AFRICA NEWS

The DWR team; Motlotlo ‘Mac’ Makhobotloane. Facing page: Roelof and Jurie Kruger, DWR’s Jaco Beukes.

DWR PRESENTS AV SOLUTIONS AT OPEN DAY

THE COMPANY ALSO WELCOMES A NEW MEMBER TO ITS SALES TEAM, WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF MOTLOTLO ‘MAC’ MAKHOBOTLOANE.

DWR Distribution hosted an AV Open Day on 23 March, held at the company’s offices in Johannesburg, where visitors experienced technical solutions for the AV and corporate markets from brands including tvONE, Magenta, Green Hippo, Visual Productions, Sharp/NEC, Absen, Audix, Magnimage and Quest.

“The purpose of the AV Open Day was to raise awareness regarding DWR Distribution’s offerings when it comes to AV,” said Dylan Jones of DWR, who orchestrated the event. “We wanted to attract new and current clients to come to our offices and catch up, while also showing them our products in action across the board, from events to boardroom solutions and training facilities.”

Guests were welcomed to the demo room where they could see, touch, and hear a range of equipment on display. People were also given a tour of DWR’s in-house training room and boardroom – both venues equipped with userfriendly products, from wall touch switches to speakers, LED screens and systems that create a polished solution when hosting meetings or corporate events.

While DWR has hosted numerous training days over the past two years during the pandemic, an open day fueled the team who were ready to put in every effort to make the day a success. “My highlight was during the buildup, working with my colleagues again, a deadline pending, and making sure the venue was ready for show day,” Jones said. “I was really excited about the upgrades our training room received in terms of the Quest ceiling speakers, tvONE HDMI Matrix Switcher and the NEC Display.”

The company also recently welcomed a new member to its sales team – sound, lighting and product specialist, Motlotlo ‘Mac’ Makhobotloane.

“No sooner had Mac arrived, we threw him into the deep end at our AV Open day – and he hasn’t stopped since,” smiled Robert Izzett, Head of Sales at DWR. “With a wealth of knowledge and experience, his primary role will be internal sales, and thereafter, he will assist with customer support, demonstrations and training as and when needed.”

Mac brings a wealth of industry experience, including a stint at MGG, where he gained practical insight to technical, rigging and setting up productions, as well as Lighting Technical support at Prosound and Technical Sales Administrator at Electrosonic SA.

“It’s a new chapter and what excites me is getting to know everyone at DWR on a personal level,” Mac said. “I get my gratitude by providing people with applicable solutions and being able to empower and educate others, be it through a sale, the commissioning and handing over of a system, or assisting with training.”

Duncan Riley of DWR concurred. “I’m very happy to have Mac onboard and look forward to a great future together,” he concluded. “I know he will complement the team with his passion for people and a great love for the industry.” Photos: DWR Distribution www.dwrdistribution.co.za

COOL MUSIC PRODUCTIONS INVESTS IN FENIX

HERCULES 8 LIFTING TOWERS ADD VERSATILITY TO THE PRODUCTION COMPANY’S STAGE OFFERING.

With the entertainment industry finally picking up pace after the pandemic, Cool Music Productions (CMP) has invested in two FENIX Hercules 8 front-loading lifting towers, used for lifting line array systems, trussing and LED.

A family-run business founded by Jurie Kruger in 1997, CMP places an emphasis on personal service to its longstanding clients, with its tight-knit crew headed by Kruger’s son, Roelof, who is also the company’s Technical Director. CMP supplies gear that includes two stage roof structures, indoor and outdoor PA, lighting, AV, laser projectors, cameras, JIB, Steady Cam, and NewTek TriCaster.

“We had a need to fly our PA higher, particularly for our small 6m by 4m outdoor stage,” said Jurie Kruger. “After a lot of research, we realised that the FENIX tower would cater for all our needs, and with the correct technical advice from Jaco Beukes at DWR, were able to put the units to the test at a recent music show hosted at a school in Balfour. The towers seriously drew attention! They look amazing, are really easy to use and added the touch we needed for our stage. An added benefit is that we can drop the height within minutes and we are glad we made the decision to buy the Fenix Hercules 8 towers.”

