FIREWORKS FRENZY Groupe F to boost presence in Gulf region p07 DELTA DREAMING Delta Sound shows off its latest technology p10 I’M MISS WORLD Miss World puts cutting-edge LED tech to the test p28
BRAVING THE STORM BKP’s Barry Kirsch talks up the audio production firm’s Saudi expansion plans
PHAT CONTROLLERS We put the latest lighting control technologies through their paces
BURJ KHALIFA EYES TO THE SKY Gala launch augers in a new era for Dubai and event principal Groupe F
Vol: 4 Issue: 2 February 2010
An ITP Business Publication 1 Licensed by Dubai Media City
CONTENTS 14
February 2010 Volume 4, Issue 02 07 Regional News Groupe F eyes Middle East expansion; Macom sets up shop in Dubai, ‘despite crises’; Flash invests in UFC.
10 Kitted Out Delta Sound Dubai shows off its wares in this month’s tech column.
14 COVER STORY: Burj Khalifa launch S&S touches base with the key principals involved in this landmark event production celebrating the launch of the world’s tallest building.
22 Braving the storm BKP Music founder Barry Kirsch discusses how the company has survived the downturn and its plans to tackle the Saudi Arabian production market.
28 I’m Miss World 2009 Miss World competition in Sth Africa a showcase for the latest LED lighting and presentation technologies.
33 The Guide Buyer’s guide: lighting control consoles; hot products; events.
40 Backstage
07
22 28
FEBRUARY 2010 SAS
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WEB LOG DPme.com
JANUARY’S TOP STORIES
MOST READ SOUND & STAGE NEWS STORIES
1 Top 5 live event productions of 2009
2 VIDEO: Burj Khalifa launch 3 BACKSTAGE: Top 5 worst actors cum musicians
MOST READ NEWS STORIES OVERALL
CABSAT 2010 on track to defy downturn This year’s edition of CABSAT, the Middle East’s largest annual broadcast industry exhibition, is on track to eclipse the 2009 event in terms of floorspace, according to event organiser Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). While declining to reveal actual figures, a DWTC representative confirmed this year’s
event was “already bigger than last year”. The claim would appear to be supported by the fact Sony, Arabsat, Smartsat and Hamresan have doubled their stand space for 2010, while other key players including AMT, Hitachi, Tek Signals, the Vitec Group and UBMS have confirmed they will exhibit at the show.
1 Top 10 broadcast technology installations of 2009 2 Orbit Showtime confirms rebrand, HD channel plans 3 Most pirated movies of 2009 revealed
EDITOR’S CHOICES NEWS
IN VIDEO
GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN!
BURJ KHALIFA LAUNCH
This year’s Digital Studio Awards promise to the biggest and best yet.
The Burj Khalifa launch, recorded for posterity.
SPOT POLL
DO YOU THINK PROFESSIONAL AV AND BROADCAST TRAINING SERVICES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE IN THE UAE?
43%
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NO. THEY’RE ON PAR WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
FORGET THE COST - THE QUALITY IS RUBBISH, SO WHY BOTHER?
THEY’RE TOO LIMITED IN SCOPE TO BE OF ANY CONCERN
2 SAS FEBRUARY 2010
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Setting New Standards in Professional Lighting
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Chroma-Q™ LED products are renowned worldwide for delivering high levels of performance, reliability and value. Concert & Touring
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Photo credits. L-R: Kaiser Chiefs UK Tour, Color Block DB4, © Louise Stickland, Prism Lighting, LD Richard Larkum. Elaine Paige UK Tour, Color Web 125, © Robert Hollingsworth. Britain’s Got Talent ITV1 Show, Color Web 250. World Series Of Poker Europe (WSOPE) 2009, Color Block 2. BRDC Clubhouse, Silverstone, Color Punch, Color Block & Color Web 125, © Jakob Ebrey. Brighton Dome, Color Span.
For dealer opportunities and more information: sales@chroma-q.com +44 1494 446000 www.chroma-q.com Artistic Licence is the designer and manufacturer of Color Web. All Chroma-Q LED products are licenced by Color Kinetics. Chroma-Q and all associated product names are recognised trademarks, for more information visit www.chroma-q.com/trademarks. The rights and ownership of all trademarks are recognised. The information contained herein is correct at the time of printing, however as we are constantly refining our product range we reserve the right to change the specification without notice. E&OE.
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Towering opportunity Last month’s gala launch of the Burj Khalifa in Downtown Dubai was a fitting tribute to the skill and professionalism of the assembled event production specialists, lead by Dubaibased outfit Prisme International and French fireworks contractor Groupe F. While it’s hard not to imagine the scale of the launch event had the 828 metre tower opened at the height of Dubai’s boom years (think Atlantis times 10), the fireworks presentation itself differed little to initial designs drawn up by Groupe F’s artistic director and CEO Christophe Berthonneau more than two years ago. The fact the event production team managed to pull the show together just weeks before the official opening is testament to their ability to get the job done despite the challenging time constraints and the fact Groupe F was also working on the Dubai New Year’s Eve fireworks event at the time. Groupe F has established a formidable reputation as one of the world’s leading pyrotechnics experts, having previously worked on landmark events including the Athens Olympics, the Millennium celebrations in Paris (involving the Eiffel Tower), the opening of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Burj Khalifa launch combined with various
other high-profile events has prompted the company to establish a permanent presence in a region Berthonneau describes as “passionate about pyrotechnics”. Indeed, Groupe F’s international reputation and project portfolio combined with little domestic competition should ensure the move proves a successful one for the company. Existing event management firms in this region should also heed Berthonneau’s comments suggesting the company is looking branch out from its core pyrotechnics business to target niche sectors of the events production market. As always, fresh competition can do wonders for motivating existing industry stakeholders, particularly during times of economic uncertainty. This year is shaping up to be a defining one for many commercial organisations working in our industry – particularly those who are still suffering the full effects of recession. The fact remains – as evidenced by Groupe F’s decision to set up shop in Dubai – that this region still offers plenty of commercial opportunities for those with the drive, talent and ambition to make a fist of it.
Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000, Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham VP Sales Wayne Lowery Editorial Senior Group Editor Aaron Greenwood Tel: +971 4 435 6251 aaron.greenwood@itp.com Contributor John Parnell Tel: +971 4 435 6271 email: john.parnell@itp.com Advertising Commercial Director Fareed Dubery Tel: +971 4 435 6339 email: fred@itp.com Sales Manager Jennifer Marto Tel: +971 4 435 6150 email: jennifer.marto@itp.com Japan Representative Mikio Tsuchiya Tel: + 81 354 568230 email: ua9m-tcy@asahi-net.or.jp Studio Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Martin Staniszewski Photography Director of Photography: Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer: Khatuna Khutsishvili Senior Photographers: G-nie Arambulo, Efraim Evidor, Thanos Lazopoulos Staff Photographers: Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Lyubov Galushko, Jovana Obradovic, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav Production & Distribution Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Manager Eleanor Zwanepoel Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Image Retoucher Emmalyn Robles Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami Circulation Head of Circulation and Database Gaurav Gulati Marketing Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell ITP Digital Director Peter Conmy ITP Group Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Serafin Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman, Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin
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MEIFF by Avantgarde Brand Services Arabia FZLLC
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NEUMANN & MÜLLER EVENT TECHNOLOGY
THE BRIEFING
Groupe F eyes Middle East expansion EXCLUSIVE Internationally renowned fireworks specialist Groupe F will expand its operations in the Middle East this year, following its high-profile involvement in the Burj Khalifa launch in Dubai early last month. The company, which has maintained a limited presence in the region since 2001, moved to establish a permanent base in Dubai in 2008, which is currently manned by four full-time staff. Groupe F technical director Simon Ransom said the sheer volume of work the company had been responsible for to date combined with the Middle
Crowning glory: Burj Khalifa launch. East’s growing commercial potential has prompted the company to more aggressively pursue opportunities in the region.
