JUNE / JULY • ISSUE 019
COCA-COLA ARENA A LOOK INSIDE DUBAI’S LATEST EVENTS SPACE.
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TPMEA AWARDS • ILEA MIDDLE EAST EXPO 2020 OPEN DAY • IN PROFILE: SLS PRODUCTION • MEDIATECH AFRICA
Services: Audio Digital Display Lighting Video System Integration
Markets: Corporate Entertainment Exhibitions Sports Permanent Installations
Dubai: +971 (0) 4885 6020 I Doha: +974 (0) 4423 1221 I info@ctme.co I ctme.co
TPMEA
WELCOME... TO TPMEA
New faces for a new season... It’s with great pleasure that in this month’s edition, I get to introduce two new members of the TPMEA team. First off, we have Peter Iantorno, our new Assistant Editor, who will be joining Jacob and I on the editorial line-up. Peter has already acquired a wealth of knowledge of the region, having worked in Dubai for five years across a selection of publications including Gulf News, Mojeh and Edgar. Now joining our team in the North of England, he has hit the ground running, with plans to visit Dubai in August. I’m sure many of you will see him very soon. Meanwhile, on our Marketing team, we are pleased to welcome Harley Daniels to the fold. Prior to joining the team, Harley managed bands and organised events for a number of years. We are sure he’s going to be a great asset to TPMEA. In this issue, we present a complete run-down of this year’s TPMEA Awards winners and those shortlisted, along with quotes from many of those who were nominated. Once again, this event proved to be a space for networking and catching-up with industry insiders as the live events season drew to a close. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and nominees. Also, in this issue, I take an exclusive tour of the recently opened Coca-Cola Arena with Director of Technical and Production, Malcolm Giles and chat to the team at SLS Production about the development of the Saudi Arabian events market, in addition to reporting from ILEA Middle East Expo 2020 Open Day. Until next time, Stew Hume Editor
www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpmeaawards.com
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS MIDDLE EAST 06 - FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST
Jo Marshall offers a transparent way to connect freelancers and production companies.
08 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP
The latest news from the Middle East.
18 - ILEA COLUMN Coverage of the Expo 2020 Open Day.
20 - TPMEA AWARDS
TPMEA celebrates its second award ceremony at the Hard Rock Café, Festival City Mall, Dubai.
58 - TECH PROFILE
A deep dive into Dubai’s latest state-of-the-art events space, Coca-Cola Arena.
SPECIALISED T ECH N I C A L SOLUTIONS
64 - COMPANY PROFILE
TPMEA drops into SLS’ HQ to discuss its latest work in the KSA and upcoming projects.
AFRICA 66 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP
The latest news stories from the region.
FESTIVALS
70 - MEDIATECH AFRICA
Highlights from the biennial tradeshow.
CONCERTS
OPENING CEREMONIES
AWARD CEREMONIES EDITOR Stew Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk
ASSISTANT EDITOR Peter Iantorno Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7763 233637 e-mail: p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk
STAFF WRITER Jacob Waite Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8352 Mobile:+44 (0)7592 679612 e-mail: j.waite@mondiale.co.uk
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk
SALES EXECUTIVE Harley Daniels Tel: +44 (0)161 476 9119 Mobile: +44 (0)7854 087731 e-mail: h.daniels@mondiale.co.uk
SALES EXECUTIVE Lyndsey Hopwood Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7800 0557094 e-mail: l.hopwood@mondiale.co.uk
DIGITAL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT James Robertson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7725 475819 e-mail: j.robertson@mondiale.co.uk
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk
TPMEA INTERN Ruby Penson
GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Sonam Diki: s.diki@mondiale.co.uk
CORPORATE GALAS
PRODUCT LAUNCHES
EXHIBITIONS
ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh
www.tpmeamagazine.com www.tpmeaawards.com www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com
CONFERENCES
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Coca-Cola Arena by AEG PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk @tpmea_magazine facebook.com/TPMEA_Magazine @tpmea linkedin.com/company/tpmea
See back cover for more productiontec.com
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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST
JO MARSHALL, NETWORK CREW MANAGING DIRECTOR NETWORK CREW MANAGING DIRECTOR, JO MARSHALL OFFERS A TRANSPARENT WAY TO CONNECT FREELANCERS AND PRODUCTION COMPANIES.
Freelancers in the Middle East can find themselves at the mercy of the peaks and troughs of the event industry seasons. Employers are always seeking trusted, hard-working professionals for their events. Freelancers are continually trying to fill the gaps in their calendar and maximise their working schedule. Trying to marry up the two can be both a time-consuming and frustrating challenge. I kept hearing stories of freelancers not being able to get direct access to clients and visaversa. Staffing agencies are constantly trying to limit this freedom of communication which ultimately works for no-one. The solution? To create an open communication platform between the two groups. As a Production Director, I have experienced the hurdles of juggling freelance calendars with event requirements direct so I took it upon myself to try to find a different way of doing things whilst adding value to the industry. Enlisting the expertise of Eventcloud, a web development company, I have spent the past 12 months creating a user-friendly website for freelancers and end clients to use. Freelancers are invited to register online, create a profile (backed up by references which are checked) and publish. The profile consists of direct contact details, work experience, a CV and, most importantly, a calendar of availability, which is updated on a weekly basis. With convenience in mind, Network Crew have a dedicated member of staff, Wei-Li Chen, who makes contact with freelancers to ensure their profiles and calendars are as updated and as current as they can be. Employers are then invited to logon to search and review availability of freelancers to ensure they find the right person for the right event. As freelance calendars are published, employers immediately see who they can select, which streamlines the whole process. How is this different to the other platforms out there? The main difference is that the entire platform for freelancers and employers alike is completely free. No fees, no charges, no mark-ups, no admin fees. No money changes hands with Network Crew. As the upcoming season approaches, if you are a freelancer or an employer, give it a try. Why not‌ To register as a freelancer, simply email your CV to Network Crew and we’ll send you a login. E: freelance@networkcrew.ae W: freelance.networkcrew.ae T: +971 588 363 004
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
AYRTON APPOINTS NMK ELECTRONICS AS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR GCC COUNTRIES
NMK Electronics Business Manager, Darren Caithness.
NMK Electronics has been appointed as an exclusive Ayrton distributor for the GCC countries. Based in Dubai, NMK Electronics has become a key player in the distribution of professional lighting, sound and AV products in the Middle East. Together with its portfolio of reputable brands, a dynamic team and strong financial foundation, the company has achieved a market leading position and has prepared itself for new ventures that will propel the company to new heights in the coming years. “The lighting industry has changed rapidly over the past few years with the introduction and acceptance of LED fixtures as suitable replacements to conventional lamp-based fixtures,” stated NMK Chief Operating Officer,
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Alex Kemanes. “Ayrton is on the rise globally, taking a large portion of the market share of the entertainment lighting industry by consistently developing state-of-the-art lighting fixtures which reduce operating costs while maintaining high lumen output. Our team was very impressed with Ayrton’s current portfolio and future roadmap. “Our appointment to work with Ayrton in the GCC will further cement NMK’s already prestigious name in the live events industry as a distributor of premium brands. Many regional lighting designers and event companies have been very keen to use Ayrton fixtures but never really had the opportunity to test them in a real environment. We will now be able to give our clients hands-on experience with the fixtures to
understand more about the Ayrton philosophy. “Partnering with NMK in the GCC region is a great move for Ayrton,” said Zane Cretten, International Sales for Ayrton. “The company is a premium brand distributor with a great knowledge of the GCC market having been in the industry for 33 years. Adding Ayrton to its basket on top of its audio and video brands increases its offering to the market and ensures NMK customers have easy access to Ayrton’s state-of-the-art LED fixtures. “We can look forward to a lot of success in the GCC region with NMK as our long-term exclusive distributor.” Photo: Ayrton www.nmkelectronics.com www.ayrton.eu
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THE FINAL STRAIGHT OF FLASH ART The final straight of Flash Art Dubai’s 2018/2019 season has been dominated by close proximity pyrotechnics displays. Proximate pyro is still widely mistaken for fireworks, although for a good reason. A handful of European and American product suppliers have managed to tweak the precision and consistency of its effects to such a degree, that 60 to 80m-high fireworks can practically be (and sometimes are) fired right over the audiences’ heads. The powerful front-row experience, for safety reasons unavailable with the use of conventional fireworks, makes this visual tool as strong as the loudest bang and the largest shell breaking in the distance. Flash Art Dubai closed the last season with close-proximity effects displays for the opening ceremony of Qasr Al Watan – Palace of the Nation, otherwise known as the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, a part of which will be available to the general public. They also displayed at the simultaneous opening of two iconic landmarks on Dubai’s hospitality map – the Caesars Palace Dubai and Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen – and the final game and winners decoration for the coveted UAE President’s Cup in Al Ain. Photo: Flash Art Dubai www.flashart.com
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
DISGUISE POWERS LONGEST EVER AR CENTRED BROADCAST AT PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE The Pakistan Cricket Board started the 2019 Pakistan Super League season with something truly spectacular. Right before the first match, an awe-inspiring opening ceremony took place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium – but this was unlike any event ever seen in the tournament’s history. Broadcast to over 50 million people around the world, the 60-minute opening ceremony combined mind-blowing augmented reality graphics with live performances from global acts, including iconic ’70s funk band Boney M, Pakistan’s Junoon and solo stars Fawad Khan, Young Desi, Aima Baig and Shuja Haider. Event management company ITW Trans Group collaborated with The Musketeers, specialists in large-scale opening ceremonies, concerts, and events. Having coordinated the
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creative vision behind the past three Pakistan Super League opening ceremonies, Creative Director Samer Feghali wanted to push the boundaries of live entertainment. “With an annual global audience of 50 million people, our goal each year is to keep this an exciting and engaging component of the tournament, and to push the creative vision for both the television audience, and those in the stadium,” stated Samer. “AR was something that we wanted to try for this event, but it was always going to be a risk – this duration of real-time AR rendering had never been done before. We worked with ITW, explaining they would be the first hosts ever to orchestrate an opening ceremony of this kind, and once they gave the green light, it was all systems go!” The opening ceremony featured some
eye-catching elements of AR throughout the live broadcast. Bringing the event to life and working in collaboration with The Musketeers were content generating experts, Bild Studios and Studio One. David Bajt and Scott Millar from Bild Studios produced and supplied all the equipment for the show, with Urs Nyffenegger, from Studio One, providing the AR animation elements. The teams used disguise gx 2 servers, designed for unparalleled generative content capacity, to render the AR content for the several artists performing, as well as the added spectacular elements. Creative Producer Urs Nyffenegger said, “The Notch and disguise combination was essential for the success of the PSL opening ceremony due to the adaptability, flexibility and unparalleled real-time workflow capabilities. Everything we were able to
REGIONAL ROUND UP
accomplish on this project was only possible because of disguise.” A project as ambitious as this came with a host of its own challenges. Not only did the teams have a short turn-around time of just 45 days, but they had only 15 minutes to remove the stage from the cricket pitch. “We have to take care of the pitch area and we have very limited time to take care of it,” said Samer. “Every time we ran a rehearsal, we could not pinpoint the stage exactly, so to calibrate with disguise and the stYpe cameras during setup within an hour was amazing.” To add to the already complex event, the main headliner for the opening ceremony pulled out the day before, leaving the team to reconfigure the content with just 24 hours’ notice. With such a short turnaround, Scott Millar from Bild Studios chose Notch and disguise because of the proven compatibility and solid combination, meaning it would be delivered on time. To overcome the artist issue, a virtual DJ was flown out for the opening ceremony at the last minute. The user-friendly features of
the disguise server meant the DJ content was immediately integrated with the compiled show. “With disguise we were able to composite all six cameras feeds, with camera delay, with AR, and with the graphics on top to present that composited output to the vision mixer to the camera returns, and we were able to do that for two cameras per server. This is a huge benefit over other systems. In the world of live events, with disguise, you are really able to send ‘stuff’ everywhere,” said Scott. The disguise servers made calibrating the cameras prior to the show a simple task, and managed all the input from each camera. stYpe was the partner in camera tracking and provided custom tracking heads and third-party software to allow accurate tracking of the project for all six cameras involved. They were able to pull off all tracking on time, with an 80% increase in the clarity and quality. “I cannot imagine being able to pull this show off with any other system. I have used a lot of products on the market, and to do the change of adapting over 15 minutes of show
