TPMEA #025 - August/September 2020

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER • ISSUE 025

STRONGER TOGETHER

THE UAE THANKS ITS FRONTLINE WORKERS

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FLASH LIVE: VIRTUAL EID CONCERT • AFTERLIFE 2020 • UAE AV SUPPORT INITIATIVE • 25 YEARS OF AL LAITH

TPMEA

WELCOME...

TO TPMEA

The New Normal The term ‘New Normal’ has caused much controversy in the industry over the past few months, and it is not one that should be bandied around carelessly. Its very existence points to a worrying future for our industry, with the vibrant live events we all know and love replaced by sterile drive-in shows, virtual gigs and socially distant concerts. That’s not to knock the efforts of those who are innovating and working hard to produce quality content in these extraordinary times, but to accept the current state of play as anything approaching ‘normal’ would be nothing short of catastrophic for the industry.

That being said, now, some five months since we were thrust into the unknown, after countless conversations, email exchanges and morning meetings, some semblance of a pattern is beginning to emerge from the chaos – and the myriad new solutions that are currently keeping the industry ticking over are certainly worth celebrating. Perhaps ‘temporary new normal’ would be a more apt term? Read our report on how the UAE’s events industry is getting back to work safely on page 13.

Our cover story for this issue focuses on the UAE’s efforts to thank its frontline workers. While the UK clapped politely for the NHS, the UAE – in typical style – set about creating a show-stopping video, featuring iconic landmarks, a striking formation of emergency services vehicles and a spectacular drone show. We speak to the people who made the show happen on page 24.

Elsewhere in the issue, we look behind the scenes of Flash Entertainment’s virtual Eid celebrations (page 34), we celebrate a quarter of a century of Al Laith (page 18) and we find out how NMK Electronics is faring in these unprecedented times (page 44).

Enjoy the issue.

Peter Iantorno Editor

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpmeaawards.com

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LEKO

LED PROFILE

CODA

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AURORA

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PURITY • DEPTH TEXTURE • DRAMA

REVEAL THE MAGIC ST R A N D L I G H T I N G .CO M

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS MIDDLE EAST 06 – FIRST LOOK: RUDI BUCHNER

The 3 Monkeys Co-Founder talks all things virtual.

09 – REGIONAL ROUND-UP

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The latest news from the Middle East, including Afterlife 2020, the UAE AV Support Initiative and a drive-in graduation produced by 3DB.

18 – 25 YEARS OF AL LAITH

We look back on a quarter of a century of success.

24 – STRONGER TOGETHER

The UAE thanks its frontline workers with a spectacular drone show and formation of emergency services vehicles.

34 – FLASH LIVE: EID CELEBRATION

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Flash Entertainment celebrates Eid in a different way to usual this year, with a livestreamed show.

42 – TPMEA AWARDS 2020

With our usual annual knees-up forced online this year, we look back at the production behind the TPMEA Awards 2020.

44 – COMPANY PROFILE: NMK ELECTRONICS

TPMEA finds out how this stalwart of the UAE events industry built its business.

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AFRICA 48 – REGIONAL ROUND-UP

The latest news from Africa, including new guidance from the ESC and Play it Forward.

EDITOR Peter Iantorno Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7763 233637 e-mail: p.iantorno@mondiale.co.uk

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

CONTRIBUTING ASSISTANT EDITOR Jacob Waite Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8352 Mobile:+44 (0)7592 679612 e-mail: j.waite@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

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@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

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Mel Capper: m.capper@mondiale.co.uk

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

MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Stronger Together by Done Events

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

RUDI BUCHNER, CTO AND CO-FOUNDER, 3 MONKEYS WITH LIVESTREAMING AND VIDEO CONFERENCING SOLUTIONS NOW IN HIGHER DEMAND THAN EVER BEFORE, RUDI BUCHNER TACKLES THE TRICKY SUBJECT THAT IS VIRTUAL EVENTS.

Triggered by the global pandemic, our industry has a new buzzword: virtual events. Suppliers are busy creating solutions, agencies are in research mode for suitable suppliers and end clients are developing briefs and RFPs. Suddenly, the appendix of a live production – the webcast – has become the key focus, and AV suppliers, content production companies and agencies are jumping on this possibility as a means of survival. The result is a highly diversified market with loads of uncertainty, superficial knowledge and assumptions.

What can be stated though, is that virtual events are not reinventing the business or how an event is produced. The scope of the event agencies and production companies remains almost the same – as does the scope for many of the suppliers.

What does change is the venue and all the needs and consequences that come with it. Availability, permits, hanging points, power supply, set building, travel and accommodation are some of the areas that are most impacted. While this is undoubtedly bad news for the many companies that rely on these areas for the majority of their business, their absence simplifies a lot of the organisation and production, allowing agencies and clients to focus on the message, content and delivery of the event. While the translation from a physical to a virtual event simplifies many aspects of a production, it also brings with it a number of issues that must be considered – not least the distinction between a ‘virtual venue’ and a ‘virtual stage’.

A virtual venue gives the client the possibility to have added-value virtual spaces in the form of foyers, breakout rooms, auditoriums, lounges and exhibition areas. “Yes! This is what I need,” many clients have said when faced with this decision. However, while this approach might be right for some, there are a range of factors that need to be taken into account, including the operation, choreography and stage design in the main auditorium and breakout rooms, and even the activations and content in the foyer.

Virtual venue providers tend to have basic integration, but most fall behind the more specific products from companies offering web-based games and activations for foyer, lounge and exhibition or virtual stages. Looking at virtual stages specifically, there are a range of possibilities, each of which vary significantly when it comes to cost, quality, level of control, customisation and production time. For example, at the low end we have widely available conferencing and webinar platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, which are cheap but offer comparatively little in terms of production values. On the upper end, the use of physical studios equipped with LED and green screens and content production tools like Ventuz, Notch

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ON-SITE MEETS ON-SCREEN

HYBRID EVENT SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR NEEDS AND AN ENGAGING EVENT EXPERIENCE. WEB CONFERENCE

WEBINAR

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Interactive conversations over great distances have never been easier. Deliver a polished, collaborative event to large audiences; up to 500 attendees, and 5 speakers online.

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SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY We partner with our clients in ensuring safety and peace of mind for our event guests, igniting the industry recovery, and creating meaningful and engaging event experiences.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, REACH OUT TO US hybridevents-uae@eclipse.ae

MeetSAFE

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

and Unreal, and media servers like disguise, Pandora’s Box and Vertex increase the cost but also boost the production values.

The same principles that we use for physical events can be applied to virtual events. For example, if there was a conference with a main auditorium and four breakouts in the real world, spending for the main auditorium would be far higher than for the breakouts. So, if budget is a concern, we encourage clients to go with a highlevel solution for the main room and a cheaper solution for breakouts – all of them living in a virtual venue.

These different methods can also complement each other and allow for special treatments and more variation in programming – for example, a main auditorium that works with a combination of physical studio and stage implementations on media servers.

Important questions in the context of virtual stage scenarios include: how do speakers ‘dial in’? What about stage management and speaker management? How about presentations and presentation control?

It is important to think about sources and their quantities and complexities because not all methods support all sources. The seamless delivery of a show is dependent on the infrastructure provided through the supplier as well as key positions like show caller, show director or stage manager. Those need to be integrated in a certain way so they can communicate with the technical operations crew as well as talent, speakers, panellists and the MC.

Staffing is another area where a technical operation can succeed or fail. A good-quality virtual event is set up like a hybrid between a TV broadcast and an event, with audio, graphics, power point operator, playback and camera

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operators. Operator positions dealing exclusively with streaming and Content Delivery Network (CDN) ensure the desired message reaches its intended audience.

On the subject of CDNs, these cloud service structures ensure that events are distributed with enough bandwidth, so all guests can see it in best possible quality providing their internet connectivity is up to scratch.

Again, when considering which CDN to use, they range in price, quality, control and customisation, with social media and conferencing platforms being a low-cost option but also scoring low on quality, control and customisation, while a dedicated CDN and virtual venue would be far more expensive but also offer far superior production values.

What clients must consider, is how much control they want or need over their audience.

If they do not care who watches and who comments in the chat, social media distribution is the perfect solution for them. However, if they need a greater level of control, they should go with another option.

If the client wants moderated chats, Q&As, polling and other audience engagement methods, a white label web platform solution is ideal. This is provided by most suppliers offering virtual stages, a custom-made webpage or an event app. Most virtual venue platforms offer audience participation as well.

If multi-language translation is required, for a product launch aimed at a global audience, for example, for this to be properly managed, a dedicated CDN is the recommended method.

For closed captioning, clients should consider carefully if they want to go with an AI-based solution or a human-operated closed captioning service. AI-based solutions tend to produce some

rather interesting results – especially when you have non-native English speakers.

Data safety should also be considered.

Suppliers should provide documentation for inbound traffic (speaker streams, audience participation), delivery platform (webpage/event app front and backend, as well as CDN) and the delivery method between supplier and CDN. In the context of this evaluation, the supplier should advise the client on the elasticity of the CDN as well as the web portal or event app.

Finally, the budget: is a virtual event cheaper than a physical event? Well, it depends. Some of the RFPs I have seen and worked on show at first glance that the virtual event will, in fact, be more expensive than a previous physical one that was held a year ago. The reason for this is that the client tried to push the boundaries in terms of technical possibilities and functionalities.

However, after working dozens of RFPs, my data indicates that, in general, there is a saving potential of 25% to 60% on average virtual events compared to real-world ones.

That being said, it is my strong belief that a high-quality event is not a one-stop shop. A highquality event relies on a mix of different suppliers specialising in certain areas, covering a range of IT, AV and web technologies in conjunction with web, 2D and 3D design and event management specialists. Just like with physical events, compromising on any of these will undoubtedly affect the quality of the production.

This is a brief overview of my recent experience, but there is, of course, so much more that could be said. If you want to pick my brain, please feel free to contact me on LinkedIn (Rudi Buchner) or Twitter (@rudibuchner).

Photos: Rudi Buchner www.3monkeys.net

REGIONAL ROUND-UP

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AFTERLIFE 2020 LIGHTECH SUPPLIES 100 CLAYPAKY SHARPYS FOR ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL’S DUBAI DEBUT.

