TPMEA #014

JUNE 2018 • ISSUE 014

FATBOY SLIM THE ICONIC BRITISH DJ THRILLS AT ZERO GRAVITY

MAD MAX MEETS TOP GEAR AS CARNAGE DESCENDS ON SOUTH AFRICA • TPMEA AWARDS: THE WINNERS ILEA • TECH PROFILE: THE ILLUSIONISTS • INTERVIEW: AUDIOSURE’S ALISON TAMAN • ALDAR CITYSCAPE

8 Standards Converted 12G-SDI Inputs!

Talkback Controls Talk to each camera individually or all cameras simultaneously.

Camera Control Adjust iris, gain, focus and zoom as well as color balance.

Audio Controls Each input allows selection of audio on/off, audio follow video, level control and LED audio meter per channel.

Program Control Buttons illuminate red when source is on air.

Transition Buttons Easily choose your transition type including Mix, Dip, Logo, DVE, Wipe and more!

Preview Control Buttons illuminate green when source is selected on preview.

TrackBall Adjusts RGB values of selected cameras as well as DVE positions.

Source Select Buttons Choose sources for keyers, as well as managing and running macros.

LCD Display Shows program output, audio meters, and menus for changing settings.

Transition Slider Controls the transition manually so you can operate special effects and control the speed of the transition.

Spin Knob Control Quickly scroll through menus for full switcher control.

Source and Control Downstream keyer, fade to black, media players and transition operation.

Aux Control Use the program row to select sources to the 12G-SDI aux output.

Quick Set DVE Buttons Preset DVE positions for picture in picture effects.

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TPMEA

WELCOME...

TO TPMEA

Dear readers,

It’s amazing to think that when we started TPMEA, we were looking at a small supplement for the region to better service our audience in the Middle East and Africa. What we’ve been able to achieve with your help since is a bi-monthly magazine and, this, our 14th issue, is the biggest we’ve made to date! This issue marks almost 3 years since this journey began.

At the start of May, we also undertook our first ever awards show in Dubai, to celebrate the efforts and talents of the industrious production hub that is the UAE. The inaugural TPMEA Awards were a huge success and a great measure of what is to come should we continue to acknowledge and promote your businesses, careers and skills.

On behalf of everyone at TPMEA, thank you so much for your support and attendance. In case you missed it, Pg. 18 reveals the winners and gives an insight into the night. Although this is our last magazine until October when the season starts up again, we will create a TPMEA Awards issue over the summer interim. Stay tuned via our social media channels and enjoy your much-deserved breaks!

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpiawards.com

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS MIDDLE EAST 06 - FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

Live Nation’s Karen Beaton reflects on the 2018 season before the summer break.

08 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

36 - PRODUCT FOCUS

A look at some of the industry’s latest launches.

42 - ILEA COLUMN

ILEA discusses the recent success at this year’s Dubai Quality Awards.

The latest news from the Middle East.

AFRICA

18 - TPMEA AWARDS

44 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

Catch-up with all the winners of the inaugural TPMEA Awards.

22 - TECH FOCUS

Aldar recruits Action Impact to aid in the creation of its Cityscape booth.

26 - TECH PROFILE

Fruition Events talk to TPMEA about its work with ledgendary DJ, Fatboy Slim.

32 - TECH PROFILE

The latest news stories from the region.

48 - TECH FOCUS

TPMEA ventures to Tankwa Karoo for Carnage the perfect blend of Top Gear and Mad Max.

52 - TECH PROFILE

Events Evolution lend a hand to gospel singer, Wenyasha’s live DVD recording, Taste of Glory.

54 - INTERVIEW

Former Broadway show, The Illusionists, lands in the UAE as part of a world tour.

Audiosure’s General Manager, Alison Taman, speaks to TPMEA about distributing Allen & Heath in South Africa.

EDITOR Kel Murray Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7738 154689 e-mail: k.murray@mondiale.co.uk

ASSISTANT EDITOR Ste Durham Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7891 679742 e-mail: s.durham@mondiale.co.uk

STAFF WRITER Stewart Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

GENERAL MANAGER Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk

SALES EXECUTIVE Lauren Dyson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)741 5773 639 e-mail: l.dyson@mondiale.co.uk

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Zoe Willcox: z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk

ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk

MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Fatboy Slim at Zero Gravity by vklybe.tv

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NET WORK INTELLIGENCE

PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk

DIGITAL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jacob Waite: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk @tpmea_magazine www.tpmeamagazine.com www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com

LIGHTING SOLUTIONS

facebook.com/TPMEA_Magazine youtube.com/user/TPiMagazine

See back cover for more productiontec.com

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

LIVE NATION’S KAREN BEATON THE COMPANY’S OPERATIONS DIRECTOR GIVES HER TAKE ON THE CHANGING FACE OF THE MIDDLE EAST EVENTS INDUSTRY AHEAD OF ANOTHER UNCONVENTIONALLY BUSY SUMMER.

In years gone by, the onset of summer months was enough to send our target audiences into a frenzy of suitcase packing and air ticket purchasing - and generally signaled the annual slowdown of the Middle East show season.

This was our time, as industry players, to reflect on our hard-won productions, celebrate our successes, mull over the challenges that the year has brought us, and feel uplifted by clever solutions that we devised to keep the show on the road. And then we too would pack up - all these valuable experiences and precious nuggets of wisdom gained - ready to be dusted off and put into action for the next eclectic mix of productions for the forthcoming season.

So what has changed? Well... lots actually. The 2018 season within the regional entertainment sector has been a whirlwind of activity. With new and developing markets emerging within the region and in Asia, it has been a time of exciting changes and trends, and the summer shows no signs of stopping.

The increase in options for indoor multi-purpose venues has re-energised the summer show market - a very smart move, given that we no longer see the mass exodus of the population during the summer months, and now have a captive audience looking for entertainment to distract them from the increasingly hot and sweaty weather heading our way.

Unite with Tomorrowland will return to the UAE in July and the Dubai Opera House summer programme continues with its diverse array of performing arts.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, although a relative newcomer to the table, is determinedly growing its entertainment sector, pursuing a national vision of being a globally recognised entertainment buyer and producer to the world market by 2030. This has certainly garnered attention, and a number of the key players within our industry have sat up and taken note.

The announcement of Entertainment City on the outskirts of Riyadh has further fueled international interest, as major entertainment operators begin to scout out the emerging opportunities within the kingdom.

Other market innovations show that WWE have confirmed a 10-year deal with the GSA, which will firmly route the media giant as a touring mainstay for the country; AMC Entertainment in collaboration with DIEC opened their first cinema in Riyadh in April, with a further 40 set to be launched over the next 5 years, and possibly most noteworthy of all, Nelly played a male-only concert in Jeddah alongside Cheb Khaled in December last year.

Woman power also came to the fore in the recent TPMEA Awards held in Dubai in May, when no less than 5 of the 10 award categories being snapped up by women in the industry.

Previously the unsung heroines of backstage production, these brave souls have shown that

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

not only do they keep the show on the road, but are eminently capable of mapping the route, getting into the driving seat and leading from the front.

These new dynamics have seen regional production and performance needs change, and while the focus has to be on getting it right for

next season, as a collective we need to work in providing high quality entertainment, at sustainable and reasonable price points, so as not to compete but complement the offerings available. In doing so, we build trust with our audiences, and as our markets emerge, mature and evolve, extensions to the industry seasonal

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timetables become more inevitable.

To end - a special thank you to everyone who contributes to the ME entertainment, show and MICE market and keeps us on the international show map. www.livenation.ae

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

NEUMANN LAUNCHES RE-ISSUE OF CLASSIC MICROPHONE THE FAMOUS U 67 TUBE LANDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. It was the microphone that defined the sound of the ‘60s: the U 67 tube microphone, introduced in 1960, was the quintessential studio workhorse throughout the formative years of modern music and has since acquired legendary status. And now, for the first time in decades, the iconic tube microphone is back in production and built to original specifications.

The company today announced availability of the U 67 in the Middle East following an overwhelmingly positive reception at its official re-launch at The NAMM Show. “Our customers in the Middle East now have a chance to adopt a microphone that set the studio standard when it was first introduced in 1960. The U 67 retains its pre-eminence and with the re-issue, which meticulously reproduces the sound and technical specifications of the original, a new generation of musicians will now enjoy the versatility, reliability and unique sound profile of this microphone,” said Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sennheiser Middle East.

With 3 selectable polar patterns - omnidirectional, cardioid, and figure-of-8 - and

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advanced tube circuitry, including low-cut and pad switches, the Neumann U 67 is well-equipped for virtually any recording task. Its smooth top-end with a subtle tube shimmer makes the U 67 an outstanding vocal microphone for both male and female voices.

Due to its essentially linear response in the 3 polar patterns, the U 67 is also a very versatile microphone for all kinds of instruments such as strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, drums, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar and upright bass.

RETURN OF A LEGEND The U 67 was the first microphone equipped with the famous K 67 capsule, which has since become associated with ‘the Neumann sound’ and continues to be used in its successor, the U 87 A. No less important is the U 67’s masterful tube circuit, which features a clever preemphasis/de-emphasis scheme to minimise tube hiss. The U 67 was also the first microphone to address modern recording techniques such as close miking, with its switchable low-cut filter compensating for the proximity effect

occurring at short recording distances. Using its pre-attenuation, the U 67 can handle high sound pressure levels of up to 124 dB without distortion.

Sonically, the current re-issue is identical to the U 67 made from 1960-1971. It uses the same capsule and electronic design. Key parts, such as the BV 12 output transformer, have been meticulously reproduced according to original documentation. Its EF86 tubes have been carefully selected in a dedicated measurement facility for optimal characteristics and lowest noise.

The U 67 comes in a vintage case that is - just like the U 67 re-issue - hand-made in Germany.

Besides the microphone, it includes an elastic suspension, a microphone cable and the NU 67 V power supply. The power supply was redesigned to meet today’s strict safety requirements and to accommodate the slightly higher filament current of newer premium-grade tubes. The new NU 67 V is fully compatible with older U 67 microphones, and automatically adapts to the local mains voltage. www.neumann.com

RIGGING SO STABLE

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

ES GLOBAL ES GLOBAL HAS ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF ES GLOBAL MIDDLE EAST, A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN AL LAITH AND ES GLOBAL.

The new company sees the renewed collaboration of Eugene O’Doherty, Jeff Burke and Olly Watts, the headline management team that ran ES Global during the successful delivery of many London 2012 Olympic projects.

The skillsets of the 2 companies are entirely complimentary with ES Global bringing the experience in the delivery of bespoke demountable structures and pavilions to the region with the logistics and support of Al Laith, the largest events overlay company and multi discipline access supplier in the Middle East.

This winning combination will allow ES Global Middle East to deliver projects from design, through the entire delivery process to the eventual removal and relocation of the structure.

The company will be headquartered at the new Al Laith facility in DIC, Dubai where it will have access to extensive warehouse and office facilities.

This new initiative is the first time ES Global has formally incorporated into the region. Jeff Burke, Director at ES Global commented: “This is

an exciting and progressive move into a region where the events and entertainment sector is flourishing. We see the formation of this new venture as a springboard to further expansion in the region.”

