Regional Round Up: Africa

UNFAZED PRODUCTIONS BLOSSOMS WITH CHAUVET PROFESSIONAL FIXTURES

The quote “there is no limit to creativity,” appears several times on Heike Haywood’s business website and Facebook page. She and her team at Fleur Le Cordier demonstrated this truism in colourful and fragrant fashion at its floral experience workshop.

Drawing on South Africa’s rich botanical diversity (the country is the indigenous home of many world-famous flowers), the team at Unfazed Productions created a dazzling array of floral arrangements to be worn, draped over furniture and admired as centerpiece works of art.

Creativity was taken to an even higher level at the end of its 3-day event, when one of the rooms at the elegant Argyle function venue in Cape Town was transformed into a floral dining cove. Guests who entered the grotto-like area were immersed in a tunnel of flowers in every imaginable shape and colour. Accenting the flowery panorama were soft pastel washes

created by Unfazed Productions, using Chauvet Professional Rogue R2 Wash fixtures.

“This was just a very enjoyable project to be involved in from a creative standpoint,” said JP Willson from Unfazed Productions. “The room was turned into this spectacular floral setting in the afternoon before the gala dinner at the end of the event, so the guests who entered for dinner were completely surprised by the transformation. Even the food served was related to flowers in some way or another. Chef Johnny Hamman from Slippery Spoon Kitchen prepared the dishes and included flowers in many of them.”

Unfazed Productions was given a great deal of creative freedom to light the floriated dining area. Divon van der Heyde and Kyle Arendse from Unfazed Productions set up and programmed all the lighting for this event. When guests first entered, they used Chauvet Professional RGBW Rogue R2 Wash fixtures to create subtle colour

changes for dramatic effect. They also called on the fixture’s 5 zones of control to add extra flourishes to the room’s lighting. For accenting specific flowers in the expansive arrangement, they deployed Chauvet DJ EZpar and EZpin IRC fixtures.

At the start of each course, the Chauvet Professional Rogue fixtures were used to create special looks signaling the arrival of the dinner’s next serving. Each course of the dinner had a specific look, with both strong, and subtle colour washes to suit the course being served. During the meal itself, the lights were toned down to a subtle warm white wash for the guests to enjoy the ambience.

“It was extraordinarily fun and rewarding to orchestrate lighting with this unique and immersive floral arrangement,” he said. “As a designer, you always value colour and beauty, and what can be more beautiful than flowers?” www.chauvetlighting.com

‘FUTURISTIC’ ELATION LIGHTING FOR O&L GROUP ROADSHOW IN NAMIBIA

Above: dB Audio Namibia uses Elation Professional ACL 360 Bar to give employee engagement roadshow more modern look.

For the past 14 years, the O&L Group has connected with 6,000 employees across Namibia through a special outreach, the Mwenyopaleka Employee Engagement Roadshow. Rental company dB Audio Namibia, a stalwart of the technical events industry in Namibia, has been associated with the roadshow for years. In 2018, the team turned to Elation Professional’s dynamic ACL 360 Bar effect to give the show a more modern, futuristic look.

“The Mwenyopaleka roadshow aims to remind all employees that regardless of the operating company they work for, they all belong to the greater O&L family,” explained Ernst Steynberg, Corporate Communication Manager at dB Audio Namibia. “It’s all about personal realisation and development and how that translates into professional growth.”

O&L is Namibia’s largest private employer and operates companies that span industries from food production to retail trade to leisure and more.

Mwenyopaleka, means ‘revitalisation’ in the local Oshiwambo language so it was only fitting that the event be renewed with more up-to-date lighting. The roadshow, with employees from across the company’s 12 operating companies taking part, combined content facilitation and industrial theatre with competitions and music as a perfect blend of infotainment.

During its latest rendition, dB Audio Namibia was responsible for the technical translation and realisation of the roadshow concept and event content. The addition of Chauvet Professional ACL 360 Bars provided the setup with the futurist look required as briefed by the event producer.

“The aim was to create a futuristic and modern look and feel for the event,” said Steynberg, who noted that lighting design for the roadshow was by Geraldo Papo supported by Gillroy Barmann. “The designers turned to the high-output narrow-beam LED effect light to achieve the look. The ACL 360 Bars were spaced close together and being a bar Geraldo could create different shapes and create cutting-edge beam effects on stage. The positioning of the

fixtures in different configurations kept the stage dynamic for the different scenes.” On the market for three years now, the color-changing RGBW batten with continuous rotation has proven a diverse fixture that looks great as a blade effect, eye candy effect or even as a single LED pinspot and can add an element of dynamism to any show.

