UK - Creative technical event production company Hawthorn celebrated success last week after picking up the award for Event Production of the Year at The Event Production Awards 2018. White Light's entry was highly commended in the same category. 
To win the award, Hawthorn showcased their work on the Adobe Summit EMEA 2017. Working with agency Taylor Bennett Partners, the team delivered full technical production for the immersive two-day event which saw 5,000 digital marketing professionals gather for the thought-leading Adobe brand experience.
This included delivering the technical production for the main conference plenary, exhibition space, break-out rooms and the muchly anticipated Summit Celebration. From the creation of a virtual waterfall to the installation of an interactive ceiling using 1017 panels of LED, the event was a true technical challenge for the te

UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) have helped full event production services company VisionEvents Manchester (VE-M) to upgrade their equipment inventory with some of the latest technologies from premier industry brands, including Green Hippo, Panasonic, ProLights, Sennheiser, Manfrotto, Doughty and Tourflex Cabling.
VE-M's complete event services cover all creative and technical aspects of client projects - including event planning & solutions; creative graphics & video production; and technology equipment hire.
VE-M were keen to invest in high quality new video, sound and lighting technologies for their AV department, so approached AC-ET, knowing that the company would be able to meet all their needs.
Mike Docksey in AC-ET's external sales team oversaw the sale. Working with product specialists in the company's dedicated video, lighting, audio

Europe - Jan Huewel, former CEO of coolux GmbH and former senior director at Christie Digital, has teamed up with Martin Kuhn, former creative director of auviso, to start a new AV business - ioversal.
The new company is planning to release a universal AV production suite that “combines and advances proven workflows and concepts with cutting edge technological developments in the fields of IT hardware, network technology and software development”.
In a joint statement, the founders comment: “We aspire to offer a new, simplified way to handle media production for everyone, ranging from projects in digital signage to fixed installations, rental staging and even complex interactive experiences.”
Huewel comments: “Founding coolux and developing it along with its key products Pandoras Box & Widget Designer over the past 15 years into a thriving and succes

Denmark - AV equipment supplier Neets has announced today that Aske Korsgaard Hejlesen has joined the company in the newly created position as chief experience officer. Hejlesen will be responsible for integrating design thinking in the organization to ensure that new products and solutions address actual user problems and needs. He comes with an educational background in industrial design and more than 10 years of experience working with user involvement and design research. Most recently, he worked as a design researcher at the international roof window manufacturer Velux Group.
“I am excited to join Neets and for this opportunity to help the company deliver a seamless and consistent user experience across products and digital touchpoints,” said Hejlesen. “I am passionate about user-driven innovation, and I will be working across all teams to ensure that design thin

UAE - Dubai-based Fountains International Events employed Green Hippo to deliver a prestigious graduation ceremony in the United Arab Emirates.
The American University in the Emirates (AUE) invited Dubai-based Fountains International Events to craft a video and lighting show for its seventh commencement ceremony at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Led by Pavel Pashkovskiy, Fountains International Events has extensive experience in the region, and for the AUE graduation ceremony the company designed and produced content with a total size of approximately 10,000 x 4,000 pixels. Using a pair of Hippotizer Karst Media Servers, Pavel operated a special Art-Net timeline-based controller from Syncronorm, sending layers, and starting triggers to the Karsts. Pavel calls this technique ‘Art-Net timecode’, and the Art-Net timeline triggered all of his other devices, including lasers

World - Irish rock band The Script's current Freedom Child tour features a complex mix of video, live footage, pre-made content and live effects displayed on a multiscreen structure. The ambitious visuals are being powered by Avolites Ai Infinity R8 Servers and Quartz lighting control consoles.
The Script's long-time show designer, Jamie Thompson, is working alongside freelance media server expert Annalisa Terranova, Tom and Satoko Wall from Blinkin LAB and video director Ben Farrey, to deliver the architectural content.
The multi-screen set-up is being run by four Ai R8 media servers. Two R8 servers process content created in real-time effects generator, Notch, which is then fed into the second pair of Ai servers which handle the main content. All of this is then outputted to the massive, angular on-stage LED screens.
"It's a pretty hybrid setup and we've