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content, 24 hours of the show, for a VJ we flew in was remarkable. We were able to plug in the VJ’s content, without issue and integrate the AR, to a live camera,” remarked Samer. “We built virtual cubes with LEDs to accompany the music set for the headline artist, and without the VJ they would have been black. Integrating his content was so easily assimilated I was amazed; it just worked with the disguise hardware, and in theory it is not so easy to accomplish,” added Urs Nyffenegger who, alongside the Studio One team, provided the AR animation elements. The PSL opening ceremony featured a disco scene, flying F16 jets, a 30m trophy, a robot that landed on stage, and more. The end result was a 45-minute live show with 12 different AR scenes achieved using disguise, Notch, and Stype technology, combining AR and VR with live broadcast to over 50 million people around the globe. This accomplished the longest ever duration of an AR centred broadcast. Photos: disguise www.disguise.one
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
N&M CREATES SEPARATE MARKET PRESENCE FOR THREE BUSINESS UNITS
The Neumann&Müller units System Integration, Digital Media, and Information and Communications Technology are each to be given a separate market presence in order to sharpen their focus. The Neumann&Müller Veranstaltungstechnik sub-brands clearly indicate that they belong to the company’s umbrella brand and that they are therefore backed by many years of knowhow, service awareness and high-quality implementation. Going forward, the three N&M business units will each to be given an autonomous market presence. The idea is to enable the System Integration, Digital Media, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) units to sharpen the focus on their individual service portfolios in presentations to clients. “In addition to the traditional fields of event technology – audio, lighting, video, rigging, staging and conferencing – the past few years have seen the emergence of areas with their own particular domains, which need a separate communications strategy,” said N&M Managing Director Alex Ostermaier on the decision. System Integration provides turnkey implementation of semi-permanent and
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permanent installation projects all around the world. Conceptual design, implementation and operation of high-quality, high-performance media technology solutions are formed into an overall package in close partnership with the client. Extensive know-how and international experience in collaboration in large-scale projects are brought to bear in consulting, design and realisation – just like N&M expertise in other fields of technology. Reference projects include various thematic and national pavilions for EXPO 2017 in Astana, the VW pavilion at the Olympic Games in Sochi, the Deutsche Haus at a whole series of Olympic Games, the Letters to Andy Warhol and David Bowie international travelling exhibitions as well as the Mercedes flagship store in Moscow. Back in 2006, N&M established its first studio for audio-visual content production in Munich. In the years that followed, further in-house studios were set up in Dresden and Hamburg. Initially the focus was on motion design, but interactive applications were then continuously added to the portfolio. Today the interdisciplinary team from Neumann&Müller digital media produces motion design plus interactive experiences for corporate and public events, congresses, trade
fairs, permanent installations and exhibitions. At its Munich site, N&M offers its clients the opportunity of visiting the MediaLab interactive experience facility, where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of media production and utilise the lab as a source of inspiration for their own events. The increasingly complex nature of the technology deployed at events calls for highperformance, resilient IT network structures. ICT plays a vital role in the set-up and running of live events, because networks are the backbone of all the equipment used. N&M ICT solutions ensure stability, strong performance and a high degree of reliability. N&M has now assembled an autonomous team for project-related IT. Its job is to advise project managers and give them expert support regarding IT issues throughout the entire project. These experts contribute their know-how as early as the planning stage and, from their base at the new Network Operations Center in Hanover, provide seven-days-a-week support for the set-up and smooth running of N&M IT infrastructure. Photo: Neumann&Müller www.neumannmueller.com
After the successful introduction in 2016, the Verto truss is a hit. It is a revolutionary system, making truss connection fast, silent and safe. This year Prolyte introduces two new series: Verto H40V and Verto H40R. www.prolyte.com/verto40series
Building your LED screen from ground level is now easy, with Prolyte’s Universal LED Stack system (LSU), a very stable system to support you LED screens in various configurations and offers flexibility in height as well as width. www.prolyte.com/LSU
The dimensions of LED systems often cause either unbalanced loading or unstable LED walls. The new Prolyte Middle Beam truss series keep the total load in the middle of the truss section and guarantee safe and easy suspension of LED walls. www.prolyte.com/MBtrusses
Helping you build great things www.prolyte.com
facebook.com/Prolytegroup
Instagram.com/prolytegroup
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
CEO of Ion Solutions, John Roche with President and CEO of CT Europe & Middle East Dave Crump.
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRES ION SOLUTIONS Ion Solutions will now become part of the CT Europe & Middle East group and will be rebranded as Creative Technology (CT) Ireland after a transitionary period. The existing management team of Ion Solutions will continue to run the day-to-day business. The deal expands on Ion Solutions’ existing AV equipment inventory and local delivery capability on the island of Ireland, supported by an experienced technical team. The addition of Ion Solutions also increases synergies across NEP’s operating segments to provide clients with access to even more robust AV resources, a deeper pool of skilled engineers and technicians, and a range of end-to-end solutions to support live events and broadcast productions in Ireland and on the world stage. Dave Crump, President and CEO of CT Europe and Middle East, said: “The addition of
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Ion Solutions strengthens the CT organisation, increasing our full range of services and rentals we can provide to our clients, especially in an increasingly significant business hub like Dublin. “Beyond technology, though, our business, above all else, depends on the quality of our people, and we are delighted with the wealth of talent that Ion Solutions brings to the table. This is a great cultural fit for CT, NEP and Ion Solutions as we share similar core values and service-orientated cultures, and our clients worldwide will benefit from increased access to our innovative, high-quality, end-to-end AV solutions and talented staff.” From its earliest beginnings in 1967, Ion Solutions has always sought to innovate in the market “to offer our unique experience in broadcast systems, coupled with the best of AV technology to our clients,” said John Roche, CEO of Ion Solutions. “We were looking for the
next step in our evolution and becoming part of Creative Technology and the global NEP Worldwide Network – working alongside our existing partners on the NEP Ireland, Screen Scene and NEP Connect teams – will be a tremendous benefit to both our employees and our clients in Ireland and worldwide. “CT, along with the other companies in NEP’s Live Events operating segment, as well as the entire NEP Worldwide Network, will support our business and provide access to a global pool of state-of-the-art assets and highly trained technical talent in Europe and around the world,” added Roche. “Through this support, we will be in a position to provide our clients with additional services, and also work with clients right across the globe.” Photo: Creative Technology www.ct-group.com
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SENNHEISER WELCOMES ITS FIRST MIDDLE EAST MARKETING MANAGER
Following strong growth across its Consumer and Pro-Audio business lines in the Middle East, Sennheiser has deepened its investment in the region with the appointment of Shraddha Mukul as its new Regional Marketing Manager. In this newly created role, Mukul will take
charge of Sennheiser’s brand and trade marketing activities across sales channels, as the audio specialist looks to build on its ongoing success and further strategic ties with its partners. Mukul will report directly to Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sennheiser Middle East, who said: “We have been steadily growing our footprint in the Middle East and believe it’s now the right time to bring an experienced marketing manager on board. “The evolution of the way in which content is created and consumed has led to an increasing crossover in the utilisation of some of our professional audio and consumer electronics products by our customers. Shraddha brings with her a unique 360° insight into the region’s commercial and consumer electronics segments. This makes her ideally suited to helping us capitalise on this convergence by tailoring our messaging and marketing outreach to best serve our customers’ requirements.” Commenting on the appointment of the company’s first regional marketing manager, Cardamone said: “As we venture into newer segments and platforms, the establishment
of a dedicated marketing function within our regional organisation will drive our ability to target our end-users directly. This in turn will make it possible for us to deepen our customercentricity and establish a consistent brand image – especially across digital channels.” Mukul, who has eight years’ experience in the Middle East electronics industry, joins Sennheiser from KEF where, similar to her new role, she was responsible for raising the brand’s profile across the Consumer and Pro-Audio market segments. She has also held marketing positions at Jumbo Electronics and E-City, two of the region’s leading power retailers. “Sennheiser is an iconic brand with an engaging story to tell,” said Mukul. “It is an exciting time to join the company at what is a pivotal moment in its journey in the region. Over the past 10 years, Mig and his team have established strong ties with key industry stakeholders and I now have the opportunity to build on this platform and lift the brand to the next level.” Photo: Sennheiser www.sennheiser.com
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY EXPANDS ITS MIDDLE EAST TEAM
Creative Technology Middle East’s Craig Harvey, Dhyaan Parikh, Giorgio Devecchi, James Prince, Volodymyr Demchuk & Peter Herring.
In line with the growth of the flourishing Middle East events market, Creative Technology has welcomed its latest batch of recruits. James Prince has joined Creative Technology Middle East as a Business Systems Controller. He has more than 14 years of experience in the Audio Visual and Live Events industry, seven of which have been within the GCC. He commented: “Joining CT has offered me a fantastic opportunity to work alongside some of the region’s best engineers, project managers and support staff, while continuing to expand my career within an ever-expanding global company.” Creative Technology Middle East has hired award-winning Video Engineer / Project Manager Giorgio Devecchi as a full-time member of its Project Management team. With over 20 years’ experience in the AV industry, Devecchi brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role. Prior to his new position, he built up his career carrying out various roles such as video mixer, projectionist, graphics mixer, Project Manager, Watchout programmer and disguise programmer to name a few. He commented: “Throughout my career, I have specialised in designing and managing projects, especially in the video department, so joining a global video specialist company such as CT was a perfect fit.” Dhyaan Parikh has joined Creative
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Technology’s Middle East Project management team. Prior to his new position, Parikh worked as a freelance AV technician before joining PRG UK as a Project Manager. He commented: “I have always admired CT and the projects they have been involved in over the years. When I saw an opportunity to join the team, I grabbed it with both hands. The sentiment shared by my industry friends and colleagues was, ‘you are going to work for the best video company in the world’, and since I have started, I have genuinely felt this.” Volodymyr Demchuk joins Creative Technology’s Middle East branch as a Project Manager for the System Integration department. With 14 years’ experience in the AV Rental/ Installation industry to the team and has worked on various prestigious events such as the Summer and Winter Olympics, UEFA and FIFA events, and movie festivals to name a few. He commented: “Joining CT Middle East has given me the opportunity to progress professionally and be part of a global team. I am looking forward to being involved in various world-class projects as well as working with innovative technology.” Creative Technology Middle East has hired Craig Harvey as a full-time Project Manager for its System Integration department. He has over 18 years’ experience in the AV Installation and Live
Events industry, most of which have been within the GCC. Prior to his new position, Harvey worked as a project manager for Delta Sound before joining L-Acoustics an Application Engineer Consultant where he supported the touring, rental and integration markets across the Middle East and India. He commented: “It’s an exciting opportunity to have been asked to join CT Middle East and contribute to building the Systems Integration department. CT and NEP Group have an outstanding global reputation, and the group’s principles and ethos are inline with my own. It is great to work alongside a team of professionals who are driven by innovative technology, and high standards.” Peter Herring has joined CT Middle East as Head of Engineering for its Systems Integrations department, following more than 20 years of working with companies such as Dubai Parks and Resorts and Global Village. He commented: “Joining CT has offered me a fantastic opportunity to work on some of the world’s biggest installation projects, and with that working with some of the best engineers and manufacturers. I have always enjoyed the challenge of breaking the mold and using technology in a way it’s never been used before.” Photos: Creative Technology Middle East www.ct-group.com
The Events & AV Industry Night Out is calling professionals from the industry for a night of networking in an informal setting twice a year. It is the regions most sought after independent networking opportunity that will start with a season opener in late September and will conclude the season with a closing night in cooperation with the TPMEA Awards. The Facebook and the LinkedIn groups are the most valuable resources for anyone working in the Events and AV industry since we brought it to life in 2010. The content of both online groups is user created and is a fast and reliable resource of information about suppliers, venues, regulations and job opportunities. More than 4,000 group members making it to the largest events network in the region.