“Key to this is the launch of the Groupe F Middle East brand, which has been accompanied by our new Middle
East website, located at www. groupef.ae,” he said. “Despite the economic downturn, we haven’t witnessed a slowdown in demand at all. In fact, 2009 was a bigger year for us than 2008. “Things may have slowed a little in Dubai, but the growth witnessed in other regional territories has more than compensated for this. Markets such as Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain are all doing well. “It was a very good year for the fireworks business in the Middle East and gladly we were at the forefront of many of these projects.”
FLASH MUSCLES UP, INVESTS IN UFC Abu Dhabi events company Flash Entertainment has acquired a 10 percent stake in Zuffa Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), licensees of the hardcore mixed martial arts-boxing competition which bears the same name. "Over the past few years, we have built a relationship
with all levels of the Flash organisation [sic]. They share our vision, passion, and enthusiasm for the UFC," said Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC chairman and CEO. "We are confident that this partnership will accelerate the worldwide growth of the UFC."
NEWS BRIEFS
STAGESAFE TAKES SAFETY SERIOUSLY
Stagesafe has published two new event safety guideline documents, available for download from stagesafe.co.uk. The first is a guide to onsite working practices and safe working procedures for tech production staff, while the other is a guide for freelance production personnel.
ALMOE TIPS MARTIN AGGREKO POWERS FOR BEACH SOCCER CLUB WORLD CUP
Martin Audio and local distributor Almoe supplied a full-scale line array to the recent FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Dubai. Martin Audio’s Display software was also employed to acoustically map the purposebuilt stadium, which was designed to accommodate 6,000 spectators.
Aggreko supplied more than 10 MW of power to the recent FIFA Club World Cup UAE championship staged at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. The 43,000 capacity stadium played host to teams including FC Barcelona and Club Estudiantes de la Plata. Barca ultimately won the championship.
DIGIGRAM DEBUTS AUDIOMANAGER VU Digigram has unveiled its AudioManager VU software, which is designed to aid the planning, deployment, management and supervision of multizone audio systems. The app also allows for the direct capture of audio streams, which are then handled similarly to a simple sound card source.
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THE BRIEFING
Macom sets up shop in Dubai, ‘despite crises’ EXPANSION Commercial AV systems design specialist Macom International has opened its new regional headquarters in Dubai. “Due to an overwhelming number of enquiries from the Middle East market and current projects, we decided that is about time to expand our business,” said Norbert Hoenig, managing director of Macom International. “Some might wonder why we hold on to our plan to expand our business to Dubai when hearing and reading all the news about the crises. “But we strongly believe that Dubai is still one of the most inspiring places in the Middle East market and we definitely look forward to continuing with our business in
Macom International’s new Middle East headquarters is located in the Twin Towers building in Deira, Dubai. such an energetic environment. “No matter what other people may say or speculate during such difficult times, we will not turn our back on Dubai nor on our loyal clients.” The company has also ap-
pointed Jamal Al Ashby regional business development manager for Macom International Communications Consulting Engineers. Ashby boasts more than 20 years experience as a systems integrator and
AV design specialist working for a range of firms on various projects across the Middle East. Macom International’s new Dubai HQ is located in the Twin Towers building, Baniyas Road, Deira.
PIONEER MIDDLE EAST BOOSTS MIXER RANGE
NMK CHALKS UP RANE REGIONAL SALES AWARD
Leading DJ technology manufacturer Pioneer has begun shipping its new CDJ-2000 multiformat mixer to customers in the Middle East. The deck can play data from CDs, DVDs, USB storage devices and SD memory cards. It also comes with the re-
Dubai-based distributor NMK Electronics has been recognised with an award for outstanding sales growth by pro audio manufacturer and Middle East partner, Rane. NMK, which has distributed Rane products in the region for more than 20 years, received the award for its efforts raising awareness of the Rane brand, increasing its market share, and boosting revenues in 2009 compared to the previous year, according to the companies. Rane manufactures a range of professional audio products
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kordbox music database management software, which allows DJs to pre-produce content for live shows and store it on a memory stick. Another key feature of the CDJ-2000 is its advanced HID (human interface device) and MIDI capabilities for native control of DVS via USB. Pioneer claims the deck offers the best sound quality of any pro DJ product it has released to date thanks to an improved audio output circuit, a new Wolfson DAC processor, and a builtin 24-bit/48 kHz sound card.
primarily covering the DJ, live and permanent install markets. “Together with the introduction of new products like the SL3 and Mongoose as well as the support of our customers, we have been able to achieve this recognition,” commented Richie Hiranandani, marketing manager for NMK Electronics.
KITTED OUT
DELTA SOUNDS From humble beginnings, Delta Sound Dubai has carved a successful niche providing pro audio production services to the GCC live events industry. Steered by industry stalwart Andy Jackson, the company has invested heavily in new kit in recent months to meet the growing demand for its services.
Wired for sound “We invested heavily in fibre optics over the summer – cabling, converters, etc,” says Jackson. “We’ve got eight [BSS] Soundweb London DSPs in our inventory now, as well as a large number of interfaces. We used a lot of the equipment during the King Abdullah University launch and it all worked brilliantly.”
10 SAS FEBRUARY 2010
Selling on “We haven’t sold on a single piece of equipment since we established the company,” says Jackson. “The great thing with digital kit is that because it’s software-based, you can constantly update it, so long as the manufacturers aren’t changing the control surfaces every five minutes.”
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Digidesign D-Show Delta Sound recently purchased the first Digidesign D-Show console shipped to the UAE. “It’s proven very popular with our clients, so much so that we’re seriously considering investing in another one,” says Jackson. “We used it at a number of shows last year, including Keane’s gigs in Dubai and Beirut, the Yasalam concert series in Abu Dhabi, and in conjunction with the Dubai Philharmonic. “It’s equipped with a ProTools bundle, which simplifies multitrack pre-recording and makes live recording projects really easy to put together. That was one of the main reasons we decided to invest in it.”
Powered sound Delta Sound has one of the largest inventories of L’acoustics loudspeakers in the Middle East. In addition to a full V-Dosc line-array, the company also stocks DVDosc and Kiva systems. As the only certified V-Dosc tech working in the Middle East, Jackson is a longtime fan of the technology. “I’m a qualified tech and trainer for L’acoustics systems,” he says. “Since launching Delta, the training work has trailed off to be honest. We’ve got well-qualified guys working here now. My belief is that if the boss knows how the tech works, it stands the business in good stead. We have a great relationship with L’acoustics both here and in the UK.”
D5 comes alive “We picked up a D5 in 2008, which is one of our flagship desks,” Jackson explains. “We’ve also got five Yamaha desks, headed by PM5Ds. In total we’ve got around a dozen desks available at any one time. The D5 isn’t one of the desks that we use every week. It’s very much a premium offering. But it’s a great desk to have on the books. I’d say we’re pretty well-stocked control-wise now.”
New digs The company recently relocated to new warehouse premises in Dubai’s Al Quoz industrial estate. Covering 4,500 sq ft, the premises includes tech preparation and service areas, office space and a load-in dock. “The new location is great and should accommodate us as the business continues to develop,” says Jackson. “We’ve got plenty of room for growth here.”
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KITTED OUT
Business booms “In the past few months we’ve had to turn down the same amount of work as we’ve taken on,” says Jackson. “At the moment, it’s looking likely we’ll be flat out throughout the remainder of the winter season. The big question is what we do in the summer. “We’ve been doing a lot of work in Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman. The UAE is still our primary market, but we’re getting a lot more work in regional markets. Because we’re arguably the only company specialising entirely in audio, we’re picking up a lot of work.”