DWR became an official FENIX agent in May 2019, and less than a year later, saw the industry take a severe knock during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Thank you very much to Cool Music Productions, who are the first in South Africa to purchase the Hercules 8, the largest lifting tower in the FENIX range,” said Beukes of DWR. “In an industry where budgets are restricted and set up time is usually governed by budget, FENIX raises the bar effortlessly and quickly to the right position, saving time and minimising the cost required for additional crew.” Photo: DWR Distribution www.coolmusic.co.za

CHOOSE LIFE CHURCH PICKS SAW PIXEL PLUS SOLUTION

THE INTEGRATOR RETURNS TO THE CHURCH A DECADE AFTER INSTALLING A D&B AUDIOTECHNIK SYSTEM.

CHOOSE LIFE Church tasked Stage Audio Works (SAW) with implementing a large Pixel Plus LED wall to act as the backdrop for its stage, as well as upgrade the church’s hardware and streaming infrastructure.

CHOOSE LIFE Church tasked Stage Audio Works (SAW) with implementing a large Pixel Plus LED wall to act as the backdrop for its stage, as well as upgrade the church’s hardware and streaming infrastructure.

The relationship dates back to 2011 when the church called upon SAW to supply and integrate a d&b audiotechnik T-Series system in its main auditorium, constructed around three core line arrays, each consisting of a seven stack of d&b Ti10Ls. These are supported by four Qi Subwoofers, recessed into the front of the stage.

Grant Boswell, Technical Support Officer at CHOOSE LIFE Church, explained how the system has stood the test of time: “Recently, we had Nathan from SAW visit and listen to the system. He said that it still sounds as good as it did when it was originally installed 12 years ago, if not better thanks to acoustic treatment that has been carried out since. He also said that they wouldn’t easily be able to replace it with a comparable system today that would make a noticeable difference without spending a lot more money – a true sign of quality engineering.”

Having previously delivered such a durable system, CHOOSE LIFE Church returned to SAW when it was next in need. Due to its significant focus on streaming, the church had an interest in improving the visual experience: “Our old stage backdrop was rather boring and dark, so we wanted to brighten and liven it up to make our auditorium look more contemporary and create an exciting stage feature. A couple of years ago, we hired a screen and fell in love with it, so we decided it was time for a permanent upgrade,” declared Boswell. “We did some research and received several quotes, but ultimately decided to go with SAW’s Pixel Plus solution. They were always the favourite, as we have an excellent relationship with them and felt assured that they would deliver a premium quality product.”

For the primary solution, SAW implemented a 108-panel Xcell-i LED wall from its Pixel Plus range. “This visual element will greatly improve the quality of our livestreams, especially with the additional upgrade to our video framework throughout our facilities,” said Boswell.

SAW upgraded to HD-SDI cabling for all projectors and equipment in the auditorium, additional rooms, and foyer. Likewise, the team upgraded their original streaming PCs to a more sophisticated network of custom-built Dream Machine Light PCs.

On a software level, the integrator galvanised the adoption of ProPresenter 7 and supported the transition towards the Resi streaming platform, affording the church increased flexibility and scalability.

“We are loving the new look,” affirmed Boswell. “The colour and movement in the background makes our stage look even bigger and more impressive and eliminates the dark spots we previously noticed in our playbacks.

“The experience has only served to strengthen what was already a strong relationship with SAW, that predates even the 10 years that I’ve been working at CHOOSE LIFE Church,” he continued.

“They have proved time and again their ability to provide industry-leading solutions. This, combined with their willingness to help, provides exceptional peace of mind. We are extremely comfortable with SAW and appreciative of their support, their professionalism and expert advice.” Photos: Stage Audio Works www.stageaudioworks.com