For advertising opportunities please email einorsvp@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/groups/3594944
www.facebook.com/groups/einodubai
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ILEA COLUMN
ILEA MIDDLE EAST EXPO 2020 OPEN DAY ILEA MIDDLE EAST HOSTS AN EVENT AT THE EXPO SITE TO HEAR FROM THE ORGANISERS ABOUT THE PROGRESS MADE AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
With the official opening of 20 October 2020 drawing ever closer, work is well under way on the Expo 2020 site. At the centre of the build is the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), a short drive outside of Dubai, which is set to offer Expo 2020 Dubai participants, partners, government entities, industry associations and event organisers a base for the six-month duration of the event. The site contains a world-class venue comprising 45,000sqm of space across two campuses, with a theatre, auditorium, several multipurpose halls and 24 meeting rooms. Early this year the DEC hosted a gathering for a selction of ILEA Middle East members to discover some of the latest developments for next year’s event. TPMEA and a selection of ILEA Middle East members gathered in a meeting room to hear from some of the key members of the Expo 2020 production team – all the while overlooking the main site. There was a great deal of interest for the event, which promised to give an overview of the Expo and the progress already been made along with outlining the opportunities for businesses to get involved. Vice President of Business Programming, Shaun Vorster
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kicked off proceedings. Although currently the Expo site is not entirely assessable due to the huge level of construction – which has 40,000 workers on site daily – Vorster explained that Expo 2020 will become one of the most accessible locations in Dubai thanks to the high levels of road and rail infrastructure currently being implemented. “We currently expect daily numbers of visitors to be in the region of 100,000, although we are planning for the site to be able to deal with numbers up to 150,000.” Over its six-month run, Expo 2020 expects 25 million visits to the site, with 70% of them coming from outside the UAE, which will be the largest proportion of international visitors in Expo history. During his segment of the afternoon, Vorster also outlined the history of the Expo and its importance within the global community. First taking place in 1851 in London, UK, the event takes place every five years and is a chance to celebrate innovations in technology and world culture. “Essentially it’s a cultural collaboration where the global community can exchange and showcase new ideas from around the world in one destination.” Previous Expos
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have doubled as a launching pad for a variety of technological innovations in recent years, including the first public display of the X-Ray in 1904. “For Expo 2020, our overarching theme is connecting minds and the future,” asserted Vorster. “We believe in this day and age, no message can be more powerful than collaboration and partnership.” The Vice President explained that for next year’s Expo, the organisation had already signed up the largest number of countries with 190 nations already confirming their involvement. Following Vorster’s introduction, the gathering heard from Dr Robert Platt, who discussed the architecture of the site, and Craig Hart, who lifted the lid on various indoor venues and their planned programming. One of the points touched on by Platt was the importance of the legacy of the site after the event. “We expect 80% of what we are creating here will be retained, including everything from hospitality to offices and residences.” Robert went on to explain the importance of site architecture. Visitors are expected to spend almost 70% of their time in the outdoor areas and therefore the architecture has to be as impressive as possible. Continuing the conversation, Hart discussed the programming of Expo and the various performance spaces across the site. In total there are 19 spaces – five outdoor, two indoor, an auditorium and a multipurpose theatre. Cloncluding the conversation, David Higgins discussed the various contracts that were on offer. One of the specific offers Higgins outlined was the opportunities available for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Up to the end
of March of this year, Expo 2020 had already awarded contracts totalling AED 2.4 billion to companies with fewer then 250 employees, with more tenders to come as it progresses to the next phases. Following the meeting, Emirates NBD – Expo’s Official Banking Partner – announced a new account designed specifically for SMEs registered on Expo Online Marketplace (OME), providing them with preferential loan rates, working capital support and lower minimum requirements. Expo 2020’s Head of Business Events,
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Tahir Ciyanci, walked the attendants through the Online Marketplace which, after creating a quick profile, gives businesses a chance to review all the various contracts up for tender for next year’s Expo. Due to the success of the event, the ILEA Middle East team expressed their excitement and looked forward to catching up on the progress of the site as the Expo 2020 launch date draws ever closer. www.ilea-me.com www.expo2020dubai.com/en
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE TPMEA AWARDS 2019 WINNERS Back by popular demand, the TPMEA team returned to the region to host an evening celebrating the UAE live events industry, which rounded off yet another successful season. Taking place on the 24 April at the larger venue of the Hard Rock Café, TPMEA Awards 2019 welcomed 500 guests from all corners of the region’s entertainment market to honour those presented as winners over the course of the evening. Handling hosting duties was a familiar face in MC Stuee Kennedy who brought swagger in abundance to the event’s second incarnation. Following his Little Less Conversation opening number and a ribbing
on those in attendance, Kennedy kicked off the proceedings. All 19 awards acknowledged the outstanding individuals and projects in the region - covering sectors such as lighting, audio, video, production and temporary structures. A total of 16 awards were decided by way of a public voting process, based on specialists in their various disciplines. Three additional awards The EINO Backstage Award, The TPMEA AV Industry Recognition Award and the Outstanding Event Production were all decided by a panel of industry experts prior to the event.
In addition to the awards presentation, the evening included refreshments, as well as plenty of time to network. Sennheiser and Neumann also hosted a giveaway with some of its latest products up for grabs during the evening. With another successful event under its belt, the TPMEA team are looking towards next year’s event. Until then, readers can enjoy the full list of this year’s winners and those shortlisted as well as some commentary from the nominees and winners. Photos: Damian Calderbank www.tpmeaawards.com
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
AV PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Winner: Johnny Mitchell Nominees: Daniel Hughes Mirco Resta Christian Eberlein
WINNER:
JOHNNY MITCHELL I moved to Dubai with my family in 2013, we knew nothing about Dubai at the time but decided the appeal of all-year sunshine was too good to pass up on coming from Glasgow. I made the move to Maestra and Project Management at the end of 2017, where I have been trusted with the management of a variety of exciting shows and events for our clients across the UAE. Before we wound down for this summer I managed the BETT 2019 Annual EXPO and conference, which is partnered with Microsoft and showcases all sorts of future technologies and ED-TECH solutions. The favourite show I managed over the past year was the Cartier Annual party last November; hosted in a temp structure on La Mer beach, we provided full audio support for Mika, rigged over 200 lighting fixtures and supplied an outdoor 3D holographic projection. It was a tough two weeks on the beach but well worth it to see the end show. This past season has offered new opportunities internally and with new clients. At Maestra our Set and Scenic division has really come into it’s own under
Jurgens Potgeiter’s leadership. We have continued our expansion by boosting our team, inventory and infrastructure, with more exciting challenges and opportunities on the horizon. I was honoured and humbled to be nominated for this year’s AV Project Manager of the Year award and to be up against some of my friends and respected peers in the category. AV PM was the first award announced so I was caught off guard a little and very pleasantly surprised when I was announced as the winner of the category. Luckily I didn’t have to make a speech… If I had, though, I would have congratulated all who were nominated this year. There were some close friends in most of the categories and some very well deserved nominations and winners. Above all, I would like to thank my management team at Maestra, who make my job easier and more enjoyable by creating a positive working environment. The TPMEA Awards are now established as an eagerly anticipated part of the calendar. It is great to get everyone in the
same room together from all the companies that make up our industry and to see our peers being given recognition for their hard work during the season. I’m looking forward to next year’s awards already!
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Christian Eberlein I arrived in Dubai in 2010, straight from our German office, to help manage a project in October. The weather was my biggest challenge then. Nine years on, I am still here and the weather in October is now more tolerable. Most of our projects are corporate in nature. We worked on the temporary Museum of the Future, which we helped realise since its inception, Edge of Government for a few years now, International Participants Meeting for Expo 2020 Dubai, Hamdan Hub and the welcome reception for the World Cup to name a few. I am passionate about my work, and so to be recognised for this and be nominated alongside the best of the AV world in this
region is such a big honour. I am extremely grateful to be a part of the events industry and all the possibilities it brings. I thank TPMEA for acknowledging the people behind the exciting productions that this region has seen. The awards night was special and fun. Special, in the sense that not only was I nominated, but that our top man, Usman Rashid, was given the EINO Backstage Award, which was well deserved in my opinion. Hats off to TPMEA for the successful organisation of this award. I believe everyone had a fantastic time socialising and networking with our fellow event professionals. The venue was right for the occasion, too.
SITE INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGER OF THE YEAR Winner: Marko Mitrovic
SPONSORED BY
Nominees: Marek Sobolewski Johnny Trichard Andrew McLeod
WINNER:
MARKO MITROVIC My career in the events industry began eight years ago when an opportunity with Byrne Equipment Rental presented itself, and I have not looked back since. I moved through the ranks from Site Supervisor to Operations Manager and now I am Events Manager for the Middle East. I have been lucky enough to have been involved in some of the most exciting events in the region such as the Special Olympics,
Asia Football Cup, Formula E and the Pope’s visit in February this year. Despite the recent challenges in the industry – sponsors are reducing their marketing budgets, making it challenging for us suppliers to execute events – we at Byrne Equipment Rental remain positive and look forward to the year ahead. I am both humbled and honoured to have received this award and I would like to thank
Byrne for supporting me over the past eight years but also my team on the ground – our carpenters, electricians and plumbers – as without our people in the field giving 100%, we managers would not be recognised. I had a fantastic night at the awards, it was a great night celebrating the best of the industry and I look forward to the next one.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
ENTERTAINMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Winner: Elia Mssawir Nominees: Peter Green Lucy Magee Dean Scott
WINNER:
ELIA MSSAWIR I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, and have been in the entertainment industry for 10 years now, establishing companies in Lebanon, the UK and now the UAE. I have been lucky enough to work with international acts such as Snoop Dogg, Tinie Tempah, Engelbert Humperdinck and Serj Tankian. Going through a season that was mostly unpredictable, I can easily say it was challenging, but I was able to achieve miracles because of the support of my team and the surroundings. I had the honour before to be awarded for my work, but the TPMEA Award for Entertainment Manager of the Year meant the most due to the support of people believing in me. I would like to thank my staff, friends, family, and clients for giving me their trust. I wouldn’t have changed anything in the ceremony; it was amazing and well organised. Thank you TPMEA and everyone who was involved. You are all absolutely fantastic.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Lucy Magee My career in entertainment spans over 20 years. I began as an actress and singer working successfully in plays, musicals and on television all over the world. My performing took me around the world and have had the privilege of working and living in many countries, immersing myself in new cultures and experiences. Of course, no matter how successful you are as a performer, the work is not constant, and it became increasingly important to me to start being the master of my own destiny and produce shows myself. And with that thought, Popular Productions was born. Popular Productions started in London but has since produced over 50 plays and musicals in the Middle East including the award-winning The Sound of Music, The Woman in Black, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz, Annie and more. We’ve been instrumental in bringing the theatre industry to Dubai, not as promoters but by creating shows from scratch and making every single element of them happen ourselves. This was where I learnt many of my management skills. We’ve had hundreds of casts, creatives and staff working for us over the years and each one is different. I
Peter Green I moved to Dubai in September 2012 and have been with Done Events, part of the Arab Media Group, ever since. In recent months, I have worked on the seventh edition of the annual RedFestDXB Festival, 17th edition of the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival and the 3rd edition of the Blended Music Festival. I also worked on the largest UAE comedy show featuring British comedian Michael McIntyre where 10,000 tickets were sold as part of our DXBLaughs comedy series. It was a great honour to be nominated for the awards which turned out to be a very entertaining evening! I look forward to attending further editions and supporting fellow industry professionals.