Prior to the global lockdown of live events, the Afterlife series of worldwide electronic music festivals arrived in Dubai for the very first time. Taking place in February at the Hangar 4 industrial warehouse space at Port Rashid, the event was hosted by Italian DJ duo Tale of Us, and featured performances by Âme, Mind Against, Fideles, Kas:st and Innellea.

Lighting Designer, Pascal Bach of VEM Visionemotion, created the lighting design and handled the operation of the lights and lasers during the show. The LD utilised 100 Claypaky Sharpys and 30 B-EYE K10s – supplied by Lightech – to deliver the evening’s signature Afterlife look within the monumental space.

“The main part of the design was a 60m truss in the centre of the 100m hangar. This was filled with 50 Sharpys and additional wash

lights,” Bach commented. “The idea was to create a massive array of light beams that behaved as one single object in an organic way. In general, the Afterlife shows are more relaxed and focused on nice looks and moods instead of crazy and hectic effects. People should feel the music in combination with the visuals and lights without everything making them crazy.”

As well as the 50 fixtures on the main centre truss, 25 more Sharpys were deployed on each of the two side trusses. Additionally, 30 B-EYE K10s were used to create a side glow and illuminate the hanging Afterlife man – the iconic visual element of the show.

“Sharpy is a widely used fixture and was the only one available in the quantity I needed for a reasonable price,” Bach noted, explaining the reasons behind his fixture selection. “It also had

everything that I required for the show. It needed to be small, fast and not too heavy. Furthermore, it has a very nice colour selection, thin beams and a frost.”

Bach pinpointed the functionality of Sharpy, as well as its stability, and compact size and weight, as decisive factors in choosing the fixture.

“There aren’t so many fixtures on the market that can produce a super-strong, thin beam in a small body like Sharpy does,” he stated.

Afterlife Dubai 2020 was produced by encodetalent with stage design by Andrea Cuius of Nocte, visuals by Michael Titze, art direction

by Roberto Rosolin and technical direction by Christopher Lundie.

Photo: Claypaky www.claypaky.it www.lightechav.com

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UAE AV SUPPORT INITIATIVE THE UAE’S EVENTS COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THOSE IN GREATEST NEED.

With Dubai Expo 2020 on the horizon and the rapidly emerging Saudi Arabia market offering seemingly limitless opportunities, 2020 was supposed to be the most exciting year yet for the region’s events market. However, as COVID-19 swept the globe and calendars everywhere began to empty, the prospect of no work for the year became very real.

Mark Ross, Project Manager at eclipse Staging Services, explained how the situation unfolded: “It quickly became clear that this was going to have a catastrophic effect on events in the UAE – a country in which the social and corporate event sector employs such a massive workforce,” he said. “The AV industry had to make some drastic decisions in an unfeasibly short period of time.”

Unfortunately, for many companies, these decisions inevitably meant there would be

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redundancies and unprecedented periods of unpaid leave – with those on low incomes the hardest hit. “These are some of the most important people in the industry,” Ross added.

“The men and women who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure that the worldclass events in the UAE are built and are able to run as polished and as seamlessly as they do.”

To make matters worse, as governments worldwide began to cancel repatriation flights, the prospect of returning to their families also disappeared. “Things became really tough for those stuck here, with little to no money in their pockets,” Ross explained. “Just being able to put a nutritional meal on the table suddenly became increasingly difficult.”

In times like these, community is key, and thankfully the issue was quickly recognised by

a group of Filipino technical crew in the Middle East: the PTPC (Pinoy Technical Production Crew). “This is a fantastic community – a great supportive network of social events, sport and friendship,” Ross commented.

“They recognised immediately that they had to pull together and support their family within industry. It was important to make sure that those who had fallen into difficulty knew they were not on alone.”

Ross got involved with the project when he was approached by fellow eclipse PM, Jhune Lenon. “We discussed the wider effects of what was happening to the industry and realised we needed to offer wider support to a larger group of low-income workers,” he explained.

“At this point, we spoke to a number of senior technicians in the Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan

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What’s Next.

communities and asked them to spread the word, and to offer our help and support.”

As the project progressed, it soon became clear that the only way to reach out to as many of those in need as possible would be to link up with a charity.

“At this point, we came into contact with Iman Ali Al Bastaki, the Director of Food Safety Department and committee member of The UAE Food Bank, through Filipino Community Leaders Mr. Chris Mares and Ms. Emille Parcia. It is a wonderful charity that has been providing food parcels throughout the UAE,” Ross recalled. “We became volunteers within their initiative. Without them, it would not have been possible to supply food parcels along with the help and support, on a weekly basis, to those who need it most.”

Support has also come from others inside the industry. “The response has been incredible from all parts of the events industry,” Ross commented. “We have received support from many AV and events individuals who also find themselves in undetermined territory in terms of redundancy and prolonged unpaid leave. It has really shown that no matter how big the events industry is, no matter what geographical background, when we are hit by unprecedented misfortune, it very quickly becomes a community.”

While everyone hopes that this will only need to be a shortterm solution, Ross is realistic in his appraisal of the situation. “We hope that there will be some light at the end of what currently seems to be a very long and dark tunnel,” he commented.

“We are sadly aware that the industry is going to take time to bounce back fully and that mass-participation events of any kind are still some way away. Nonetheless, we hope that our small contribution to supporting our community means that when some form of normality does resume, the UAE will be in a strong position to hit the ground running, with crew and technicians champing at the bit to get back to producing world-class events.”

Photos: Mark Ross markrossuae@gmail.com

See how ETC is revolutionizing the studio market. studio.etcconnect.com

visual environment technologies etcconnect.com

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ARENA GROUP MERGES UK & EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST & ASIA DIVISIONS THE NEW STRUCTURE SEES PAUL BERGER APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF ARENA EMEA.

Arena Group has merged its UK & Europe and Middle East & Asia Divisions to form Arena EMEA. Under this new structure, the MEA Division’s reputation for innovation and delivery of design-led solutions, offering temporary architecture with a permanent feel, will be introduced into the UK.

“The formation of one EMEA Division will create a stronger business, both commercially and financially, and this will allow us to offer a more efficient and innovative turnkey service to our clients, which is even more important in these difficult times for the global events market,” Arena Group CEO, Greg Lawless, commented.

Sadly, as a result of this merger, the company will lose the services of Chris Morris, CEO of the UK & Europe, and Andrew Lawson, the head of the UK Structures and Ice business. Morris and Lawson will work with the new head of the EMEA, Paul Berger, and Tom Evans, the new head of Structures and Ice, EMEA, to ensure a smooth transition. “I would like to personally thank Chris and Andrew for their tremendous contribution

and commitment to Arena UK & Europe Division over the past 18 months, and we wish them well as they move to the next stage of their careers,” Lawless commented.

Arena EMEA’s new structure is designed to leverage from one central pool of kit and talent run by a consolidated EMEA management team.

This shift will allow for maximum utilisation of resources across the EMEA region.

Paul Berger, the current CEO of Arena Middle East and Asia, has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Arena EMEA, and he will be responsible for overseeing the merger of the two businesses as well as implementing his vision for Arena’s future. “This merger brings together the most talented people in the event services industry, creating a platform to cement and grow our business with existing clients, as well as taking advantage of the new opportunities that will present themselves during these difficult times,” Berger commented.

Photo: Arena Group www.arenagroup.com Arena EMEA Chief Executive Officer, Paul Berger.

BYRNE RENTAL COO STEPS DOWN PAT FALLON LEAVES HIS ROLES AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AFTER 25 YEARS WITH THE COMPANY. Pat Fallon has stepped down as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of UAE-based rental company Byrne Equipment Rental. He leaves his role after 26 years with the company.

“I will reflect on my time at Byrne with tremendous pride on what we achieved, along with my sincere thanks and respect to its team of people across the region who I was privileged to work with on the journey to deliver its enviable growth and success,” Fallon commented. “I hope to see that journey continue in the same vein and I wish everyone at the Byrne Group the very best going forward.”

Fallon started with Byrne in a business development role, before progressing to a position in general management and ultimately

becoming the Group COO in 2008. Over that time, he has expanded the company’s product offering and seen the business develop alongside the market as it has matured.

Fallon has managed Byrne’s expansion in the GCC countries from its UAE base, firstly into Qatar and later into Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and most recently into Oman and Kuwait.

Although no single successor to Fallon has been named, Hamad Al Sulaiman, Chairman and CEO of the group, said: “Pat, as a friend and a pillar of Byrne, will be missed by all of us, and his previous responsibilities will be spread to other members of senior management in a way that will reflect the amicable continuity of the excellent job he was doing.”

Photo: Byrne Rental www.byrnerental.com

Former COO of Byrne Equipment Rental, Pat Fallon.

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THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC, THE MUCH-MALIGNED TERM HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY, POINTING TO AN ALARMING FUTURE FOR LIVE EVENTS. BUT WHAT IS ‘THE NEW NORMAL’, AND HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY ADAPT TO OPERATE WITHIN IT?

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect on the live events industry, not just in the Middle East, but all over the world. As one of the first industries to shut down, it will certainly be among the last to re-open, due to the need for social distancing and the ban on mass gatherings in order to curb the spread of the virus. However, as time passes and the rate of infection drops, slowly these restrictions are being relaxed and we are transitioning into a period that has been described by many as ‘the new normal’.

But what is the new normal, and how will the UAE’s entertainment industry be able to get back to work within it? These are the questions that Dan Bolton, Owner and Director, Dan Bolton Creative Management Agency, aimed to address in a new survey, which consulted 150 participants

from a range of disciplines about their views on the state of the industry.

Unsurprisingly, 97% of creative talent questioned reported a negative impact on their work opportunities due to COVID-19; while 85% have had all work cancelled. The majority of respondents estimated that work will begin to return in the next three months. However, nine out of 10 wanted clearer guidance from the authorities on when the industry can get back up and running; while half of respondents believed that physical distancing will have an impact on their on-stage performances.