The first Mwenyopaleka Employee Engagement Roadshow of 2018 took place on April 10th in Walvis Bay with the final event held on 23 June 2018 in Mariental. The roadshow ran a total of 17 times in 7 different towns with a combined team of 24 personnel traveling more than 4000 kilometers. After 14 years, it was the final year that O+L has used the innovative edutainment format to keep its employees connected to the O&L purpose. “dB Audio Namibia has been privileged to share most of this journey with O&L and we excitedly look forward to what the future holds in store,” Ernst Steynberg concluded. www.dbaudio.com.na www.elationlighting.com

Above: Pro Audio Managing Directors Joss Pack and David Myers.

AUDIO-TECHNICA EXPANDS INTO SOUTH AFRICA WITH PRO AUDIO DISTRIBUTION DEAL

Audio-Technica welcomes new distributor Pro Audio for both its consumer and professional audio products in South Africa.

Joining Audio-Technica’s network of distribution partners across EMEA; the company’s current portfolio includes Turbosound, TC Electronic, HK Audio and Klark Teknik.

Audio-Technica Export Sales Manager Dre Klaassen commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Pro Audio to the Audio-Technica family. We are very confident that it is the right company to build Audio-Technica’s profile in both the pro and consumer markets in South Africa. The company’s wide experience and drive in

distribution are unique in the territory and I very much look forward to working with them in the future.”

Neil Schofield, Audio-Technica’s Export Sales Manager for consumer products added: “Pro Audio joins as distribution partner at an exciting time, with many new consumer products being released to the EMEA market – I’m looking forward to developing the brand together in South Africa.”

Pro Audio’s Managing Director David Myers explained: “I am extremely excited and proud of Pro Audio’s appointment as distributor for Audio- Technica.

“As a truly world-renowned brand, it will be a great complement to the current portfolio of brands we provide to the pro and consumer markets. With the addition of Audio-Technica, we can now offer a complete pro solution for installation, touring, retail, MI stores, studio, delegate and solution-based corporate installs.

“This brand really pushes our company to the next level and will ensure our continued growth and success in all the markets we represent.” www.eu.audio-technica.com www.proaudio.co.za

INSPIRING 350 TEENAGERS

It was a privilege for the SOS Charity Fund, an initiative by DWR Distribution, to support the 2-day Inspired2Unite Mega Masterclass Bootcamp, hosted at the GrandWest casino on 2 and 3 July 2018 where over 350 teens were mentored and attended a programme presented by industry professionals.

Karen Burt of Planet Productions and Gavin Taylor, Group Technical Events and Entertainment Manager of GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, founded Inspired Stages in 2014. It’s easy enough to start a project, but these 2 have not backed down, and there latest Bootcamp had the aim of preparing youngsters for both the stage and for life. “The jam-packed days ultimately worked on building self-esteem, self-belief and self-worth to survive both on and off stage,” said Burt.

A counselling and mentorship project saw girls and guys over the age of 19, who themselves had been through the Inspired Stages programme over the years, now reach out to display leadership and role model qualities to those attending the bootcamp. SOS’s donation of R10 000 was given to these volunteers.

Workshops were presented by special guests and artists in South Africa. The list, amongst others, included Rudi Smit, international Jazz Funk / Hip Hop choreographer and dancer from Cape Town, talented pianist Garth Tavares, performer Sophia Vorster, Cape

Flats saxophonist, Donveno Prins, life coach Tarryn Tomlinson, Signature SA and many others.

In typically Inspired Stages style, the programme was a combination of transformational life coaching and life lessons, alongside performance masterclass workshops in music, vocals and dance.

DWR have been involved with the project since its inception, and it was great to reach out with the SOS this year. “Thank you to Karen and Gavin for involving us and enabling us to give back,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. www.dwrdistribution.co.za

Above: Philips Strand Lighting gives winning movie performance with #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm.

PHILIPS STRAND LIGHTING FIXTURES PUTS THE SPOTLIGHT ON NAMIBIAN FILM SHOOT

Philips Strand Lighting studio and location fixtures have delivered practical and performance benefits to the production of an independent Namibian movie, the working title of which is #LANDoftheBRAVEfilm.