DELTA SOUND DUBAI KIT LIST Large / Medium Line Array Speakers 34 L’acoustics V-Dosc Loudspeakers 24 L’acoustics DVDosc Loudspeakers 4 L’acoustics Arc Loudspeakers 24 L’acoustics SB218 Loudspeakers 4 L’acoustics DV Sub Loudspeakers 2 L’acoustics Rigging Chariot 4 L’acoustics DV Bumper Bars 4 L’acoustics Arc Rigging 18 L’acoustics Pad 4 Racks (LA48a) 6 L’acoustics Pad 2 Racks (LA48a) 2 L’acoustics Pad 2 Racks (LA24a)
Small Line Array Speakers 12 L’acoustics Kiva Loudspeakers 4 L’acoustics Kilo Loudspeakers 4 L’acoustics K Bump Rigging 2 L’acoustics LA4 Amplifiers
Small Speaker Systems 12 L’acoustics MTD108 Loudspeaker 12 L’acoustics MTD108 Flying Frames 4 L’acoustics MTD 112 Loudspeakers 4 L’acoustics 112 Flying frames 3 L’acoustics LA24a 2 L’acoustics LA15 Amplifiers 16 EAW JF200 Loudspeakers 16 EAW JF200 speakers with flying frames 4 C-Audio SR606 Amplifiers 8 EAW JF100 Loudspeakers 8 EAW JF100 Loudspeaker flying frames 2 C-Audio SR606 Amplifiers 24 JBL Control 23s (white) 4 EV SX100 speakers 4 Crown 202 Amplifiers 4 Fostex 6301b SPMs 24 K&M Black Speaker Stands
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Monitor Wedges 14 Audio Anaylist 12FR Wedge Monitors 12 Crown 2400 Amp racks 6 BSS Omnidrive 366s
Consoles 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
Digico D5 EX112 Digital Mixing Console Digico 56 Way Stage Racks Digico local rack Digidesign D-Show Profile 48 way Stage rack D Show Local Rack Digidesign Pro Tools 8 HD 64 Yamaha PM5d RH Mixing Console Yamaha PW800 PSUs Yamaha M7CL 48 Mixing Console Yamaha PW800 PSU Yamaha LS9 32 Mixing Console Yamaha LS9 16 Mixing Console Yamaha O1V 96 Mixing Console Mackie 16 CDX Channel Tapco Blend 6 Small Mixers
Playback / Record Machines 2 2 2 2 1 1 4 2
Denon DN640 CD Players Sony CD PD11 Players DNC630 CD Players DN1050 Minidisc Players Digidesign 003 Protools Rack Instant replay 360 V2 Pioneer CDJ 1000 Mk3s Pioneer DJM800 Mixers
System Processors 2 XTA DP448 Processors 6 XTA DP226 Processor 1 LA Audio Phase Checker
1 Clearcom 4 Channel master Station 1 Clearcom MS232 Master Station 1 Clearcom Back up PSU 20 Clearcom RS501 Beltpacks 20 Beyer DT109 Headsets 4 Delta Passive Splits
Radio Communications 2 HME DX200 Master Stations 8 HME Outstations & Beltpacks
Microphones Fixed 4 Shure MX412 Microphone 4 Micophone Base & Connector 1 Shure SM91 Microphone 4 Shure Beta98 Microphones & Clamps 8 Shure SM58 Microphones & Clips 8 Shure SM57 Microphones & Clips 2 Shure SM58 Sw Microphones & Clips 4 AKG C414 Microphones & Clips 12 AKG Se300/CK91 Mics & Clips 2 Sennheiser 535 Vocal Mics 4 Sennheiser Condenser Mics 20 DPA 4060 Omni Mics c/w string bridge 26 Rode NT5 Mics & Clips 2 Scoeps CMC c/w MK41 capsules 12 BSS 133 DI Boxes 4 Hive PC Line Balancing Units 4 Delta 600 ohm 4-way ISOs 2 Delta 10k ohm 2-way ISOs 2 ARX Computer DI boxes 16 Black Telescopic Tall Boom stands 12 Black Telescopic Short Boom stands 4 Black Telescopic Roundbase stands 12 Black Table stands
Radio Microphones Communications
4 Sennheiser EM550 Receivers ( 8
channels) 8 Sennheiser SK500 Lapel Transmitters 4 Sennheiser SK 535 Hand Held Radio Mics 8 Sennheiser ME-2 Lapel Microphones 2 Sennheiser A2003 Passive Antennas 1 Sennheiser Net 1 Interface 4 Sennheiser EW100 Full Radio Kits 6 Shure U4D UHF Receivers (12 channels) 12 Shure U1 Beltpacks 6 Shure B58 Hand Helds 2 Shure DAs 2 Shure active antennas
In-Ear Monitoring 4 Sennheiser EW G2 In-Ear Transmitters (4 Channels) 4 Sennheiser EW G2 In-Ear Receivers 1 Sennheiser Distribution Amplifier 1 Sennheiser Antenna
Multicores 2 2 2 2 1 2 8 8 4
120m Veam Cable 48 50m Veam Cable 48 Veam StageBox + Rack Light 75m 19 Pair Multicore 100m 08 Pair Star Quad Multicore 12 Pair satellite system Soundweb Blu 160 units Fibre Optic Interfaces 500m Fibre runs
Mains Distribution 2 63 Amp 3 Phase Rubber Boxes 5 63 Amp 1 Phase Rubber Boxes 2 32A Mains Distro Headers 1 32A Three Phase, 3 x 32A Single Phase 1 63A Three Phase, 3 x 63A Single Phase
COVER STORY
SCALING NEW HEIGHTS Last month’s pyrotechnics-rich gala launch of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, presented unique and unprecedented challenges to the production design team. Aaron Greenwood reports.
A
t 828 metres tall, the Burj Khalifa represents a triumph of human engineering and a riposte to Dubai’s recent band of critics. The gala launch of the building, which was four years in the making, was spearheaded by Dubai-based event production firm Prisme International, with the showcase fireworks display sub-contracted
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to renowned French pyrotechnics outfit Groupe F. Prisme International CEO Pierre Marcout described his company’s role in the launch as the realisation of a long-held ambition. “For three years, I have been dreaming that I would design the inauguration of the Burj and now I have,” he says. “We didn’t want to make the opening ceremony about any celebrities, as the ce-
lebrity is the Burj Khalifa tower. We wanted to magnify the 828m of the tower for all that is… as it is truly one-of-a-kind.” With Prisme being awarded the contract in the third week of November and the launch planned for January 4, time was of the essence for Marcout and his production team. The theme of the event took inspiration from natural elements, such as light
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“We didn’t want to make the opening ceremony about any celebrities, as the celebrity is the Burj Khalifa tower. We wanted to magnify the 828m of the tower for all that is… as it is truly one-of-a-kind.” Pierre Marcout, CEO of Prisme International. and water, mixed with distinctly Arabian themes, such as the Hymenocalis desert flower, which in itself was an inspiration for the architectural design of the tower. “I wanted the audience to hear about the story of the Burj Khalifa through different elements, such as light, water, fireworks and, of course, the projected images to support the narration of the story,” explains Marcout. The height of the building wasn’t the only record breaker revealed on the night – a 72,000W light projector, the biggest ever used, illuminated the structure during the course of the opening ceremony. In addition, 320 space canon projectors
– the most ever employed at a single event in the Middle East – created a shadow effect outlining the tower. More than 860 high-powered ‘stroboscope’ lights were integrated into the Burj Khalifa’s facade and spire, with each being fired individually during the presentation. Powerful strobe lights were fixed near the pinnacle of the tower, and six ‘narrow beam’ search lights were positioned 700 metres up the tower. Music throughout the course of the event was composed exclusively by renowned French film soundtrack producer Mike Lanaro and recorded by the philharmonic orchestra ‘Opera de Paris’.
