For The Technical And Production Professionals in Asia
AUGUST 2019
The Bicentennial Experience: An Immersive Multi-Sensory Show
Creative Automation is the New Medium
Why Did Sydney Theatre Company Switch to CORE by DPA
Alex Scholesser Shares: It Will All be Software One Day www.e-techasia.com
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CONTENTS
3 AUGUST 2019
57
46 IN THIS ISSUE
VOL 20 ISSUE 08 AUGUST 2019
04 FIRST WORDS 06 NEWS 39 VIDEO FILES 40 ENNOVATIONS EXHIBITION REVIEW 44 SLV Symposium 2019 SPOTLIGHT 46 Creative Automation is the New Medium
ALEX COLUMN 48 It Will All be Software One Day
LIVE 50 SINGAPORE: From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience 54 AUSTRALIA: AGB Events Creates Spectacular Light and Sound Event 56 AUSTRALIA: Show Systems Australia Tells DOWNTOWN Story in Colour 57 DUBAI: Awe-Inspiring Opening Ceremony for 2019 Pakistan Super League 60 JAPAN: Moment Factory Connects Cultures LIVE VENUE UPGRADE 64 DUBAI: Government of Dubai Media Office Upgrades Audio Facilities at World Trade Centre HQ 66 AUSTRALIA: Sound Adventures Makes Auspicious Début at Cho Kabuki
68 MARKET PLACE 69 EVENTS CALENDAR
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
FIRST WORDS Concepts and reality meet when an event or space is being planned. It becomes more challenging when reality deals with technology. The Singapore Bicentennial Experience coverage in this issue highlights how the technical team and the creative team had to collaborate and think of ways to achieve their objectives to ensure an immersive experience for guests. The additional challenge was in transforming a building that in essence, was not meant to hold an exhibit! The production industry generally faces such issues, but perseverance, tons of research and hard-work generally pays off when they can accomplish objectives. Two other contributed articles made me think of where our industry is heading towards the future. It is not that I was not aware, but it seems that what we think is in the future is happening now. Our regular columnist Alex Schloesser highlights about software becoming more influential in our industry whereas CAST’s Andrew Gordon, talks about a new wave of Automation where creatives are beginning to realize the potential of Automation to increase efficiencies, with some using technology to create new forms of expression that reflect the Digital Age and all its possibilities. Enjoy the read! Thomas Richard Prakasam Publisher / Editorial Director thomas@spinworkz.com
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AUGUST 2019
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Disclaimer : Entertainment Technology Asia is published 12 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies. Please be informed that products and company names mentioned in this publication may be protected with tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Our non inclusion of such symbols is not an indication of us not recognising the copyright but rather to have a common look across our articles. Misuse of tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks is strictly prohibited. It is the obligation of our readers to check if company names and products are protected with tradenames, trademarks or registered trademarks.
NEWS
6 AUGUST 2019
JAPAN
Modulo Pi’s Media Servers Enliven the “In Goude we trust” Exhibition
Hosted at the Chanel Nexus Hall in Tokyo, an exhibition mounted by French artist Jean-Paul Goude highlights some of his greatest collaborations with the Chanel high fashion house. Working on the AV set-up for the project, French company Cadmos selected the Modulo Player media server for this creative exhibition. Jean-Paul Goude is a French graphic designer, illustrator, photographer and advertising film director. For 20 years, he has been collaborating with Chanel, producing some of the most iconic campaigns of the high fashion house. To celebrate the artist’s creative work and collaborations with Chanel over the years, the Jean- Paul Goude Studio mounted the exhibition “In Goude we trust”. In charge of the AV set-up for the exhibition, Cadmos relied upon 3 x Modulo Player, Modulo Pi’s versatile media server solution. To deliver outstanding image quality, the Modulo Player units were reading uncompressed content and Apple ProRes sources.