ES Global bring their unique credentials to the region. The company has design and delivery experience in the music, events, sports and

PROLYTE GROUP PROLYTE GROUP RETURNS TO UAE TO DELIVER TRAINING TO DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has once again looked to Prolyte to organise Rigging Training.

With a practical focus, the 5-day course included topics such as safety, machinery, force calculations and bridle calculation - to name but a few. Internationally recognised, attendees left the course, which was presented by Rinus Bakker from Rhino Rigs, with a certificate.

DWTC is keen to train its staff and wants to improve it’s knowledge of people and safety matters whilst working in a hectic and very busy environment.

Matthew Kirby Senior Manager, Production and Delivery stated: “Training our people on knowledge and safety has always been a very important part of our yearly training programme.” www.prolyte.com www.dwtc.com

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entertainment sectors. Eugene O’Doherty said: “Reuniting the team that delivered so many successful projects during my time in London is a very exciting prospect. Combining ES Global’s creativity with Al Laith’s regional experience has to be a winning combination.” www.esglobalsolutions.com www.allaith.com

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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ECLIPSE PROVIDES ACCREDITED NA7909 COURSE AND PAT TRAINING Dubai-based eclipse Group recently organised and hosted the first NAPIT City & Guilds Accredited electrical training programme outside the UK. eclipse ensures its crew are up-to-date with current practices and aware of UK legislation, enabling tours and productions heading into the UAE to be assured of the best support. The company has invested in various training sessions previously, with this BS 7909 electrical course being the latest development.

James Eade was invited over to deliver the training at the eclipse headquarters in Dubai. Eade is a chartered engineer who represents several trade associations on various British Standards committees including those responsible for BS 7909 and BS 7671 amongst others. His breadth and depth of experience in the entertainment industry coupled with his work

on standards and related committees mean that he is well-placed to provide accurate guidance on a pragmatic approach.

“I was delighted to be asked to help,” stated Eade. “While the Middle East has made significant strides to uphold the highest electrical safety standards, considerable divergence exists between the regulations prevalent in the UK and our region, particularly given the typically arduous conditions experienced in the Middle East,” David Angelini, Head of Power at eclipse Staging Services echoed the last point. “The heat and sand can be a real ordeal at times so we’ve invested in the best H07 cables, Mennekes connectors and SES distribution to ensure longevity and robustness in the field.”

The course itself consists of both theory and assessments, as well as a practical element to

enable candidates to be able to test circuits and to check protection methods will be effective.

“We have extensive stocks of power distribution equipment so it was easy to set up systems in the warehouse to practice some of the theory learnt in the classroom,” said Angelini.

Electrical safety in events and productions is fast rising up the agenda in the UK and ensuring that it is managed effectively and pragmatically in the typically short timescales of most events does require a good understanding of distribution and protection. “The eclipse crew are a good bunch and I had a great time with them. My job was made easier by the standard of equipment and the prior knowledge of the crew - it was like a good UK company transported lock, stock and barrel into the desert,” concluded Eade. https://eclipse.ae

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

BOUJIKIAN BROS TEAMS UP WITH CLAIR BROTHERS FOR DISTRIBUTION IN LEBANON FURTHER EXPANDING ITS MIDDLE EASTERN REACH, CLAIR BROTHERS HAS SCORED ANOTHER VICTORY BY ADDING BOUJIKIAN BROS TO ITS GROWING LIST OF DISTRIBUTORS.

Established in 1984 as a supplier of a wide range of electronics accessories, Boujikian Bros refocused its attention towards audio, lighting, rigging, staging, and more when it saw strong potential with the fast-growing Lebanese market, as well as other expanding markets in their greater region. Explained Gary Boujikian, president and general manager of the company: “Our goal is to provide the smartest solutions using the highest level equipment and gear to a wide variety of engineering projects and applications in all regions around the Middle East and Africa. Shifting our company’s focus was definitely the right decision. The potential in these regions is seemingly endless.”

Boujikian Bros serves educational and religious institutions, corporate, governmental, and military sectors, offering a wide range of products and services with dedicated customer

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care and support. “The quality products we provide are central to our success. It’s why when the opportunity arose to represent Clair Brothers we didn’t hesitate. Loudspeakers don’t get any better than what Clair Brothers designs and manufactures. And the people at Clair Brothers couldn’t be nicer or easier to work with. I could tell right away when we first met and signed on at PL+S 2017 in Frankfurt that this relationship would be a smooth one.”

During the past year, the pair has made noticeable impact in the marketplace. Most recently, on an historic multi-country demo tour through Europe and the Middle East, the relationship has grown even stronger. Josh Sadd, Vice President and Chief Engineer for Clair Brothers, hosted a product demo of the kiTCURVE12+ Line Array System, 1.5AM+, 8CX-P100, and 12Sx in Beirut for an audience of eager

industry professionals and interested potential customers. “I had heard that the Lebanese have a taste for quality and high standards in audio and it was very evident in the turnout for our event. It was great to meet the many people who attended.”

Boujikian Bros sells and distributes the kiTCURVE, C-Series loudspeakers with customizable TrueFit Technology, as well as other stellar product innovations such as the 1AM, 1.5AM Series, the conveniently stackable S2 PA System, and more.

Boujikian concluded: “The winning combination of a great team, unparalleled product quality and innovation, highly-respected reputation and rich history, makes Clair Brothers a global force to be reckoned with. We’re delighted to be their partner. The future is bright.” www.boujikian.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

N&M WINS AWARD AS BEST EMPLOYER

TRAINING, QUALIFICATION, A MOTIVATING WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND TRUST-BASED TOGETHERNESS WERE MAJOR CRITERIA IN BEING NAMED ‘BEST EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR’. THE AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMPANY IN DUBAI AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.

Neumann&Müller Veranstaltungstechnik [N&M] has been honoured with a ‘Best Employer of the Year’ award for the sector. The prize was presented at the Middle East Special Event & Exhibition Show [MESE] at the beginning of April. The award honours N&M’s endeavour to create a working environment throughout the enterprise that motivates employees to deliver outstanding performance and contributes to an open, cooperative atmosphere among the staff.

N&M’s commitment to quality is built on the sound, broad-based and practical training of its young employees and the continuous development of its established staff. During the recruiting process not only professional skills but also personal aspects are taken into account to make sure that future colleagues can

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be perfectly integrated into the team and that they fit in with the N&M culture. One aspect of this is the managers’ understanding that making transparent, comprehensible decisions and creating a climate of trust and openness are prerequisites for receiving informed feedback.

The flat hierarchies at N&M enable young employees to quickly assume responsibility for larger client projects, whereby they can also rely on experienced colleagues to stand by them so that the successful implementation of project need never be called into question. Not least of all, there are many tangible and intangible benefits combined with well-thought-out schemes that allow employees to participate in the company’s economic success, thus making N&M an attractive employer in this regard too.

Rick Wade, Manager of the Dubai branch, accepted the award together with the N&M team at the MESE gala. Thanking the initiators of the award, Rick Wade said: “The performance and commitment of every single one of our employees is a major factor in the success of our projects and, consequently, in the satisfaction of our clients. We are very proud of our colleagues, who put so much power and creativity into their work on a daily basis.” N&M Managing Director Alex Ostermaier added: “The award is a great success on our way to becoming the best employer in the sector - and it underlines that our clients can be sure of receiving top performance from outstandingly qualified personnel.” www.neumannmueller.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

IBS GROUP RESTRUCTURES

The IBS Group in Dubai announces a major restructure, a move that sees a lively and energetic new management team in place to run the operation day-to-day who are all experienced and respected HODs from within the company.

The team comprises Operations Manager, Lorenzo Gempies, HSE Manager, Samir Chikhodrawala and CFO, Stany D’Souza. They will work in conjunction with four core directors who originate from the UK.

This set up and the fusion of European management truly embraces and the sprit and international flavour of Dubai, one of the most dynamic marketplaces at the heart of the Middle East region. Since 1996, IBS has gained a solid reputation as a leading enterprise for building ambitious bespoke stage and event sets, providing detailed and elaborate décor as well as specialist draping and soft goods.

The team will oversee the busy facility and 80 full-time staff based at IBS’s large purpose built premises in Dubai Investment Park 2, purchased and constructed in 2013.

Director, Scott Davis explained: “I and Directors Alan Scoley, Terry Murtha and Nigel Smith, decided that a non-hierarchical management team was the way forward rather than appointing a general manger from outside.

When we considered the talent, experience and commitment we have on-board… it was a straightforward decision”.

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Each of the three new management team are long term IBS employees and therefore already invested in the company’s values, vision, operation and future enterprise, and each has an in-depth knowledge and a unique understanding of how this very specific business runs.

The move has already brought a new dynamism to the workplace. Everyone involved has more responsibility and freedom to shape their roles within the company both individually and collectively, and to engage in smart approaches that will improve all aspects of work and communication.

“The realignment has optimised IBS and put it in a better position to attain its long term ambitions,” commented Stany, adding that having a system in place with more clearly defined roles, functions, authority and appreciation of the scope of the work means that people working together can accomplish the more challenging ‘organisational goals’.”

The move brought a smile to Chikhodrawala’s face: “We are the same people at IBS who take intense pride in our work have a serious passion for continual improvement”. Lorenzo is “happy to see how motivated the whole team has become immediately after the changes were implemented. Everybody is excited about their contributions,” he enthused.

The more inclusive approach will stimulate innovation throughout all departments – which include carpentry, painting, aluminium and steel

fabrication, electrical, dry hire and equipment rental, graphics, design and technical drawing… plus the essential office and warehouse supporting infrastructures.

“All opinions are considered if they will make sense and be applicable in a companywide context,” explained Davis, and the idea is that departments working more harmoniously together in this way create a synergy that is valued and encouraged.

“The immediate results have been fantastic and the feedback from our regular customers underlines my confidence that 2018 will be a very successful year,” he said.

Over the Last 22 years IBS has become a benchmark for quality work and maintaining the highest standards in the UAE live event Industry.

With the changes, the company is an even stronger collective of professionals and creative and technical practitioners who are moving forward and working together both internally and with a diverse client base… for the benefit of creating and producing superlative live events.

Known for its imagination and flair, IBS is also fully committed to the health, safety and the welfare of its workforce. A set/scenic provider in the Middle East to be certified OHSAS 18001 is very rare, if not unique, and being registered in Abu Dhabi is also another benefit allowing IBS the freedom to operate legally in both of the UAE’s main events market hubs. www.ibs-group.com

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TPMEA AWARDS 2018

TPMEA AWARDS 2018 ON 9 MAY 2018, THE MIDDLE EAST’S TECHNICAL PRODUCTION INDUSTRY GATHERED AT LOCK, STOCK & BARREL AT JBR THE WALK IN DUBAI TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 2018 LIVE EVENTS SEASON. HERE ARE THE FIRST-EVER RECIPIENTS...