However, the crowning achievement of the launch was the fireworks display, conceived and implemented by Groupe F. Established in 1990, Groupe F has developed a formidable reputation for designing elaborate fireworks displays for major events including the Millennium celebrations in Paris, the 2004 Athens Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, the inauSAS FEBRUARY 2010
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COVER STORY
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!
INTRODUCTION The Burj inauguration performance commenced with a short film which depicted the story of Dubai and the evolution of Burj Khalifa as the world’s tallest building. A precisely choreographed sound, light, water and fireworks display then followed. FIRST PHASE OF CEREMONIAL LAUNCH The first act in the light & sound show, themed ‘From the Desert Flower to Burj Khalifa,’ was a coordinated water, light and firework display. The segment ended with a rhythmic water and fireworks show. SECOND PHASE The second act, ‘Heart Beat,’ utilised 300 space cannon projectors to generate a shadow-like image of the tower. The presentation was designed to ‘recreate the effect of a beating heart’. THIRD PHASE In the third act, ‘From Dubai and the UAE to the world,’ sky tracers and space canons enveloped the tower in a halo of white light before reproducing the sun beams of the Emaar corporate logo, providing a strong lead-in to the lighting of the building’s spire. CEREMONY FINALE The fireworks presentation topped off the inauguration, lighting the entire 500-hectare Downtown Burj Khalifa precinct.
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The Groupe F team prepares the fireworks prior to their installation on the Burj.
guration of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and various New Year’s Eve events in London, Rio de Janeiro and Dubai. The Burj Khalifa launch presented a host of serious logistical challenges to the Groupe F team – led by president and artistic director Christophe Berthonneau, project manager Cedric Moreau, high access workers manager Eric Fauroux and technical director Simon Ransom – not least of which was the sheer scale of the pyrotechnics installation. While Berthonneau had harboured a similar long-held ambition as Marcout to be involved in the building’s gala launch, having conceived his initial design for the pyro display in 2007, the last-minute nature of the project presented a raft issues. “I got the call from Pierre and it was all
systems go. That was four weeks before the show,” Berthonneau explains. “I knew exactly the design that would best suit the launch. I had been studying the building during its construction and had come up with plans for a fireworks event incorporating the design that had been shelved a number of times previously.” Berthonneau says the concept was “a mix of some of the best-known projects [Groupe F had] worked on and something purely conceived for the Burj”. Perhaps the best known of these projects was the Millennium celebration staged at the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 2000. Trainspotters familiar with the project would have recognised certain elements from the Eiffel Tower event in the Burj launch. “We wanted to create something we felt
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SOUND AS EVER While the fireworks display dominated the Burj Khalifa gala launch, time-synched audio played a significant role in the overall event production. Prisme International contracted local pro audio production firm Delta Sound Dubai to manage the audio requirements for the Burj Khalifa event. “This was the first time Prisme had specifically requested that we do the sound for an event like this, so it was definitely a feather in our cap,” says Delta Sound Dubai director Andy Jackson. Adding to the challenge was the fact Delta had just 10 days to put together a professional audio package capable of accommodating the event. “The lack of notice was not down to Prisme, we were all in the same situation,” Jackson stresses. “There couldn’t be any commitment to the creatives until the right person had the right piece of paper to say ‘Yes, definitely go ahead’.” The audio system had to incorporate sound for a 100m-wide projection screen, sound reinforcement for the spectacular, Bellagio-style fountains – located between Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall as part of the project – and also a reveal system for the tower itself. “We had to trigger the fountains for a specially commissioned version of the UAE national anthem and another commissioned piece of music for the reveal,” explains Jackson. “This meant we had to provide timecode to interface with the fountain control room, which was located a kilometre away. We achieved this by using eight
Delta Sound’s Andy Jackson.
BSS Soundweb blu160s and a Soundweb blu800. Because of this, and the fact we needed to get the system comms up to the 157th floor of the tower, we used around four kilometres of fibre optic.” This was just the start, however, as Delta’s timecode was also used to synchronise the firing of the pyro materials. “We used an IZ Technology RADAR multitrack to trigger everything, as we have done on other shows,” says Jackson. “Mixing the show was done on a Digidesign Profile, interfaced with a ProTools HD system. “The composer worked with us, taking the original ProTools sessions he had recorded and remixing it to get the very best out of the system.” Also in use was a 360 Systems Instant
Replay server and a Yamaha LS9-16 conssole. The main PA system comprised 28 L’acoustics V-DOSCs, 24 dV-DOSCs, 18 SSB218 subs and MTD 112 loudspeakeers, all powered by LA48 amplifiers and eequipped with XTA processors. “With everything being pre-recorded, tthe actual running of the show was fairly sstraightforward,” says Jackson. “The main challenge lay with the synchronisation and getting comms so far up the building.” Utilising 32 Clear-Com 501 beltpacks, four EF701 interfaces, four MS232s and one MS704 main station, plus eight HME wireless kits, the communications system worked very well, says Jackson. And, given that the previous world record for the greatest number of floors in a building was 110, by default Delta now lays claim to the record for the highest number of floors a temporary fibre optic communications system has ever reached, having gone 47 better. “It was certainly a challenge, but everything went extremely smoothly and it was very gratifying to be part of such a unique event,” says Jackson.
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COVER STORY
VERTIGO! Scaling the façade of the world’s tallest building is a challenge not for the faint-hearted. Here, the key players discuss their approach to tackling their fear of ascending the world’s tallest superstructure.
“I’m not afraid of heights but I’m not too bothered I didn’t get the chance to go up there too often. It’s an unbelievably imposing structure, particularly above the 124th floor (where the main viewing platform is located).” - Christophe Berthonneau, president and artistic director of Groupe F.
“Above the 160th floor it gets really challenging as that’s where the spire begins, which is all-steel. To get to the very top you have to climb a series of staircases and ladders hidden within the cylindrical structure. The final climb to the top is more than 200m, which to put in perspective, is like taking the staircase to the Eiffel Tower’s highest viewing platform at a base height of 600m. It wasn’t for me to be honest.” - Simon Ransom, technical director of Groupe F. “I did go to the very top on a number of occasions during the lighting install. You have to get over your fear of heights pretty quickly when it’s part of the job. We did however have one guy during the build stage who took the [exposed] construction elevator to the 160th floor and had a bit of a moment when he got there. We thought we might have to helicopter him down, because he was too scared to get back in the lift!” David Gray, architainment manager for principal lighting integrator Oasis Enterprises.