When dancers came performing in front of this installation, their head, hands, and feet seemed to set alight. “Thanks to Modulo Player, we could easily position the flames on the dancers’ bodies” explains Roman Hatala, Director at Cadmos. Finally, the last Modulo Player was used on an installation featuring a Chanel No.5 bottle. Famed fashion designer Coco Chanel appeared in hologram form within the bottle to tell about her story. Modulo Player enabled displaying and positioning the 4K video of Coco Chanel, as well as lights to magnify the bottle of perfume: “The XMap function within Modulo Player helped us project lights onto the bottles’ edges, lighting up the scene for a better result” says Roman Hatala. Hosted for the first time at the Chanel Nexus Hall in Tokyo in late 2018, the creative exhibition will run in other cities in the coming months. www.modulo-pi.com
First unit of Modulo Player was used for “So far so Goude”, a 90 minutes retrospective film providing an overview of Jean Paul Goude’s work. The second Modulo Player was dedicated to “the fire”, a double-way mirror with hidden screens.
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NEWS
8 AUGUST 2019
CHINA
Live Legends Utilises disguise to Power Dynamic Shows at Nightclubs Across China
When Creative Director Daan Oomen of Amsterdam-based live experience architects Live Legends created turnkey show experiences for a series of nightclubs in China, he turned to disguise pro range media servers to drive dynamic LED video screens at each location. Daan developed the concept design for the clubs, including the interior design; lighting, video, laser and motion design, and show production. He and his team also trained local crews to operate the shows to international standards. disguise media servers were chosen for their reliability, flexibility and ease of use in these high-profile permanent installations. The first ‘One Third’ club opened in Beijing at the end of 2017 with the concept of bringing an old factory building to life. The windows of the factory are embedded with 3mm LED video screens, which tell the story of the factory’s past, present and future. Live Legends produced six different timecode shows with dancers. The shows are programmed and locked so the local crew can run them throughout the night. A smaller club related to One Third, ‘OTKun’ opened in Kunming last February. Its concept embraces the power of darkness in the night and features massive LED video screens and organic forms in rectangular and cubic shapes. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Most recently, Hangzhou has expanded the clubbing scene with the launch of a brand new ‘One Third’ club adjacent to the new Cirque du Soleil Theatre. Similar to its predecessor in Beijing it’s built in an old factory – a former foundry turned train station – where the history comes to life for clubgoers via a large scale LED video canvas. With One Third already recognised as the gold standard of nightclubs in China, Live Legends was asked to bring its extensive skills, knowledge and vision from the world of live events to the second location of the club. “We delivered all the creative elements from concept to execution, including show production and interior and technical design, which required coordinating all the visual disciplines and optimising the guest experience with flair and imagination,” says Daan. Regarding all the Chinese clubs in Live Legends’ portfolio, he notes that, “the pixel maps of these clubs are insane. OTKun’s screens are 26K wide by 4K high, so the only choice to power them was using disguise. We also wanted a show control solution that the local teams would find easy to use. disguise made it possible to hook all the elements together and, using a simple touchscreen, access the whole system and start a show with the touch of a finger.”