“The report certainly presented some stark insights into the realities of what many of us are facing and the challenges that performance talent and creatives particularly have had to endure over the industry shutdown, and will

continue to do so in the short term as we all work towards a safe reopening and resumption of business activity,” Bolton told TPMEA. “The survey did, however, highlight that for the majority, there is a desire to get back to performing and interacting with audiences safely as soon as the lifting of restrictions allows. We know that here in the Middle East, we have some of the finest event professionals to make this happen.”

As restrictions are gradually eased across the region and businesses are able to increase their capacity, the events industry is adapting quickly to the so-called ‘new normal’.

An impressive 86% of respondents reported that they have already thought about the necessary health and safety measures that would need to be put in place before they could return to work safely; while two-thirds of

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

“In a time of social distancing and a life online, the need for human interaction, live experiences and the creative industries has never been more relevant.”

Dan Bolton, Dan Bolton Creative Management Agency

industry professionals would be willing to go back to work immediately provided these measures were implemented. However, just 20% of survey respondents had already put in place procedures using information from local authorities.

Looking to the future, just under half of those surveyed believed that physical distancing will have an impact on their performances; while a quarter believed that the quality of performances would be negatively affected. One way to combat physical distancing measures is livestreaming online events, and 55% of respondents reported that although their performance is better in a live environment, they are examining ways they can take their business online. However, just 10% believed that their performance would be better if it moved completely online.

“In a time of social distancing and a life online, the need for human interaction, live experiences

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and the creative industries has never been more relevant,” Bolton commented. “Our industry is resilient and will bounce back stronger, yet a little differently than before. We look forward to doing all that we can to make this happen.”

‘A GENUINE SOLUTION’ One organisation that is especially well placed to lend its expertise to finding a possible solution for the industry is Gallowglass Health and Safety.

Working with Bolton, as well as 3DB Managing Director, Eddie Mulrainey, the health and safety specialists have produced a comprehensive document that offers guidance on how the industry can get back to work safely, as soon as government-imposed restrictions allow.

Conducted under the guidance of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the World Health Organisation, the Chartered Institute of

Personnel and Development and the UAE National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, the comprehensive document is split into four parts: pre-event considerations; installation and dismantle; live show day; and post-event considerations.

“The aim of the document is to present clear guidance that inspires confidence and gets the events industry back to work in safe conditions,” Gallowglass Managing Partner, Steve Kearney, explained to TPMEA. “Confidence is key is getting people back to work.”

Mulrainey added: “As soon as we started to see our events get cancelled, I gave Steve and Declan [Meenan, Senior Safety Advisor at Gallowglass ME] a call and said ‘we need to put together some sort of guidelines to give a bit of confidence to our clients’. Gallowglass is involved in events at the highest level, including getting

The world changed in 2020 and before it changes back, before we emerge from behind our masks, we must change too.

When Dan Bolton and Eddie Mulrainey approached Gallowglass Health and Safety to pioneer a new way of working during the ‘new normal’ - they got to work.

Using their vast experience Gallowglass H&S applied creative thinking, planning and process to produce two ground breaking documents, ‘Venue Recovery Guidance’ and ‘Return to Events Framework’ aimed at helping venues and event producers to get back working… safely.

So, now when the industry removes its mask, it can take a breath of fresh air and be reassured by the fact that Gallowglass Health and Safety has them covered… and we are sharing our thinking too.

If you want to know more then please go to info@gallowglasshs.com to learn a new way to help you and your clients stay safe.

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the UEFA Champions League back underway, so I knew they would be the best people to speak to.”

Spanning more than 50 pages, with several dozen appendices for further reading, the document is extremely detailed, offering a range of solutions to lower the risk at each stage of an event. Mulrainey was so impressed that he has adopted the guidelines at 3DB. “Declan and Steve came up with the plan, and we’ve adapted that for our warehouse,” he confirmed. “All visitors get their temperature taken and names, addresses and contact details recorded. That means if any cases are found, then we can trace and get in touch with anyone who has potentially been exposed.”

That’s just one of a number of measures that 3DB is taking to give its clients confidence that events can return sooner rather than later.

“We took it one step further and looked into the sanitisation side of things as well,” Mulrainey said.

“We originally spoke about making a goalpoststyle sanitiser for our warehouse, so we could spray the equipment coming in and going out.

Then we decided to make it bigger, so we can drive trucks through it and sanitise them as they come in and go out.”

The next step for Mulrainey was to invest in hand-held sanitisers – “they look a bit like hedge trimmers” – which are used to sanitise all the company’s microphones. “Every microphone head

will be sterilised and put into a sealed, dated bag before it is sent out. It goes out on the job, then it all gets disinfected again on its way back into the warehouse. It’s the same process for all of our equipment that comes into close contact with people now.”

The sanitisation doesn’t stop there. “The next step we’re taking is to disinfect all our flight cases,” Mulrainey added. “Once we get into a ballroom, the first flight case we open will be a hand-held sanitiser, and we’re then going to sanitise all the cases before we open them. Everything inside the cases will already have been sanitised on its way out of the warehouse.”

As well as adopting the safety guidelines for its own operation, 3DB is also offering a range of sterilisation systems, available for hire or purchase.

“They are part of a genuine solution to getting events back underway in a safe environment,” he stated. The offerings include disinfection fogging tunnels, sterilisation gates and arches, thermal screening, hands-free sanitisation stations and a range of customisable stickers and signage.

3DB is also supporting schools in the effort to get back up and running in a safe manner.

“We’re evolving and moving into different areas to keep the business ticking over and also help get the country moving again,” Mulrainey confirmed.

“We’re good at what we do in events, so why can’t

we transfer those skills?” He added: “We’ve found here in the UAE that people know that they need this, but they’re not sure of exactly how to go about it and who to contact. What we’re doing is taking the expert guidance from Gallowglass, adding our event knowledge and giving it to our clients to give them the confidence to come back to work with us, under the safe guidelines.”

As part of the policies created in conjunction with Gallowglass, there are a number of business resumption plans that allow for a safe, controlled and incremental increase of the events industry and necessary audience capacities. These plans cover a 27-week period where, every three weeks, the capacity of events can increase as long as the number of cases of COVID-19 is controlled. These have been shared with relevant policy makers to help support the decision-making process.

“The likes of Eddie and Dan Bolton deserve a tremendous amount of credit,” concluded Kearney. “A lot of people have been talking endlessly about theories on how to get the industry going again, but these guys have got straight to work and are proactively working towards a solution.”

Photos: 3DB www.danbolton.me www.gallowglasshs.com www.3db-dxb.com

VV & SONS NAMED PRESONUS DISTRIBUTOR THE NEW RELATIONSHIP SEES THE BRAND REPRESENTED IN FIVE GCC COUNTRIES. VV & Sons has been announced as the distributor of PreSonus Commercial Division products in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

“PreSonus offers a very impressive, superior-quality line of solutions that enhances the user experience with sophisticated digital and analogue audio for a diverse range of applications,” said VV & Sons Professional Division Head, Vikesh Thamban.

“VV & Sons is the ideal partner to provide the technical expertise and design consultation to ensure customers understand the PreSonus portfolio, while helping them deliver real business outcomes. Thanks to Eugene Greenan and the PreSonus team for choosing us.”

“I am delighted to have such a longestablished, respected, and renowned partner as VV & Sons as our mixer and networking distributor for the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain,” declared Eugene Greenan, PreSonus General Manager EMEA.

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“The PreSonus brand has grown significantly in the GCC over the past number of years, and I firmly believe that this new partnership will bring us to the next level in terms of exposure and brand building within the mixer installation and live sound market. I look forward to many years

of success with VV & Sons. We will work closely with both VV & Sons and Desert Beat Trading, who remain our established MI Retail partner in the UAE.” Photo: PreSonus www.presonus.com

REGIONAL ROUND-UP

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3DB FACILITATES DRIVE-IN GRADUATION THE PRODUCTION COMPANY COMES UP WITH AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION FOR THE STUDENTS AT AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SHARJAH.

2020 has been a challenging year for all, but spare a thought for the Grade 12 students who are moving on to the next stage of their lives with a Virtual Graduation ceremony; no time to celebrate with their peers, or teachers alike… but not for the students at Australian International School Sharjah.

In partnership with the Sharjah Private Education Authority, Sharjah Police and 3DB Events, Australian International School Sharjah hosted a Drive in Graduation Ceremony last month to celebrate the Class of 2020.

“Our clear objective is to return to work in a safe and positive manner, and this event with AIS was exactly that,” Eddie Mulrainey, Managing

Director of 3DB, commented. Recognising the significance of the event to the industry as a whole, he added: “Working with AIS on a fantastic initiative such as this was a real pleasure and the atmosphere on the night was something else.”

The event, in line with the UAEs government COVID-19 regulations, was a tremendous success for everyone involved and brought the curtain down on Grade 12’s journey with AIS in a truly memorable and iconic fashion. The ceremony had a real party atmosphere as both the kids and parents honked their horns, danced to music and hung out the sun roofs in celebration.

Director of Community and Engagement at AIS, Bonita Milner, commented: “A graduation

is something that marks the end of a journey, a goodbye to old friends and teachers alike, and a hello to a new adventure. As a school we are extremely proud to give the kids such a welldeserved and memorable experience and would like to thank everyone who came together to make this possible.”

Mulrainey concluded: “As is the case for many industries, the events industry has been hit hard by COVID-19, so it was great to be able to pull in some freelance support from our peers.

We’re looking forward to the safe and successful return of many events in the coming months.

Photo: 3DB www.3db-dxb.com

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COMPANY PROFILE

25 YEARS OF AL LAITH AS AL LAITH CELEBRATES A QUARTER OF A CENTURY IN BUSINESS, TPMEA FINDS OUT HOW THE COMPANY HAS BUILT A REPUTATION AS A CLASS-LEADING PROVIDER ACROSS A RANGE OF SECTORS.

Back in the mid-90s, Dubai was a very different place to the one we know it as today. With a population of just 650,000 compared to today’s 3.3 million, the emirate was about to embark on a period of rapid growth that would see it transformed into a bustling modern metropolis.

Very much a part of the growth was Al Laith, which was formed in July 1995 with a modest team of 20 employees, starting out initially in contract scaffolding.