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was more organic [than the Eiffel Tower celebrations],” he says. “I never design the same way twice though. You can never test your designs because of the cost.” The Groupe F team commenced work on the building façade on December 20 installing an initial run of inert materials. Ransom says active materials were put in place in the days prior to the launch. “We installed fireworks on the building’s 27 terraces, while on the full length of the structure we installed three runs of 40 points, 18 metres apart, in addition to numerous effects,” he explains. “The fireworks material was imported specifically for the event, with the vast majority coming from Spain and the remainder from France. “There was more than one tonne of active material installed in total. We fired from around 200 different positions, ranging from 80m to 828m. “Because of the building’s location and its height, we had to use minimal fallout white projectiles. The show was predominantly white for a reason – white burns quickly and has minimal residue. “We brought in 24 professional climbers from France to perform the rigging work, and 68 staff in total. Complicating matters was the fact we were committed to staging the fireworks display on behalf of the Jumeirah Group as part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Dubai, so it was a busy time to say the least.” With the vast majority of pyrotechnics materials installed on the building and Groupe F in the final stages of preparation, good technical planning saw potential disaster averted four days prior to the launch when a lightning strike caused a series of fireworks to explode on the tower’s spire. “The strike set off a static charge, which in turn transferred to one of our firing boxes which mustn’t have been isolated,” explains Ransom. “The fireworks are set up in cues. Each cue takes a different voltage to safeguard
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against multiple firings. Two or three multishots were all that went off, so it looked more impressive than it actually was. We’d already laid out the effects on the pinnacle, which is only about 1.5m wide.The strike ignited eight or nine of 450 effects in total, so it was pretty well contained. “The civil defence team, which included around 40 firemen and police, was there on the spot. My biggest challenge was ensuring no one rushed to the top straight after the strike. “We had all of the effects in show position, so we had to ensure nothing else could go off if someone rushed up without the proper precautions being taken.� Ransom says the project also augured in a new era of cooperation between events organisers and the civil defence. “We were really well supported by the Dubai Civil Defence,� he says. “This project marked the first time I had been invited into the police briefings, which is a significant step forward.� Ransom says that one of Groupe F’s best
The fireworks display employed more than one tonne of active material.
attributes as an organisation is the number of altitude climbers it has on its books. “These guys are all highly qualified pyrotechnicians, which makes these types of projects easier to plan for,� he says. “They’re all hugely experienced climbers. We had to alter the make up of the rigging team at the last minute because one of the guys who was slated to work on the project got called back to France to take part in a cave rescue mission. “He was only one of four guys available who had been trained in a certain rescue procedure required.� The Burj Khalifa launch represented a landmark event for Dubai and, in the opinion of Berthonneau, a symbolic coming of age for a more recently maligned city. “Our first project in Dubai was the Shopping Festival back in 1994, which in hindsight, was the beginning of this massive development phase which has put Dubai on the map internationally,� he says. “The opening of the Burj Khalifa seems the natural culmination of these efforts.�
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COVER STORY
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE BURJ KHALIFA At 828 metres (2,625 feet), the Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest man-made structure. The tower is taller than Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which at 508 metres (1,667 ft) held the tallest-building-inthe-world title since its opening in 2004. Burj Dubai also surpassed the 31-yearold record of CN Tower, which at 553.33 metres (1,815.5 ft) had been the world’s tallest free-standing structure on land since 1976. The building boasts the world’s tallest public observation deck located on the 124th floor. When construction work was at its most intense, around 12,000 people from more than 100 countries were working every day onsite. In total, Burj Khalifa took 22 million man hours to build. More than 45,000 cubic metres (1.59 million cubic ft) of concrete, weighing
more than 110,000 tonnes, make up the tower’s steel-reinforced foundations with 192 piles running to a depth of more than 50 metres (164 ft). In total, Burj Khalifa employs a record-breaking 330,000 cubic metres (11.6 million cubic feet) of concrete; 39,000 metric tonnes of reinforced steel; 103,000 sq m (1.1 million sq ft) of double-glazed glass; and 15,500 sq m (166,800 sq ft) of embossed stainless steel. Burj Khalifa’s spire may resemble a needle at ground level, but in reality it is a colossal structure consisting of 4,000 tonnes of structural steel. Nor is it exclusively ornamental, housing as it does telecommunications equipment for the tower.
For Ransom, the event marked the opportunity to work on a project the scale of which is unlikely to be emulated any time in the near future. “The Burj Khalifa project had unique written all over it, and it’s not often we get to do something totally unique in this region,� he says. “It was definitely the most interesting assignment we’ve worked on as an organisation. “It’s not every day you can say you’ve coordinated a team of 20 riggers who spent the majority of their time hanging off the side of an 800m tall building.�
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SAS FEBRUARY 2010
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INTERVIEW
BKP Music founder and CEO Barry Kirsch.
22 SAS FEBRUARY 2010
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RIDER ON THE STORM One of the Middle East music industry’s best-known personalities, BKP Music founder and CEO Barry Kirsch is forging a path as an industry pioneer, steering an ambitious expansion strategy for the music production firm in the GCC region. Here, he tells Aaron Greenwood about the company’s new HQ in Dubai and his plans for the Saudi market. Sound & Stage: You recently relocated the BKP HQ to new premises in Dubai Internet City. What prompted the move? Barry Kirsch: We’d outgrown our previous HQ and considered the move an opportunity to establish a permanent base that would meet our needs moving forward. It’s the fourth time I’ve built studio production facilities in Dubai – each time in the past I’ve been moved on by landlords and the like. We’re really happy with the new offices. We aimed to create an international standard audio post-production facility and I believe we’ve achieved that.
S&S: How’s business in light of the recession? BK: It’s really good at the moment. Like other companies in this business, we’ve experienced the downturn, but it hasn’t been that significant for us. Audio production opens so many doors, whether it be commercials or post work for film, television or soundtracks for events. Some sectors of the market have proven more lucrative than others. For example, demand for radio spots has gone through the roof during the re-
cession, because it’s a cost-effective advertising medium. By comparison, TVC work has fallen away significantly.
S&S: So, overall would you say 2009 wasn’t as challenging as it could have been? BK: Well, we were fortunate to be involved in a couple of huge productions last year. We were responsible for scoring and posting the feature film City of Life, which was a three-month project, and we also did the full score for the King Abdul-
new Dubai office, which made the situation a little stressful, but through careful planning and reining in our expenses we’ve managed to handle the situation very well. We’ve got clients fairly far-flung across the region, which helps to absorb any impact locally. To be honest, I thought 2009 was going to be mayhem, but in the end it all went fairly smoothly, which was a big relief given the circumstances.
“Like other companies in this business, we’ve experienced the downturn, but it hasn’t been that significant for us... I thought 2009 was going to be mayhem.” lah University launch in Saudi Arabia. This carried us through the summer and we’ve been doing well ever since. We haven’t had to lay-off any staff. On the contrary, we actually recruited an additional sound engineer in mid-2009 and we’re now looking to hire two new staff this year. We accounted for the downturn when we were doing budgets for 2009 towards the end of 2008. We had just committed to an enormous expense setting up the
S&S: How’s business shaping up for 2010? BK: Initially at least we’re focusing on consolidating our operations in Dubai. We’re still refining our systems and there’s one studio still under construction. We’ve really gone for a sophisticated system here with the latest software-driven editing technologies, which should make scheduling and the like much easier. We also have plans to further develop our operation in Abu Dhabi, as business FEBRUARY 2010 SAS
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INTERVIEW
BKP Dubai features three dedicated music production and post-production studios respectively. is very much booming in the capital. We also have our music publishing division which we operate with Fairwood Music. We represent a couple of really serious players in EMI and Universal in this part of the world, and we’re planning a string of announcements in terms of copyright developments this year. We’re also currently assessing the potential of establishing a division in Saudi Arabia. It’s a very logical step, but the challenge lies in how we go about it and finding a strong local partner. Whether that will happen this year I can’t say. But it makes sense for us to have a base in Saudi in the long-term.
S&S: The market for audio production services in Saudi Arabia is still quite limited though, is it not? BK: Well, it is at the moment, but there’s definite potential there. The government’s launching a bunch of FM radio stations, which will provide us with opportunities in terms of producing radio spots. We have a growing number of Saudi clients as well as requests for Saudi accents in commercial work produced by us. We have limited access to Saudi talent here in the UAE.