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“disguise media servers are capable of pushing all these pixels while remaining stable,” emphasises Dave van Roon, Video Specialist and disguise Programmer at Live Legends. “We love the flexibility of the system as we have timecode shows followed by input from the local VJs mixed with pre-programmed base theme looks.” “On our shows everything is connected,” Dave explains. “With SMPTE and UDP, for instance, the lighting desk will follow along with the shows so video, lighting, special effects, motion and lasers are all in sync. Once the system is programmed we go back home and the local crew, with no prior knowledge of disguise, has to operate it. So I developed a touchscreen interface with easy-to-use buttons. To start a show all they have to do is select which show to play and press ‘go.’ If the VJ feed is still on the screen it will fade off before the show starts. And since it uses disguise Telnet communication, the interface is fast and always works.” Dave notes that disguise was critical during the pre-production stage of each of the clubs as well. “We programmed all the shows in our studio in the Netherlands using disguise Visualiser and the Lightconverse 3D show platform. This way we could test all triggers and see how the content would work with the lighting, motion and lasers. So when we arrived at the venue we could focus on troubleshooting and tweaking the details,” he says. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
10 AUGUST 2019
“With projects of this scale there is a chance that the actual LED video screens are built slightly differently from the drawings,” Dave notes. “But within disguise content mapping is conceptually separated from output mapping so you don’t have to worry about that. You can program the show as designed and use the output feed to make sure it looks exactly the same.” For the club projects Stefan Peters was the Art Director, Serge Patist the Lighting Director, Muen Huang the Technical Director, and Dave van Roon and Rody van Gessel the Video Specialists and disguise Programmers. Other team members were also involved. www.disguise.one
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NEWS
12 AUGUST 2019
AUSTRALIA
The P.A. People Delivers Full Comms Plus ‘Silent’ & Live PA For 6,000 Seat Conference! At a recent international conference held in Sydney, The P.A. People provided an intricate Clear-Com system, incorporating over 30 desktop panels, 85 FreeSpeak II wireless belt packs and 20 IP transceivers supported by the venue’s fibre network to provide seamless wireless communications coverage over five exhibition halls, two theatres, one ballroom and a quantity of breakout workshops and AV control rooms. A comms team of three managed the needs of around 120 event crew. An engineer monitored the system, battery life and performed live configuration changes as user numbers varied or event staff were re-deployed to different areas while two field engineers supported the event crew across three linked buildings. This ability to communicate
across such a large venue provided a new dimension in agility and flexibility to the production team in responding to the minute to minute needs of the event as well as providing deep links into each “show” for the executive producers. As part of a turnkey system, The P.A. People provided 6000 seats of ‘silent PA’ utilising low power FM transmitters in 5 separate purposebuilt theatres of around 1200 seats. Each had its own FM technician for audience support and off-air monitoring for quality control. Added to the silent PA were three live PA systems. One was integrated into an exhibition stand theatrette and two further systems provided reinforcement in draped theatrettes, complicated by being side by side. The PA People’s Bose ShowMatch rental system featured in the two theatrettes to provide a listening experience with plenty of dynamic range for the on-screen content and clarity for the spoken word with very little acoustic interference between rooms. Two audio engineers operated and managed the Bose ShowMatch and exhibition space PA systems. www.papeople.com.au
GLOBAL
MA Lighting Determined to Wipe Out Product Copiers Additionally Sound Check Exhibition in Mexico and Palm Mumbai in India were a huge success this year as compared to last year, there were nearly no copies and no catalogues to report. Furthermore MA Lighting has been busy in the internet as well. Hundreds of announcements for fake consoles on social media portals have been deleted so far.
For the past few years MA Lighting has followed its strategy against counterfeit products. This resulted in multiple actions at several tradeshows, e.g. Prolight + Sound Guangzhou, GET Show, Sound Check Exhibition and Palm Expo India, where fake consoles were removed from the booths or the respective catalogues destroyed by the officials. Even some of the booths were officially closed. At Prolight + Sound Guangzhou MA Lighting could also rely on the great support of the organizers that were keen to remove the fake consoles and catalogues. At GET Show MA was assured that no copies will be tolerated at the tradeshow any more, not even for booth lighting control. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
MA Lighting would like to stress again, that copying its products is a crime and will be punished with all legal consequences. www.malighting.com
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NEWS
14 AUGUST 2019
AUSTRALIA
TDC Announces LIVE View Signage for Event Information Management View Signage helps deliver the communication necessary to respond to changes in the event environment. Because the system is cloud-based, it is both very straightforward to install and immensely scalable – from corporate events to city-wide festivals, such as this year’s Vivid Sydney. Vivid Sydney used 14 high resolution, five metre diagonal LED screens installed at strategic points throughout the city. “Sydney is a global, connected city that offers visitors and residents a highly desirable lifestyle,” said Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer and Vivid Sydney Executive Producer Sandra Chipchase.
