Island in a River film

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01 October 2024

Spain - LED display manufacturer Absen partnered with sports flooring specialists, ASB GlassFloor, to supply its LED technology for the portable ASB GlassFloor system used in the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup in Madrid.

Held biennially, the U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup featured the top 16 qualifying youth women’s national teams from around the world, who competed in a 56-game tournament during the month of July.

As one of the hosts of the event, the WiZink Centre, home arena of Real Madrid’s basketball team, wanted to ensure the venue delivered an unforgettable and fully immersive experience for both players and spectators. In doing so, the venue enlisted the help of German sports floor solution specialists, ASB GlassFloor to install its innovative full-size digital LED glass floor, displaying not only court lines for play, but

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01 October 2024

Germany - Hamburg’s historic Kampnagel performing arts centre premiered the multi-disciplinary dance show Reparation Nation in September, featuring a three-projector-strong panoramic visual backdrop driven by a Hippotizer Nevis+ Media Server.

The production, by Germany-based South African choreographer Jessica Nupen, is an interactive installation of dance, opera, visual art, live soundscapes and polyrhythmic beats, exploring the empty spaces left by looted cultural assets on the African continent. It was created following public, site-specific and digital discussions, dance workshops, open rehearsals in Johannesburg, Hamburg and Dakar, as well as an intensive and inclusive research programme in close collaboration with the University of Hamburg, MARKK, Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe and the Lübeck Ethnological Collection.

To realise t