UK - Fibre infrastructure specialist BroaMan has appointed HHB Communications as its new UK and Ireland distributor.
BroaMan managing director, Tine Helmle, comments: “We are delighted to be working with HHB, whose pedigree and track record speak for themselves.”
HHB director of sales, Martin O’Donnell, adds: “This partnership with BroaMan further proves HHB’s reputation as the ultimate supplier for all audio, video, data and GPIOs transport and systems solutions.”
Broaman’s newly announced Repeat48-2Fibre module made its debut at BVE. BroaMan’s technical sales manager, Maciek Janiszewski says: "The new module complements the Repeat48 and Repeat48WDM series, making it fully flexible for literally any type of signal.”
(Jim Evans)

USA - Ashly Audio reports that Alliance Audio Visual Group will represent all of Ashly’s DSPs, amplifiers, user interfaces, and digital mixing consoles throughout southern California and southern Nevada.
With origins stretching back over two decades and a strong, stable network of clients, Alliance has been helping A/V consultants, and contractors, touring sound companies, and related companies connect with audio-video equipment that makes their projects successful.
“Ashly Audio has a well-earned reputation for building processors, amplifiers, and interfaces that are thoughtfully designed, and are rock-solid-reliable right out of the box and into the distant future,” said Matthew Jensen, owner and principle rep at Alliance Audio Visual Group.
“Ashly offers a range of solutions that complements our existing line card and that completes the synergy of prod

UK - tvONE is expanding its EMEA sales team by adding Jon Hubery as regional sales manager for the Middle East and India.
Jon has spent the last four and a half years working with a UK distribution partner, Holdan.
Frithjof Becker, EMEA sales director of tvONE, states, “Jon Hubery is an experienced sales manager working in the AV Market for years. He will lead our expansion into the Middle East and India. Our local partners in the region are looking forward to working with Jon.”
Hubery adds: “After working four years in the UK with AV Integrators, I am looking forward to working internationally again and introducing tvONE to India and the Middle East. I am delighted to be back at tvONE and cannot wait to get started with our partners from across the region to help and support them with their existing and future projects."
(Jim Evans)

India - The Atlona On-Tour Roadshow, the company’s residential AV roadshow, recently wrapped its first leg in Mumbai, India following events in Delhi and Bangalore.
The ‘Zero to 60Hz’ training sessions focused on education and pain points for AV professionals aiming to keep pace with the latest industry trends. Each day-long event offered focused segments on AV over IP, BYOD-powered collaboration, and networked control from Atlona Academy trainers, followed by an open house period for networking, hands-on product trainings, and personalized Q&A opportunities.
“We’ve reached a critical point in time where end-users in corporate, higher education and other facilities are confident and ready to move forward with transitioning their AV operations to the network,” said Sanket Sawant, Atlona’s director of business development, Middle East, India and Southe

Belgium - Luc Peumans and the team from Painting with Light created a lighting design and supplied media servers for the production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid staged by Marmalade Content at Flanders Expo in Ghent, Belgium.
Luc had worked in the same role on Marmalade’s 2016 Beauty and the Beast productio and was delighted to be reunited with set designer Stefan Haudenhuyse and director Frank Van Laecke, with whom he collaborated on 14-18, a Spectacular Musical. The technical director was Bart De Coensel from The Production Box.
The creative process began with a brain-storming session between Luc and the producers, Frank and Stefan, from which this basic aesthetic framework emerged and Luc started to develop the lighting concepts.
An underlining theme was to make it properly ‘spectacular’ in both impact and presence, so the audienc

Norway - Second Warehouse, a web-based service that can simplify cross-rental of pro AV gear, has been launched.
The platform unites AV suppliers and rental companies in one place where they can organise sub-hire of equipment, make safe payments, arrange transport and trade with minimal or no commission.
Stuart Kerrison, founder of Second Warehouse, says: “I know how important cross-rental is and also what a time-wasting drag it can be, because I’ve been the guy spending hours on the phone, calling friends in the hope of finding that one bit of gear I need for a show. Second Warehouse solves those headaches and lost hours, while making sure that your equipment is always out being used and earning you money.”
Second Warehouse includes a wealth of features. Users can quickly and simply expand their cross-hire network, get quotes, negotiate prices and organis