Technical Direction Company has announced availability of its unique, innovative LIVE View Signage solution to provide visitor information and help manage traffic and pedestrian flow at any event where numbers of people are gathered – from conferences and exhibitions to city-wide festivals and other major public events. The introduction is another development in TDC’s range of Live View deployments including Automation, and Gaming systems. The types of information that Live View Signage can show include event news, wayfinding, public transport schedules, weather updates and much more. The system made its debut at this year’s Vivid Sydney. “This innovation is something people might not associate with a company widely regarded as first and foremost a video company,” said Michael Hassett Founder and Managing Director at TDC. “What LIVE View Signage does, however, is to bring together the extensive experience and expertise we’ve built up over many years in video, screens and major events to create a solution that uniquely addresses the needs of anyone organising a large gathering of people – whether hundreds of them or thousands of them.” “City-wide festivals, for example, are becoming increasingly commonplace, often attracting hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors – on occasions such as New Year’s Eve,” Michael continued. “They can, however, be extremely challenging for the organisers. Traffic diversions may be put in place, or public transport schedules may change – and the requirement is to communicate this kind of information throughout the festival, to increase safety, convenience and enjoyment. That’s what LIVE View Signage is designed to do.” In a typical large event scenario, there can be enormous numbers of people – unfamiliar with the city - all trying to find the same venue heading in the same direction, potentially causing congestion and representing a safety risk. In response, the authorities may look to reroute them or to close some roads to traffic. A failure somewhere in the public transportation system may require visitors to be diverted to alternatives. Or: some kind of emergency situation can arise. LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“At Vivid Sydney this year we wanted to connect with our visitors via a new platform to provide them with timely, relevant information about their surroundings and enhance their time in the city. “One of the main benefits of the TDC LIVE View Signage is its dynamic capabilities, allowing us to change messaging in real time in response to events,” Ms Chipchase continued. “We worked alongside key stakeholders including NSW Police, traffic management, Transport for NSW and other authorities to communicate clearly and efficiently with our visitors. This innovative signage helped us manage footfall of over 2 million people over a period of three weeks. It made a huge difference to the event – and, we believe, made it a safer, more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.” The LIVE View Signage system at Vivid Sydney was controlled from a command and control centre provided by TDC, which also housed screens connected to cameras located at key points throughout the city. However, because the system is web-based, it can be controlled by anyone from anywhere with an Internet connection and a browser. This also allows event management to be a truly collaborative process. Presentations at conferences or performances at festivals can also be streamed to LIVE View Signage screens, as can social media feeds, news/sports and so on. Beyond this, the cost of deploying LIVE View Signage can often be defrayed by offering advertising opportunities. “LIVE View Signage is, in effect, a digital signage system with its own content management system that is specifically designed for easily, flexibly and responsively managing information flow to everyone participating – either directly or indirectly - at an event,” explained Drew Ferors, Technical Service and New Media Manager at TDC. “There’s a number of potential applications that it can be used for: we’re working on conferences, AGMs, corporate events and so on – all of which can use the purpose-designed capabilities of LIVE View Signage.” www.tdc.com.au
Enriching learning experience and internal meetings
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NEWS
16 AUGUST 2019
SINGAPORE
Riedel’s Bolero Provides Comprehensive Theatre Communications at Lasalle College of the Arts
Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore
Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore’s only dedicated contemporary arts college, has installed Riedel Communications’ Bolero wireless intercom in the school’s renowned Singapore Airlines Theatre. With its high audio quality and RF robustness, Bolero streamlines staff communications and facilitates the production of a broad range of performances. Operating in standalone mode, with no Artist mainframe required, the plug-and-play solution enables the technical crew at Lasalle College of the Arts to set the system up quickly at various locations across the campus. “When we needed to upgrade our wireless intercom capabilities to keep pace with the demands of modern theatre productions, Bolero was the perfect choice. We were well aware of the outstanding reputation of Riedel products, and we knew Bolero would provide a stable and reliable solution,” said Patrick Wong, Senior Technical Officer, Lasalle College of the Arts. “It was immediately apparent that Bolero would provide much better range, better audio quality, and a richer set of features than our previous system. Bolero is the ideal solution to take Lasalle safely into the future, with the flexibility to expand into a more complex intercom configuration when the need arises.” Lasalle chose Bolero on the recommendation of Riedel’s local partner, AudioLink Solutions Pte Ltd. Key factors in selecting Bolero were the system’s ease of deployment, ability to scale to different sizes of events, and straightforward user interface. The Lasalle technical crew especially
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
appreciates the ability to achieve full coverage over the entire facility with just a single antenna. But it was Bolero’s capacity to interface with existing intercom systems via Riedel’s NSA-002A AES67-to4wire interface that ultimately sealed the deal.