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S&S: Saudi’s a very parochial market market. BK: You can understand their logic. Saudis like to hear their own accents in television and radio commercials. But locating that talent outside the country is very challenging indeed.
S&S: Is it possible to successfully service countries like Saudi Arabia remotely? BK: Well, even having access to a digital ISDN line connecting us with Riyadh, for example, would be advantageous. We already have an ISDN link to a partner in Beirut. We did actually build a studio in Lebanon prior to the last LebaneseIsraeli war, but the conflict effectively put an end to the business before it even got started. You do have to be prepared for all eventualities operating in this part of the world.
S&S: Have you seen much of a shift in business from Dubai to Abu Dhabi? BK: We already have a significant number of important Abu Dhabi-based clients including Etihad Airways and Etisalat, and our business in the capital is definitely
BKP Music fact file file BKP Music is the largest audio postproduction house based in the Middle East. It currently operates two multi-studio facilities in the UAE and is considering opening another in Saudi Arabia. It also operates the sole ISDN link from Dubai to Beirut for TVC post-production purposes. BKP Dubai boasts three dedicated music and three audio post / radio studios. BKP Abu Dhabi currently has one audio post / radio studio and plans to debut a second later this year.
growing. Abu Dhabi will continue to expand exponentially, which means we’ll be in the box seat in the long-run.
S&S: What’s your impression of twofour54? BK: I’ve had quite a few discussions with the guys there and I respect what they’re trying to achieve. We’ve actually signed an MoU with twofour54 to open an office in its new precinct once its completed. By that time, we expect the market in
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Abu Dhabi to be big enough to sustain a significant presence there.
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S&S: You established a music publishing business in conjunction with Fairwood Music in 2008. How challenging has it been gaining ground in this market given the fact copyright and licensing issues are often neglected? BK: It’s a very delicate subject. The UAE has been working hard to combat piracy. What’s sorely lacking in this region is an international music rights society, which is where our focus lies. As publishers, we’re trying to educate the market. We’re not steaming in and taking everyone to court – we need to work with the key players to ensure a reasonable outcome for all stakeholders. The point is, the big multinational advertisers will not allow anything go to air that hasn’t been licensed, and that’s where we come in. We can help these advertisers navigate their way through the licensing process. Interestingly, the big players – the CNNs, the Orbit-Showtimes – understand the importance of what we’re trying to do and are very supportive, because they
Barry Kirsch CV Born in Belgium, Kirsch relocated to the UK and completed his studies before embarking on a career as a producer. Kirsch already had a healthy appetite for music from a young age, given that his
BKP Dubai is located in Dubai Media City. recognise licensing structures will ensure IPRs are respected while providing funding for grassroots artistic development in the Middle East.
S&S: Are you looking to promote this agenda in other markets across the region? BK: Initially, our focus is the UAE, and then let’s see what happens after that. If you want to create a music industry, you need to protect artistic rights.
father was a senior executive at the European arm of EMI Records. In the 1970s, Kirsch took up a position as a songwriter working for Warners, where he remained for seven years. The position ultimately led to an Emmy Award nomination for his score for the Richard Dreyfus film Prisoner of Honour. Kirsch has received 25 international awards for his work over the years. A long-term Dubai resident, he has composed music for a multitude of clients including Emirates, Etihad, DSF, Dubai Destination and Dubai eGovernment. He is currently working on his first album of fusion tracks and is actively involved in promoting awareness of copyright issues and intellectual property rights in the Middle East.
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FEBRUARY 2010 SAS
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Har manI nt er nat i onal
ADVERTORIAL
WINNING FORMULA FOR GSL PROFESSIONAL! Managing director Faegh Fowzi
• Number one distributor (pictured) and brother Foaud for Crown Audio in the Fowzi (President) recently world 2009 travelled to California to pick up the award from Crown
• Harman Distributor for Audio. GSL were also awarded Performance award 2009 a Rolex Submarine wrist watch
in recognition of the Companies Performance on behalf of Harman Professional.
GSL Professional has been recognised with two major distributor awards from two of its biggest clients Harman Professional and Crown Audio - for exceptional performance during one of the toughest years on record: 2009.
Both awards are a tribute to their continued commitment to clients and customers in the Middle East region. Despite a difficult period for the market overall, GSL continued to grow and have recently acquired a new warehouse facility in the Jebel Ali Freezone Dubai.
EVENT PRODUCTION
I’M MISS WORLD With the spotlight focused on South Africa in the lead up to this year’s FIFA World Cup, the Miss World 2009 pageant returned to Johannesburg for the second year in December, with the goal of taking the event to the next level in regards to the use of lighting and presentation technologies.
S
taged at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, the pageant reunited the 2008 Miss World design team of Tim Dunn (lighting & visuals) and Dewet Meyer (set) of Gearhouse South Africa, who were challenged with the task of producing a vibrant and colourful production presentation with a distinctly African flavour as a dynamic backdrop to the event. The primary goal was to ensure the event looked stunning on TV – the pageant’s core market. The telecast was directed by Ian Hamilton, recorded by SABC and broadcast live to 80 countries worldwide. For the first time the broadcast took in the US, India (both Hindi and English transmissions) and China via CCTV4, reaching an estimated combined audience of two billion. It also had to look good for the 3500 audience members who packed into the venue for the show. Dunn took the opportunity to showcase the newest moving and digital lighting products from Czech Republic manufacturer Robe. The full technical production package was delivered by Gearhouse South Africa. The set consisted primarily of an impressive 45m x 38m spherical structure circled by two dramatic radial rings that appeared to float above and beyond the stage. The rings were painted white in a bid to maximise the carefully crafted lighting effects, while the forestage and other areas
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consisted of combinations of white and pale grey to allow lighting the freedom to add expression and texturing. The front steps below the key lighting fixtures (29 x 5K fresnels) were clad with printed PVC for additional depth and to provide a contrasting background to the contestants when on camera. The entire structure was complemented by a surrounding white PVC cyc, with its support legs clad in the same finish. ShowTex Middle East supplied 20 starcloths in total measuring over 500m². At the 2008 event, Dunn broke new ground by being the first lighting tech to use Robe lighting’s new DigitalSpot 7000DTs and REDWash 3 192 LED wash lights on such a large scale. This time round, Dunn was determined to push the boundaries further, employing more than 280 Robe fixtures in total. He stocked up on 72 Robe Robin 300 Series spot, wash and beam version fixtures, 72 of Robe’s most powerful moving light, the ColorSpot 2500E AT, 12 Robe ColorBeam 700E ATs and Robe CitySkape 48 LED wash fixtures, the latter of which were used to illuminate the edges of the set, its support legs and the cyc. Other fixtures included 12 DigitalSpot 3000DTs and 42 Robe REDWash 3 192 LED wash fixtures. More than 280 moving and intelligent fixtures were fitted to the rig for the event, providing plenty of options for the lighting designers. Describing the Robe technology used in