Europe - Laser presentations specialist Tarm Showlaser has launched Lasergrid, which combines a number of single laser units with one single-coloured laser source, one or more power supply units and accessories.
The single laser units are flexible to install and can be utilised on a ceiling, wall, on a truss or daisy-chained in a horizontal and/or vertical line.
Each laser module generates a linear beam and all modules together form a laser grid with parallel laser beams.
Each laser unit can be individually controlled by DMX (dimming). Number and design of the single components can be individually customised.
The power supply provides the necessary supply voltage for all connected modules in one chain as well as the DMX interface for DMX control. The connection of daisy chained emergency stop systems is possible.
Approximately 10 laser modules with c

Europe - Kinly, the new brand identity resulting from the merger of visual collaboration specialists Viju and VisionsConnected, celebrated a successful launch at ISE 2018 in Amsterdam.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, the combined company today serves corporate and public customers in over 120 countries from established office locations throughout EMEA, the USA and APAC.
The new brand’s management team optimizes the expertise and experience of both companies with former Viju CEO, Odd Sverre Østlie taking the helm as Kinly CEO whilst his opposite number at VisionsConnected, founder and CEO Raymond Alves, will be spearheading Kinly’s solutions and services development in his new role as CSO (Chief Solutions Officer).
“Our new venture is intensely exciting,” says Odd Sverre Østlie. “The opportunity to create a world-leading global visual collaboration speci

Europe - US rock band Paramore's current world tour features a complex array of projection mapped video screens, with the production displays’ psychedelic visuals powered by Avolites' EX8 Ai Infinity Server and Ai v10.1 software.
Production designer Butch Allen devised the show's complex video display. Three concentric rings of truss and screen loom over the audience at a 45° tilt. Managing the tour's substantial projection-mapping system is LMG Touring's technician Grant Draper.
"In terms of video mapping for Paramore, we have multiple planes of convergence and multiple focal points, as everything is on a slant and stepped back on stage," explains Draper. "There is about a foot and half between each circle of the central screen, meaning that even on the most basic level we are not working with a flat plane."
Using a modest six layers of content, Draper has co

Finland - Green Hippo has appointed Msonic as its distributor for Finland. Effective immediately, Msonic will distribute Green Hippo’s line of scenic video technology throughout the Republic of Finland.
Founded in 2012 in Vantaa, Msonic specialises in the import and distribution of premium professional AV and lighting products.
James Roth, head of sales and marketing at Green Hippo, says: “I have been aware of the growth of Msonic’s business activities over a number of years and for us, the recent move to their new offices and some changes in the structure of the Finnish market that has meant Johan West can join the team was just too good an opportunity to let go. Bringing together such a fine commercial operation with Msonic, one of the word’s real experts on Hippotizer Media Servers in Johan and our global market-leading brand means that we now have an unbea

Germany - John Roberts-Davies has joined German audio console and IP video specialist Lawo AG as head of pre-sales & projects. In his new role, he will lead and develop the team that delivers technical consultation, solution design and system delivery to customers across the entire range of live production applications.
The appointment comes at a time of rapid growth in demand for Lawo products and solutions, which are expertly designed to help gain maximum advantage from new technologies in the fast-changing world of live production.
Roberts-Davies has over 30 years’ experience in the industry. He worked in operational and technical roles in radio and TV stations in several countries, as a sound recordist, radio engineer, ENG cameraman and radio and TV system engineer, before moving to the manufacturer side with various technical, commercial and professional ser

South Africa - Rental company owners Theo Papenfus from Stage Effects and Marius van Rooyen from Unlimited Events teamed up to purchase 400 Absen D2V 2.9mm panels from DWR Distribution.
“Our market is here and it was time,” says Theo. “Marius and I decided on a joint venture to bring in many panels of the same batch bearing in mind that quantity is always a big issue for us.”
For the past two years, Theo had his eye on the 3.9mm, a familiar product to the South African market.
“We wanted to go through a reputable company, and chose Absen to enable us to have the service DWR typically provides,” says Marius. “It’s a much better option for us as to know we have support locally. In addition, we are able to tap into the base of existing Absen users in South Africa.”
Duncan Riley of DWR comments: “The DWR workshop is able to do repairs on th