After a few years in operation, the company’s founder, Tony Nobbs, was challenged with putting together a stage deck and green room for

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a small concert on Jumeirah Beach – and it was this experience that paved the way for Al Laith’s entry into the events sector. “Back then, the stage deck and green room were assembled using traditional forms of cup lock, board and ply,” revealed Michael Clark, Business Unit Manager – Events & Experiences. “However, the proceeds from this concert were used by Al Laith to invest in its first official event product, ‘steel deck’.”

Just as Dubai has undergone a radical transformation over the years, Al Laith has evolved, too. “In the early years, Al Laith grew naturally with Dubai and the UAE,” recalled

Abdullah Baharoon, Group Partner. “The company has grown into an international multifaceted service provider, spanning the construction, oil and gas, and events sectors.”

Part of this transformation came in response to the construction of Dubai International Airport in 2010. “Al Laith had to rethink its service offering, which resulted in the formation of multiple divisions, including: Mast Climbers; Powered Access; Plant Hire; and Site Overlay Services,” Baharoon added.

During these years, the Events division also grew rapidly. “The company introduced

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grandstand seats, TSG heavy deck from the UK, crowd control barriers, fencing and lighting towers,” Baharoon stated. “We also had a partnership formed with Serious Stages in the UK supplying concert roofs in the ME region; the development of our in-house decking system, Lion Deck; plus the expansion of our in-house engineering team, creating custom steel structures and extreme experiences such as ziplines and bungee jumping.”

It is this broad range of services and equipment that Baharoon credits as giving Al Laith an advantage over its competitors. “Our ‘one-stop shop’ methodology has created a unique convenience for our clients, who get a variety of potential solutions to a single challenge,” he pinpointed.

“In 2016, we became part of a much wider international group called CG Tech, which is a very forward-thinking group of successful ownermanagers with interests in Africa, the Middle East and Europe,” he continued. “This acquisition

has seen Al Laith evolve into a more structured, digitally focussed and innovative business, which has seen the company emerge as a leader in our fields of operation.”

With CG Tech’s acquisition of Al Laith came a raft of ambitious expansion plans, including a move of headquarters that provided the company with a number of benefits. Clark explained: “When CG Tech bought Al Laith, the Chairman, Niall Carrol, and the rest of the owner group came in with expansion plans. Part of their growth strategy together with the previous CEO, Eugene O’Doherty, was to relocate Al Laith from its ageing facility in Al Quoz to a brand-new custom-built facility in Dubai Industrial City.”

The location of the new facility was chosen due to its central proximity between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as being located just 15 minutes from the Expo 2020 site. “Our state-ofthe-art facility includes 600,000 sq ft of office, storage, training, maintenance and warehouse space,” Clark beamed. “We are always open and

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welcome anyone to visit us for a coffee and a tour of the facility, which is a hive of excitement and innovation under our CEO, Jason English.”

‘EVERY JOB IS UNIQUE’ With a quarter of century under its belt, it is no surprise that Al Laith has been involved in many truly world-class events. Paul Richardson, Director, talked TPMEA through a few highlights.

“From the construction of the Dubai International Airport; to hospitals; the Pope’s visit; the Ryder Cup in Paris; the London Olympics; National Day ceremonial projects for the Seven Emirates; Meydan World Cup; The Saudi Cup; Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships; Dubai Eye; Abu Dhabi Golf Championships; Race to Dubai; UAE Cycle Tour; Government Games; Dubai Marina 1km Zipline; Sensation; Jazz Fest; and Dubai 7’s… the list really goes on and on and none of them can be singled out,” he reminisced.

“We have been fortunate to have global greats stand on our VIP structures, including the

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“Al Laith has been part of so many high-profile flagship projects over the years, and our participation in each of these has been a key moment. Every client, every job is unique in its own way and has taught us something about ourselves as leaders, as a team and as a company.”

Paul Richardson, Director, Al Laith

likes of Bill Gates, the UAE royal families, heads of state and, of course, A-list artists such as Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani and hundreds more have graced our concert stages,” he added. “Al Laith has been part of so many high-profile flagship projects across the UAE and abroad over the years, and our participation in each of these events has been a key moment.

Every client, every job is unique in its own way and has taught us something about ourselves as leaders, as a team and as a company.”

As well as a thriving UAE business, Al Laith also operates in Oman and Saudi Arabia, while CG Tech in addition has businesses spanning South Africa, the UK, Ireland and Europe. Jason English, CEO, explained the benefit of having so

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many different global operations across a range of disciplines. “The overlap between events, oil and gas, and technology has enabled us to cross-utilise project management systems and processes and share the experience and learnings between different industries, which operate fundamentally on the same principles of short-term critical delivery using high volumes of people, equipment and intense logistical requirements,” he stated.

A prime example of this is the company’s events overlay business in the UK and Ireland, Eventcentre, which is run by Donal Moloy. “With Europe and the Middle East having opposing event seasons, there is a natural synergy between our Middle Eastern and European business

sharing professional and skilled resources and equipment,” English commented.

The CEO also pointed to UK-based software development company, Thevirtulabs – with offices in the UAE and South Africa, spearheaded

by Dave Cummins – as another feather in Al Laith’s cap. “Thevirtulabs has a strong focus on the development of software, which enables virtual environments,” he said. “Our unique and bespoke Virtuworx platform has been a gamechanger for events, allowing remote conferences, trade shows, and exhibitions to come to life in a way that is completely new to the industry. Our Virtuplan software allows us to remotely plan any event or project; Virtucam allows us to virtually place and visualise camera angles as part of the

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planning process; and Virtuview allows us to take sensor-driven data from machines and sites and view this virtually.”

It is this multi-discipline approach that presents Al Laith with what Jack O’Doherty, Business Unit Manager – Site Services, calls one of the company’s “biggest challenges”. He explained: “One of the biggest challenges facing Al Laith is the perception of what we are. Many people know us as a scaffolding company and others as an events business, when in actual fact, we have many more operations,” he added.

“Whilst we are indeed an events overlay business, we are also involved in site services, which include site overlay, plant and equipment hire, mechanical, electrical and plumbing works.

We are also a one-stop access solutions provider (including scaffolding services, powered access equipment and mast climbing equipment), and we have our own in-house engineering team that designs and engineers creative structures and experiences,” he stated.

Another challenge that the company has had to overcome in recent times is its expansion into

Saudi Arabia. “It all happened so quickly that our company structures were not properly set up, which resulted in unnecessary costs,” O’Doherty acknowledged. “However, we still managed to work on some great projects during the Saudi Seasons initiative in Jeddah, Riyadh, Abha, Hail and Al Ulla, including the Formula E, Saudi International PGA Golf Championships, numerous concerts and some very large-scale EDM events.

We have since opened our local company in the Kingdom and have established a fully functioning yard with offices and maintenance teams.”

‘STRONGER, LEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT’ Of course, the biggest challenge that the entire world needs to overcome at the moment is the COVID-19 pandemic and, like the majority of companies, Al Laith has felt the effects. “The transition from being on a high and then the next week going to zero demand has been an enormous challenge,” English reflected. “Amongst the hardest hit sectors in global economies have been the events and oil and gas industries – both of which we are heavily reliant on – yet,

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we have remained focussed on the key areas of maintaining a sustainable business through cash collection initiatives, looking after the wellbeing of our people through upskilling and training, and supporting the communities around us through funding initiatives that help those in need.”

The CEO was, however, able to report some positives in these trying times. “Fortunately, Al Laith is a diversified business and the wider CG Tech group is even more diversified,” he explained. “As a result, we were involved with the construction of the new temporary COVID-19 quarantine field hospitals in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi under Al Fares. This has allowed us to remain somewhat active in a depressed market environment.”

He added: “The real challenge remains understanding when the industry will return to some state of normality. The unknown really makes decisions difficult and planning ahead is tough, but in the meantime, we are undergoing training, product development, rebranding and taking the opportunity to update our digital platforms and operating systems, so we can

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“Al Laith has been trusted by clients for 25 years and this is an honour we take very seriously. We are humbled by the support they have given us over the years and look forward to building on those relationships. ” Jason English, CEO, Al Laith

come out from this period more efficient, so we can deliver even better solutions for our clients.”

James Finnigan, COO, pointed to the company’s ethos as a major source of strength.

“Al Laith was started as a family cultured business 25 years ago and it remains a family cultured business today,” he stated. “In addition to this, we are focussed on developing our people and becoming a learning organisation that provides solutions to customer problems, whilst building a digitally connected business, so that we can achieve our vision of being the best-in-class provider of solutions and services to our target markets across the Middle East.”

According to English, the short-term goal for Al Laith is clear: “To navigate our way out of the

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COVID-19 pandemic whilst impacting as little as possible on the people and communities that glue Al Laith together,” he explained. “These include our suppliers, clients, employees and communities that all rely extensively on Al Laith for different things.”

He added: “COVID-19 has given businesses the opportunity to develop their people in ways that time historically did not allow for, so in the medium term, the goal is to emerge from this pandemic stronger, leaner and more efficient.

“And finally, in the longer term, we will focus our attention on deploying solutions that solve our clients’ challenges and allow them to increase profitability and deliver superb project outcomes.” Reflecting on the landmark

anniversary, English commented: “Al Laith has been trusted by clients for 25 years and this is an honour that we take very seriously. We are humbled by the support they have given us over the years and look forward to building on those relationships.”

“We were a well-oiled machine before COVID-19, but we are more together now than ever before. It is so rewarding to see how the team has dug deep and adapted to ‘the new normal’, and I have no doubt that we will rise from this with a fresh look, a fresh feel, a fresh culture and we will be ready to serve our existing and new clients in new ways.”

Photos: Al Laith www.allaith.com

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TECH PROFILE

STRONGER TOGETHER THE UAE SHOWS ITS APPRECIATION FOR FRONTLINE HEROES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19, WITH A STRIKING VIDEO FEATURING MORE THAN 120 DRONES AND 100 EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES. TPMEA SPEAKS TO THE TEAM BEHIND THIS INCREDIBLE FEAT.

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Amid the tragic loss of life, damage to livelihoods and financial chaos brought about

by COVID-19, the global pandemic has at least had one silver lining: the emergence of a brave set of frontline workers, risking their own safety to ensure that the population has the basic necessities it so desperately needs to survive.