A range of Philips Strand Lighting’s latest LED instruments were supplied to Collective Productions for the filming of the compelling crime thriller by DWR Distribution, Signify’s Entertainment Lighting sales partner in South Africa.

The equipment included Studio Panel MkII, 150S and 300S Softlights, and LEDhead Daylight fixtures.

During principal photography in July and August 2018, gaffer Hein van Zijl and assistant Tangi Kamukwatange used the fixtures in a range of locations, including close interiors and challenging exterior settings, from

riverbeds to roadsides. Throughout the shoot they appreciated the equipment’s portability, well-engineered accessories, selectable colour temperature presets and high-quality light output.

Van Zijl praised the Studio Panel MkII for its compact portability and high quality 5600 K color temperature light output, while of the LEDhead, he said: “The LEDhead unit is useful for interior, or for close-up exterior photography. Its onboard dimmers are user-friendly and its three colour temperature options cover our most commonly-used balances. It’s compact, with really good packaging for travel, and the accessories are great - compact, sturdy stands, and excellent diffuser filters and barndoors which slide in in seconds.”

The softlight fixtures he also praised: “The 150S and the 300S both give a really good 5600 K light and are easily portable for their output.

The 150S is useful as a soft fill for indoor scenes or closer outdoor set-ups, while the bigger 300S is an excellent fill or key light for even the biggest set-ups, indoors or out, day or night. The menu is really accessible with great features, and the barndoor system is of excellent quality, helping us to reliably shape and guide the light where we need it.”

#LANDoftheBRAVEfilm, written and directed by Tim Huebschle and produced by David Benade, is due for release in 2019.

Signify Entertainment Lighting comprises the Philips Vari-Lite, Philips Strand Lighting and Philips Selecon brands, as well as the Philips Showline range of LED stage luminaires. www.signify.com www.strandlighting.com www.lighting.philips.com

VECTORWORKS APPOINTS DWR DISTRIBUTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Above: Vectorworks training at DWR Distribution’s South African headquarters.

The demands of the entertainment industry are constantly evolving, and access to state-of-theart technology is more critical than ever.

In response to this, global design and BIM software solutions provider Vectorworks has confirmed the appointment of DWR Distribution as an official distributor for Vectorworks Spotlight, Braceworks and Vision software in South Africa.

“DWR has demonstrated a strong commitment to Vectorworks and has deep roots in the entertainment industry, and it was a natural progression to have them officially join the Vectorworks family as a distributor,” said Tara Grant, director of channel operations at Vectorworks.

“As the demand for our solutions grows and Vectorworks continues to expand, we are looking for strong distribution partners like DWR to provide local support in markets around the world.”

Since 2013, DWR Distribution has sold software to the entertainment industry and offered extensive training at its office over the years. This new agreement will further benefit customers by allowing greater technical and sales support with direct access to the team at Vectorworks.

“It’s an honor to be able to distribute a brand like Vectorworks, and we are very excited about the partnership,” said Duncan Riley, owner of DWR Distribution.

“We believe that the close collaboration between MA Lighting and Vectorworks, to assist lighting designers on workflow, will be a game changer. On DWR’s side, we have a passionate team supporting the brand. We see Vectorworks as a 360-degree entertainment design solution for the country, providing professionals and students with a tool that will make their lives easier.”

DWR Distribution’s Dylan Jones will manage all Vectorworks sales and support. “It’s exciting to be working directly with the Vectorworks team.” He continued: “We are looking forward to providing educational and network licenses to the industry. The training Vectorworks provides their distributors has already helped us improve the quality of our technical support, and with direct access to their order process, we are now able to deliver licenses more quickly to our customers.”

DWR Distribution will continue to offer training sessions presented by Francois van der Merwe, who has been using Vectorworks for 14

years. For more information about Vectorworks for entertainment in South Africa, contact DWR. Or, visit the Vectorworks website to learn more about becoming a Vectorworks distributor or to find a local distributor in your region. www.vectorworks.net www.dwrdistribution.co.za

Above: DWR Distribution’s Dylan Jones and Duncan Riley

BASS MECHANICS EXPANDS ITS GROWING L-ACOUSTICS ARSENAL

As the technical supplier to most international Bollywood Productions performing in South Africa, rental company Bass Mechanics have invested in additional L-Acoustics equipment to complement its existing systems. Besides new LA8 and LA12X amplified controllers, the company have also purchased L-Acoustics KS28, ARCS Wide and ARCS Focus from native distributor DWR Distribution.