The Winners PRODUCTION COORDINATOR OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Prolights Sarah Richardson PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Delta Sound Nadine Manning LIGHTING DESIGNER/ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Robe Middle East Harold Fernandes MediaPro LIVE AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Sennheiser Rob Eatock Delta Sound CORPORATE AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Shure William Morrison

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VIDEO VISIONARY OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Creative Technology Alex Menor eclipse Staging Services RIGGER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Prolyte Andreas Ehrenberger eclipse Staging Services SFX ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Olly Yates Laser FX SITE INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGER OF THE YEAR Michael Clark Al Laith AV PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by EFM Global Simon Travis Protec

EVENT PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Karen Beaton Live Nation ENTERTAINMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Zinaida Mascarenhas Stories by Zinaida THE EINO BACKSTAGE AWARD (Non voting Award) Ela Fe Farin even2 OUTSTANDING EVENT PRODUCTION (Non voting Award) Sponsored by SES ISNR Opening by Red Events THE TPMEA AV INDUSTRY RECOGNITION AWARD (Non voting Award) Sponsored by Prolight + Sound Middle East Stephen Lakin Protec

TPMEA AWARDS 2018

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TPMEA AWARDS 2018

Photos: Damian Calderbank

“With Prolyte sponsoring of the first TPMEA Rigger of the Year category, it was a great honour to handover the award.

With over 350 people in attendance, it was also a great evening and nice network opportunity.

The event was a great beginning for the TPMEA Awards and hopefully many more events will follow.”

Lars Toonen, Prolyte Key Account Manager, Middle East

“I am exceptionally pleased, honoured and humbled to have won the TPMEA AV Industry Recognition Award. It is a terrific industry to be a part of; an industry full of incredible people who share my passion for what we do.

“I feel privileged to have had nearly 40 years in this business, and it was especially wonderful to have this work honoured at the inaugural awards.

A very special thanks to TPMEA for selecting me amongst the nominees, each whom have made great contributions to building the industry, and turning it into what it is today. It was an exceptional night - everyone was in high spirits and we’re already looking forward to next year!”

Steve Lakin, Owner, Protec

“Looking towards further expansion in the Middle East, Prolights was delighted to participate and sponsor the TPMEA Awards. Being familiar with other events organised by TPi, we were sure this was an excellent opportunity to extend our network in the region. The event was perfectly organised and we flew home with some new contacts.”

Jeroen Carette, International Sales and Marketing Manager, Music&Lights.

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22

TECH FOCUS

ALDAR AT CITYSCAPE FOUNDED IN 2007 IN ABU DHABI, CITYSCAPE HAS BEEN HELD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS EXHIBITING THE LATEST REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UAE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE SHOW HAS GROWN TO RECEIVE OVER 15,000 VISITORS, 238 DELEGATES & SPEAKERS, AND 100 EXHIBITORS IN 2018 - EVOLVING INTO A ‘GO-TO’ EVENT FOR INVESTORS AND POTENTIAL BUYERS OF PROPERTY, HOSTED AT ADNEC (ABU DHABI NATIONAL EXHIBITIONS CENTRE).

Aldar, the government-run master developer for Abu Dhabi, has a clear annual objective to have a strong and impactful presence at the show. They challenged Action Impact to create an exhibition environment to distinguish and to attract - highlighting not only their latest development, Alghadeer, but Aldar as a complete brand.

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The result was a bold design - a completely white, fully immersive exhibition environment with a specially treated spray-painted floor, adding an ethereal-like timbre to the decor.

The striking centrepiece was a bespoke kinetic sculpture with 250 moving ‘droplets’ inside a custom designed grid of 750 static droplets drawing the eye to slow-motion type wave-

forms that formed dynamic dancing patterns over the centrepiece model.

A Madrix motion-control system, managed via timecode, controlled 19 individual kinetic motors providing numerous different presets of controlled movement of the droplet array.

The result culminated in a stunning 20-minute looping display over 20 emotive wave formations

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“It was the standout booth at the show - an exceptional brand experience that welcomed and engaged the audience, regardless of their reason for being at the stand” Action Impact Account Director, Hedley Grist

and dances running continuously throughout the 3 days at Cityscape.

To further enhance the grandeur of the centrepiece - Hedley Grist, Account Director at Action Impact, added “We also included accompanying kinetic elements underneath the sectioned model, via a series of subtley extending pistons, allowing us to raise specific parts of the model to interact with the dancing overhead droplets - it allowed for delicate motion undeneathe the beautiful centrepiece.”

Surrounding the Aldar stand, and to contribute to an inviting and refreshing open-

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feel, a total of 80sqm of specially commissioned ER10 transparent LED screens where flown in from Elenco, Spain. The semi-transparent LED panels delivered large areas of specially created video content further enhancing and supporting an additional visual layer to the 20-minute long kinetic show. All video content and automated lighting was centrally managed via a Ventuz Media Server coupled with numerous multitouch interactives and data capture tools on the stand.

“It was the standout booth at the show - an exceptional brand experience that welcomed

and engaged the audience, regardless of their reason for being at the stand” Hedley Grist added.

Aldar’s 560sqm stand was among the largest at the 3-day exhibition, which ran from 17-19 April, 2018. The 12th edition of the annual show provided a platform for developers to launch flagship real estate projects worth more than AED15 billion (US $4.1 billion), including the AED10 billion Alghadeer by Aldar Properties. www.actionimpact.com www.elenco.es

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FATBOY SLIM AT ZERO GRAVITY, DUBAI WITH A MUSICAL CAREER THAT INCLUDES NUMEROUS NUMBER ONES AND MULTIPLE AWARDS, FATBOY SLIM IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RESPECTED DJS. THEREFORE, IT WILL COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT PAUL MCGEE, EVENTS MANAGER OF DUBAI BEACH CLUB, ZERO GRAVITY, PUT HIM AT THE TOP OF HIS ARTIST WISH LIST, AS TPMEA DISCOVERS...

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What might come as a surprise is that it took 13 months for his wish to finally come true, with Fatboy Slim finally headlining the sell out Zero Gravity Beach Festival on 27 April 2018.

“This event was the pinnacle of my career to date. There are not many people in the world that can say that they have been part of a team that put 7,000 people on a beach for Fatboy Slim,” said Barton, proudly.

After an agreement was made with Fatboy Slim’s management, the first challenge was to find a suitable date. An available Wednesday in Fatboy Slim’s busy schedule did not suit Zero Gravity, whose guests prefer to party at the weekend.

Then came Dubai summertime, where temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius make an outdoor event impossible. Talks continued, New Year’s Eve 2017 was mentioned but unfortunately never materialised, before an April

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date was finally agreed.

The next 6 weeks were spent going over technical and hospitality riders with the proverbial ‘fine technical tooth comb’ and tendering for quotes from suppliers, before contracts were awarded to Fruition Events for infrastructure and Delta Sound for the full AV solution.

Fruition Events had already impressed Zero Gravity, providing scaffold structures at 2 previous events. As a new company, their ‘kit’ is brand new, combined with experienced heads that know what they’re doing in terms of both infrastructure and in music events…

Before relocating to Dubai, Managing Partner Warren Barlow was involved in planning and site management on the UK festival circuit.

Overseeing the build from Zero Gravity was Outlet Manager Selvamani Inbaranjan, aka Inba. “Perhaps the biggest challenge facing both

Zero Gravity and Fruition Events was building the stage, VIP platform, FOH deck and 160m of temporary bars without affecting the day-today operations of Dubai’s busiest beach club,” explained Inba.

To cause minimum disruption, Fruition’s Warren Barlow, Paul Barton and Kevin Greener planned the build schedule piece-by-piece, working nightshifts to complete one section at a time. That way, guests wouldn’t be greeted by unfinished structures, materials or machinery the next day.

All of this was made possible by using Fruition’s ‘NetDeck’ product, which uses a third less material than a conventional scaffold structures, is quicker to assemble yet has a higher health and safety standard. For both the stage and VIP deck substructures were created, reducing both scaffold and transportation costs by approximately 40%, which also made a

DIGITAL 6000

No intermodulation.

More channels.

More power for your business.

Others dodge problems. We prefer to solve them.

Of course, you can work your way around intermodulation and do some software magic — but that is no real solution in the already congested and limited frequency spectrum.

By design, Digital 6000 has no intermodulation artifacts.

Our superior RF technology results in more channels and more flexibility for any production and any stage — with no trade-off in transmission power or quality. Smarter, leaner, more efficient — this is the built-in principle from user interface up to spectrum efficiency. Redundant Dante™ sockets and the command function are just two components of the recent update.

More about the next step towards the future of audio: www.sennheiser.com/digital-6000

SE_D6000_210x297_tpi_UK.indd 1

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positive environmental impact.

The entire overlay build was completed in 5 shifts, including carpets, cabins and perimeter fencing. And the entire build was dismantled in 24 hours with zero impact on the daytime business of the beach club.

Delta Sound installed Zero Gravity’s own in-house L-Acoustics PA system, so again, no introductions were necessary between the production team and the venue. Dubai MD Andy Jackson also worked for Delta at the Big Beach Boutique in Brighton back in 2002 so the company is also familiar with Fatboy Slim himself.

For this event, Production Manager Jon Pusey recommended using a K2 system with 2 hangs of 12 K2 and 16 SB28 subwoofers along the front of the stage, with an Optocore system linking the in-house PA. In Pusey’s words, “L-Acoustics systems satisfy most riders, and the FBS crew were very happy with what they saw… and heard.”

Zero Gravity is situated on a seaside

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strip containing numerous 5-star hotels and residences. For this reason, the low frequency noise level was controlled with a cardioid set up for the sub-woofers. For the main PA, Soundvision prediction software was used to keep the coverage area tight to the audience and the upper boxes set to 70 degrees to reduce sideways sound spillage.

Lighting, video and special effects were supplied through PRG and Matrix Laser. The FBS lighting rider included 16 Martin By Harman Atomic 3000’s, 23 4-Lite molefays, 18 Claypaky a.Leda B-EYE K20’s, 18 Claypaky Sharpys, 16 Martin MAC Viper Performances and 16 Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Washes. A 12m x 7m 6mm Pitch LED screen was paired with cameras on the stage and DJ riser.

2 30W Green Lasers were supplied and added to the in-house 20W KVant RGB Lasers.

Finally, Special effects were covered by 8 MagicFX CO2 jets, 6 MagicFX Flamaniacs and 2 MagicFX Stadium Shot Extremes loaded with streamers.

The rest, as they say, is history. The build went to plan, both sound and light were spectacular, Fatboy Slim was as entertaining as ever, 7,000 people danced on the sand until 3am and there were no notable noise complaints from the neighbours. And finally, a pristine Zero Gravity beach club was back open the following morning to welcome another 2,000 guests for their popular SuperNatural pool and beach brunch.

“There was a massive amount of preparation required to pull this off. The event ran without any hiccups and I’m proud to be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to put this event together,” said a smiling Paul McGee. ”The question is, what’s next?”

Photos: vklybe.tv www.fatboyslim.net www.0-gravity.ae www.fruitionevents.ae www.matrix-laser.com www.deltalive.com www.prg.com/ae/en/our-technology/scenic

The Most Powerful led Spot. Ever.