All over the world, these heroes have received well-deserved gestures of gratitude, from the simple weekly rounds of applause for the NHS in the UK, to the One World: Together At Home concert, broadcasted for a global audience.

When it came to the UAE’s turn to thank its key workers, the country showed its appreciation with a video that captured the imagination in typically attention-grabbing style.

A collaboration between Brand Dubai, Done Events, AO Drones and various government entities, the stunning video utilised more than 120 drones and 100 emergency services vehicles to create striking messages of thanks for the country’s essential frontline workers, as well as reinforce the awareness of shared responsibility in the community.

The Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, HH Sheikh

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Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, posted the video on his official Instagram account, expressing his appreciation for the exceptional efforts of frontline workers and ensuring that it had a massive reach to his more than 10 million followers.

AO Drones’ Marco Niedermeier explained how the ambitious project came about. “I had the idea during lockdown to do something special to thank our frontlines workers with a drone show and to line up police cars to write ‘Thank You’,” he began. “The same night, I called Sonu [Balchandani, Production Director at Done Events] and Girish [Bhat, Managing Director, Done Events] and we got the ball rolling.”

Bhat added: “Given the times we’re in, it’s good to speak to friends and industry peers to see how we can take this time to create something bespoke despite all the restrictions.

Marco and I spoke about how other countries and groups had come together to show their gratitude to the frontline heroes, and we thought why not create something special for the UAE?”

With a rough concept in place, Done Events and AO went about assembling a team of suppliers capable of taking on the challenge.

GTV was brought in to take care of filming; MediaPro International supplied lighting and audio; Aggreko handled the power and infrastructure requirements; and Chrysels supplied the signage and sanitising tunnels that helped ensure that rigorous health and safety regulations were upheld.

“We had to be self-sustained in our offer to the government and we decided to go with all our partners who we have long relationships with,” Bhat commented. Balchandani added: “In times like these, it is essential to work with partners who you can trust and rely on not only for their services, but you know that you will get that extra support that will make the event a success. The freedom to choose our partners really helped us to grow the event larger, as every one of them really believed in the cause.”

There were two main elements to the video: a drone show, with 120 drones creating a range of striking formations; and a display made up of emergency services vehicles, which were parked up in formation to spell out ‘Thank You’ in both English and Arabic.

“At first, we were thinking about another location for the vehicle formation, but then Girish

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“We have this amazing technology, so we thought, why don’t we use it to do something special... to say ‘thank you’ to our essential frontline workers?”

Marco Niedermeier, AO Drones

came up with the idea of using Sheikh Zayed Road,” Niedermeier recalled. Since Dubai’s strict lockdown measures meant that the emirate’s roads were deserted during the night, it was the perfect space to host the formation – with support from the Dubai government, who closed the main road temporarily to ensure the show could go ahead safely.

This particular element of the production proved to be especially challenging, as Balchandani explained: “Getting the go-ahead

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from the government departments to join hands for this and to offer all their patrol vehicles for the duration of the shoot and rehearsals was a major task,” he reflected. And even once they had secured all the approvals, the logistical headache was only just beginning. “The 3D renders and AutoCAD plans were drafted, but we had to keep in mind that if there was any emergency, the patrol cars would have to leave immediately.”

The Production Director also revealed that the emergency services drivers who were

present for the rehearsals wouldn’t necessarily be available when it came to show day, due to their different duty times. To tackle this issue, Done Events Production Manager, Burgess Elavia, came up with the idea of putting stickers on the cars, which indicated the order they needed to arrive in order to create the formation.

“This allowed us to make sure that we would be able to replicate the formation regardless of who was driving,” Balchandani commented. “It also cut down the time it took to arrange, from

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Left: Marco Niedermeier, AO Drones; Sonu Balchandani, Done Events; Girish Bhat, Done Events; Jana Schumacher, GTV; Tewe Pannier, GTV. Below: AO Drones’ Kevin and Marco Niedermeier.

two-and-a-half hours in rehearsals to just one hour and 15 minutes on show day.”

‘THERE IS NO ‘IMPOSSIBLE’’ The video begins with Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s inspiring quote: “There is no ‘impossible’ where there is faith and determination” depicted against a sweeping panoramic view of Dubai. Drone lights sketch a portrait of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in addition to images of His Highness’s famous hand salute, the earth, various messages honouring the country’s COVID-19 heroes and others reminding the public of their social responsibilities during this time.

According to Niedermeier, the idea to use his drones for such a spectacle was a no-brainer.

“We have this amazing technology, so we thought, why don’t we use it to do something special that a lot of people would see, to say

thank you to our essential frontline workers?” The drones were programmed by Kevin Niedermeier – Marco’s son – who, at just 22-years old, was an integral part of the project and the drone pilot on command. “He was fantastic,” Niedermeier reflected proudly.

Unsurprisingly, the production had to adhere to strict health and safety regulations – especially since the drone show was being flown in between two buildings, in a relatively built-up area. “We chose a perfect spot for the launchpad in a parking lot for the Mazaya Shopping Centre,” Niedermeier revealed. “We were hidden away behind a giant billboard. The police closed the nearby roads for us. This meant that we could adhere to the security distance guidelines, which is at least 50m away from any building and 100m from the audience. Everything was safe.”

As well as the normal drone safety regulations, the team also had to follow strict social distancing measures. “We managed to

have a site visit with social distancing measures in place,” Niedermeier commented. “It was a new experience for everyone.”

The Producer added that most meetings took place over Zoom or Microsoft Teams, with as many as 30 different people dialling in from various locations. “It was not a bad way to work,” he reflected. “By the end of the project, we were thinking, ‘I can’t believe how much time I normally spend sitting in traffic on the way to meetings!’ Of course, I miss the social side of it – having lunch together after a meeting – but it worked out very well and we were able to pack in much more than we would have done in the traditional way of travelling in between everyone’s offices for meetings.”

Bhat was especially impressed with how the renders translated into real life. “The storyboard, renders and animations give you a picture of what you’re trying to achieve, but nothing comes close to seeing the real thing live. As they say,

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seeing is believing,” he commented. “From the moment the first cars started arriving on site, everyone started cheering. When we saw the aerial image of the formation, we were almost in tears of joy.”

The Managing Director recalled how all the lights on Sheikh Zayed Road were switched off prior to the drone show. “It really helped to create a sense of anticipation for the drone show, and when the first drone animation appeared, everyone got goosebumps. There were several such moments throughout the whole 10 minutes of the drone show.”

The emotional intensity of the production was certainly not lost on Bhat, who praised the whole team. “I was most pleased with the emotional touch and how that was conveyed to the audience through the video. Thanks to GTV for making sure that we captured the right moments and doing such a great job of editing it so everyone at home could feel as connected and inspired as we were.”

Tewe Pannier, Founder and Principal of GTV Film Production, commented: “After 16 years in Dubai, it was great to give back to the community. It made us really proud. Rarely has a film of ours had such an emotional reaction from people all around the globe.” Pannier reflected on

his “biggest moment” – directing 120 police cars, fire engines and ambulances down the empty Sheikh Zayed Road.

“It was incredible!” He exclaimed. “The work with the other partners was super smooth, and that was very important as the event was run like a live show. We had one shot and one shot only – luckily with 12 cameras all at once!”

‘OUR REAL HEROES’ While the drone show and vehicle formation were undoubtedly the stars of the show, the production also utilised some additional lighting and audio, which was supplied by MediaPro International. “We were thrilled to be part of this noble initiative of thanking our frontline heroes and immediately came on board to help enhance the production values of the event by providing our expertise in lighting and audio,” commented Shaam Pudaruth, COO, MediaPro International.

The supply comprised 50 SGM P10s, along with 100 double head LED City colour fixtures and 100 double head wall washers. “We used these to light up the façade of nearby buildings and the surrounding area,” Pudaruth commented.

Everything was controlled by an MA Lighting grandMA2, with a complete Luminex networking system. “We also provided multiple powered

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speakers for the overall audio on the ground and our newly acquired Motorola radios for onground crew communication for the production team,” he added.

MediaPro International’s Project Manager, Fahad Khan, along with Lighting Designers, Harold Fernandes and Christopher Dawson, were on site taking care of the technical install. “We were very pleased with the overall delivery and are happy to be part of a significant event and to play our part in thanking our real heroes,” Pudaruth concluded.

Providing the power and infrastructure for the production was Aggreko Event Services.

Regional Events Manager, Martin Nichol detailed how the company got involved: “As with most live events, there is always an element of power and distribution required, and as Done Events’ preferred power partner in the region, we were approached and asked if we would be willing to support this incentive,” he commented.

“The events industry in the Middle East lost Nigel Beaton [Managing Director of Gulf Crewing Company] earlier in the year, so, as I am sure is the case for many of the key suppliers that worked on this project, for Aggreko Event Services to be able to support this and do our part for such a close friend, and to say thank you, it was a very easy decision.” Aggreko worked

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with the Done Events production team to design a power solution that would best fit the requirements of all the various suppliers.

“We went with an N+1 solution, which handled all needs, from tool power to critical show power,” Nichol revealed, adding that the lead time from the initial contact to mobilisation on site was around 10 days.

As well as two 125 kVA generators, all cabling and infrastructure, Aggreko provided four 50m disinfection tunnels to help the production adhere to the health and safety restrictions.

“There was a large amount of background work in liaising with key suppliers, Done Events production team, from the design and delivery to the permits required to be able to deliver and execute this job due to the UAE’s sterilisation programme being in place,” Nichol said.

Aggreko Events Services’ Neal Large and Gerard McGillivray were the two project leads, who lead the project, from the design to the delivery on site and execution.

With Aggreko having worked with Done Events for more than a decade, Nichol explained

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how familiarity amongst the respective teams made this project a fairly straightforward one for them. “The collaboration between all parties was very easy and natural,” he reflected. “We have all worked together for many years on many projects and were very familiar with who we needed to speak to in order to obtain the relevant information. Working with Done Events is a very easy process – it is like one big family between their production team and their key suppliers.”

Nichol reflected on the challenge of the project: “Considering the short timescale that was given to put this production together, as well as the minimal rehearsals that were held, there was no room for error and the project was delivered absolutely on point.”

He added: “It was an honour for Aggreko Middle East to be involved in this historic project.