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the rig as “very exciting”, Dunn says he was mostly impressed by the versatility of the lighting fixtures used during the highstakes production. “It was refreshing to work with a company like Robe, which keeps developing inventive products and is prepared to invest energy and effort into them being used on such a high-profile TV broadcast,” he says. All the overhead lighting was hung on six circular trusses plus a series of curved trusses, designed to harmonise with the set architecture. The centres of each circle was filled with
stretched white PVC forming a ceiling that could be lit and toned, making them particularly useful for low and wide-angled camera shots. The set rings were delineated by 50 x 30 mm plastic spheres internally lit with Anolis Ark-Link 3 colour changing LED strips. Another significant inclusion in the visual mix was the use of 114 i-Pix Satellite LED ‘bricks’. The fixtures were pixel mapped to ensure the video content they displayed matched that broadcast using the DigitalSpots and on the main LED screen positioned to the rear of stage. This matched all three digital lighting el-
ements in colour and movement, creating delicate swirling effects across the main presentation space. Dunn employed an MA Lighting grandMA full-size control console, networked together with seven NSPs (network signal processors) running a total of 24 DMX universes, controlling approximately 12,600 channels across the whole rig. Lighting control was networked via fibre optic cable, with one link to the FOH area. Dunn programmed the desk with lighting director Hugh Turner during five long and productive overnight sessions. Marcel Wijnberger and Chris Grandin from om Gearhouse Media created special ecial playback video content ntent that was stored on n two MA media servers, rvers, triggered from thee grandMA console. le. Wijnburger and Dunn unn also edited and produced oduced a video for the e opening “Umoja” production oduction number whilst hilst on site. The lighting crew
“It was refreshing to work with a company like Robe, which keeps gy and developing inventive products and is prepared to invest energy effort into them being used on such a high-profile TV broadcast.” st.” Tim Dunn, Gearhouse Broadcast South Africa (pictured right). SAS SA SAS AS FEBRUARY FE FEB F EB E BRUA RUAR RUAR RU AR A ARY RY 2010 20 2 010 01 10
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EVENT PRODUCTION worked in two continuous shifts during the short installation period just a week before the show. The crew was chiefed by Lucky Nkosi. The playback video, plus logos, stings and show graphics all appeared on the central LED screen, a 10 x 5 panel configuration of Lighthouse R16 supplied by LEDVision, output via a Barco Encore screen management system operated by Gearhouse AV’s Craig McGinn. McGinn also received multiple camera and EVS feeds from SABC’s OB truck to output to two 8 x 4.5 metre side screens, each fed by a pair of double-stacked Christie 18K projectors. For Jako de Wit from Gearhouse Audio, it was a relatively straightforward set up, requiring precision and good coverage. de Wit has worked in the Gallagher Convention centre on numerous previous occasions, so was well-acquainted with the nuances of the room. At de Wit’s urging, Gearhouse flew main hangs of eight L’Acoustics V-DOSC cabinets a side, each with three dV-DOSC downfills, and seven single dV delays to cover the raised audience seating area. Six L’Acoustics HiQs were used for monitoring purposes, powered by LA8 amps. De Wit mixed the show FOH using a Yamaha M7CL console, with active splits going to the OB truck.
Live Li mic i ffeeds d were sentt tto OB crew who in turn provided de Wit’s team with audio for the playback tracks, VT inserts and stings. Monitors were driven from FOH, with a Yamaha LS9 located onstage for ‘local’ control as and when needed, managed by Nathi Ntuli. The whole system was networked and run via fibre optic cable and processed via Dolby Lake units at FOH. Gearhouse Audio also supplied 12 Shure Beta 58 hand held radio microphones and four lavaliers for the presenters. Ultimately, the combination of great teamwork and the creative vision of Robe, Gearhouse, Tim Dunn, Dewet Meyer and all the various crews working on site ensured the delivery of yet another visually spectacular Miss World production, setting a new technical and creative benchmark for subsequent events to follow.
MISS WORLD 2009 KIT LIST Audio 2 x 8 L’Acoustics V-DOSC cabinets 3 x L’Acoustics dV-DOSC downfills 7 x L’Acoustics single dV delays 6 x L’Acoustics HiQs 6 x LA8 amps 12 x Shure Beta 58 hand-held radio mics 4 x Shure Beta lavaliers 1 x Yamaha LS9 mixing console 1 x Yamaha M7CL mixing console 4 x Dolby Lake units
Lighting 42 x Robe DigitalSpot 7000DTs 32 x REDWash 3 192 LED wash lights
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72 x Robe Robin 300 Series spot, wash and beams 72 x Robe ColorSpot 2500E ATs 12 x Robe ColorBeam 700E ATs 12 x Robe CitySkape 48 LED washes 12 x DigitalSpot 3000DTs 42 x Robe REDWash 3 192 LED washes 29 x 5K fresnels 1 x MA Lighting grandMA full-size console
AV display 1 x 10 x 5 panel Lighthouse R16 screen 2 x 8 x 4.5 metre side screens 1 x Barco Encore screen management system 2 x double stacked Christie 18K projectors 114 x i-Pix Satellite LED bricks
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THE
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INSIDE This month’s hottest product releases, buyer’s guide and classifieds
ALL ABOUT… In the Xone
PRODUCTS: ZED-10 and ZED-10FX MANUFACTURER: Allen & Heath WHAT’S THE STORY? Part of A&H’s ZED range of USB-equipped mixers for live performance, recording and production, the new ultra-compact additions will suit venues including houses of worship and conference facilities. TALKING TECH: ZED-10 and ZED10FX feature two innovative ultra-high impedance, discreet Class A FET (Field Effect Transistor) inputs, which allow an instrument to be plugged directly into the mixer, emulating the valve/tube input circuitry commonly found on instrument combos or amplifiers. There is also a 26dB gain boost switch, which caters for instruments with very low output pickups. The ZED-10 can also manage up to four microphones and two stereo sources with MP3 player compatibility, provides separate two-track record outputs and a stereo playback input for two-track replay or interval music from a CD player, XLR main
stereo outputs with inserts, comprehensive monitoring with headphones and separate monitor speaker outputs, 48V microphone phantom power, and DI level switching for sub mixing. There is also a USB send and return for PC or Mac recording, playback and effects. GREAT! WHAT ELSE? The ZED10FX has the same feature set as the ZED-10, and in addition, has a built-in FX processor with TAP tempo delay settings and a 24 bit/48kHz conversion rate. The ZED-10FX uses digital effects algorithms derived from Allen & Heath’s pro touring digital mixing system, ranging from classic reverbs and cascaded delay plus reverbs to shimmering flanger and chorus effects. VERDICT: Great additions to Allen & Heath’s ZED range.
Also released at NAMM 2010 was Allen & Heath’s next-gen DJ controller for the Serato Itch, the Xone:DX. The DX is a 20-channel USB 96kHz/24-bit USB 2.0 soundcard that integrates with the new four-deck Serato Itch software, providing the ability to send up to 168 individual MIDI control messages. With two dual layer deck simulators, RIAA/phono inputs for external decks, as well as a central four-channel mixer section which directly manipulates the DSP mixing within the computer, the Xone:DX is loaded to the gills with useful features. Nice work.
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ER ST GI RE W E- NO PR
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PRODUCT: FLASH8 and FLASH12HA loudspeakers MANUFACTURER: Proel DETAILS, DETAILS:
woofer, available both in passive (8P) and active (8A) versions, manufactured by Italian firm Proel. Technical highlights include a polypropylene cabinet with an extended system of internal ribs designed through FEM analysis, a new 90°x60° constant-directivity highfrequency horn, a bi-amplifier (50W class AB – 180W class D for low frequencies) with separate line and microphone inputs, twoband EQ, double clip limiter circuit and Neutrik connectors. FLASH12HA is an active loudspeaker featuring state-of-the-art Celestion Neodymium speakers and class D amplifiers. Proel claims the Celestion Neodymium 1” compression driver with 1.75” voice coil ensures high efficiency and maximum linearity. Low frequencies are reproduced by Celestion Neodymium woofers 12”, with a 3” voice coil, guaranteeing high power handling and significantly reduced weight. VERDICT: Next-gen class D amps are the highlight here.
FAST FACT The FLASH H amplifier module 100+400W consists of the new class D amplifiers designed by Proel’s R&D labs for the low range.