Claypaky’s Axcor Profile 900 is the apex of LED Spot development.

Lighting designers can now access the most powerful, digitally advanced LED Profile Spot on the market, with no sacrifices in terms of light output, features and effects. Axcor 900 signals a new dawn for creative possibility.

AXCOR PROFILE 900: No Compromise. No Limits.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR UK & IRELAND: AMBERSPHERE SOLUTIONS Ltd. Where quality products enjoy total support

Phone: +44 (0)20 8992 6369 info@ambersphere.co.uk - www.ambersphere.co.uk

www.claypaky.com Claypaky_Axcor_A4_Amb_EN.indd 1

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THE ILLUSIONISTS THIS MAGICAL AND MYSTERIOUS SPECTACULAR SHOWCASES THE UNIQUE TALENTS OF 7 THEATRICAL ILLUSIONISTS TO A LIVE AUDIENCE. AFTER GAINING SERIOUS TRACTION ON NEW YORK’S BROADWAY, THE SHOW BEGAN A WORLD TOUR, TAKING IN DATES IN DUBAI AND ABU DHABI THIS MAY. THE SHOW’S PRODUCER, ALCHEMY PROJECT, ENLISTED THE HELP OF SLS PRODUCTION AS THE EXCLUSIVE TECHNICAL SUPPLIER FOR THE UAE PERFORMANCES, AS TPMEA REPORTS.

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The Broadway production showcased the talents of the 7 illusionists who play tricks on the audience’s mind with their disappearing acts, levitation and mind reading. “What makes this show different from any of the previous Illusionist shows in UAE is the presence of master magicians such as Jamie Raven and Darcy Oake, who have mesmerised audiences around the world with their stunts in Britain’s Got Talent,” said Sia S Far, Managing Director of the Alchemy Project.

Oake, known as The Grand Illusionist, is known for modernising magic into something fresh and young, while Raven, known simply as The Magician, famously inspired Simon Cowell to announce he finally believes in magic in 2015 as part of Britain’s Got Talent. They are joined by witty and dynamic Paul Dabek (The Trickster), Krendl (The Escapist), Ben Blaque (The Weapon Master), Raymond Crowe (The Unusualist), and Florian Sainvet (The Manipulator).

When the Broadway hit ventured out of New York City and into the Middle East, it was Alchemy Project - the Middle East’s leading event management agency specialising in full event management services for concerts, theatrical productions and music festivals which was tasked

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with getting the show’s technical production in place. After SLS won the bid, the company provided audio, video, lighting and rigging to the two shows. Not only did the events need to uphold audio clarity, subtle and key lighting, hidden trussing and clear video direction, it also needed to be up to the world-class standard the Broadway stars were used to performing in.

The lighting rig comprised 28 Martin by Harman MAC Viper Performances, 24 Claypaky A.leda B-Eye K20 Washes, 12 26-degree ETC Source 4 Profiles and 24 Robe Pointes, all controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA2 full size console and a grandMA2 Light for the backstage light. The lighting for the UAE shows was operated

by LD Paul Smith. Production Manager, Kenneth Mali said: “This is a show portraying illusion; it requires fast moving and responsive lighting fixtures which is why we chose Robe Pointes, MAC Vipers and the Clapaky B-Eyes.”

For video, it was 50 sqm of Absen’s A6 LED screens and disguise media servers on the rider.

The audio design in both venues - Abu Dhabi’s Du Forum and the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai - utilised a Harman Professional JBL Vertec PA system comprising 16 boxes JBL VT4889 as the main hang, 8 x JBL VT4887 for down fill, and 8

x JBL VT4887 for front fill. The sound was mixed on a Yamaha QL5 console. For rigging duties, a total of 200m of truss ran throughout the venues with a combination of CM Motors and Loadstars.

The technical design was put into fruition by SLS Project Manager Ameya Upendra Madkaiker, and a crew of 30.

Mali continued: “The stage design supports the configuration of lighting and audio we had temporarily installed. Both the audio and lighting fixtures had to go hand-in-hand when it came to the quality of delivery. Primarily, the light had to be fast and reflective and the audio had to be crystal clear. Along with a Production Manager from the artist’s side, I led the production working for hand-in-hand with the support of the HODs for audio, lighting, video and all of the respective technicians and engineers. Out of the 2 venues the show visited in the UAE, we had smooth load-ins and a fairly simple de-rig for both.”

The Illusionists tour continues across North America in June.

Photos: SLS Production www.theillusionistslive.com www.slspro.net www.alchemy-project.com

21 years of being at the forefront of bringing the biggest events to life.

Audio

Established in 1997, SLS is one of the industry leaders in Event Productions in the MENA Region. www.slspro.net

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pr@slspro.net

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+971 4355 0300

DOWNLOAD THE TPi APP Search “TPi Magazine” on the App Store and Google Play.

WWW.TPiMAGAZINE.COM

Lighting

Trussing

Video

Stage Production

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PRODUCT FOCUS TPMEA TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE LATEST PRODUCT LAUNCHES TO HIT THE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY MARKET.

AVOLITES: Q3 MEDIA SERVER

FACT FILE: • • • • • • • • •

GUI Output DVI-D (1920x1080) Video Output 2x DVI-D, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 Video Sync BNC Genlock (Option) Network 2 x Gigabit LAN Audio Out L&R Balanced XLR Audio Ground Lift Rear Panel USB 2x USB 3.0 Front Panel USB 2x USB 3.0 MIDI In 1x 5-pin din

Avolites recently released its new compact media server, the Q3, as well as light and video integration feature set, Synergy.

The Q3 media server is a compact server designed for use in live shows, installations and corporate events. Though small, the Q3 packs a punch, unlocking 4k playback through a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection with 2 DVI outputs for HD displays. The server supports EDID for all 3 outputs, configurable via a dedicated front end UI. The server allows for visually lossless playback with Avolites’ unique AiM codec. Like

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• • •

SMPTE Timecode XLR In/Thru DMX Art-Net Capture Cards 1

• •

CPU Cores (Threads) 4(4) Physical Specification

Hardware: • Media Drive Capacity 1TB • Media Drive Bandwidth 3500MB/s • System Drive Capacity 120GB • Operating System Windows 7 Embedded

Size RU 2U • Size (W x H x D mm) 435 x 88 x 510 • Size (With Rack Ears) 490 x 88 x 520 • Weight 16 kg • Power Input PowerCon True1 In/Thru • Voltage 100-250V 50/60Hz

with Avolites’ larger servers, the Q3 has native Notch support as well as a powerful inbuilt effects engine. The Q3’s cutting-edge hardware is the perfect vehicle for our Ai software. Offering industry-standard connections to the rest of your system, as well as the firepower to drive our builtin live effects and supporting Notch integration.

The front-mounted screen allows configuration of outputs from outside the OS for rock solid reliability. It’s slim form factor and competitive pricing delivers pixel-power to the people.

Paul Wong, Avolites’ new Managing Director

said: “I am extremely pleased with the feedback that we received on the Q3. I’m proud of our team in developing another industry first; the ability to seamlessly integrate lighting and video and to control both from a single console.”

The Avolites Ai Q3 Server unlocks 4k playback through a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection.

Combined with 2 additional DVI outputs, the Q3 is the perfect solution to power live events, installs and anywhere else that live video manipulation is required. www.avolites.com

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MA LIGHTING: GRANDMA3

FACT FILE: •

• • • • • • • •

Real-time control for up to 250,000 parameters per session in connection with grandMA3 processing units 6 DMX outputs, 1 DMX input 3 internal foldable monitor multi-touch screens 3 internal letterbox multi-touch screens 2 internal multi-touch command screens 2 external multi-touch screens can be connected 2 multipurpose level wheels 2 multipurpose single encoder 71 rotary RGB backlit encoder

Founded on the legacy of the previous MA Lighting grandMA consoles, the MA Lighting grandMA3 represents a significant re-think of what’s possible from a lighting control platform. The new system-architecture incorporates fixture, feature and effects handling at its very heart.

The system features are new concepts from industry visionaries, presented within a refined user interface, and are designed to make practical tasks more intuitive. The physical design detail of the MA Lighting grandMA3 range is focused on delivering the best user experience, now and into the future.

Both grandMA3 full-size and light models feature a huge multi-touch screen surface area, all dedicated encoder and playback information is accessed directly on the letterbox screens allowing the larger screens to be fully-configured to suit user needs.

• • • • • • • • •

5 backlit dual encoders 30 backlit motorized 60mm faders 120 separate playbacks 16 assignable x-keys Integrated keyboard drawer Built-in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 3 etherCON connectors, 6 USB connectors 2 backlit motorized A/B faders 100mm Individually backlit and dimmable silent (clickless) keys

WORK WITHOUT BOUNDARIES grandMA3 breaks the limitations of Local Area Networks (LAN) with the ability to access Wide Area Networks (WAN). Software updates, technical support, online help and fixture download are all features to be supported within the WAN framework.

Using the advanced MA-Net3 protocol, grandMA3 systems can output up to 250,000 parameters. There are 3 sizes of grandMA3 processing units to expand the console parameter count.

ROBUST AND DURABLE The grandMA3 full-size and light models incorporate a sophisticated thermal design, transferring heat to a cooling corridor, which isolates critical components from harmful dust and keeps fan-noise to a whisper.

The lightweight chassis has been designed

for durability and easy handling. The large screen housing on the full-size and light models have a dual friction hinge system, providing fast folding for portability whilst ensuring maximum visibility for users.

REAL-WORLD FIXTURES AND GDTF The grandMA3 control software utilises a flexible new fixture concept, developed to replicate the real-world physical components of the most complex fixtures. Fixture information is now generic and allows simpler sharing of programmed data between fixtures. MA Lighting supports the new GDTF (General Device Type Format) protocol natively, allowing fixture manufactures to ensure their own fixtures are controlled as intended.

www.malighting.com

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DIGICO: QUANTUM 7

DiGiCo’s Quantum 7 is developed with 7th generation FPGA devices that further expands audio processing power, and allows DiGiCo to provide its users with an unrivalled amount of flexibility.

Quantum 7 expands an SD7 to over 600 channels of processing in 96kHz operation that can be connected in the outside world to approaching 3000 potential I/Os. The engine is also equipped with 8 newly assignable MADI connections and 2 DMI slots (DiGiCo MultiChannel Interface) for AoIP and other connectivity options from the complete family of DMI card options. There are other enhancements, too,

FACT FILE: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

including Nodal Processing and True Solo.

Nodal Processing means that for the first time processing can be applied to any node on the auxiliary section of the console, allowing engineers to send unique processing on each send from a single, or multiple channels. This level of creativity will allow engineers to tailor and deliver dedicated mixes that were simply not possible before Quantum 7. Coupled with Nodal Processing is the new True Solo system that allows the operator’s monitoring system to replicate almost any section of the console, and how that source is being processed and heard.

This saves time and speeds up the process of

PROLYTE: LSU SERIES

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managing the potentially daunting number of channels and busses available to the user.