thrive on getting the best out of everybody and ensuring polished, professional productions in the best of environments. I have now lived in Dubai for 10 years and 18 months ago I decided it was time to set up a local company. West End Worldwide specialises in immersive theatre but is also host to a wide range of exclusive agency acts. We launched our theatrical show series by producing all the entertainment for the soft VIP launch of the QE2 Hotel for H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. It was quite a first gig! Since then I’ve been fortunate enough to produce all the entertainment for the immersive Yas Movies in the Park series – starting with Grease, then on to Mamma Mia (which received the nomination) and then Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, the next in the series will be announced soon. Earlier this year we were honoured to be the creative directors for a very special live event at the iconic Louvre, Abu Dhabi museum. We got to bring a breathtaking piece of art to life – Jan Steen’s The Banquet of Anthony and Cleopatra. Our team created a theatrical piece of entertainment and performance art using acting, movement,
dance, combat and much more! It was a very special performance. I was so proud that Mamma Mia Immersive was recognised in the Best Entertainment Production category. There is always a surprise element to the day with immersive theatre and my team rose to the challenge. I was so proud of each and every person involved. Thank you.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
EVENT PROJECT MANAGER OF THE YEAR Winner: Sajid Sayeed Nominees: Tessa Sprangemejier Michelle Stock Ceirah Hutchison
WINNER:
SAJID SAYEED I moved to Dubai in 2013 and fell in love with the city. I dabbled with various kinds of event professions before finding my calling in special events, and from then the rollercoaster began – hopefully it will not stop any time soon. So far it has been a fascinating journey. I have now over 11 years experience in planning, managing and delivering all kinds of events in various business sectors. Currently, I am a production manager at Blink Experience, where I focus on the special projects, which is the area I am best suited to and also the most exciting. Prior to joining Blink Experience, I worked at a different agency where I looked after the different event work streams. This provided a perfect base with a launchpad from where to start my career, as the exposure I got from the various streams was invaluable. Event project management is something that I really enjoy and something I have come to excel at. With all live events it is absolutely necessary to be able to hit the ground running, which is one of my key traits. We have had many success stories in the region over the years, delivering major projects such as the Red Bull Car Park Drift Dubai, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship Abu Dhabi, the Red Bull Air
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
Race Demo in Dammam, KSA, the Formula E Championship Ad Diriyah ePrix and show run, KSA, the Saudi Arabia 88th National Day fireworks in 48 locations throughout the country (setting two Guinness World Records), the Special Olympics IX MENA Games in Abu Dhabi, and the list goes on. This season has been an interesting one for everyone, mainly because of the new opportunities and events being held with our neighbours in Saudi Arabia. Working anywhere new always provides different and unique challenges which need to be overcome and KSA is no different. Also, the pace at which events are moving in that region is quite special and so the whole project management process is more organic, which makes it more exciting as
well. The awards were absolutely amazing. I was blown away just to be nominated and when I won the award it was a special moment. I like to tell myself that anything is possible when you put your mind to it, and this result is a testament to this. None of this would have been possible without God, so first and foremost my appreciation always goes to him. My family, who have been at my side my whole life, deserve just as much credit – they should win an award just for putting up with me! I would also like to say a special thank you to my daughter, who has made me the man I am today. Thanks as well to my beautiful colleagues and team who spend so much
THE SHORTLIST Tessa Sprangemejier I’m the rookie in the region, having moved to Dubai only a year ago. I’ve been working with Envie for the past two-anda-half years following a career in the Netherlands and a stint on world tour with the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs doing shows with the likes of Martin Garrix, Hardwell, Armin van Buuren. Running around in this industry for 17 years, I started off learning the ropes as a runner and stage manager, and from there I moved on to bigger roles and projects organising festivals and shows in the Netherlands with up to 100,000 visitors. Having the Dutch festival scene as a learning ground set a high standard, which I have implemented in every project since, raising the level of production, safety and entertainment to new heights. I joined Envie when the first Unite with Tomorrowland came to Dubai and have been involved with their projects ever since. Having produced successful shows with Unite with Tomorrowland in both
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Sensation White and of course the last project, BAO Festival, it really has been an amazing ride so far. Doing events in this region means working on numerous corporate and government projects as well, but my true love will always be the big scenic stages with grand shows and some banging DJs on stage. The vibe you get looking over tens of thousands of people going crazy at an event you built from scratch is the best feeling in the world and makes up for all the sleepless nights in the months before the event. Being nominated as the new kid on the block was an honour in itself, given that no one really knows me here yet. So I’m wearing this badge of honour proudly and I’m elated that we won Best Event Production since that’s an award we could celebrate with the team. Without my rockstars nothing would be possible, so I’m more than happy to have been able to get up on stage with them.
of their time with me. They are are the real heroes. I also need to say a big thank you to my Gurus Mr Abdulla Sayeed, Mr Ahmed Al Shehhi, Mr Burgess Elavia, and Mr Goutham Bohra. They are my ladder to success and without them, none of this would have been possible. Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me. The ceremony was great. Ultimately we were there to appreciate our fellow industry colleagues who have done exceptionally well in the past year, but more importantly, it gave us a chance to socialise and mingle with people who we would not normally get the chance to do this with. A big thanks to the TPMEA Awards – it’s a great event and a great platform!
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR Winner: Thorsten Dolinski Nominees: Peter Herring Nick Groves Alex Wuerfel
WINNER:
THORSTEN DOLINSKI
THE SHORTLIST Alex Wuerfel Our first step into the region was with PROCON (now PRG) for the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar and the 2007 Gulf Football cup in Abu Dhabi. Later in 2007, we started our company, ES:ME Entertainment Service. From 2008 I was semi-permanent in Dubai, working in the UAE during the winter season, and catering for festivals and concerts during the summer season in Europe. But work and projects in this region increased and we became very busy very quickly. At that point I needed to make a decision about our next steps, and I decided to sell my stuff and equipment in Germany and move
permanently to Dubai to be full time between Dubai and Qatar. So far this year we have worked on the AFC Cup in Abu Dhabi, Love Ball Arabia in MIA Museum in March, the opening of Al Janoub Stadium in May and the A.R. Rahman concert at Khalifa Stadium. I was very grateful to hear about my nomination. There are many great people working in this field, and it is an honour to be considered and nominated The awards night was great, and the location couldn’t be more perfect! It was nice to meet and reconnect with a lot of old friends and peers that I haven’t seen in a long time.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
PRODUCTION MANAGER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY
Winner: Sonu Balchandani Nominees: Samantha Stacey Roy Zaidan Helen Dale
WINNER:
SONU BALCHANDANI After starting my career at the age of 18 as an upcoming lighting designer, I spent 12 years as a leading freelance lighting designer. I also bagged Young Achiever of the Year as lighting designer with Sound and Stage magazine. After 2012, I decided to change my career to become a production manager and started working with various production companies to learn and to nail my ability in production. I joined Done events in 2016 and have since been promoted to the role of production director. My projects are diverse, from highprofile government corporate events to concerts to multimedia events. A few of the award-winning events this year have been Maroon 5, Arab Media Forum, Red Fest, Jazz Fest, Arab Social Media Forum, Sole DXB, Global Business Forum, and the list goes on. Summer lasts for a long time here, and with Ramadan coming earlier and earlier every year, we get fewer chances to do outdoor gigs. However, October and November are very busy, with loads of events happening all over the region so we can’t complain. To be recognised in the industry as a production manager is a very big achievement for me – it’s a big boost. It
was difficult at the beginning for me to switch from being a lighting designer to a production manager and I feel blessed and lucky to be accepted by the industry. I really wish to thank Girish Bhat and the management team of Done events for trusting me and my judgements in production.
The ceremony was well organised. And it was nice to see and meet so many industry peers at the same time. It was great for networking and I think all the winners deserved the appreciations. Not to mention the flowing refreshments, which kept the vibes going with long sessions on business and future growth.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
APRIL 24 2019
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
CORPORATE AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Winner: Wissam Shaheen Nominees: Shelton Fernandes Miguel Osorio Ed Ross
WINNER:
WISSAM SHAHEEN I began my live audio journey back in 2004, when I took the jump from the studio into live audio, from corporate to rock ‘n‘ roll and whatever comes in between. It was love at first sight! I made the move to Dubai in 2014 after being contacted by John Parkhouse, Dubaibased audio veteran and eclipse Staging Services’ Head of Audio. I was contracted as a freelancer for a couple of months and was offered a Senior Audio Engineer position almost immediately after that stint, which I gladly accepted. I was honoured to be shortlisted for the second consecutive year and be named amongst some of the industry’s finest, but winning the award was overwhelming and very, very humbling. There is nothing better than loving what you do for a living, but for it to love and appreciate you back is a whole new level of satisfaction and contentment. The events I’ve done over the past season were fulfilling and professionally rewarding. Awareness of live audio is growing continuously in this region, which is allowing us to be more creative and giving us time and space to deliver to an extremely high standard, which is such a privilege. It has been an extremely busy season, and I am proud to have been part of the broadcasted AFC Annual Awards 2018 which took place in Oman, the Law Enforcement Special Olympic Torch Relay, which I toured with across the UAE and a number a
sizeable live music concerts in venues such as the World Trade Center, to name just a few. Live events professionals spend the bigger parts of their lives doing what they do best, we are a breed of hard-working men and women and it is very heart warming to be recognised. I’d like to thank the eclipse family for providing such a nourishing and supportive
environment to work in. This award belongs to my direct team mates, spearheaded by John Parkhouse. It is such an honour to belong to an amazing group of people; you guys bring out the best in me and working with you is an experience second to none. Thank you TPMEA for the opportunity, and for the amazing evening you put together for us. It was lovely to catch up with all my colleagues and fellow roadies.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
RIGGER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY
Winner: Shane Manning Nominees: Ryan D’Cunha Sascha Milde Artem Schneider
WINNER:
SHANE MANNING I arrived in the UAE in late 2003. I had been in working in London for five years and had been to Doha for a project with eclipse. They were just starting to build up the Dubai team and offered me a job. I went back to London and packed up five years of my life into a few bags and hightailed it out here, sleeping on the floor of my sister’s place for the first week or two. The biggest event I’ve worked on is the visit of the Pope to Abu Dhabi – admittedly half of the events industry in the UAE seemed to work on it. We supplied and installed the main ground support structure. Another great project we were a part of was supplying the automation solution for an event for the RTA. We’ve remained busy, so that’s always a positive. Noticeably there hasn’t been anywhere near as many live gigs, which is unfortunate, but if the numbers don’t add up then there isn’t much any of us can do. Winning the award has been a humbling experience. I’ve been here more than a third of my life and in that time I have been lucky enough to work on some of the most amazing projects in the region, so to be recognised for my contribution to the industry over the past 16 years is special. First and foremost I would like to thank our clients – their continued trust and support is what has got myself and both my companies to where they are today.