For Sheikh Zayed Road to be closed in both directions and with the number of emergency services vehicles and people involved, there is certainly not going to be another moment like this in our lifetimes. The end result was amazing and to be able to give back was an honour.”

Niedermeier gave his two cents on the production. “I am very happy and proud that the concept went well, and the messages, ‘Stronger Together’ and ‘Thank You’ were well placed,” he commented. “All the entities and partners who were involved came up with solutions and everyone worked together really well. I was also very pleased that Sheikh Hamdan posted the video across all his social networks. The whole project makes us really proud.

He concluded: “Everybody came up with great ideas and showed great teamwork. I’d like to say a special ‘thanks’ to Done Events, who were fantastic in terms of organisation. The video is just the start of the ‘Stronger Together’ campaign. Hopefully we will have more of these kinds of show to come.”

Photos: AO Drones & Done Events www.doneevents.com www.ao-drones.com www.mediaproav.com www.aggreko.com www.gtv.ae www.chrysels.com

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FLASH LIVE: VIRTUAL EID CELEBRATION WITH THIS YEAR’S EID CELEBRATIONS TAKING A VERY DIFFERENT FORM TO USUAL, TPMEA TRACES THE STORY OF FLASH ENTERTAINMENT’S VIRTUAL SOLUTION.

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Marking the end of Ramadan, Eid-al-Fitr is traditionally a time for families and friends to come together and celebrate the accomplishment of fasting during the Holy Month. Of course, with the UAE in the throes of strict lockdown, this year’s Eid celebration had to take a very different course to what would normally be expected. While there were no fireworks displays, grand feasts or packed-out concerts, the people of the UAE got to mark the occasion from the safety of their own homes, thanks to a ground-breaking project: Flash Live: Virtual Eid Celebration.

Produced by Flash Entertainment in conjunction with Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment hub, TwoFour54, the virtual celebration saw a selection of homegrown artists perform in the region’s first ever virtual

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socially distant concert. “We really wanted to do something special,” Flash Entertainment’s CEO, John Lickrish, told TPMEA after the show.

“The aim of this was to give people something to do inside their homes as opposed to getting together in large groups during Eid, which is typically the custom.”

Hosted by presenter Kris Fade, the show saw performances by local artists from a range of different genres, including: singer-songwriter, Danny Aridi; soul sensation, Abri; EmiratiHonduran singer, FAFA; Syrian singer-songwriter and rapper, Moh Flow, who performed with his brother, A’Y; Dubai-based jazz singer, Layla Kardan; and UAE-born Somali rapper, FREEK.

“Local artists don’t always get the credit they deserve, but our industry is built on their talents, so it was good to be able to shine a light

on them this Eid,” Lickrish commented. Flash Entertainment is no stranger to working with local artists, as it runs its annual Emerging Talent Competition (ETC), which gives homegrown artists the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage at the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix Yasalam After Race Concerts. “The winners get to perform either as an opening act for one of the headliners or on stage in another key area of the arena where people tend to congregate before the main show,” Lickrish explained.

The Eid celebration took the form of a Later… with Jools Holland style production, with each artist putting on an intimate performance in the studio, apart from Abri, who filmed his performance from home. Presenter, Kris Fade also filmed his links from home, which were played out on two large LED screens in the studio, to

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create a pseudo-live effect. “From a production standpoint, I thought it was amazing,” Lickrish beamed. “In comparison to similar productions on a global scale from the likes of the BBC, the production values were very high.”

According to Lickrish, one of the aspects that really set the production apart was the support from TwoFour54 – both in terms of facilities and expertise. “We’ve been working with TwoFour54 since inception, so the workflow was very fluid and very professional,” he recalled. “They were very easy to work with; they were professional and got things done in a very timely manner. The end result was even higher quality than I was expecting.”

Executive Producer, Kris Brady concurred with Lickrish’s assessment of the production.

“The facilities at TwoFour54 are fantastic,” he commented. “They are incredibly accommodating, and the best part was they had everything there in-house.”

Brady explained that having all the equipment already in place in the studio made putting together the setup a simple task.

“It was a case of me working out with the

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TECH PROFILE

“The quality we managed to achieve in the end shows what can be achieved in challenging situations.”

Kris Brady, Executive Producer

operations manager what we would keep and what we would lose,” he said.

Brady described the “simple” studio setup, which comprised two large LED screens – one either side of the stage; 1K and 2K ARRI lighting fixtures, a few LED washes and some ETC Source Four spots. “We also added haze and fog,” he revealed. “We were going to do a platform stage, but we decided to simplify the design by just using the studio floor.” Due to the strict lockdown

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conditions, the whole team had to get used to a different way of working. “Everything was done remotely,” Brady commented. “We couldn’t have meetings; I wasn’t able to pop over to Abu Dhabi and have a look at workflows or servers, for example. I’ve never worked like that and neither had the rest of the team or the artists, so it was a learning experience for all of us.”

Brady explained how the talent recording from their homes were supported. “We gave

some basic guidance – very simple things like try to avoid windows and certain types of lighting,” he recalled. “It probably wasn’t followed exactly to the letter, but they did their best and you can’t expect too much when someone is putting together their own home setup. Considering all the constraints we were working with, everybody did a really good job.”

Ever the perfectionist, Brady, who has spent most of his career working on scripted content,

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reflected on an area of the production that he would look to improve if he was to do the show again. “The only thing I wasn’t 100% pleased with was the screens,” he stated, adding that there was “a little bit of a flicker” and a “slight interlacing issue” that were impossible to pick up due to the lack of rehearsal time. “Honestly, that being the only thing that I wasn’t completely pleased with on a show like this is a really great result considering the circumstances,” he added.

Reflecting on the project, Brady described it as a “nod to what people can achieve under pressurised circumstances and in difficult situations”. He commented: “Throughout my career, I’ve found that in situations like this, you have to be there in person. However, with this project, we discovered that actually, you don’t

necessarily have to be there in person all the time. You do, of course, lose a bit of an edge by not being there, but the quality we managed to achieve in the end shows what can be achieved in challenging situations.”

‘IT’S HARD TO CAPTURE EYES AND EARS’ Broadcasted live on Flash Entertainment’s website and social media channels, the hour-long production saw a spike in social interactions.

Lickrish explained: “We wanted to provide some unique content to our loyal subscribers, and hopefully get a few more in the process. We had a great response from the general public. It’s hard to capture people’s eyes and ears – especially during Eid, which is usually reserved for family time – but the feedback has been very positive.

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We had a big uptake on our social channels, with an increase in subscribers.”

With viewers urged to contribute to The Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an’s Together We Are Good programme in support of frontline workers, Lickrish revealed that CSR was a driving force behind the project. “It wasn’t something that we were hoping to monetise,” he admitted. “We’ve done a lot of CSR in the past and we try to bring that in wherever possible. It’s part of every corporation’s responsibilities. We have resources and access to the public at mass level, so, working with our partners, we support a number of different good causes.”

The CEO explained how Flash as an organisation could learn from the project. “It was really about reaching out and doing new

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TECH PROFILE

“We really wanted to ensure that, if we do something for the first time, we want to set a high bar. Our mandate has always been to lead and give the rest of the industry a benchmark of where we think we should be.”

John Lickrish, Flash Entertainment CEO

things that were outside of our comfort zone,” he commented. “We know that there are going to be significant changes in the industry. Nobody is sure of the extent of the changes or for how long they will last, but we know that the live events industry is going to be deeply affected and possibly moving temporarily into different directions. So, being innovators in the region, we thought it’d be a good idea for us to take on this new endeavour.”

While this show came together quickly – “we managed to pull it together in around two-anda-half weeks” – Lickrish revealed that the idea of a virtual show had been on the cards even before COVID-19. “We’ve been discussing the concept for some time,” he commented. “We’ve always

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talked about creating unique content – that is what is going to drive people to our channels and platforms. It was good to be able to engage with the general public, too.”

Regardless of the medium, for Lickrish, quality is always top priority. “We really wanted to ensure that, if we do something for the first time, we want to set a high bar. Our mandate has always been to lead and give the rest of the industry a benchmark of where we think we should be,” he said. “We’re very conscious of the fact that the region is still seen by some as an emerging market, and we definitely don’t want to have that tag associated with us. Abu Dhabi and the UAE has the ability to host world-leading events, and we consider ourselves an important

part of that.” Now that the concept has been proved, Lickrish is open to the idea of continuing to produce further shows along the same lines.

“We created the Flash Live brand and we would like in the future to innovate under that Flash Live umbrella. Supporting the local industry and local artists is something that is important to us, and we see it continuing now that we have this model to work from,” he stated. “We’ll be continuing to do a variety of different things so that people have an opportunity to see things that they haven’t seen before. Anything that’s unique is interesting to us.

Photos: Flash Entertainment www.flashentertainment.com www.twofour54.com

game.ae PRODUCTION STUDIOS

FILM • VIRTUAL SETS • ANIMATION • PHOTOGRAPHY

+971 58 822 9000 AskUs@game.ae

GAME Commercial Photography Production LLC • STUDIO 40 • Jebel Ali Waterfront • Dubai, UAE

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INTERVIEW

TPMEA AWARDS 2020 GAME.AE PRODUCES THE FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL TPMEA AWARDS CEREMONY, TO AN ONLINE AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 600 EVENT PROFESSIONALS. JACOB WAITE SPEAKS TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCTION.

Since its inception in 2018, the TPMEA Awards has celebrated the amazing projects and the individuals responsible for the flourishing Middle East events market. Following two successful renditions of the awards, this year’s plans came to an abrupt halt due to the unforeseen arrival of COVID-19. The solution was equal parts daunting and exciting: the birth of the first-ever virtual TPMEA Awards ceremony, produced by GAME Commercial Photography Production LLC (Game.ae) – the Dubai-based multimedia, full-service production house that successfully supported the events industry and some of the most

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prestigious projects and creative content throughout the region over the past 10 years.

On the evening of the TPMEA Awards, over 600 event professionals and viewers tuned in to watch the virtual ceremony on 21 April 2020, which was broadcast live on the TPMEA Awards website and Facebook page. A familiar face to TPMEA Awards faithful, Stuee Kennedy reassumed the role of compère extraordinaire, hosting the one-of-a-kind celebrations with a special preshow segment from Event Industry Night Out’s (EINO) Stefan Wieland.