FLASH8 is a full-range speaker with 8”
Sound Foundations
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THE GUIDE
BUYER’S GUIDE LIGHTING CONTROL
LIGHT MY FIRE
PHAT CONTROLLERS The trend towards packing ever more power into increasingly compact lighting control consoles continues unabated. Here, we provide a rundown of the best products on the market and the key features you should look out for if lighting control is your thing.
LIGHT UP YER LIFE! MA Lighting – grandMA2 A Sound & Stage Award winner in 2008, we reckon the grandMA2 full-size still rocks and so do the thousands of punters who have handed over their hard-earned to MA Lighting for the privilege since the desk’s launch. The main areas of improvement over the superseded grandMA desk came with the displays, which were upgraded to improve clarity and colour optimisation. The full-size model features three internal 15-inch TFT wide-mode touchscreens,
two external TFT screens and a nine-inch internal multi-touch command screen. The grandMA2’s ultimate party piece however comes in the knowledge the desk can support a maximum of 65,536 lighting fixtures in as many as 256 DMX universes. Independent from user interfaces, for theatre programming applications or concert touring multi-user programming sessions, grandMA2 also includes fader wings, capable of supporting up to 90 faders per console. Middle East distributor: MA Lighting Middle East/India.
JANDS VISTA Big news for Aussie manufacturer Jands in 2010 is the launch of a major upgrade to its venerable Vista lighting control desk. The Byron upgrade consists of a completely re-written software application that Jands claims makes the desk faster and easier to use. The full-size Vista features up to 8192 DMX channels. However, in order to offer customers a scalable price option, the I3 offers DMX in 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048 or an unlimited number of channels dependent on the ‘dongle’ clients purchase with the console. Seven USB ports and four DMX outputs offer users the chance to connect lights and dimmers to other products from the Vista range, such as the S1 and M1 compact control surfaces. The Vista’s innovative timeline editing application also simplifies complex lastminute alterations to lighting programmes. Middle East distributor: AC Lighting (UK).
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www.digitalproductionme.com
THE GUIDE
BUYER’S GUIDE TO THE MAX Martin Professional claims its popular Maxxyz lighting console offers the functionality of a full-size lighting console in a modular mid-sized design. Built of a heavy-duty, long lasting aluminium chassis, Maxxyz Compact has been designed to withstand the rigours of the touring and rental market. The console features four modules that are easily assembled requiring only USB and power connections. Middle East distributor: Martin Professional Middle East.
AVOLITES PEARL The Pearl Tiger continues to lead the way for UK manufacturer Avolites. The console is a streamlined, 10-roller playback version of its larger sibling, the Pearl. Avolites claims the console offers everything LDs require for quick and easy programming of small- to medium-sized applications in theatres, conferences, schools and colleges, small- to medium-scale productions or production companies, tours, permanent venues and nightclubs. Also now available is the Pearl 2010 – a cosmetically updated Pearl 2008 with the addition of USB memory, providing storage for a complete set of personality files as well as multiple show files. The Pearl 2010 combines compact dimensions with plenty of power and offers complete control of up to 240 intelligent light fixtures. As with all Avolites consoles, the Pearl is designed for quick and easy programming and playback. The patching of moving lights and colour changers is also as simple as patching a dimmer. Preset focus palettes provide fast building blocks for functions such as pan, tilt, colour and gobo. All memories and chases built from preset focuses are automatically updated once the preset focus is edited. Middle East Distributor: Venuetech.
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BARCO HIGH END SYSTEMS (HES) WHOLEHOG HES’ Wholehog series consists of a range of control consoles designed for touring and permanent applications. The Wholehog 3 provides two monitor outputs, keyboard and mouse ports, MIDI input and output ports, two USB ports, Fast Ethernet on a rugged Neutrik Ethercon connector, and speakers with stereo audio output. For touring applications, HES’ Roadhog Full Boar fits the bill. While the Full Boar is compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating platform, it is also equipped with the compa-
ny’s proprietary Flying Pig Systems software. The Wholehog operating system provides an unlimited number of simultaneous crossfades and DMX channels via Ethernet DPs and 2048 available via 5-pin XLR. HES also offers several memory options as standard, including an internal hard drive, internal DVD-RW and a removable USB flash drive. The console includes two 12-inch high brightness internal colour touchscreens, with two further external touchscreens available as add-ons. Middle East distributor: Barco Europe, Middle East & Africa.
BACK STAGE
The (other) Burj Khalifa While the world marvelled at the opening of the world’s tallest building in Dubai last month, a San Franciscan by the name of Steven J. Backman was locked away in northern California busy working on his latest ‘masterpiece’: a replica of the Burj Khalifa… carved from a toothpick. The self-described ‘worldrenowned’ toothpick artist has previously put his unusual talents to the test, recreating miniaturised versions of famous landmarks including the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. The latter project is apparently largely recognised as Backman’s masterpiece, having taken more than two years to complete in the mid-1980s (what a way to spend the best years of your life, discovering Huey Lewis & The News AND a penchant for toothpicks!). The replica, which consists of 30,000 toothpicks and is 13 feet in length, is on display at the ultra-cheesy Ripley’s Museum in California, believe it or not (boom tish!). According to a statement issued on behalf of Blackman following the Burj launch, his “passion for toothpicks” has led him to create “other amazing sculptures, including a four and a half foot long electric powered radio-controlled yacht meticulously designed from 10,000 toothpicks. It features a double
toothpick rudder system which allows the boat to glide swiftly in all directions in appropriate bodies of water. Steven is continuing his legacy by creating a new series of modern abstract toothpick ssculptures”. And what a legacy it is. Still, given the meticulous aattention to detail evident iin such projects, we reckon Backman could be the Da Vinci of the toothpick art world. Speaking of his latest project, Backman says the Burj replica took seven hours to create and a “bucketload of patience”. “As far as I know, it is the world’s smallest replica of the world’s tallest building,” he added in an interview with DubaiCityGuide. com. We’d safely assume so. You can’t help but wonder what someone of Backman’s obvious talent could achieve if they applied the same level of patience and skill to something arguably more meaningful? A professional pursuit perhaps more befitting Albert Einstein than Forrest Gump. Still, we reckon carving a replica of the Burj from a single toothpick worth less than a cent could prove a masterstroke on this occasion. Given that it’s also for sale, no doubt someone in Dubai will pay a fortune for it. Good luck to him.
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“Frankly, the few times I’ve talked to him, he’s hung up on me. As soon as I’ve said something to him, man to man, the phone goes dead.” Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry discusses his increasingly fractious relationship with former frontman Steve Tyler, who recently admitted to a prescription drug problem. Perry and Aerosmith have vowed to find a replacement for Tyler, who was last heard telling reporters he was quitting the band to “work on Brand Tyler”, whatever that means.
“I was a painter for seven years, a successful illustrator for two years and now I’m a rock ‘n’ roll singer. I still feel I’m doing the same thing but I’m not painting with paints.” Classic Ian Dury. The former Blockheads singer and master linguist passed away 10 years ago next month. RIP.
“It was the most horrifying thing that ever happened to me.”
King of kings Thousands of Elvis Presley fans descended on the small town of Parkes in Central Western NSW, Australia, last month to celebrate the King’s 75th birthday (well, what would have been his 75th, if he hadn’t croaked it while perched on the throne after a midnight snack back in 1977). The Backstage team loves Elvis and the fact he is still revered in such unlikely corners of the world. On behalf of the King, we thankya very much.
OFF THE RECORD
The King lives! (in rural NSW).
We loved this quote so much from Blur frontman Damon Albarn (highlighted by way of The Observer last month), we couldn’t help but pilfer it. For the record, Albarn’s fear and loathing was directed at Sting, after the former Police singer (Policeman?) stated for the record that Albarn reminded him a lot of himself in his younger years.