“One of our key goals at DiGiCo is to continually develop innovative solutions whilst ensuring our current consoles are future proofed where possible,” said DiGiCo MD James Gordon.

“A great example of this is the new Quantum 7 which can be retro-fitted into any existing SD7, which means current SD7 owners can take advantage of these developments and continue to make the unrivalled return on investment DiGiCo stands for.”

The Quantum 7 ships from early June. www.digico.biz

FACT FILE: All items standard coated black, RAL9005.

Base unit: 50x50mm profile Coupling system: CCS6 Adjustable spindles M12 Ladder truss H30L with straight bracing 30x3mm Connection bar: 50x50x4 profile Available ladder truss lengths LSU-30L-L050 LSU-30L-L075 LSU-30L-L100

The LSU series comprises of three solutions to suspend your LED system; H40R, H40V-MB, S52SV- MB all compatible with the regular truss series and one universal solution to build LED walls of different manufacturers, the LED Stack system. All systems offer sound constructive solutions and user safety.

Should you choose to fly your LED system, you have the choice of 3 truss types, each equipped with a middle beam. The middle beam will guarantee safe and easy suspension of your LED wall. Keeping the total load in the middle of

253 (MAX) Input Channels 128 Aux / Sub-Group Busses L/R/LCR Master Bus 32 x 32 Full Processing Matrix 2 Solo 256 Dynamic Equalizers 256 DiGiTuBes 256 Multiband Compressors 48 Digital FX 32 Graphic Equalizers Optional Waves Integration 48/96/192 kHz Sample Rate One loop as standard Optics

your truss section, thereby avoiding unbalanced loading or using the truss in a diamond shape.

All 3 truss types are fully compatible with the regular truss series and can be combined in one grid. Build you LED system from ground level Whatever your type of screen is, Prolyte offers a universal solution to building your LED screen from ground level with the LED Stack system.

This combination of a base-unit, connection bar and ladder truss, creates a very stable system to support your LED screens in various configurations and offers flexibility in height as

Available connection bar lengths LSU-CONB- L100, 1m. length LSU- CONB- L150, 1,5m. length LSU- CONB- L200, 2m. length Available LED panel adapters LSU-ADAP-03, panel adapter for panels with M8-M12 bolts Ballast needed Screen of 2 m. height – 17kg/m1 Screen of 4 m. height – 130kg/m1

well as width.

A side entry clamp with the universal connection plate mounted makes it possible to mount almost any type of LED panel quick and easy. By using longer connection bars, you can easily extend you screen with another row of panels.

Using the adjustable feet in the front and back of the base-unit, you can safely level the system, so that your screen is completely straight. www.prolyte.com

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OUTLINE: SUPERFLY FACT FILE: • • • •

• • • •

2 x 10” LF | 2 x 8” MF | 1 x 3” HF DPRWG loaded Frequency Response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz Horizontal Dispersion: 90° Splay Angles available: from 0° to 7.5° in 0.5° step with additional 0.25° position Operating configuration: Quad-amplified Weight: 38 kg – 83.8 lb Maximum SPL Output, four boxes: 155 dB SPL Maximum SPL Output, one box: 143 dB SPL

European designers and manufacturers of professional loudspeaker systems, Outline, has followed in the path of its Butterfly design, with the new Superfly compact linesource enclosure, which sets new standards in performance for a loudspeaker of these dimensions.

Weighing under 38kg (83.8lb) per module yet with prodigious acoustic potential and quality dispersion control, Superfly integrates perfectly within the existing Outline portfolio and can be readily paired with any of their subwoofer designs.

Superfly also redefines the low-frequency performance expectations of compact linearray loudspeakers. The LF extension from the individually driven dual 10-inch drivers is extraordinary (below 50Hz) and for many

applications Superfly’s ultra-wide bandwidth and clarity makes it the ideal solution without the need for additional subwoofers. However, when used with any Outline subwoofers its full acoustic potential is realised.

Powered by the company’s own DSPequipped X8 amplifiers, Superfly-based systems are flexible, powerful, predictable, quick and easy to deploy and convenient to transport, contributing vital operational efficiencies to any live sound scenario.

Outline’s Newton processor (patent pending) is an FPGA-based processing platform designed as the management and control core for audio networks in touring, broadcast and fixed installation applications. It also provides management of sophisticated audio systems by combining multi-format channel routing with

simultaneous standards conversion and digital signal synchronisation.

A unique system topology is provided by very high-quality FPGA-based SSRC and ASRC (Synchronous / Asynchronous Sample Rate Conversion) with outstanding dynamic range and ultra-low distortion. The unit supports up to 15 clock source options and a virtually unlimited number of filters using Outline’s proprietary WFIR filtering technology (patent pending) supporting Raised Cosine Filtering Technology, plus independent, internal, dual-redundant universal AC mains supplies fitted as standard.

Newton is a must-see for anyone involved in contemporary audio networking as it is a genuine game-changer. http://superfly.outline.it

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CADAC: CDC SEVEN-S FACT FILE: Faders Screens Touchscreens

Inputs Channels Busses

36 x 100mm motorised faders 2 x 23.5” 16:9 HD + 1 x 6.5” PSU 1 x external 19” 2U rackmount PSU (option to add second external 19” 2U rackmount PSU with full redundancy Up to 192 (inc local I/O) 128 with full processing 56 configurable in pairs as group/aux/st aux plus dedicated LCR, monitor LR, headphones LR and talkback

One of two new digital consoles Cadac launched at Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt this year, the new CDC seven-s replaces both the original CDC seven iteration and the CDC eight, the inaugural expression of the platform.

As the new CDC flagship console, the CDC seven-s expands the 96 input count of the original CDC seven to 128. Additionally the new model ups the bus count to 64, of which 56 are assignable in FOH mode and 62 in Monitor Mode. The new console also features a number of additional hardware buttons, aimed at speeding up navigation.

CDC seven-s ships with the latest Version 5 CDC Console Software which boasts a number of new features - including Cue Ripple and Cue Preview - and several performance enhancements that will feature across the full CDC range. These include a redesigned Control Screen with new graphics and layout, improvement to the overall GUI. Delay Groups allows channels to be grouped and have delay applied to the group. Bus Send VCAs allows 16 individual VCAs to be available

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Matrix Outputs Graphic EQ Internal FX Local IO

Comms

Up to 67 x 48 with full processing Up to 192 (inc local I/O) 32 band +/-16 dB on all 55 outputs 16 high-resolution 96 kHz stereo effects processors 8 x XLR Mic Inputs (inc 48 V, PAD and 1 dB gain steps), 8x XLR Balanced outputs, 4 x XLR AES/EBU inputs and 4 x XLR AES/EBU outputs 2 x Cadac MegaCOMMS

within each and every mix bus in monitor mode for unparalleled control.

The CDC seven-s retains the physical frame and control surface configuration of the CDC seven (excepting the additional new hardware buttons) with dual 23.5-inch 16:9 hi-definition operating touchscreens and their associated rotary encoders, a mid mounted 6.5-inch system control touchscreen, and 36 motorised faders. The exceptional CDC ‘human interface’ and feature set combine in aiding the workflow and allowing the engineer full creative freedom, unhindered by operation of the technology. The dual 23.5-inch touchscreens display the uniquely intuitive CDC swipe-able user interface. Encoders immediately to the right of and below both screens further encourage the instinctive use of gesture - touch and swipe - operation in navigating and operating the console.

The major advantage of the dual screens is the ability to simultaneously display and control multiple tasks; eg the VCAs can be displayed on one screen while the inputs to the VCAs are

displayed on the other. The faders and encoders naturally follow the GUI displayed on the individual screens, resulting in further increases in the speed and flexibility of the workflow. The CDC feature set includes Cadac’s unique Monitor Mode with Mix Focus, as well as the ability to create custom fader layers. All 36 motorised faders feature stereo metering and a full colour user definable OLED display.

Cadac’s legendary audio quality noticeably improves the sound quality achievable any PA system. The company’s famous mic pre-amps boast the best audio performance of any mic pre; a performance further improved upon in the CDC design. CDC consoles employ Cadac’s proprietary CDC MegaCOMMS digital audio protocol, within which an extensive automatic latency management system manages all internal routing and associated processing latency, synchronising all audio samples before summing, which results in absolute phase coherency at all outputs. MegaCOMMS boasts a total throughsystem propagation delay, from inputs on stage

PRODUCT FOCUS

to outputs, including all console processing and A-D / D-A conversions, of under 400μs (0.4 ms).

The audio industry’s lowest latency protocol, it is also uniquely advantageous when using multiple channels of in ear monitoring.

The console features 16 creative on-board stereo effects and is preconfigured with an integrated 64 x 64 Waves interface; enabling direct connection to a Waves MultiRack SoundGrid server with access to the vast Waves’ library of plugins (license dependent), as well as multitrack recording directly to a laptop.

A further additional feature of Version 5 OS

is a Dugan Post fade Insert point for Waves, with auto assign. This allows the easy setup of the Dugan Automixer within Waves along with an auto-patch function (when using Waves server with the Dugan Automixer Plugin). The Waves Dugan Automixer plugin automatically controls the gains of multiple microphones in real time, dramatically reducing feedback, ambient noise and comb filtering from adjacent microphones.

It maintains a consistent system gain, even when multiple speakers are talking simultaneously, and makes perfectly matched crossfades, without any signal compression or a noise gate. The plugin is

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particularly useful in commercial AV applications deploying multiple microphones such as conferencing and meeting rooms.

Cadac Marketing Manager, James Godbehear, said: “Launching CDC seven-s at Prolight+Sound [in Germany], then showing it immediately afterwards at PLASA Focus in the UK, there was immediate appreciation of the increase in I/O capability, plus the additional features of Version 5 CDC OS along with the improved GUI. CDC seven-s offers all of these improvements over the original CDC seven at no additional cost.” www.cadac-sound.com

CHAUVET: STRIKE, MAVERICK & COLORADO

Chauvet Professional’s Maverick, STRIKE and COLORado series of fixtures have earned widespread praise as well as a large following in recent years, thanks to their high output, brightness and reliable performance.

The new Maverick Storm 1 Wash is an IP65rated LED moving fixture; while the STRIKE P38 is an IP65-rated compact warm white LED blinder/ strobe; and the COLORado Solo Batten is an IP65 RGBAW LED batten that produces a seamless and unique edge-to-edge homogenised appearance without visible round ‘eyes’ or pixels.

Maverick Storm 1 Wash is a powerful IP65rated RGBW Osram LED moving head, and is the first of its kind to join the award-winning Maverick series. The unit’s rugged die-cast aluminium housing and 316 stainless steel external screws enable it to withstand the harshest elements. With an output of over 6,000 lumens, its customised optics are well suited for audience and aerial washing, even at large venues. Pixel-mapping effects and a zoom range

of 11° to 42° further add to the unit’s versatility, and a virtual gobo wheel with background colours creates an array of immersive atmospheric effects. 16-bit dimming of master dimmer and individual colours results in silky smooth fades, and the RDM-enabled fixture can be controlled via DMX, W-DMX, sACN, and ArtNet.