Secondly, our team. This award should be called Rigging Company of the Year, instead of Rigger of the Year, as it’s all of us pulling each and every event together. The awards ceremony was a great night – especially seeing so many people there. As
we’ve all grown up, had families, et cetera, we don’t see each other anywhere near as often as we used to, so that is always nice. Hearing my name called out as the winner was very special and something I will cherish for a long time to come.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Ryan D’Cunha Having spent many years as a freelance rigger globe trotting with various shows and productions, I came to Dubai five years ago. I worked initially as a freelancer for various clients, and the iRIG was formed three years ago and has gone from strength to strength.
Projects we’ve been proud to be part of include the major automation install of La Perle by Franco Dragone, The Founders Memorial architectural installation and inaugural show and the scenic installations at Dubai Parks and Resorts and Bollywood Parks.
LIVE AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY
Winner: Ethan Curry
Nominees: Nitin Kurup
Christopher McAleese Ryan Keams
WINNER:
ETHAN CURRY THE SHORTLIST Ryan Keams Since starting in the region six years ago with 3DB, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great people on some amazing events. Career highlights for me have to include working with Jessie J, Patrick Stewart, Orlando Bloom and Jessica Alba.
Over the years it has been great to expand my skillset and work on some amazing projects, such as mixing a multitude of great bands over national day celebrations at La Mar and most recently operating audio for the first event to be held in Dubai’s brand
new Coca-Cola Arena. Being nominated alongside some great engineers is a great feeling and thanks to everyone who nominated and voted for me. Congratulations to all the winners and I look forward to another great night next year!
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
TEMPORARY POWER SUPPLY ENGINEER OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY
Winner: Aaron Lewis Nominees: Vincent Davies Kenny O’Neil David Angelini
WINNER:
AARON LEWIS
THE SHORTLIST Kenny O’Neil I started working in the region about nine years ago. I have recently been involved in the following projects amongst others: Special Olympics World Games 2019 opening ceremony, World Government Summit, AFC 2019, FIFA World Club Cup 2018, and the European Tour Race to Dubai 2018.
It feels great to be nominated. It shows just how much everyone appreciates your hard work and effort, and I’m grateful for that. The evening was well planned and entertaining. It brought people from all over the industry together and recognised everyone’s work.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR OF THE YEAR Winner: Chantel van As
Nominees: Richelle Villar
Candice Dalziel Zain Zaidi
WINNER:
CHANTEL VAN AS
THE SHORTLIST Candice Dalziel Having lived in the UAE since 2003, it’s been a rollercoaster ride of great projects and a million challenges. My background started in the UK and Africa on concert, film and TV production. Working for local concert promoters on over 1,000 shows for the likes of Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and U2 on film and TV productions being a local fixer for locations for shows such as Amazing Race and even features films. I have worked with everything, from the usual strange requests on artists riders to getting those last-minute calls to locate a helicopter that is able to lift StageCo towers into a stadium. I learnt quickly to think on my feet, have a sense of humour and get by with little to no sleep. A few highlights that stand out from my time in the UAE have been: the opening of Atlantis The Palm, opening of Burj Khalifa
and subsequent New Year’s fireworks shows, the canal opening, the Lourve opening ceremony, and a particular Dubai National Day when the stage was set in water done by HQ Creative – everything was covered in salt, and we had horses run freely across the water – it was an amazing spectacle. A few recent projects we have completed include the Papal Mass in Abu Dhabi, the launch of the new Presidential Palace, the Government Games and the Dubai World Cup 2019. I have worked in other parts of the globe regarding global summits, presidential inaugurations and games ceremonies (Olympic, Commonwealth and FIFA) as well as niche one-off events, but I consider UAE home. I work with and for some truly talented crews, TDs and Creatives. I consider myself
very lucky to be a part of their teams. The TPMEA awards is a great showcase of the talent that calls UAE home. It was very much a surprise to me that I was nominated.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Richelle Villar Having grown up in Dubai, it was natural for me to kick start my professional career in this region. I have been in and out between advertising and events for about four years until deciding to work in production full time for the past two. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work on concerts and music festivals like Kygo and Wasla, conferences like Oracle Open World and the most Christian Dior Fashion show. Getting shortlisted was definitely a surprising honour and a career milestone despite being very new to the industry, proving that this was the right career choice for me. The evening was great, with a chance to mingle with other people in the industry without having to talk business for the most part!
LIGHTING DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY
Winner: Aaron Russ
Nominees: Craig Ralph
WINNER:
AARON RUSS THE SHORTLIST Paul Coopes This season will be my sixth season in the region and every year just gets better. In the previous 12 months I’ve been working on a range of different projects including FIFA Club World Cup and Asian Football Club, Michael Jackson: A Tribute
Concert, Atlantis New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner, Tennors Of Rock at the all-new Caesars Palace and One Africa Music to name a few. It’s been great to be nominated for a second year in a row and I’m already looking forward to next year’s events.
Paul Coopes Semynov D’Souza
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
SFX ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Winner: Michael Hilgemann Nominees: Hanre Rossouw Piotr Szablowski Sergey Lomadze
WINNER:
MICHAEL HILGEMANN With 25 years experience in the industry, I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2006 to establish Matrix Laser in the UAE. While we primarily manufacture and sell show laser systems in Germany, in the UAE the emphasis is rentals as well as the creation of bespoke laser shows for a variety of event requirements. Three years ago a decision was made to further expand our portfolio by offering Special FX in addition to the traditional laser show and this is a decision we have never regretted. A highlight of the past season is definitely providing Special FX for the after-race concerts in Saudi Arabia during the Formula E Grand Prix (December 2018). This type of festival was a first for the Kingdom, and to be a first-hand witness to the country beyond the stereotype, was an amazing experience. Winning the award was an absolute honour – a proud, yet humbling moment altogether. To be nominated by your industry peers is already reward enough, and to receive the award was an incredible cherry on the cake. I would like to thank TPMEA and everybody involved for recognising and rewarding all of us who work hard behind the scenes to make events in the region world-class successes.
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST
Piotr Szablowski I joined Flash Art in 1996 while touring as a rock band’s drummer. Until 2006 I designed pyrotechnical displays for Flash Art’s European operations and did special effects for the movie industry – feature films in Germany, Poland, Sweden, Italy and more, as well as TV commercials for various European markets. Since 2006, I have been part of Flash Art Dubai, designing fireworks displays for numerous events like Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP, Qasr Al Watan opening ceremony, UAE National Day, Bahrain Financial Harbour opening, Middle Eastern Culture Festival
opening, Dubai World Cup, 100 Years of Arab Revolt, and many more. My extensive SFX background has also been utilised for several editions of the Presidential Guard Command’s series of public events under the name of Hosn Al Itihad, where all branches of the UAE Armed Forces present their skills accompanied by a vast special effects spectacle. It is the combination of expertise in all pyrotechnics-related fields, be it film, television, or events, which enables him to come up with out-of-the-box ideas and deliver unique experiences for diverse
Sergey Lomadze I came to the UAE as a kid in the late ’90s, giving me an opportunity to learn the culture and witness the growth of the UAE and region. My father’s friend in Ukraine started R&D and manufacturing of laser systems, which later brought my interest towards lasers and the event industry. I got more involved in the field in 2008, then in 2014 I started doing shows in UAE with Ukrainian partner and in 2016 Laser Saga was founded. Thanks to our partners and clients, who then become our friends, we are able to participate in many interesting and challenging events. To name a few, GOV Games, Enrique Iglesias, Bahrain Kings Cup, Souk Okaz in KSA, F1 VIP Tower Bahrain, and many more. From the
permanent installs I’m really thankful that we’ve been part of initial setup at La Perle where Laser Saga supplied KVANT lasers. For me being nominated was a great feeling to see that my personal and Laser Saga’s efforts are appreciated by those who know me and work with us. It’s an industry where you must love what you do and always push the limits. This nomination motivates me to go forward and light even better to retain the trust of those voted. It’s one of few events for the industry where we all can catch up with old friends and meet new faces. With all of us being very busy and roaming around the region, I found the event to be a great networking and catch-up space.
audiences. Just being nominated may seem like not much, until you remind yourself what the process looks like. Your peers are faced with a blank piece of paper and a category. And out of everyone they know, they write your name in. That does make one feel good for a moment. I could not get to this year’s awards night, as I had had a business trip prescheduled for that exact time. I do remember last year, however, and I will definitely come to the next ones for the good times, nominated or not.
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APRIL 24 2019
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
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EINO BACKSTAGE AWARD WINNER:
USMAN RASHID It is the best feeling to win this year’s awards as I have never received an award in my life. I felt so special. I never thought that I could win anything by doing what I do. I felt like all my efforts matter. I would like to thank, firstly God, my family and best friend, and last but not the least, our company. I am dedicating this award to my son, who is called Nauman, named after Neumann & Mueller. This company has given me so many opportunities and this is why I am very thankful to them – especially to the management, Christian, Cynthia and all my other colleagues in Dubai. I am very happy with our managers and team. Without their trust in me, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I also would like to thank TPMEA for coming up with this award and recognising our hard work. All of us had a great time. I am not used to this kind of moment specifically to celebrate all my achievements but I was incredibly happy. I will forever cherish the memory.
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TPMEA AWARDS 2019
VIDEO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY
Winner: Giorgio Devecchi
Nominees: Chris Whimbush Scott Walker
WINNER:
GIORGIO DEVECCHI
THE SHORTLIST Chris Whimbush I have over 20 years of experience in entertainment and events, with 10 years in South Africa as Head of Video for Gearhouse in Durban, and a further 10 in the Middle East as Head of Video for Production Technology (Protec). In February 2017, I left Protec to set up as a freelance technical director, specialising in front-end video control and operation. During my time in the Middle East at Protec and more recently as a freelancer, I led video teams to produce many of the region’s biggest, most technically challenging and complex shows, including
IDEX opening ceremonies (2013, 2015 and 2017), Abu Dhabi National Day, Dubai International Financial Centre 10th Anniversary Celebrations, Dubai Government Excellence Awards Program, Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festivals, NAS Sports Tournament Opening Ceremony, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Award for Smart Government 2014, Dubai World Air Games and Dubai Canal Opening to name but a few! Committed to growth, I apply the latest technical advances and innovations to his work, applying my extensive knowledge, experience and dedication to everything that I undertake.
Thomas Evans Richard Bearpark Thomas Stocks
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Thomas Evans I returned to the region to begin work in 2011. With only university-level experience, I was taken on as something of a greenhorn by owner Eddie Mulrainey at 3DB. Over the past nine years I’ve been given every opportunity to use the latest technology and work on some amazing events in multiple geographies. Career highlights for me so far include work on, the F1 Powerboat end of season awards, opening ceremony for Emirates
Literature Festival, multiple fan zones for the AFC Asian Cup and working on the first event to ever be held in Dubai’s brand new Coca-Cola Arena. It is an amazing feeling to be considered alongside such great engineers who I have had the pleasure of working with or have followed some their work throughout the past year. I look forward to seeing the work we all produce over this coming year!
