[New] INTERVIEW 080

aside their competitive differences to provide TPi with an exclusive update on these developments and how this unifying opensource format is impacting the entertainment industry. In a somewhat fragmented and labyrinthine industry, in which the design of a production is often shrouded in mystery and so far removed from the knowledge of an average audience member, seeking out sector-wide support to improve this creative process can be equal parts challenging and rewarding for its forebears. Hoping to turn the tide in the favour of end users who are frequently faced with a lack of, or nonexistent data, to build a project are Vectorworks Chief Marketing Officer, Jeremy Powell; MA Lighting Managing Director, Gerhard Krude; and Robe Customer Service Manager, Petr Vanek.

“We are proud to be a part of this initiative at MA Lighting. We all suffer from the same problem, in order to be able to control a fixture, it would be nice to have adequate information and data. This is something our users complain about. While our library is extensive, every now and then, there are discrepancies,” Krude explained, adding that the implementation of GDTF and MVR cuts out the middleman and the need for end users to ask a fixture manufacturer to present the data, by nudging them to provide it in an informative and easily accessible way that can be digested by a control desk, can connect to previsualisation software and other production planning tools from the top down.

“As a lighting partner and manufacturer, it was important for us to understand that this is not a problem of consoles and software which use our fixtures,” Vadnek stated.

“We try to develop products that are a key part of live entertainment, and we as manufacturers understand how they work, and we want to be able to communicate that information to the end user. The frustration that they express has been such that it has made us aware of the problem and we need to unite in order to solve it,” he added. “At Robe, we could never achieve this end goal solitarily, we require the input and information of other viewpoints of the controlling, planning, visualising point of views to understand the issue and provide a complete solution.” live entertainment sector – information on distribution boxes through to data providers, trussing and hoists, etcetera – as a resource for all parties involved in the production process. Powell commented: “ We define t his approach as an ‘open accessible standard,’ and one we continually develop. While this begins at DMX, architecting this approach to go beyond the DMX, is very important. We want to develop a system and language that is truly open and evolves to the point that these issues become problems of old.”

Kr ude added: “From the beginning, we decided not to approach this on a proprietary level, but open it up to provide a solution for our users, which is the most important part of developing a standard that can be easily adapted by people. We have invented a comprehensive language which can describe the technology on or powering live entertainment in a way that can be universally understood by end users and retained by the technology. This is our gift to the end user.”

GDTF and MVR can be integrated into designers’ existing workflows, allowing t hem to go between CAD, previsualisation, and console, without unnecessary errors, costs, or other distractions. This ensures that devices work the first t ime, every t ime, and simplifies t he process of sharing data and project details. “This is a liberating experience for us as a partner, but also personally as a lighting operator, to be able to have a format I can understand, and if I need to change midway, I have the ability to amend the data as an end user,” Vadnek noted. “Equally, as a manufacturer, I am thrilled to be able to express how our devices operate.”

In recent months, GDTF Group has ensured its fi xture builder is easier to use, making files more intuitive, and producing video content to express t heir manifesto and how to build files, as well as improving GDTF and MVR technology under the hood, with MVR now recognising additional 3D file formats t hat a lot of other software applications can take in.

Powell hopes these steps will nudge manufacturers to supply data on their fixtures in GDTF to be used in MVR. “ This is a culmination of t he efforts of multiple people from many manufacturers that are involved in our regular interface meetings with the sector. Their needs, questions and requirements have helped shape the development of GDTF and MVR and their subsequent adoption has risen,” Vanek remarked.

The GDTF file format has continued to evolve with input and involvement from manufacturers across the globe and critical feedback from its many adopters resulting in many exciting developments in recent years, resulting in a published update to DIN SPEC 15800:2022.

“We took a stand at LDI 2022 to demonstrate this as a standard in the industry,” Powell commented. “At this show, we discovered there are new companies developing that base their business on making GDTF files, w hich we are excited about and hope to learn more about.”

Summarising, Krude called for support from the wider live entertainment and technology sector: “It is vitally important that companies stand behind this,” he concluded. “Whoever wants to join us, the invite is there. Get in touch. We cannot do this alone.” www.gdtf-share.com

Pictured left: Robe Customer Service Manager, Petr Vanek and MA Lighting Managing Director, Gerhard Krude with Vectorworks Chief Marketing Officer, Jeremy Powell exhibit on the GDTF and MVR stand at LDI 2022.