The STRIKE P38 is an outdoor-ready single IP65-rated pod blinder has been designed in a more compact housing than its STRIKE 1 predecessor. Its small size notwithstanding, it has the bright output that has made the STRIKE series famous, thanks to its powerful 90W warm white LED source. As a result of its compact housing, designers will be able to unleash their creativity and arrange this intense fixture in a greater variety of configurations. As versatile as it is powerful, this multi-formatted fixture can be used as a wash, audience light, strobe or blinder.

Features include simulated “amber shift” that mimics incandescent dimming; adjustable Pulse

Width Modulation, making the fixture camera friendly; black cast aluminium housing; and DMX as well as RDM protocols.

The COLORado Solo Batten is a very versatile fixture, and is engineered with 12 individually controllable square sections that appear seamlessly together without separation, but can also create an endless variety of colour control and pixel mapping effects. The unit is IP65 rated and equipped with DMX and RDM protocols.

“The new fixtures allow us to offer more versatility in 3 very important series of products that designers have come to depend on,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “With its IP65 rating, the Maverick Storm 1 Wash is ideal for lighting festivals, amphitheatres, and other outdoor venues. The compact housing of the new STRIKE P38 gives it even more versatility than its predecessor the STRIKE 1, while the COLORado Solo Batten creates more options in eye-candy batten wash lighting.” www.chauvetprofessional.eu

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ILEA COLUMN

ILEA: DUBAI QUALITY AWARDS ILEA MIDDLE EAST HAS BEEN SELECTED AS ONE OF SIX RECIPIENTS OF THE APPRECIATION AWARD FOR REPRESENTATIVE ENTITIES AT THE RECENT DUBAI QUALITY AWARDS.

H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, attended the 24th annual Business Excellence Awards hosted by the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, and honoured 40 winners of the Dubai Quality Award (DQA), the Dubai Human Development Award (DHDA), and the Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES) for their outstanding pursuit of excellence during 2017.

The awards were held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

“The winners of the Business Excellence Awards represent a measure of organisational performance and a catalyst in the race towards excellence, further development and prosperity,” said Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of DED,

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adding that the success of Dubai’s quality and excellence journey depends on productive public and private sectors.

ILEA Middle East commented: “This is a huge milestone in our ambitions to provide an opportunity for constructive dialogue between the live events industry and government entities as we collectively work to enhance, grow and evolve our industry further.

“By receiving this award we have further cemented our commitment to delivering on objectives we have set out to our membership. Receiving an official acknowledgment from government has long been a key aim of the association and vital in order to deliver our future objectives.

“Winning this award would not have been possible without the long standing support and dedication of current and past presidents, board members and members.

“Lots of work has been happening behind the scenes engaging government entities and we are very proud that this hard work is making a positive impact on the

ILEA COLUMN

association, our members and the regions live events industry.”

ILEA Middle East is currently working together with DED and Dubai Statistical Centre to create an industry-wide survey that will measure the live events industry’s worth within the region. From the collected survey findings, ILEA will develop a pioneering, state-of-the-art industry report on the size and value of Dubai’s live events industry. The report will

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also highlight the scope and features of the sector’s various segments. It will identify trends, opportunities, key issues and challenges which if overcome, will advance Dubai’s position as a leading destination for world-class events and the leaders of offering impressive services around the world.

For details on ILEA membership please email: admin@ilea-me.com www.ilea-me.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

DOT2S AND DIGICO AT SU WOORDFEES FESTIVAL IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE OFTEN GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HUMDRUM OF DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES, ARTS FESTIVALS REMIND US TO BREATHE. AS STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY CELEBRATED ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY, THE 19TH SU WOORDFEES TOOK PLACE FROM THE 3RD TO THE 12 MARCH. FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, DWR DISTRIBUTION WERE PART OF THE FESTIVAL, SPONSORING DOT2S AND A DIGICO SD12 CONSOLE.

When it comes to presenting excellence in all art disciplines, SU Woordfees has to be commended – from fine art, to outstanding drama and music productions, debates and the written word. Presented by the Stellenbosch University, SU Woordfees brings the entire town on board and before long, restaurants, schools, the city hall and theatres such as the HB Thom, become home to lovingly produced creations.

“In the current South African economic climate, festivals do not have the financial backing they deserve,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “Technical companies are often willing to work alongside the organisers for very little income just to keep the arts alive. This year DWR approached event companies involved and asked if we could

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also help carry the load by sponsoring consoles and providing a team on site for technical support.”  DWR supplied 4 x MA Lighting dot2 cores, 1 x XL-F and 1x dot 2 on PC with DMX King.

In addition, a DiGiCo SD12 and D2 Rack were supplied and used by Johan Griesel, an audio engineer and living legend from Eastern Acoustics. “Woordfees is, and was a great Fees,” said Johan Griesel. “This is Eastern Acoustics third year and it gets better every year. We were involved in the Big Outdoor concerts at Coetzenburg where Woordfees ran two outdoor stages – as one stage finished, the second took over. It was a great three days from POPS to family entertainment.”

Eastern Acoustics also ran Rhenish and the Spier Amphitheatre. “I was given the DiGiCo SD12

by DWR for use at the Spier Amphitheater which ran from the 3rd to 11th March,” said Griesel.

“What a joy to mix on this console. Solid, great sounding and easy to work on. Rhenish was a tough venue for us as they do two to three productions a day, and for every production, all the lights needs re-focusing and you have to use a ladder to do that. Long hours for our crew, and I think our two crew members are still asleep, two months later! Woordfees ran a variety of concerts at Spier from Big Band Brass to Stef Bos, and it ran like clockwork, thanks to Brechmari van Wyk (Technical Manager) and Saartjie Botha (Director) of WoordFees. I most certainly hope that Woordfees goes from strength to strength, and that more and more people attend this great festival in Stellenbosch.”

Gareth Chambers who represented DWR along with colleagues Bradley Bruchhausen, Jethro Jordaan and Michael Taylor-Broderick agreed. “The festival was well attended. While there were a couple of first time dot2 users, I knew most of the technicians operating the shows and they were very happy to work on the MA platform.”

For Michael Taylor-Broderick from DWR, who is also a respected lighting designer in South Africa, Woordfees was one of the best festivals he has ever attended. “It offers a platform for so many art forms and the standard is exceptionally high across all genres,” said Taylor-Broderick.

“Culturally, it was exciting and heartwarming to see so many Afrikaan practitioners producing incredible work. The work presented was challenging and far from commercial which sets it apart somewhat from the standard Festival model we are accustomed to.”

What also stood out for Taylor-Broderick was attending a talk co-presented by Ismail Mohamed, CEO of The Market Theatre. “Ismail Mohamed spoke about the role of festivals in our current economic and political climate. It was interesting to hear him outline the responsibilities that are meant to fall on the shoulders of Festivals; in this regard Woordefees seems to tick many of the relevant boxes.”

Bradley Bruchhausen concluded: “Woordfees was amazing and well run. It was spread over a vast area and ran smoothly. We were grateful to be part of it.” www.dwrdistribution.co.za

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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EPH SHINES AT SAFTAs CELEBRATING QUALITY, EXCELLENCE AND TALENT, THE 12TH ANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN FILM & TELEVISION AWARDS WAS HOSTED AT SUN CITY’S SUPERBOWL ON 24 MARCH 2018 WITH A FURTHER 2.3 MILLION VIEWERS TUNING IN TO WATCH THE LIVE SABC TELEVISED PRODUCTION.

EPH Productions were appointed by ATTV to supply the full technical set for the show, as well as for the smaller Technical Awards held a couple of days prior to the main event.

EPH Production’s Danie Janse van Rensburg wore 3 hats; namely as Project Manager, Technical Director and Set Designer. For the proposal, with a lot of support from Leon Pheiffer (CEO, EPH Group), they came up with an idea to use cleverly suspended LED screens as the main feature, knowing that when complimented with the graphic material supplied by ATTV (Andrew Thabo Television), diverse looks would take the audience on a journey from glamour to triggering emotions with bright and patriotic colours. A special screen, in remembrance of former South African president Nelson Mandela, marked the centenary of the legend’s birth.

The show was designed for camera. With years of experience in the industry, Janse van Rensburg is a bit of a dreamer and has done it all from bass guitarist to theatre technical to acting. He loves his work and creating magical experiences: “You start with an empty page in a way,” said van Rensburg. “I usually look around to see if there are any ideas that would work.

I’m also a relatively practical designer. When I design I look at the audience, the camera and what equipment is available. You have to work within budget and parameters.” With the television audience in mind, he had to consider which screens would fit the camera better. “The technical team did an awesome job and worked endlessly to get it right. The way everything came together was brilliant.”

9 LED screens were hung on motors while 2 automated screens at the back of the stage closed to create a 7m x 3m screen. When the screens opened, serving as an entrance for artists to walk onto the stage, an additional 5m x 3m screen was revealed in the background. “Spacing was the biggest challenge and next was to produce a uniformed yet not symmetrical look,” said van Rensburg. To do this, he positioned the screens at different angles. “It gave a more natural appearance without being too rigid. It offered extra depth and created a 3D feel.”

The set included a 300m and 600m level used for the choir and dancers, and steps which were lit up with LED strips. An artist hand-painted a SAFTA watermark logo on the stage floor, which was highlighted during the production.

To light the show, van Rensburg called on the services of Kurt du Preez of Pan Tilt. The pair had worked together before at the SA Sports Awards: “I knew Kurt was a good television lighting designer and he fitted the profile for this event.”

An added benefit was that du Preez had worked at the Super Bowl earlier in his career and knew the venue well.

“The concept of all the screens at different angels was difficult, because where do you put the lights?” teased Kurt du Preez. Up for the task, he allocated positions for the lighting beams to punch through. “I tried to keep the lighting fixtures off the stage floor because of all the moving screens and the band trucks. It was great to work with director Eugene Naidoo again.

Andrew Tim from ATTV was also inspiring. Andrew really tries to push the effects and theatre side in television productions, so we spent a lot of time rehearsing, trying to get it right,” said du Preez.

The lighting rig consisted of 140 fixtures in total. “The Robe BMFLs were awesome. I used 2 as followspots and I will definitely do that again!

I had another 10 to lift up the audience for the awards and for reverse shots – they worked like a bomb.”

8 Robe Robin LEDWash 600 fixtures were responsible for front lighting. There were 12 Robe

LEDBeam 1000s, 56 Robe LEDBeam 100, 24 Robe Pointes, 24 Robe LEDWash 300, 15 Claypaky Sharpy fixtures, sneaking through beneath the screens, and numerous parcans.

A full MA Lighting rig, running of a MA Lighting grandMA2 lite, was in control. “For the first time I used Elation Nodes and it was the first time that I got ArtNet to work on MA,” said du Preez. “It was interesting, it worked and there were no issues. I had about 10 universes, so it was very stable.”

As a freelancer, lighting consoles are always supplied to du Preez by the client. “MA is simple.

I start my show from scratch every time, and even though I’m not sure if I’ll be getting a full size or ultralight, it’s putting the memory stick in and you’re ready to go. It’s the confidence that everything is going to work,” he said.