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LIGHTING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
SPONSORED BY
Winner: John Pathrose Nominees: Miguel Paris Stephen Hedges George Papageorgiou
WINNER:
JOHN PATHROSE I moved to Dubai in 2008 for an opportunity to work with MediaPro International as a lighting engineer. It was a great opportunity to work with multicultural clientele. Some projects that I’ve worked with the artist’s lighting designers in the recent past include shows for artists like A. R. Rahman in Dubai and Doha, Andrea Bocelli, Yanni, Omar Khairat, Majida El Roumi, Renaud Capuçon, Lang Lang in Al Ula Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Super League opening ceremony and Maroon 5. This season has been exciting adding a lot of travel especially with Saudi Arabia’s creation of the General Entertainment Authority. With an ever-growing inventory to cater to the market needs it has been an exciting journey to work in the region. I was humbled when I heard about the nomination for this award and was ecstatic when I won it. Thanks to TPMEA for the initiative to appreciate the talent in the region. Unfortunately I was not able to be present at the ceremony. I’d like to thank Harold Fernandes for being a good friend and a mentor, Jinesh, Abeesh and Pradeep and Chris for making this possible. Lastly, I would like to thank my technicians at MediaPro, who strive for excellence in every project we are a part. Without them this award wouldn’t be possible.
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
THE SHORTLIST Miguel Paris I started my career as lighting technician at Production Technology (Protec) in Dubai, UAE. In 10 years of my career I worked in architectural lighting, concerts, motor shows, wedding and corporate events and music festivals. I’ve had the opportunity to operate show events like Middle East Film & Comic Con 2016 awards night and John Bishop tour in Dubai, to name a few. Likewise, Protec gave me an opportunity to become a lighting
engineer in Peter Pan in Dubai, Sensation, Tomorrowland Unite, BAO, Redfest DXB, Blended, Abu Dhabi Music Arts Festival, NAS Sports and Saudi National Day in Dammam. I am honoured and thankful to be nominated and shortlisted for TPMEA 2019. Despite not winning, I am proud that my hard work and dedication in my job has been recognised. I want to thank everyone who nominated me, and lastly to my family and my company, thank you very much!
TEMPORARY STRUCTURES ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Winner: Nabin Kumar
Nominees: Brian Cunliffe
WINNER:
NABIN KUMAR It was such an honour to win this award. It means so much to me and for my career to receive the first Temporary Structures Engineer award in the UAE. Everything I have learned is from one person, who I truly respect and will always be thankful to: operations director, Grant Van Lelyveld. He taught me so much since day one. He is the best boss to me, and that’s why I will always call him ‘boss’. I would also like to thank all the WICKED Management for their continuous support. It was amazing, I had so much fun and I look forward to many more TPMEA events.
Rene Karnahl Richard Lucking
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TPMEA AV INDUSTRY RECOGNITION AWARD
WINNER:
MARTIN LUIZ I am very grateful to be the recipient of the TPMEA AV Industry Recognition Award. Being in the industry for more than 20 years now, I am humbled and deeply honoured to have received such recognition. Thank you, TPMEA for choosing me to be this year’s recipient of the AV Industry Recognition Award. I am grateful for the people that I work with, for the clients most especially, many thanks to the crew and staff of SLS from the office and the technical crew. It takes a strong team to be able to deliver each project to the level that SLS is renowned for. I am very proud of how the team has grown throughout the years. It was a very refreshing event to attend. I love how simple and straightforward the ceremony was. And I was happy to be able to have the chance to meet lots of other people from our industry.
TPMEA AWARDS 2019
OUTSTANDING EVENT PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR WINNER:
BAO FESTIVAL
When it comes to large-scale EDM events, there are few destinations in the world that do it better then Dubai. When news came through that BAO: The Final Frontier would be the largest dance music event of the year for the region, you knew the organisers meant business. Produced by Envie Events and hosted at the Meydan Racecourse, the two-day extravaganza boasted a line up consisting of Afrojack, Don Diablo, NERVO, Alok, R3hab, Salvatore Ganacci Marcus Santoro, Brooks and Dante Klein. The overarching theme of the event was a culmination of Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, all to the tune of some of electronic music’s biggest names. As Envie’s website states: “BAO pays homage to the grandeur of the past by celebrating with the musical heroes of today”. For the project to realise its production capabilities, Envie inducted Protec, Al Laith, Laser FX and Flash Art to make the dream a reality. Protec was called upon by Envie Events to provide full AV support for BAO: The Final Frontier. Having worked with Envie before on Sensation and Unite with Tomorrowland, Protec was delighted to continue this partnership and rise to the challenge.
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TECH PROFILE
COCA-COLA ARENA AHEAD OF ITS GRAND OPENING, COCA-COLA ARENA’S DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL AND PRODUCTION, MALCOLM GILES, OUTLINES THE LOGISTICS BEHIND DUBAI’S LATEST STATE-OF-THE-ART EVENTS STADIUM. TPMEA’S STEW HUME PICKS UP THE STORY...
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Over the years, the TPMEA team has become accustomed to challenging conditions while interviewing hardy crewmembers on-site for coverage of large-scale productions in the UAE. So, it was a pleasant surprise to settle into an air-conditioned, fully functioning event space in the centre of Dubai, ready to play host to up to 17,000 audience members. Malcom Giles, Director of Technical and Production, greeted TPMEA at the door of the Coca-Cola Arena. A familiar face to TPMEA readers, Giles is well known for Production Managing countless shows across the region, making him the ideal candidate to oversee the international acts who will surely be attracted by this new, state-of-the-art performance space. Throughout the summer, the venue has already hosted Canadian comedian Russell Peters, and Californian band, Maroon 5. This August British band The 1975 and Irish pop group Westlife will put the Arena through its paces, along with inspirational speaker, Tony Robbins, who will be taking the stage in early September. As TPMEA toured the venue, one recurring
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theme that arose was ‘flexibility’. The Arena has been designed with the ability to cater to everything from live music to sporting events, corporate gatherings and celebrations. “At full capacity, with a standing audience, we are able to hold 17,000,” began Giles, as he walked TPMEA into the main bowl. “We’ve also installed a drape system and, with our movable stage, we can alter the size of the bowl for more intimate gigs. For live events we have three main configurations with the full bowl, half bowl and a final setup, where we use the lower bowl for a show for 2,500 to 3,000 attendees.” As well as standard seating, there are 21 corporate suites on each floor, alongside the Premier Lounge, located on the stage end of the bowl. The Royal Box, complete with its own private entrance to the venue, has also been built into the infrastructure seamlessly. Giles elaborated on the importance of flexibility when it comes to major sporting events, from ice hockey, to basketball, by way of tennis: “We don’t have any dedicated sport attached to the venue, but we wanted the
Arena to have the ability to host anything.” The facility, for example, has enough power to run any generator required for an ice rink, along with the drainage system necessary for such an event. There are two pits either side of the floor for draining any water from an ice floor and the zamboni room, which has a pit with a sump pump for removing the scrapped ice. Moreover, the Arena has a temporary scoreboard, which can be rigged in the centre of the bowl. In total, it houses 140sqm of R4 LED screens from local supplier PIXCOM, which can be configured as a four-sided scoreboard or a left and right IMAG for live events. Each screen has a pixel pitch of 4.8mm with each panel weighing only 8kg. “We have purchased a great deal of AV equipment for this project so we are showready but also able to cater for any incoming production,” explained Giles. On the subject of AV, we directed our eyes to the ceiling, when Giles pointed out some of the elements of the in-house lighting system. The house system consisted of RGB LED lights located in the Arena
www.InFrames.ae
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roof grid consisting of 191 Ephesus Prism Series. These can be used to set walk-in states as well as light for load in/out. The rig also contains 74 Ephesus Arena Pro 600 sporting lights and 104 Arena Luci 160 DMX LED Profile aisle lighting. The house lighting system is controlled from the VOC room, security room backstage and can be controlled via the Zero 88 FLX house lighting console at FOH if required. “With this system we are able to produce some nice colour washes for the walk-in lights,” he said. “This will be useful for gala dinners but, hypothetically, an LD for a show could take a DMX feed and incorporate the house system into their show.” The Arena’s lighting rig is able to produce enough light to reach international standards for sporting events. Furthermore, each fixture is individually controlled so you can block off certain areas of the floor. “For house followspots, we have brought in the M2 Lycian 2.5k. We have platforms on Level Four where the spots can be placed. But we also have an alternative arrangement, which has
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taken inspiration from touring spot platform. Essentially, we have an 8m by 3m platform, which can break into two and hang in the middle section. The points are attached to roller beams so you can take it up to any height they want, which means we don’t have to cut into any potential seating.” For PA, the Arena’s house system consists of the new JBL VTX A12. “I believe we are one of the first large arenas in the world to bring in this system,” commented Giles. Upon the request of incoming productions, the Arena can provide a large system of 18 boxes for both left and right with two additional 12 deep side hangs. Also available are eight flown S28 Subs and another eight on the floor. “We also have six delay rings covering the upper tier,” stated Giles, also referencing the JBL VTX V20s that are permanently installed at the venue. “We have tried to make the whole venue as connector friendly as possible,” continued Giles, citing the broadcast setup. “We have a total of 38 various points around the site, which are directly
linked to the main broadcast control room.” From potential locker room footage for sporting events to multi-camera feeds for live music, it’s clear the Arena design has left no stone unturned from a broadcast perspective. “On every inch of the Arena, there is another clever little element that makes the space functional,” nodded Giles. According to the Director, one of the highlights of the venue is its rigging system and “unique roof structure”. He enthused: “All the rigging is done from the raised catwalk so there is no climbing to the various points. It has very shallow bridals and is easy to access. It’s 24m from the catwalk to the floor and 26m to the I-beam. This should cover most height requirements of touring of shows.” The Arena boasts 90 tonnes over the stage, 60 tonnes for the middle and 40 at the far end, all of which can be hung individually, giving the roof a total weight load of 190 tonnes. Unusual Rigging was contracted as the sole house rigging service supplier for the installation of all rigging points
TECH PROFILE
at the Coca-Cola Arena. The company was also involved in the recent Maroon 5 concert, which used approximately 85 rigging points. From the beginning of the build process, a serious consideration had to be taken into account due to the build’s location. “We needed to keep some of the heat out of the building and the solution was a double-door system behind the stage,” stated Giles. “Trucks can load in while keeping the main arena doors closed, which allows us to keep the temperature within the bowl controlled.” A central chill system operates by running chilled water throughout the building – “quite a common method” in Dubai, according to the Director. With regards to the timeframe for creating the venue, Giles pointed to AEG’s Gary Thomas. While on site, TPMEA got a chance to grab a word with Thomas, who has been at the helm of 12 of AEG’s major arena, stadium and convention centre openings around the globe. “The Arena needed to be as robust as possible,” began Thomas. “We followed our usual procedure
of producing a functional brief for the client, which offered suggestions regarding how to make the venue a reality. In this case it was a 300-page document which went from A to Z on everything you could think of, from PA systems to door handles.” Despite all his years working in the industry, however, Thomas admitted there were still some new elements that had to be considered in creating the spec of the venue – not least the number of religious feasts, which the team of AEG had to ensure the venue could handle. “With any new project we always have to think about various market segments as a starting point.” Thomas noted the Arena’s similarity to The O2 Arena in London – another AEG venue. “A lot of the physical design was actually based on the O2’s bowl. We even used the same architectural firm, Populus, to design the venue.” Thomas, who has a background in rigging and staging, agrees the rigging system is “one of the highlights”, especially considering his “main focus was with the health and safety
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elements of the rig”. He added: “The fact you can reach up from the catwalk and set up all your points is monumental from a health and safety standpoint. But also, due to the catwalk, we can have all the points marked and rigged the night before, saving incoming productions half a day. It’s a gamechanger.” Like Giles, Thomas is pleased with the progress made here at the venue and is looking towards its future. The word monumental really does seem to apply here, at the Coca-Cola Arena, the building of which marks a milestone moment in the UAE’s live events industry. Dubai now boasts a venue that can cater for a whole roster of events, as well as disrupt the status quo of the traditional ‘quiet season’ over annual hot summers. The Coca-Cola Arena is sure to change the dynamic of the UAE’s live events calendar in the coming years, and no doubt this will not be TPMEA’s last visit… Photos: AEG www.coca-cola-arena.com www.aegworldwide.com
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COMPANY PROFILE
SLS PRODUCTION TALK SAUDI ARABIA TPMEA DROPPED INTO SLS PRODUCTION’S DUBAI HQ TO DISCUSS ITS LATEST WORK WITHIN THE KSA AND TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF ITS EVENTS ON THE HORIZON.