UK - Helping to add a touch of colour to the new studio installation at Dancing on Ice, illumination rental and installation specialist LED Creative provided over 1600m of its Alpha 60 RGB system and 750m of their Sigma 60.
Housed within a custom-built studio structure, the Dancing on Ice set is a vibrant, super versatile space featuring an interview and judging dais swathed in neon tones and an ice rink. Against a bank of video walls, the rink set has been creatively formed to combine the show’s ‘ice swirl’ branding with a flexible lighting installation by LD Dave Davey that can adapt instantly to reflect the myriad of musical styles that accompany each performance.
Scenic designer Dominic Tolfts has cleverly applied the LED Creative Alpha and Sigma systems throughout his design, adding highly controllable colour, movement and intensity to the set

USA - Southside Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia, recently upgraded its dated LCD video system with a high-resolution FLEXTour 2.8mm LED video display provided by Nashville-based LED video manufacturer PixelFLEX.
Chris Clark, Southside Baptist director of media, explains: “In our previous design, we had an array of twenty-four 65-inch LCD TV’s, with a 2-inch bezel around each unit, so you can only imagine our challenges and frustrations. With the LCD display, it was impossible to create a seamless image, and it looked a bit clunky and cheap. Since I go to a lot of sporting events, I knew LED video would be an ideal solution, and we couldn’t be happier with our new high-definition, video system from PixelFLEX.”
Clark continues: “During our initial research, we also thought about the possibility of using a projection system, but it’s simply not as bri

UK - The latest release of the Lightconverse 3D show platform promises to the market “a level of previously unseen 3D resolution quality and multiple new features of the award-wining software, used for high-tech show visualisation and simulation of lighting, video and special effects”.
Along with increased GUI and 3D resolution, users can now capture a high-resolution video of their work along with high-res screenshots. There is no need for any extra video-capturing software or hardware thus making it even easier to show clients’ highly detailed show creations. This feature allows for high-quality and full-colour mp4 offline rendering of online recorded DMX, video and media in, resulting in a cinematographic quality video.
Another anticipated addition is a built-in Light Meter, used to make calculations of centre weighted lux levels on the surface and generatio

USA - A successful band setting up a studio is not particularly noteworthy, but when it is set up to record in DSD and features a 4K video stage, this is clearly unusual. Furthermore, this new facility is located on Nashville’s doorstep which is home to many famous studios, suggesting this is a bold move.
DSD recording is relatively unusual for a conventional studio, although commonplace in the classical recording world with the majority of concert halls and opera houses being so equipped. This is no ordinary studio but, regardless of musical genre, DSD means Merging Technologies and in this case Pyramix MassCore with two Horus networked audio converters.
The successful group behind this project is the Annie Moses Band, very much a family venture blending traditional American folk songs with a strong classical influence. Their live and predominantly acoustic performa

UK - The Gatecrasher Classical club night landed at Sheffield City Hall in January, with dramatic lighting controlled by Avolites consoles.
Birmingham-based Stage Production provided the technical know-how for the laser and lighting spectacular, achieving that 'Gatecrasher feeling' by hitting the crowd with myriad effects. The team supplied all lighting, rigging, staging and technical production for the event and designed the light show.
Stage Production managing director Jordan Lake was production director/designer for the gig, working alongside Ben Butler as lighting director/designer. The duo used an Avolites Sapphire Touch and Tiger Touch II console with Fader Wing to control the ambitious production.
"Gatecrasher fans expect massive lighting shows and it was up to us to deliver," says Lake. "Gatecrasher has always understood that it takes more than a big-na

Japan - A&A Co, Vectorworks distributor in Japan, received a 2018 BCN Award in the CAD software.
The BCN Awards, organised by BCN Inc., aims to reward the best-selling vendors throughout the year for PC/digital consumer electronic products. The winners are selected based on the BCN ranking, which is calculated from daily POS data gathered from volume sellers in Japan.
A&A received the award for its 37.6 percent Japanese market share. Vectorworks outranked software providers Lilac System (27.3 percent market share) and Photron Limited (20.9 percent market share). Market share is based on statistics accumulated from 2,608 stores of 23 companies providing sales reports to BCN Co.
For 19 years, BCN Co. has collected the sales data of major domestic electric appliance mass merchandisers, personal computer specialty shops and net shops in Japan. Based on these

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