Congratulations to the SAFTA winners.

Highlights included Isibaya awarded as the Best TV Soap, Jo-Anne Reyneke acknowledged as the Best Actress – TV Soap/Telenovela, and Hamilton Dhlamini as the Best Actor TV Soap/Telenovela.

Johan Stemmet and Thoko Ntshinga received Lifetime Achievement Awards and Ayanda Sithebe was the recipient of the Youth Achiever Award. www.ephproductions.co.za

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

L-ACOUSTICS APPOINTS DWR DISTRIBUTION L-ACOUSTICS HAS ANNOUNCED JOHANNESBURG-BASED DWR DISTRIBUTION HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY APPOINTED AS L‑ACOUSTICS CERTIFIED DISTRIBUTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA.

Native audio specialist and L-Acoustics expert, Richard Smith, has also joined the DWR Distribution team.

DWR Distribution has a long history in South Africa, starting by offering lighting products and more recently branching into sound reinforcement. DWR Distributions’ local market expertise, coupled with Richard Smith’s knowledge and experience with L-Acoustics products will provide quality representation and support for the brand in a dynamic and growing market.’

“L-Acoustics is happy to finally be able to welcome DWR to the ‘Brown Box Family’,” said Tim McCall, L‑Acoustics Sales Manager for the region. “There has been a long gestation period to this plan but now, with the introduction DWR’s customer-oriented dynamism combined with the experience and knowledge of Richard Smith, the Southern African market gets the best of both worlds. The new and the old, the fresh approach and the real-world experience. Looking forward, I expect great things for L-Acoustics in the region with this team.”

“The process took time,” said Robert Izzett, Sales Director at DWR Distribution. “We had to ensure that we had the right infrastructure to best represent this leading brand. With Richard on board, we look forward to a great relationship with both the team at L‑Acoustics and the endusers. We hope that he will be very happy with us.”

Smith, whose background includes music studies and musical theatre performance, is a respected professional in the South African audio industry. Regularly working on theatre design, television and selective rock concerts, Smith has enjoyed a good collaborative work ethic, doing what he describes as ‘lovely things with diverse companies’ both as a designer, operator, consultant and project manager for shows and many prestigious installations.

“Theatre is my first love, that’s where I started out, performing and being the musical director,” he continued. “Sound was a natural follow-on. It’s almost like being the conductor of the show. I’m controlling what the people are hearing. I’ve built up good relationships with a lot of the directors and producers over the years.

“I’ve done many sound designs including Boys in the Photograph which is a particular highlight as it was very challenging, and I’ve just finished The Color Purple which was my most rewarding show to date. There is a massive sense of fulfilment. Very subtly, you are the ultimate

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translator between artistic and technical.”

Smith is excited to continue in this slightly different role and will use his design and show expertise to help others realise their dreams, whether they are a rental company, a church or a theatre.

“I have a vast amount of experience to be able to guide people and that’s what I enjoy doing. I love working with young rental companies who come to me for advice. I’m passionate about teaching and part of my work ethos is to impart knowledge through both writing and hands-on experience. Duncan Riley and the team at DWR have the same ethic as I do, putting customers first. DWR is passionate about its brands, whole company gets behind something and give it their all. I believe that L‑Acoustics deserves that.”

DWR Distribution started off in 2006 as a professional lighting distributor, and more

recently have introduced audio to their inventory.

“More and more customers tell us they’d like to deal with one supplier and get the same service and support they get on lighting for audio,” said Riley. “We were appointed as distributor for DiGiCo two years ago and the brand is growing and doing really well in the market. This opened many doors for us with different PA manufacturers and it was our choice to wait for the jewel in the crown: L‑Acoustics.

“We have collaborated with Richard on numerous projects in the past where DWR did the lighting and he did the audio,” continues Riley. “We believe the combination of DWR’s local market knowledge, the quality of the L‑Acoustics brand, Richard’s vast knowledge and reputation in the industry will make a powerful combination.” www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.l-acoustics.com

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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SENNHEISER TRAINING IN UAE & KENYA MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA GET ITS FIRST LOOK AT NEW GENERATION EVOLUTION WIRELESS SOLUTIONS AT SENNHEISER TRAINING EVENTS IN UAE AND KENYA. The region got its first look at the muchanticipated evolution wireless G4 series of wireless mic and in-ear monitoring systems at events recently conducted by Sennheiser in the United Arab Emirates and Kenya. The seminar in Dubai centred around the company’s audio for business solutions range, whilst in Kenya, the event took a more technical approach, with detailed workshops covering all aspects of wireless audio capture.

Hosted by Sennheiser’s UAE distributor Venuetech, the event in Dubai was attended by over 60 industry professionals from systems integrators to consultants. The key presentation, entitled ‘Wireless Microphones for System Integration’ was delivered by Kai Tossing, Portfolio Manager for Sennheiser Business Solutions and outlined the digital workflows for deployment of multi-channel wireless systems in education and corporate applications. In addition to a first look at the newly launched Sennheiser G4 solutions, participants got a live demonstration of Sennheiser’s SpeechLine Digital Wireless and Digital 6000 solutions, with all systems monitored and controlled in a live environment

by Sennheiser’s new core control software, Control Cockpit.

“I found the presenters and presentation material very helpful in quelling my endeavours to continually strive to be ahead of my competitors in the current market and would recommend this event to all like-minded consultants in the region” said Gerald Stewart, Principal – Acoustics at Inhabit Group.

Ryan Burr, Head of Technical Sales &

Application Engineering, System Solutions at Sennheiser Middle East who led the 4 training sessions in Kenya said, “The training session was organised by our partner, Audio Visual Engineering, who did an excellent job of promoting the event and attracting over 50 of their customers from verticals as diverse as media and broadcast, education, houses of worship and events companies, all of whom were eager to learn more about our wireless microphones, application-based theory and general best practices.”

The presentations he delivered were aimed at both new and existing users of wireless microphones and in-ear monitor systems, including sound engineers, live event

professionals, students, apprentices, sales people and AV technicians. Over the course of 4 sessions, attendees gained the knowledge and insight needed to operate multichannel wireless systems, covering acoustics and electrotechnology, wireless mics and monitoring, antenna technology, microphone technology, frequency management and wireless monitoring.

“I like Sennheiser products because of their reliability and durability. The training offered a chance to better understand their products and how best it serves my application” said Isaac Kamau Gachwe, Media Officer at Ridgeways Baptist Church. The Sennheiser evolution wireless G4 is now available in the Middle East and Africa. www.en-ae.sennheiser.com

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TECH FOCUS

TECH FOCUS

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IT’S CARNAGE MAD MAX MEETS TOP GEAR AS 30 TEAMS FROM THE UK AND IRELAND COME TO THE TANKWA KAROO IN SOUTH AFRICA TO BATTLE IT OUT IN THEIR CUSTOM MADE ARMORED VEHICLES WITH HOMEMADE WEAPONS LIKE FLAME THROWERS, SAW BLADES, PAINTBALL GUNS AND MONSTER PLOUGHS – ALL IN THE QUEST TO BE THE ULTIMATE WINNER OF CARNAGE, A NEW SHOW ON SKY ONE, PRODUCED BY PRIMAL MEDIA AND MOTION CONTENT GROUP.

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TECH FOCUS

UK Producers and Primal Media founders, Mat Steiner and Adam Wood, contacted South African producer, Darren Lindsay from Getaway Productions, to facilitate the show.

In turn, Peter Rieck from Rieck’s Lighting & Event Lighting was contracted to supply and design the lighting requirements. Armed with an MA Lighitng grandMA dot2 and a truck full of equipment, he and his team welcomed the challenge of working in the harsh desert environment for 2 months where temperatures reached well over 50 degrees.

Some 85 cubic tonnes of earth were removed to create the 3 arenas where the warfare took place. The mammoth task of designing the arenas was commissioned to Patrick Watson, a UK-based Production Designer, who with the help of his trusted art director, Keith Botha from Catch22Media, and set builder, Sean Hoey from Dream Sets, turned the design into reality.

“This was an amazing project to work on, from the barren landscape with incredible sun rises and sun sets, to the frequent and unpredictable dust storms, the extreme temperatures and ultimately a small village of dedicated people who brought the concept to

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life,” said Hoey. “The camaraderie on the set was fantastic and we all walked away having made new friends for life. We look forward to Season 2!”

Peter Rieck agreed: “My crew were absolutely amazing and the rock of the lighting department.

I could not have done it without them. It was an honour working with all the various department, each bringing their own expertise, without whom the show would not have been possible.”

The competition kicked off in Arena One, a 150m triangular area surrounded by a 2.5m deep mote. Nine islands within, onto which scaffold was erected, created the impression of an abandoned city. Here the contestants would not only face each other, but also a barrage of special effects consisting of flame throwers, dust bombs and dust cannons. To top it off a mutant vehicle, The Pusher, was released to take contestants out and push them into the mote.

The Desert Race was the next leg, where the 4 remaining contestants raced against each other to determine who they would be up against in Arena Two.

Arena Two, a 70m circular arena, was a living scrapyard. In the centre, raised on a platform, proudly stood another mutant vehicle, The Shredder, who was ready to eliminate teams.

Contestants had to battle each other and try to activate triggers, through a series of hazard elements such as huge saw blades and The Thrasher, to release The Shredder who would assist them in taking out their opponent.

The combat came to a grand finale in Arena Three, the night time showground, where the remaining drivers had to deal with hazardous elements such as the centre pit that would drop 2.5m, and the armadillos that would shoot up underneath a vehicle to try and flip them over.

The last man standing was deemed the winner!

Stringent safety protocols ensured not a single injury despite the car wrecks. The arenas had lights that changed colour, working as a traffic light. Flashing amber lights indicated “weapons hot” in the arena, and once the green lights went on, it was battle time.

There was a need to communicate with the drivers inside the vehicles while the game was active. Rieck was asked to put lights inside each vehicle that would change colour to indicate to the driver the status of the game: white weapons down; flashing amber - weapons hot; green - game starts; and red - all stop.

Rieck explained: “The drivers’ visibility in these armored vehicles was very limited and

TECH FOCUS

between Bruce Riley from DWR Distribution and I, over a couple of beers, we came up with a solution to use a 500mm RGB LED strip that would connect to a LED controller, hooked up to a wireless LumenRadio, that would be powered by a small battery and then strapped into each vehicle.” So, in unison with the arena, the LED strip changed colours.

“I had a chat to the director,” said Rieck. “He said if it were not for those lights, there would probably not have been a show because of the safety regulations.”

In terms of the lighting design, Rieck used Vectorworks and Cinema 4D for his drawings and presented a 3D model to his client on what the show would look like. “We had a stressful five months from the day we started the rekkie to putting everything together,” he said.

MA Lighting’s dot 2 was in control. “Who says you need a big desk?” said Rieck. He sat stationery in one control box and ran fibre cables to the three different arenas. “It was easy enough.

When you shoot one arena you are not running the other two. But at the end of the day, we ran just under five universes full. It worked.”