Like many companies in the region, SLS Production has devoted it’s time to focussing on the developing events market within Saudi Arabia. Fresh off the back of several successful concerts featuring the likes of Jean-Michel Jarre, Akon, Pitbull, Tiesto and Mariah Carey to name but a few, the company has outlined itself as a major player in the burgeoning KSA market. Greeting TPMEA at its Dubai offices was Edwin Cheeran, the company’s Managing Director. “Everything that is going on in Saudi Arabia is very much in line with Saudi Vision 2030,” began Cheeran. “Part of this incentive is to embrace cultural activities which – for us – has included the involvement of these festival events.” For a selection of events, the SLS team has provided full infrastructure including staging, lighting, video and sound. Due to the high demand of events taking place in the region, SLS have, in the past few months, invested in a warehouse to store various pieces of kit including a complete staging system. “The infrastructure of putting an event on in Saudi Arabia has traditionally been something of
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a challenge,” commented Cheeran. “Just down to the planning to ensure that the kit arrives on time requires some forward thinking. Currently, you have to allow at least 10 days for trucks to give enough time to get them across the boarder.” Cheeran went on to describe the ongoing in talks with local partners to open an office space in the near future. He added: “It’s a common trend among companies working in the regions to open office space in the KSA.” Continuing the conversation was SLS’ Project Manager, Ghanim Williams. “It’s interesting to see the developments in the region,” he began, having previously done a lot of freelance work in the KSA. “Currently, there is a big incentive to train locals in the industry. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some more educational facilities popping up in the next few years.” Over the past few months, SLS has broken new ground and records within the region. Last year’s Jean-Michel Jarre production witnessed SLS utilise the largest L-Acoustics K1 sound system in the largest roof system ever deployed in Riyadh. The setup consisted of 40 K1s and 36 K2s with 14 Kara enclosures and 30 KS28s. The loudspeakers
were powered by LA12X amplified controllers, while control and distribution were taken care of by SLS Production’s inventory of Meyer Sound Galileo Galaxy 816 processors along with the company’s recently purchased Luminex GigaCore 10 Gigabit switch. The amplifiers received audio video bridging and an analogue back-up for redundancy. “I’ve never run an L-Acoustics system on AVB, but with the Galaxy processors there and the amps all being LA12x, it seemed like the way to go. Running redundancy appeased my worry, and it was solid.” commented Dan Dignan, SLS’s Head of Audio. “The main difference between the JeanMichel Jarre show and the events we’ve been working on this year is that the others are more of a festival format,” commented Williams. “The festival format seems to be the general trend within the market right now. It’s a brand new style of concert and it’s been great to see all the locals come out and enjoy this new experience.” It’s a change that SLS Productions CEO, Martin Luis has also picked up on: “Music festivals are part of a long history in Dubai and we are
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excited to be extending our reach towards Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC region. With a new team of experts and new investments in technology, we are well placed to be a one-stop shop for any production needs.” Two of the latest festivals that SLS worked on included Asharqiah Music Festival – which featured the likes of Akon, Pitbull, Deadmau5 and French Montana – and an event at the King Abdullah Economic City, which saw both Mariah Carey and Tiesto take to the stage. For Asharqiah Music Festival, SLS provided a turnkey system that featured a complete Meyer Sound PA not to mention a brand new, MA Lighting grandMA3. Nearly 10,000 people attended the event, which saw pop, EDM and Arabic music converge. The King Abdullah Economic City concert also saw a Meyer Sound system deployed with a full range of lighting fixtures including Robe BMFL Wash, MegaPointes, Claypaky K20s, Mythos, Sharpys and Stormys along with Martin by Harman MAC Viper Performance moving head fixtures. Williams commented that the team pulled
together through some tough weather challenges and tight deadlines to deliver a flawless show. “We are looking forward to the next few months with some very interesting projects taking shape.” It is not only the development of the region’s live events industry, but seasonal calendar itself. “Historically, between Ramadan and the hot summers means that the season usually stops,” commented Cheeran. “But now we are getting demands for gigs in the off season.” He went on to comment that there had been requests to build large temporary structures to house these large festival stages meaning they could play in higher temperatures. One such example of this was seen with The Jeddah Season, taking place between 8 June and 18 July, where visitors and residents were spoilt for choice for entertainment. SLS even got involved with proceedings, providing the technical backbone for a concert, which saw the Backstreet Boys, Afrojack, Marshmello and Martin Garrix share a stage. For the event SLS supplied a complete Meyer Sound PA along with DiGiCo SD12s and SD5s for FOH and monitors respectively. The event also
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offered a changeable LED screen configurations consisting of Absen 3.9mm and 8.9mm products not to mention an extensive Martin by Harman, Claypaky and Robe lighting rig. “As a new market in KSA, I am always surprised at the attendance,” commented Williams. “The people yearn for such events, and even though dates change, times get shuffled and advertising is done later than normal, its such a new market that soldout events are easy for a promoter. Seeing the enjoyment and amazed looks on the crowd’s faces makes all the hard work, sleepless nights and a unique level of stress worth it.” Rounding-off the conversation, Cheeran looked to the future of the region. “The government has big plans. Formula E is a great example, which looks to dwarf events such as Formula 1. It’s an exciting time and there is even a push to increase the international travel around these events. “Just two years ago, tourist visas were not even available, but events like Formula E have really opened the region up to the world.” Photo courtesy of SLS Productions. www.slspro.net
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
THE VOICE: SOUTH AFRICA DEPLOYS L-ISA AND DIGICO The talent show phenomenon that is The Voice is now in its third season in South Africa and is proving as popular as ever. It has just entered the ‘live show’ phase, broadcast from Mosaiek Teatro in Fairland, Johannesburg and aired on M-Net, DStv 101. This year, this exciting section of the TV show is bringing a brand-new audio experience to its studio audience, courtesy of L-ISA Hyperreal Sound technology by L-Acoustics and DiGiCo mixing consoles, provided by the show’s full technical supplier, Mutli-Media. Multi-Media has worked with The Voice since the popular competition hit African soil four years ago. During this time, the company has grown and become more involved in live events. At the beginning of this year, it decided the time was right to invest in a top-end audio system, initially purchasing 30 L-Acoustics Karas, 12 SB18s, four KS28s and seven LA12X amplified controllers, adding a further 18 Karas,
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four SB18s and five LA12Xs for the Mosaiek Teatro L-ISA configuration. Early in his career, Multi-Media Audio Engineer, Adriaan van der Walt recognised the limitations of stereo systems when trying to create a natural-sounding mix. He became interested in how technology would develop to achieve a closer representation of how sounds are perceived by the human ear. “I always jumped at the opportunity to work on quadrophonic and surround shows,” he said. “These were few and far between and some had greater levels of success than others. There was generally very little correlation between the setup in a studio and a large format PA system – it was really hit and miss. Then L-ISA caught my attention and I knew it would be a game-changer. L-Acoustics is a brand I trust and is always leading edge, setting trends and standards for the rest of the industry to follow. For me, moving to L-ISA was a no-brainer.
I knew it would have huge benefits for a strong production like The Voice. When I presented the idea to the production team, they were convinced, too.” Van der Walt and DWR’s Chris Pugh travelled to the manufacturer’s head office near Paris for an extensive four-day L-ISA training session. “It was very informative with a great deal of information to absorb, but the friendly and welcoming spirit that is present at L-Acoustics made it a special experience for me,” said Pugh. “I had dreamed of visiting L-Acoustics for 15 years and Adriaan and I loved every moment. We couldn’t wait to get back to South Africa to get started.” The Mosaiek Teatro configuration sees five arrays of nine Karas each, positioned across the width of the stage as a scene system. The KS28 subs are flown centrally, providing seamless coverage across the venue. Six Kiva IIs per side act as the extension system and provide a wider
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panorama to the audio experience. Front fills comprise two X12s and, due to the width of the venue, there are an additional two ARCS WiFos flown per side to cover the outer sides of the venue. For stage monitoring, Multi-Media’s Simon Panos has used two X12s flown in the lighting grid and two X12s on the side of the stage. Control is via a DiGiCo SD10 running the latest firmware. “It has a couple of new features that tie L-ISA and DiGiCo together,” said van der Walt. “The configurability of the SD Range is incredible. I set it up so that, in no more than three button pushes I can be anywhere I need to be and do anything I need to do. Of course, it takes a bit of time to lay it all out and programme it but, once you are in that operation mode, it really is a breeze to work on it,” he continued. The DiGiCo system integrates Waves MultiRack, L-ISA controller, multitrack recording and a busy Optocore backbone. “There was a lot of routing and insert patching that had to happen in the background,” he said. “We almost managed to max out the first Optocore loop – there are only 40 audio paths left out of 500.” For van der Walt, the DiGiCo SD10 is an extension of himself with the console’s layout going hand-in-hand with his thought process: “That’s the beauty of it; once you’ve laid it out, it becomes an extension of your thoughts because you don’t have to tap around to get where you need to be. You think something, you tap once or twice, and you are there.” The Voice is a complex and busy show, sometimes with only 15 seconds between performances and van der Walt is able to jump from one to the next with great ease: “The
way the DiGiCo SD10 recalls fader banks over the entire console with just a snapshot is truly amazing. We have rehearsed the show so much that it’s really just about recalling snapshots and adding fine adjustments during the live broadcast.” While there are familiarities in how the audio system is set up, the approach to mixing is, said van der Walt, a departure from what he is used to: “The experience means applying yourself in a new way. Your creative input becomes more valuable with L-ISA. It gives you the opportunity to interpret the music and place things where you think they should sit spatially. It’s incredible how this, in turn, affects the mix; the possibilities are endless.” In the weeks leading up to the first sound check, van de Walt spent many a night awake, imagining what they were going to do with, amongst other things, spatial placement and room engine configuration. “The approach on The Voice is to create a pocket in the mix which surrounds and supports the talent’s vocal abilities,” van der Walt explained. “My traditional route was to make use of sub-groups; either for parallel compression for a fuller sound on drums or to use side-chain compression on groups for guitars or keyboards. Naturally, there was some compromise on how these groups sounded – to make space for the vocals to sit. “I’m finding that I don’t have to do things on the console in a traditional way, or have to work so hard on the console to get the separation I want, as a lot of that is being achieved by L-ISA technology, freeing up space and providing tonal separation that I’ve never had before. Now, I listen with an open mind to put a
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mix together, whereas before I had to work hard at EQ and dynamics and overlaying things with Groups. I can push the vocals back into the mix and still hear them clearly, without losing the finer nuances of something like the guitars or keyboards. It really sounds like there are more resolution and depth associated with each object within the immersive environment, definitely more room to move.” The integration of different brands and different technologies has pushed the system beyond what they had ever have imagined. “L-ISA is new technology and we feel it is the future of sound,” added de Lancey. “It really holds the audience. For the first time, we can create a scene using speakers. All 96 objects can be placed virtually anywhere in that space so you can hear where the instruments are coming from, where they are positioned on stage. If a vocalist were to walk up and down the stage, we can move the vocal to follow the artist. The system ties in what you are hearing with what you are seeing; now you know exactly where the artist is performing from.” Finalist Anslin Gysman commented: “Keeping in mind that this is a first for South Africa and The Voice globally, it is an absolutely amazing opportunity for the talent participating in this season of the show. We have become used to working with a range of sound systems, but L-ISA is going to provide us with a better opportunity to showcase our vocal ability and also to give the audience a more exhilarating, emotional and personal experience.” Photos: L-Acoustics www.l-acoustics.com www.digico.biz
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REGIONAL ROUND UP
Annalise Hodgson, Kevin Stannett, Johnny Scholtz, Marlene Riley, Bruce Riley, Schalk Botha, Vincent van Niekerk, Richard Smith (front) Klotz’s Frederic Kromberg & Duncan Riley.