Harnessing their technical capabilities to make a livestreamed awards ceremony

a possibility was Game’s Isaac Kumer. “The Middle East’s live events sector has developed exponentially over the years,” the Creative Director began.

“Dubai is often characterised as the go-to events capital of the world. With highly talented and skilled professionals within the region as well as the imagination, creativity and strong budgets to support these initiatives, it’s no wonder why.

Consequently, the UAE has attracted some of the world’s biggest names in the live events industry over the past decade.”

Following the adverse effects of COVID-19, resulting in the lockdown of live events spaces

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Left: Game.ae’s Isaac Kumer; Below: TPMEA Awards 2020 host, Stuee Kennedy.

across the Middle East, Kumer was happy to allocate his company’s resources to create the first-ever virtual TPMEA Awards. “It’s a tragedy to see how the live events industry has suffered during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” he reported.

“We have all endured an unbelievably difficult time, so I was happy to get the call to produce the first ever virtual TPMEA Awards ceremony.”

Kennedy contacted Kumer several weeks before the date to arrange a meeting of minds with the visionary behind the operation, Mondiale Media CEO, Justin Gawne. Kumer then called upon the expertise of James Glanville to design a set based on two parts. “The core design for the virtual event came from Glanville, who then passed the project on to our animation team at Game, where we polished the backdrops, turned on the lights and laid the carpet.”

Having shared glimpses with the TPMEA team, Kumer was given creative control. He reflected: “We invited Kennedy to our studios; with ‘hair’, makeup and wardrobe complete – we loaded the script into the teleprompter and got to work. Time was not on our side, so we had to move swiftly while managing many moving parts to deliver as promised and on time.” The bottom line: “The deadline is the ultimate inspiration.”

According to Kumer, the entire process was “fairly straight forward” and followed the basic narrative of putting together an event despite factoring extra considerations once the virtual set was designed. “The most important aspect is pairing the lighting used in the virtual set to match the lighting on the subject in Game’s green-screen studios,” he said, adding that “there

are a few tricks when it comes to merging virtual with reality”.

Next was working out camera positions in the virtual set to match the angles from the shoot. “There are some existing and emerging technologies that allow you to map camera movements and positions when filming so data can be fed into the media server and then render those same angles and movements in the virtual set.” The rest, he said, was compositing, audio sweetening and colour grading.

In comparison to recent projects, Kumer dubbed the undertaking as “interesting”, with imagination and time as the key factors at play.

“We regularly provide live-feed, hi-lite film, photography coverage and content creation for various events – so in that respect we were still behind the camera. However, with this medium, we had a completely new palette to work from where the only limitation is your imagination and, of course, time.”

Kumer and his team recently worked alongside SNAP.ae and AHRT MEDIA to produce a 45-minute holographic presentation of Dubai’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where he virtually presented his notes at the World Government Summit in Dubai. “That project turned out really well,” he reminisced. “Consequently, when we start to think about events in a virtual space and combined with other technologies, it opens the doors to innovative and unique results.”

He said the team at Game were now actively looking to implement live “virtual” events into its growing portfolio of expertise and services

available to prospective clients. “In a short period of time, we have stepped up our ‘Game’ to begin producing these,” he stated. “The good news is that despite the global pandemic, we still require event specialists to produce these shows. Simply put, Directors, Set Designers, Lighting Designers, Audio Engineers, Videographers, Presenters, to name but a few, are all essential to create successful and compelling virtual events.”

Looking toward the future of innovation, Kumer believed that virtual spaces have become a great solution for event curators to continue bringing people together safely. He said: “It was a proud moment for Game to see so many people logging in to watch the award ceremony and have the ability to comment during the proceedings. After all, these kinds of events are about networking and seeing your industry colleagues and celebrating the collective achievements of the region.”

Kumer and the Game team are embracing new ways to develop the company’s growing portfolio of services, particularly when it comes to interactive content. “At Game, we are streamlining the virtual event production process, making it more visually appealing and discovering new ways to engage the audience.”

He concluded, “The industry is moving very fast and we are incorporating existing and new technologies that will ultimately allow delegates to attend events and exhibitions as avatars in a 360 VR environment.

Photos: Game.ae www.game.ae www.tpmeaawards.com

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COMPANY PROFILE

COMPANY PROFILE: NMK ELECTRONICS A BUSINESS BUILT ON LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS AND MUTUAL RESPECT, NMK ELECTRONICS IS A STALWART OF THE UAE’S ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. TPMEA LOOKS BACK ON THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY AND FINDS OUT HOW IT IS WEATHERING THE COVID-19 STORM.

Longevity is a quality that can be hard to come by in the UAE’s events industry. With the country often attracting a transient workforce, there are many cases of companies bursting onto the scene and using aggressive pricing strategies to find early success, only to disappear just as quickly as they arrived.

However, among the fly-by-night operators, the UAE is also home to a core of well-run organisations that have built their business on the back of decades of trustworthiness and mutual respect – and with a proud history of

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33 years in continuous operation, NMK Electronics is among the very best.

At the head of the company – and the man whose initials form the brand name – Nicolas M Kyvernitis started the business back in 1987, in Dubai’s neighbouring emirate of Sharjah. “There weren’t very many events going on in Dubai at that time,” NMK’s Business Development Manager, Dino Drimakis, explained to TPMEA. Having lived in Dubai since the early 1970s – initially working as a Purchase Manager for a construction company, before moving to former

Bose distributor, G&M – Kyvernitis spotted a gap in the market. “Over time, he saw that there was a growing audio-visual market, and in September 1987, he finally opened his own business.”

Initially, NMK’s sole focus was audio-visual equipment. “We would sell to end-users, to hotels and do rental gigs. It was pretty much an all-inclusive package,” Drimakis said. As the market matured and specialised companies like Gearhouse and Promedia had entered the market, NMK started to move away from rental and focus on distribution. “We started working

COMPANY PROFILE

with manufacturers like Electro-Voice and Shure, and supplying to all the rental houses,” he added.

A steady period of success followed and, by 2010, NMK was ready to expand into other territories, setting up a new free zone entity. “This allowed us to distribute throughout the region,” Drimakis recalled. “We started expanding our portfolio, supplying throughout the GCC as well as the likes of Iraq and Lebanon.”

Further expansion followed, with several new entities formed, taking the business to the next level. “We really diversified,” Drimakis commented, explaining the additions, which included Cable Tech, which focuses on cables and infrastructure; and MEI, which is geared towards backline hire. “We wanted to make sure that we added value to our clients. We didn’t want to compete, so we focused on areas where we supplemented surpluses,” he confirmed.

Meanwhile, NMK continued to expand its own portfolio, adding Bose as well as a range of lighting and video manufacturers to its roster, such as Ayrton, Epson and Luminex.

“Our business really took off around 2016 when we started rebuilding our portfolio,” Drimakis recalled. Having joined the company in 2015, Drimakis was tasked with expanding the portfolio away from it being really audio-centric, to more

of a complete solution. “We had all the clients.

We were working with the likes of Protec and eclipse already, but we were only focusing on the audio side, so even though we had an awesome relationship with them, we were very limited in ways that we could grow the business.”

As much as filling the spaces in the portfolio, Drimakis and his team were keen to work with companies that matched the NMK ethos. “We wanted to work with brands that wanted to invest in the region,” he confirmed. “When the manufacturer is willing to invest and the right formula kicks in, there’s a huge potential. We’ve seen that across the group, with almost tripledigit growth over the past couple of years.”

Speaking of the NMK ethos, Drimakis outlined exactly what he considers to be a priority for the company. “One thing we’re really proud of is that our customer service is really client-centric,” he pinpointed. “We always make sure that our clients are happy. Specifically, engaging with the industry. It’s not just supply – saying ‘here you go’ and then backing away – it’s really being there and progressing relationships, enabling a sense of community to develop. We really believe in the long-lasting relationships that we have with our clients and with our manufacturers,” Drimakis continued. “All of the

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manufacturers that we represent are specially selected, and we look to grow these relationships organically over years.”

One thing Drimakis is always keen to avoid is over-committing and under-delivering. “We try to manage expectations for both clients and manufacturers,” he said. “We like building brands and relationships organically. If you do good things, then good things generally come to you. I think we’re a testament to that.”

‘WE’RE ALL HURTING’ Of course, any discussion about the fortunes of a business in 2020 must be viewed through the prism of the all-encompassing COVID-19 pandemic. With all live events brought to an abrupt halt, the industry is facing its biggest challenge ever. “We’re all hurting,” Drimakis conceded. “This crisis is bigger than competition within the industry – it’s destroying livelihoods.

As one of the region’s most established companies that has been around for many years, we need to ensure that we support everyone in the industry as best we can.”

To that end, NMK is running a number of initiatives, with the aim of bringing the industry together in these extraordinary times. One that has captured a lot of attention in recent weeks

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is NMK Sessions – a series of fireside chats that see prominent figures from all corners of the industry discuss various issues that the sector is experiencing at present.

“We wanted to give some inspiration to the industry,” Drimakis said, explaining the motivation behind the video series. “Not from influencers or public figures who we don’t have anything in common with, but with real people who are in the same situation as us.”

So far, the videos have featured a number of industry experts and topics – from ‘The New Normal’ with 3DB’s Eddie Mulrainey, Creative Technology Middle East’s Craig Harvey, and MA Concerts’ Dan Goldberg; to how the pandemic is affecting freelancers, with Audio Engineer, Romario Fernando, Entertainer, S.J. Kennedy, Multi-Instrumentalist, Matt West, and Audio Engineer, Ethan Curry. “The freelancers episode, in my opinion, was the best one we have done so far,” Drimakis reflected. “Everyone spoke about real-life issues that have affected all of us.

Nothing is filtered. Everything is out in the open.

All we tell them is try not to swear too much!”

Available on NMK’s YouTube channel, the videos serve not only as some light relief but also as a vehicle to disseminate valuable information

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that may otherwise have been missed. And for those who have been enjoying them, the good news is we can expect to see more of the same in the future. “It’s a platform that we want to continue with,” Drimakis confirmed. “There’s so much to talk about. It’s really important for us to keep up that conversation.”