In terms of daylight lighting, the initial thought was to use 2.5k HMIs to light up

presenters Freddie Flintoff, Lethal Bizzle and Vick Hope, who would carry out interviews in the arena and also chat to the engineers and mechanics at 3 onscreen garages. After considering the price of the long-term rental of the HMI fixtures, Rieck opted instead to invest in 12 Robe Spiiders purchased from DWR Distribution. “I had to illuminate the presenters’ faces and the Spiiders worked perfectly. The most difficult part was the 360 degree arena. If you don’t have the correct shot, you can’t find your bearings as the presenters moved about depending on where the action takes place. Once I had my white shot, though, I could quickly focus the lights. Thanks to their intensity, I was able to shine the Spiiders from one side of the arena to the other, some 50m away.”

For Arena Three, a further 12 Robe Spikies (six per side) were positioned at each entrance. The Spikies created a statement and a hero moment as each car entered, with beams shooting up in the air. Four SGM Q7 fixtures lit the actual vehicle.

“The Spikies used in Arena 3 really brought the set to life and could be seen from miles away across the desert landscape,” added Hoey.

The claw structures in Arena 3 were 12m, 8m and 5m high. Dream Sets made step ladders

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on the claws for the crew to climb up, making it easier to rig the lighting fixtures. For the 12m high tower cherry pickers were used. Rieck used two Martin Viper Spots on either entrance positioned on a 3m totem for back light on each vehicle.

Four Viper Spots were also used to highlight the hazard elements in the main stadium like the armadillos and pit. A further 12 Viper Washes highlighted the centre of the arena in white light, and then 24 Martin Quantum Washes were used for the claws.

Creating a striking 6-way prism shape in the centre, and producing sweeping looks across the battlefield, were 12 Robe Pointes. In addition, 96 LED Parcans were used for uplighting and SGM Q7s to highlight the outside and insider perimeter.

Custom-made lids were placed over the moving fixtures, not so much to protect them from the rain as to shield the ballasts from cooking in the sun. The sheer dust worked as the best possible smoke machine!

While the technical crew have gone home, the desert has kept the set, after all, Carnage Season Two is bound to follow!

Photos: Dieter Pey www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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TECH PROFILE

WENYASHA’S LIVE DVD RECORDING: TASTE OF GLORY THE FAMED GOSPEL MUSICIAN JOINED FORCES WITH RENTAL HOUSE EVENTS EVOLUTION FOR THE SINGER’S LIVE DVD RECORDING AT THE THEATRE IN THE PARK IN HARARE, ZIMBABWE. TPMEA SPOKE TO EVENTS EVOLUTION’S BLESSING BERO TO FIND OUT MORE…

Famed worship musician, Myasha Chingono - better known as Wenyasha in the gospel community - recently filled the Theatre in The Park in Harare, Zimbabwe for his debut live DVD performance. During the performance, Wenyasha was joined on stage by other favorites from the gospel music scene including Takesure Zamar Ncube, Janet Manyowa, Psalmist Josh Kay, Trust Ngwenya, Ellard Cherai, Allen Njenje and Bongani Mhlabi.

To help Wenyasha realise his vision for the show, the singer turned to local Zimbabwean rental house, Events Evolution, who provided audio and lighting for the singer’s landmark performance.

“Events Evolution is a ‘one-stop’ rental

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company founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Seke, Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe,” began Blessing Takudzwa Bero, Head of Technical.

“Events Evolution provides a full range of services, which includes; sound, lighting, staging, trusses, power and audio visuals.” The company had incredibly humble beginnings being founded in a garage with less than $5,000 worth of equipment. Since then the company has enjoyed a successful growth rate. With the stewardship of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer - Talent Diotrefe Banda - Events Evolution has become one of the leading events companies in Zimbabwe. Bero commented: “We started small in 2015, but through years of excellent professional services, Events Evolution

has evolved into a large AV rental company, redefined the limitations of our industry and raised the bar, through delivering exceptional customer service.” The company handles several high end brands within its inventory stock of Allen & Heath, Shure, Yamaha, AKG, Lab.gruppen, TW AUDiO, Chauvet Professional, Le Maitre, Waves, Dante and Avolites.

Bero continued to discuss how they were first brought into the Taste of Glory project.

“Wenyasha first approached us in January of this year,” began Bero. “His vision for the show was to create a simple, beautiful and intimate gospel setting for the DVD recording. He wasn’t specific on the design or setup for his event but had different snapshots of what he wanted. He

TECH PROFILE

trusted and believed Events Evolution to handle his vision and would deliver as he imagined.”

The lighting for the show was designed

by Bero, who also took on the role of LD for the evening. “The set had to be less hectic to the eyes as the main focus was to be on the performance,” stated Bero. “At the same time it had to be beautiful hence a simple design with only LED Fixtures.” In total the rig consisted of several Chauvet DJ fixtures including 6 EVE E-100Zs, 4 F-50Zs and 24 SlimPar Tri 12 IRC. A selection of Chauvet Professional fixtures were also deployed on the rig with 4 Rogue R2 Wash and 8 Rogue R2 Spot.

For control, Bero utilised an Avolites Titan Mobile with a Titan Mobile Wing. For networking the production opted for the Chauvet Net-X

Node (Artnet).

Along with 3 Chauvet Data Stream (4-Way DMX Splitter). Finally, for haze Bero selected 2 Le Maitre MVS’s.

To keep an intimate feeling to the performance, Wenyasha purposefully opted for a smaller venue. This in turn created an interesting challenge for Events Evolution’s audio department. “Acoustics were a challenge in the space,” admitted Bero. “Moreover, we were not just handling the audio for the live audience and the musicians but simultaneously maintaining a good audio recording for the DVD. Despite the audio challenging dynamics of the venue one of our sound engineers, Endelani Kachepa made this possible!”

Events Evolution opted for a TW AUDiO PA

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for the live audience. Collectively it consisted of 2 T24Ns, 4 B30 Subs, with 6 C15’s and 1 M15 for monitors. In the back end of the system a TW AUDiO SYSRACK-X with 3 Lab Gruppen PLM+12K44’s. For control Kachepa used an Allen & Heath c3500 mixer, which handled the audio, stage monitors and multi track recording via a Waves card along with Waves Grid Server.

The event itself went off without a hitch with both the singer and supporting acts leaving the stage very happy - so much so that Wenyasha took to social media immediately after the show to thank the audience and the production. For those who were unable to attend the event the DVD will no doubt be available soon.

Photos: Events Evolution www. eventsevo.co.za

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INSIDE LOOK

AUDIOSURE: SOUND ADVICE GENERAL MANAGER, ALISON TAMAN, TALKS TO TPMEA ABOUT DISTRIBUTING ALLEN & HEATH IN SOUTH AFRICA… 10 years.

Our relationship with Allen & Heath came about as a combination of relationships we held with other British Manufacturers who suggested that the fit would be good and relationships we held with people within Allen & Heath who had experience of dealing with us as a result of their prior involvements with other brands. We had always admired and respected the brand very highly and when the opportunity presented itself for us to take up the distribution we were excited and honoured to do so. We have extremely good relationships with the whole team at Allen & Heath and feel every bit a part of the family. We are extremely proud of this market-leading brand and sell with confidence into the rental, install and retail markets.

Can you tell us a bit about why Audiosure was established and how it’s grown over the last few years as a prominent entertainment technology distributor in South Africa?

Audiosure was established over 20 years ago with a goal to address the needs of the midrange Professional Audio and Lighting market.

At that time there were a handful of established distributors in the industry addressing various levels of the market and Audiosure was able to build a successful sales channel primarily in the Retail MI space with brands such as Wharfedale Pro, Samson Audio, Gemini and many others.

Over the years the business expanded and took on a variety of additional brands addressing different market requirements.

The result has been continued strong growth in the traditional Retail market as well as growth into the installation space including Commercial Install, Education and Houses of Worship, and more recently strong growth in the Rental and Touring markets particularly with brands such as Allen & Heath, Martin Audio, MC2 and XTA, AKG, Chauvet Professional and Avolites.

A&H is the only sound console brand that you handle. When did your relationship with the British company begin, and what initially brought your attention to the manufacturer?

Audiosure has been the sole distributor of the Allen & Heath brand in South Africa since 2008 and we are very proud to have been a part of the very successful Allen & Heath story in these past

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How has A&H’s presence in SA increased in recent times? Have you seen any trends so to speak of?

The QU Series of Digital Consoles have been extremely strong now for several years and with the introduction of dLive in the past few years and more recently of the SQ Series, our presence in the market at all levels in the digital space has grown significantly. We have several high-profile production Companies utilising dLive – both S and C Class – as well as several successful installs with both S and C Class. The interest around dLive and SQ is constantly growing and we are finding more and more interest in the Allen & Heath brand and the class-leading technologies they bring to the market. We have also had great success with the personal monitoring solutions that ME-1 and the ME-U platform provide with such ease and user-friendly simplicity.

Which rental companies do you work closely with?

We work closely with many rental companies, some of them specifically in the lighting sector, with Chauvet Professional and Avolites, and some of them in the Audio space with Allen & Heath, Martin Audio and our other strong audio brands and in some cases across all categories. We are also the distributors of Vivitek Projectors and have found great acceptance of these exceptional projectors in several of the rental companies.

I would be hesitant to focus on only a few of these companies as so many of them have been strong supporters of our brands. We endeavour to deliver exceptional service to back all of these brands up and have built some very strong relationships accordingly.

What about for installation purposes - anything significant A&H wise in music venues?

At this stage our main Allen & Heath installation projects have tended to be in the House of Worship space. There are , of course, also Xone DJ mixers and controllers being put through their paces in clubs around the country on a regular basis.

How do you maintain product support etc in your region? Do you provide training?

We support all of our brands directly in our own internal Service Centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and via a network of authorised Service Partners in other areas.

We have a strong team of product specialists able to offer telephonic assistance where necessary and, of course, face-to-face support and training should the customer be within reach of one of our Service Centres.

We regularly run training sessions, specifically on the topic of Digital Mixing as there is high demand for this training. We also provide on-site training in the field should this be required by our dealer base or the end-user.

Is the MediaTech trade show in Johannesburg a popular platform for you as a distributor?

Mediatech has been a significant show for us for many years particularly the past 3 occasions where the show has really grown to be a powerful and world-class show and the only of its stature on the African continent.

We are strongly supported at the show by our vendors including Allen & Heath who support us with technical expertise, key product launch sample equipment and the likes.

What are Audiosure’s goals for the rest of 2018?

Our focus remains on the continued growth of our business in the various market segments that we address. We are always looking for ways to improve our value proposition to our customer base by ensuring that we are able to fulfil as much as possible of their requirements with wellsourced, keenly priced, high-quality equipment which addresses their needs efficiently and reliably. Our team strive to go the extra mile to ensure that the customer feels that his/her needs have been heard and addressed and that the solutions put forward are both of the highest standard, comprising the class-leading brands in our armoury, and deliver absolute reliability. www.audiosure.co.za www.allen-heath.com

23 – 25 September, 2018 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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