What started off as a mobile disco company run by 16-year-old Sushil Patidar in 1997, has grown as he has persistently invested back into his company to offer professional gear and service to the entertainment industry.

“I was in standard seven (grade 9) when I started,” Patidar fondly recalled. “We were all turning 16, so my friends were having birthday parties.” Before long he was doing his friends’ 18th birthday parties, 21sts and so it continued with him making a name in Lenasia, the neighbourhood where he grew up.

Word of mouth had Patidar keeping crowds on the dance floor, and he completed an Audio

Engineering Course and worked a stint at another rental company. His real break into the corporate realm came in 2004 when he was asked to be the service provider at a Bridal Fair in Lenasia, by his now wife Dimple Patidar. “That’s when we took the step to invest a decent amount of money into professional equipment and from there on it grew.”

At the time, Duncan Riley from DWR Distribution worked at Electrosonic, and Patidar purchased Martin by Harman moving head spots from him. JBL SRX 700s were supplied by Wild and Marr.

Bass Mechanics cover 90% of international Bollywood Productions visiting South Africa – about 4-8 shows per year. While the productions are a huge affair, the budgets are not so.

“We make big investments into professional gear,” Patidar elaborated. “But it’s also the service you get, knowing there is the necessary back-up when needed. We may not see our return as quickly as we want to, but know we’re getting a reliable product.”

Owning professional gear also means meeting the specs on technical riders.

Patidar was introduced to L-Acoustics when buying a pre-used Kudo System from Strike Productions when the company closed some years ago. “I didn’t mind buying the product, but I needed to know who the agents were and what spares and service would be available.” Richard Smith represented the L-Acoustics brand, met up with Sushil and assured him of his continued support.

“Ever since, although we stock other audio brands, L-Acoustics has become something very different for us,” said Patidar. At the time, a small network of L-Acoustics users was born with companies like Bass Mechanics, Gearhouse, Sound Stylists, Afrika Audio and AJR doing a lot of cross rentals. Slowly the name grew.

More recently, when it was time for Sushil to upgrade his amplifiers, he made an L-Acoustics LA8 amplified controller purchase from DWR Distribution who were appointed earlier this year as the L-Acoustics agents in Africa and where

Above: The Bass Mechanics crew; Sushil and Dimple Patidar; Nikhil Magan from Bass Mechanics with DWR Distribution’s Chris Pugh, Jaco Beukes & Richard Smith.

Richard Smith is now based. Bass Mechanics also invested in L-Acoustics ARCS Wide, ARCS Focus, LA12X amplified controllers and KS28 subwoofers. Patidar hopes to continue building the brand.

The L-Acoustics LA12X relies on a proprietary switch mode power supply (SMPS) equipped with a DSP-controlled PFC, capable of delivering 12,000 W regardless of mains voltages (from 240 V down to 100 V.) The PFC offers high immunity to unstable mains and lowers typical power consumption by up to 40% for the same usage conditions i.e., more power is available to the output stages from a given circuit (16 A at 230 V mains, 30 A at 120 V mains).

The L-Acoustics ARCS Wide and Focus system – Bass Mechanics have purchased four Wide and 8 Focus - are based on 2 constant curvature enclosures holding distinct directivity pattern and SPL capabilities. Intended for medium-throw applications in rental productions and fixed installations, these line sources deliver remarkable acoustic properties and unmatched versatility for many applications, including FOH L/R systems, central clusters, side-fill monitors, distributed systems and complementary fills. DWR first starting dealing with Bass Mechanics in 2008, selling Robe fixtures just before the World Cup. “It has been a good relationship since then,” said Robert Izzett of DWR. “I’ve always said that Sushil is one of the best companies to do business with. He always does what he says and that’s rare.”

Patidar is very grateful to have the support from his family and awesome crew, who are curious, open to learning, are courageous and motivate him. “I enjoy the humor they bring to my challenges and I appreciate how they challenge and grow themselves. They make me want to do what I enjoy the most.”

One thing he will never do is forget his roots. “We started with a small community who have taken us to where we are today. To be honest with you, in those days we used to do weddings at five hundred bucks an event… we can’t forget those days.” www.bassmechanics.co.za www.l-acoustics.com