While the company has, unsurprisingly, taken a hit, Drimakis was bullish in his response. “April was one of the slowest months that we have ever had,” he acknowledged. “However, once that was out of the way, we started to see a few green shoots and business is now starting to pick up again gradually.” And despite the setback, Drimakis was proud to announced that NMK has retained all 85 members of staff. “We had to do some internal restructure and re-evaluation on salaries, but there were no job losses,” he shared.

“I believe it’s the responsibility of the managers and owners to take care of staff. You have to stick together through tough times as well as good, and we try to be as fair as possible to everyone.

We’re going to get there.”

With three main segments to the business – consumer, broadcast professional and system install – NMK hasn’t been hit quite as hard as some other companies out there with a less

diverse offering. “Even in these downtimes, we’re probably one of the healthier companies in the marketplace right now,” Drimakis commented.

“We’re trying to maintain what we have.

We’re not taking rash decisions – we’re using methodical strategies. Nothing is perfect, but we’re making decisions based on facts.”

Saudi Arabia has seen huge growth in recent years, and it is a market that NMK is keen to get more involved in, with the company set to open a new base in the country by the end of the year – pandemic permitting, of course. “There are lot of opportunities for us in Saudi Arabia and we haven’t penetrated as much as we perhaps should have done so far,” Drimakis stated.

Looking to the future, Drimakis is targeting a continuation of the steady growth and relationship building that NMK has become known for over the years. “I always want this company to be a relevant player on the market and to maintain that client-centric ethos we have been known for over the long time that we’ve been around,” he commented. “That was always our winning formula, and if we keep that up then we’ll be in a good place to continue to grow.”

Photos: NMK Electronics www.nmkelectronics.com

AFTER THE SILENCE…

TOGETHER, WE WILL RAISE THE ROOF

UNTIL THEN, PLEASE STAY #SAFEANDSOUND

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4/29/2020 1:02:14 PM

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

Interim Chairperson for the ESC, Mike Lord; Executive Director of SACIA, Kevan Jones.

EVENT SAFETY COUNCIL PUBLISHES REOPENING GUIDELINES THE GUIDELINES AIM TO SET PROTOCOLS FOR THE SAFE RESUMPTION OF EVENTS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

The Event Safety Council (ESC) has prepared reopening guidelines for the South African events industry. Produced in collaboration with the South African Event Council (SAEC), the protocols aim to assist the industry in resuming activities as safely as possible in accordance with the overall national strategies and policies.

The ESC drew on its affiliation with US-based Event Safety Alliance (ESA) and collaborated with other similar international players in putting the guidelines together, which ensured that international best practice was embedded throughout the standards.

The ESC guidelines define a five-tier event categorisation (‘very low risk’ to ‘very high risk’) with a specific set of safety guidelines per category. There is also provision made for specialist compliance staff appointments to manage the safety and prevention of exposure to COVID-19 at events.

Safety processes are outlined across all key areas of an event, including: communication; sanitisation; cleaning and hygiene; venue requirements; attendee management; event management; staff health management; and

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transportation. “The events industry already carries out comprehensive risk assessment, safety checks and logistical planning for every event, so including a COVID-19 mitigation plan as an extension of existing event planning mechanisms is easily achievable,” commented Mike Lord, Interim Chairperson for the ESC.

The ESC has already met with key government event stakeholders in Tshwane and Johannesburg, and engagement meetings are scheduled for Cape Town and other municipalities within South Africa.

The SA Event Council is engaging with the Department of Employment and Labour, Department of Health, Department of Tourism as well as the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in working together as private and public sector in further reopening the events industry safely.

“During these difficult times, we are pleased to see an organised industry coming together to embrace safety protocols that protect employers, employees and freelancers working in the events industry,” Kevan Jones, Executive Director of SACIA, said. “We look forward to fruitful and positive outcomes from these engagements. As

representatives of the events sector, we remain engaged in looking for solutions to rebuild the economy of this much-needed sector.”

The Event Safety Council Re-opening Guidelines were written in collaboration with a number of bodies including: the SA Event Council represented by the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI); The Association of African Exhibition Organisers (AAXO); Exhibition and Events Association of Southern Africa (EXSA); Southern African Communications Industries Association (SACIA); Technical Production & Services Association (TPSA); Council of Events Professionals Africa (CEPA); Event Greening Forum (EGF); Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE); Professional Conference Organisers’ Alliance Network (PCOAN); and the South African Live Performance Association (SALPA).

The result is an inclusive and informed set of Guidelines, in which the entire events industry of South Africa is well represented, and which paves the way to re-opening the sector.

Photos: ESC www.eventsafetyalliance.org

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ASTERA LIGHTS FEATURE ON LOVE ISLAND SET IN SOUTH AFRICA BLOND PRODUCTIONS INVESTS IN ITS FIRST ASTERA LED PRODUCTS FOR THE FRENCH VERSION OF THE POPULAR REALITY DATING PROGRAMME, FILMED IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Blond Productions purchased its first Astera LED products – Titan Tubes and AX3 Lightdrops – for the first series of reality dating show, Love Island France. The fixtures were supplied by Johannesburg-based distributor for Southern Africa, DWR Distribution, and delivered straight to site in Cape town.

Filmed earlier in the year at a luxury villa on

the beautiful Lothian wine estate in Elgin Valley, about an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the show saw was helmed by Paris-based Director of Photography, Florian Sinopoli, who specified the Astera LED fixtures.

The timing was perfect for Blond Productions owner, Christiaan Ballot, who was already considering making an investment in the brand after numerous recommendations. “It was really just a question of awaiting the right moment,” he revealed, “and this was it!”

Sinopoli explained that lighting the house and the cast was not a straightforward task. He was looking for a naturalistic tone and style with all the right levels and texturing to look good on camera, just as if people were in their own home

environments. “It sounds like a simple thing to achieve, but believe me, it’s not!” he declared.

There were also specific areas like the swimming pool, lake and gardens that needed special lighting to ensure they looked their best on camera. In fact, around 50% of the lighting in the house was sourced from standard commercial retail outlets and the rest was created using conventional film and TV lighting fixtures and treatments.

For Sinopoli, having a wireless fixtures like the Titan Tubes or AX3s to hand is a “must” in this scenario. Not only was he able to put lights exactly where needed without the restrictions of cables, the great thing was that “the Astera batteries are properly long-life,” he said, adding that they will go for 12 to 13 hours without needing a recharge – especially when not on 100% all the time.

The DOP also liked being able to control them from a phone or tablet using the Astera App, which he found “incredibly useful”. He added: “Also, when needed, they can be DMXcontrolled via a lighting console.” All Titan series

tubes have been developed to give the high CRI and TLCI required for film and TV, and Sinopoli appreciated all the extra effects. “I can use them for key light, background light, interview lighting and so on – it’s incredible how versatile a box of Titan or Helios Tubes can be,” he commented.

After spending three weeks on site, Sinopoli had to head back to France to work on another show just before filming started, leaving Eldridge Jacobs and Blond’s David Nhlanhla in charge, who worked with a crew of four lighting technicians from Blond. It was the first time that Nhlanhla had worked with any Astera products, and he dubbed them “great fixtures to work with – perfect for background illumination, up-lighting close-ups and many more scenarios”.

As it turned out, with the sudden spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, filming had to be cut short. However, the team managed to shoot a special finale episode just before the lockdown was imposed to wrap up the series.

Photo: Blond Productions www.blondproductions.co.za www.astera-led.com

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

PLAY IT FORWARD A FULL ROBE LIGHTING RIG ILLUMINATES A LIVESTREAMED SHOW AT MGG’S STUDIO B FACILITY, IN SUPPORT OF FEED OUR CREW. Well known for their love of high production values and visual stage presentations, South African rockers Oooth performed their new live show, Play It Forward, as part of a dynamic livestream designed as a fundraiser the Feed Our Crew NGO, raising money for freelance technicians who have been left without any income during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Broadcast on YouTube and Facebook Live, the stream – which was also in support of tattoo artists across South Africa – included interviews, features and panel discussions.

Staged at MGG’s Studio B facility – one of two such facilities at the company’s HQ in Johannesburg – the setup included a full Robe rig. MGG’s Johannesburg Studio B is the largest of the two at around 16 sq m, allowing for social distancing. It has been set up in the company’s structures warehouse since the lockdown, as MGG has reorganised and re-purposed itself to deal with radical changes in its current business.

MGG’s talented and resourceful resident Lighting Technicians, Sipho Kekana and Hein

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Ströh, worked together to design the lighting for both Johannesburg studios (MGG has a third at its Cape Town branch), and their input included specifying 50 Robe moving lights.

The setup included six of MGG’s new Robe ESPRITE Profile LED units with the transferrable engine, together with Pointes, Spiiders, Spikies, LEDBeam 150s, LEDWash 600s, DL4S Profiles, CycFX 8 and Tetra2 moving LED battens.

Most of the fixtures are LED light sources to save on daily running costs and assist with keeping temperatures lower and more comfortable without having to crank up the AC excessively. “There has been no better choice of light for us here than the Robe LED-based fixtures,” commented Kekana.

Studio B has four Canon HD camera kits installed to catch every angle, all mixed on a Barco FSN switcher with the band all utilising Shure PSM 1000 in-ear monitors engineered via a DiGiCo SD12 audio console in a totally separate control room together with a pair of L-Acoustics 108Ps for the reference mix. MGG’s

studio technical crews are working in ‘bubbles’ so they are fully COVID-19 compliant and, as with all employees and in fact anyone entering the building, there are regular temperature checks, social distancing imposed, compulsory mask-wearing and abundant sanitising facilities throughout the facility.

Reaching around 6,000 fans, whilst Play it Forward was airing, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the following day, tattoo artists and studios would be able to restart their businesses. On hearing this news, they in turn made a collective decision to donate the proceeds of the show to Feed Our Crew.

As well as MGG supporting this fundraiser, Robe’s South African distributor, DWR Distribution, was extremely proactive in the realisation of the show, and has also been an avid contributor and supporter of Feed Our Crew.

Photos: Jerome Van Zyl www.feedourcrew.co.za www.mgg.co.za www.robe.cz

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