DWR TO DISTRIBUTE KLOTZ AIS CABLES IN SOUTH AFRICA Germany’s KLOTZ AIS has appointed DWR Distribution as its new distribution partner for South Africa with immediate effect. As a global leader in design, production and marketing of audio, video, multimedia and fibre-optic cables and cable solutions, KLOTZ AIS is active in 130 countries around the world. Frederic Kromberg, Director of International Sales at KLOTZ visited DWR in Johannesburg to secure the deal. “KLOTZ cables have been available in South Africa well over 15 years, but as a strongly solution-oriented company, especially with rental companies, installers and broadcasting markets, we are very excited to
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develop and expand the KLOTZ cable business in South Africa with the highly professional team of DWR. We believe this is a great opportunity for DWR to develop our extensive product range.” KLOTZ AIS celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, and in those four decades the company has built an excellent reputation. KLOTZ is renowned for high quality, durable products and meets the technical specifications both musicians and professional users expect from a cable and cable systems. “Once people have experienced KLOTZ they always come back,” said Kromberg. “Very often underestimated, the interface between all your
devices is as important as the devices itself.” Said Duncan Riley of DWR Distribution: “I knew of the KLOTZ brand and always admired the quality. But I really got a good feeling when I met Frederic and realised that their company was as people-orientated as we are. It is a real honour to be the distributor for this professional company and fine brand, and we look forward to many years to come together.” Photo: DWR Distribution www.klotz-ais.com www.klotzfiber.com www.dwrdistribution.co.za
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MEDIATECH AFRICA
MEDIATECH AFRICA A DESTINATION EVENT FOR ALL FUTURE-LOOKING LIVE EVENTS PROFESSIONALS, MEDIATECH AFRICA ATTRACTS OVER 7,500 VISITORS AND SHOWCASES 800 GLOBAL AND LOCAL BRANDS. TPMEA REPORTS FROM THE TICKETPRO DOME, JOHANNESBURG...
Absen promoted a range of LED display products at Mediatech Africa. Partnering with its exclusive South African distributor, DWR Distribution, Absen was located at stand D28 with hosts Ricky Qiu, Jessica Xiao and Allen Zhang. With over 30,000 successful customer references from some 120 countries, Absen LED panels were found on indoor and outdoor stages, exhibitions, television studios, shopping malls and advertising billboards. Visitors to Mediatech Africa witnessed the Absen iCon 138 boardroom screens, Polaris Lite 3.9 indoor screens and the Absen N2 Plus’ in-action. Claypaky and its South African distributor, DWR Distribution, welcomed lighting professionals to meet with Massimo Bolandrina, a Claypaky Sales Manager, and Kevin Stannet, a Sales Representative from DWR Distribution, at stand number B22 to view and learn about Claypaky’s products. This year, Claypaky put the new Xtylos on display, a laser-based compact beam moving light with unique optical and chromatic characteristics. This laser source, lasting for 10,000 hours, is
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enclosed in a reliable, safe and fully sealed module and it is the powerful engine of an incredible array of colours. The beam aperture is less than 2° and it can be decreased further to 0.5°. Furthermore, the stand will display the Sharpy Plus, Mini B-eye, B-Eye K15, B-Eye K25, Axcor 300, Axcor 400 and the Axcor 600. With a list of international guests attending, the exhibition saw some of the world’s leading equipment manufacturers, distributed by DWR Distribution, hosting stands at this year’s exhibition, including Robe, Claypaky, Absen, Prolyte, Visual Productions and Quest. “We wanted to make DWR a central hub for people to unwind, meet up with our team and catch up with our international suppliers,” said Robert Izzett from DWR. On the DWR stand, visitors were able to have a drink or enjoy a cup of coffee. Then, a few steps away, they had the opportunity to see the latest products being demonstrated, as product specialists on the Robe, Absen, Claypaky, Prolyte, Visual Productions and Quest stands brought the latest and greatest in entertainment technology to the show. “Our suppliers have jumped on
board with great enthusiasm, and we know their passion will contribute to creating a fantastic vibe at Mediatech Africa,” said Izzett. Mediatech Africa hosted three presentation zones, where discussions and training sessions were held. “This is a great initiative by Mediatech, and DWR along with our suppliers, are glad to contribute to the conversation,” he concluded. Green Hippo and DWR highlighted how technology is changing the face of creative design and human experiences, and showcased the boundary-pushing Hippotizer Media Server range of solutions for real-time media playback and 3D mapping. Visitors were invited to stand C20 to witness the creative possibilities that the powerful new features of the latest Hippotizer software – V4.5. The team demonstrated the most recent software features developed in response to end-user feedback, including Object to Output, a new output mapping workflow. Created as an invaluable live events tool, Object to Output ensures users can directly map content to outputs inside Hippotizer’s 3D workspace, ingeniously simplifying the
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management of large numbers of displays. It also allows users to integrate multiple moving set elements seamlessly, map a single video across numerous displays or dynamically adjust the perspective of the content. Another feature designed to augment the creative user’s artistic expression is Hippotizer’s BeatBridge feature, which allows Hippotizer parameters to respond, in real time, to an audio input, via MIDI or DMX, be it the beat of the music or the intensity of a crowd. In addition, on 17 July at Zone 3, stand C30, Green Hippo’s product specialist Suzy Stenning presented a fascinating and informative introduction to Media Servers for Live Production. Visitors learned about real-time output configuration and playback, basic set-up, hardware benefits and options as well as a range
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of popular software features. Later on, the same day, and at the same location from 14:30 to 15:30, Suzy presented Projection Mapping and 3D Workflow, covering the different types of Projection Mapping, 2D and 3D workflow and how Hippotizer and SHAPE can be used to streamline processes, followed by a deep dive into a case study on the Houston Energy City 3D Mapping project. Throughout the show, the Green Hippo and DWR teams were stationed on stand C20 to answer any questions visitors hed, whether they were seasoned users or new to the creative and business potential of Media Servers. The Prolyte stand presented some of the most innovative entertainment solutions on the market, including the game-changing Verto truss and the LSU system for supporting LED
Systems in a safe way. Greeting visitors were Paul Hadfield and John Postma from Prolyte to get more information. As official distributors in South Africa, DWR worked alongside the Prolyte team. The Verto truss is a revolutionary system, making truss connection fast, silent and safe. The Verto truss brings a totally new perspective on truss assembly. This truss can vastly improve the daily working practice for technicians; its tool-less connection is almost completely silent, thereby adding significantly to safety on the work floor. Tested general sound levels are around 55dB, where a conical truss system generates a sound level of 80dB during assembly. Furthermore, it reduces assembly and disassembly time. Tested general assembly times are up to five times faster than those for truss with conical coupling systems and 10 times faster than any bolted truss.
MEDIATECH AFRICA
The LSU series is a range of products to facilitate safe erection or suspension of LED systems. The LSU series offers solutions for either suspending your LED systems or building LED systems from ground level. The LSU series comprises three solutions to suspend your LED system: H40R, H40V-MB, S52SV-MB. The trusses with middle beam are both 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. The ProLyft Aetos range of entertainment hoists is fully equipped to meet future demands in lifting equipment and offers smart features and carefully engineered product attributes. It comprises standard 250kg, 500kg, and 1,000kg
hoists and controls. Every hoist is equipped with limit switches and has a fixed speed of 4m per minute. The Aetos has a specially designed disentangle plate for optimal chain feeding; this reduces 90% of locking chains. Audio professionals at the trade show met with Frank Andrewartha, Quest Engineering Product Manager, and Jaco Beukes from DWR Distribution, the South African Distributor of Quest, to learn and view about some of the audio solutions that Quest provides. The stand located at D28 the team hosted a variety of products from the Quest Engineering range including the QM450A 2-way stage monitor, QM600ASi active 15-inch sub-bass, HPI8i and HPI110 high intelligibility 2-way passive speakers and the HPI111 mid-powered voice and music projection system along with a select
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collection of IP67 products from Quest’s installed speaker range. Robe lighting presented a selection of its latest moving lights and LED technology on stand C18, marking the second time that Robe hosted its own stand at Mediatech, supporting its very proactive local distributor, DWR Distribution. Expo visitors looked forward to meeting key Robe personel including CEO Josef Valchar, International Sales Director Harry von den Stemmen, theatre and performing arts specialist Dave Whitehouse – who previously worked at DWR Distribution – lighting and media designer Nathan Wan and technical specialist Radim Zlebek. Robe continued to celebrate its 25th year of business and creativity, bringing innovation, reliability and excellent product design to the
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diverse and dynamic world of entertainment technology, with several cool Robe products, including the T1 Profile, T1 Wash, SuperSpikie, SilverScan, BMFL FollowSpots, BMFL WashBeam, MegaPointe, RoboSpot, Divine 160. Stage Audio Works was once again onhand to support the biennial event with its characteristic large stand, highlighting some of the latest products from major international brands, as well as its own locally manufactured technology. As well as this, Stage Audio Works also had a presence at the outdoor live sound demonstration area, featuring daily demonstrations of the VIO L208 from dB Technologies was a highlight of Mediatech. “The real benefit of any trade show is getting technology into the hands of end users and discussing how it can help them,” said Shaun Xavier, Marketing Manager at Stage Audio Works. “We have seen how Mediatech has
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enabled us to do this in the past and we are looking forward to highlighting how our technology can benefit projects of all shapes and sizes right across Africa.” Visual Productions BV exhibited its range of architectural lighting controllers. In close cooperation with South African distributor, DWR Distribution, the team invited lighting professionals from the African region to visit the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg. Located on booth C23, Maarten Engels, the Managing Director of Visual Productions, Iveta Čevorová, the Marketing Manager of Visual Productions and Johnny Scholtz, an Architectural Lighting Sales representative from DWR Distribution – presented a great opportunity to learn more about the company’s interactive lighting control solutions from Visual Productions. The brand new KIOSC, an app for creating custom touchscreen user interfaces for the Visual
Productions’ range of lighting controllers was on show. Visual Productions also showcased the CueCore2 multi-protocol architectural lighting controller, QuadCore 4-universe solid-state lighting controller, IoCore2 GPIO interface module, B-Station wall-mount button panel, TimeCore a modern timecode toolbox, Cuety LPU-2 entry level lighting control software for IOS and Android, RdmSplitter and the Rackmount a 19inch adapter for two Cores. Photos: DWR Distribution www.absen.com www.claypaky.it www.dwrdistribution.co.za www.green-hippo.com www.prolyte.com www.questaudio.com.au www.robe.cz www.stageaudioworks.com www.visualproductions.nl
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