Patrick Wong and Zahidi Bin Hamid from Lasalle College of the Arts
“Lasalle is highly regarded for its cutting-edge educational programs in contemporary arts and design,” said Rajveer Singh, General Manager, ASEAN and South Asia, Riedel Communications. “This installation is an outstanding example of how Bolero can fulfill even the most demanding communications requirements in live-performance theatre settings.” www.riedel.net
SHARING THE ART OF SOUND
Yamaha staff love to share their knowledge, experience and passion for sound and for professional audio systems. That’s why we have been proactive in developing and maintaining education and training programs for our customers since the early 1990s. Originating in Japan, Yamaha has now established training facilities around the world, reaching over 100,000 people in more than 50 countries. If you work with sound and have a particular technical demand, Yamaha is likely to have a course tailored for you, whether you are a volunteer or a seasoned professional. Feel free to share a little of your time with us: search for available Audioversity seminars at http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/
NEWS
18 AUGUST 2019
CHINA
Xi’an Strawberry Festival Tastes Sweeter with Martin Audio W8LC
Marking the start of the summer season in China, the Xi’an Strawberry Festival was one of the first major multi-day festivals of 2019 and featured a Martin Audio PA on the main stage. The event included multiple stages, many top Chinese acts and unique indie foreign acts over the two days. The festival included Chinese rock legends New Pants, well known R&B singer and producer Fang Datong, creative singer Wang Shi’an, Tizzy T & Man Shuk, the young generation’s leading female rapper Wan Nida, and avant-garde Japanese act Yahyel. Modern Sky, the company behind the Strawberry Festival and a number of other large music festivals, has a long-term relationship with Beijing Pacific Budee and Martin Audio that dates back to 2012. Since then, the Strawberry Festival has been held over 75 times in 27 different cities and Martin Audio’s line arrays have always played a key role. In Xi’an, it was the classic W8LC that helped to unite the audience, and production deployed 24 W8LC elements a side, with 16 WS218X subs.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“Modern Sky have been big fans of Martin Audio for many years and regularly use it at their indoor and outdoor venues. For Budee, we are happy to supply them with all their needs and have worked well together,” stated Brandon Chemers, Budee’s strategic alliance manager. The festival brought a new youth spirit to China’s old capital and started off the season on a rocking note. martin-audio.com
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NEWS
20 AUGUST 2019
AUSTRALIA
Eventec Takes Over PR Lighting’s Australian Distribution
Eventec Team
Major lighting reseller, Eventec has been appointed PR Lighting’s new exclusive Australian distributor. According to Eventec MD, Emanuel Maniatis, “Given the prior relationship between PR Lighting, and notably Sasha Xiong, with myself and our operations manager Yan Shao, it seemed obvious that Eventec would be in an excellent position to bring PR Lighting back to Australia.” Xiong herself said she was “thrilled” by the new relationship. “Emanuel Maniatis is an old friend of PR Lighting, and his extensive knowledge about our products, the industry and the market trends makes this an ideal partnership. “I believe Eventec can offer high quality service and support, and take PR to another level in Australia and benefit all our customers there.” Maniatis had formerly been the service manager, and later purchasing manager for one of the previous distributors for PR Lighting, dating back to the days when the manufacturer was an OEM supplier. “PR Lighting has been in Australian for some time,” he said. “Their product is of high quality and they have a very good development team. “Up to this date we have been supplying middle-range lighting, and PR Lighting would sit in the upper range of our portfolio. Significantly, it has also introduced a large range of architectural products.”
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
He confirmed that Eventec would guarantee “top quality support and reasonable pricing” to bring the confidence back in the market, and they have wasted no time in honouring this commitment. “We have started supporting the products which are already in the market and our demonstration stock will be here during the course of late July/ early August. “Initially we will be targeting our existing client base and the brand will be on demonstration with Eventec at the next industry show, Integrate, which will take place in Melbourne, in late August.” In conclusion he says, “Eventec is a relatively new company in the Australian market, which has grown quick over the past few years. “With the lack of higher-end moving heads and architectural fixtures, as well as the excellent relationship between us, it simply makes sense that we take on PR Lighting.” www.pr-lighting.com
NEWS
22 AUGUST 2019
JORDAN
Clean Bandit Polishes Their Act with KV2 Audio Award-winning British electro-pop classical crossover band, Clean Bandit, recently played their first ever concert in the Jordanian capital of Amman at the luxurious Boulevard in the new Abdali district. Amman-based live event production specialists, Triad Live Productions, supplied all of the PA, control and lighting requirements for the gig including a comprehensive KV2 Audio point source sound system. Over 4000 fans attended the concert produced by Zeej Entertainment, a young, ambitious company committed to developing Jordan’s cultural scene by organising and promoting concerts and festivals locally. Triad supplied one VHD2.0 high performance mid-high cabinet paired with one VHD1.0 downfill per side. Two ES1.0s per side handled side fill with six EX12s for front fill. For the low-end frequencies, Triad supplied eight VHD4.18 subs and a further four VHD2.16 flown subs. Triad’s Amjad Marar is a long-time point source system user and feels that they are a more flexible way to power large-scale events than line array systems. “We used to use line arrays like everyone else, as at the time, it was considered to be the only way to successfully power major concerts. The switch to point source for us came after we heard a demo of KV2’s VHD system. From that moment on, we felt that KV2
had successfully busted the line array myth. It was enough to make us abandon line arrays completely in favour of point source systems, and we’ve used them to power almost all of the major concerts held in Jordan ever since – Akon, Yanni, Tom Jones, the Jerash Festival and much more.” “Clean Bandit – with prominent local artist, Jaafar, as the opening act – was no exception,” continued Mr Marar. “The gig sounded great – very dynamic, crystal clear and with plenty of headroom to spare. We had lots of positive comments about the sound from both the crew and audience members, so as usual, it was a job well done.” www.kv2audio.com
AUSTRALIA
Scene Change Sydney Invests in VuePix Infiled ER2 the market, and also on the experience with the technology from their other branches. “The VuePix product delivered the best combination of image accuracy, reliability and roadworthiness. A lot of our work is corporate events displaying fine software details, and the 2.9mm product delivers that nicely,” says John Dinh, Director at Scene Change.
Scene Change - Australia’s most awarded AV hire and production company - has recently expanded on its AV rental inventory in Sydney, investing in yet more 160 ER Series panels. This is the third major investment into VuePix Infiled technology from Scene Change. The initial purchase of 90x ER3.9 panels was for their Melbourne branch, followed by an additional 90x ER3.9 VuePix Infiled panels for their Brisbane office. Scene Change’s business is built around new technology and their tech experts don’t compromise when it comes to investing in the best technology available on the market. The decision to invest in more VuePix Infled screens was based on comparison of major brands on ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The Scene Change tech experts were then invited to join the VuePix Infiled team during QC process in the factory. “Seeing the building process, quality checks and the factory, helped instill even more faith in the VuePix Infiled purchase for Scene Change”, comments Nathan Wright, VuePix Infiled Product Manager at ULA Group. “We love bringing our customers to the factory to showcase our facilities and experience our first class technology in person. This is one of the factors that sets us apart!”. The new VuePix Infiled screen provides Scene Change Sydney even more versatility when offering their loyal clients first class AV productions. www.ulagroup.com
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NEWS
24 AUGUST 2019
GCC
Astera Chooses NMK Electronics for GCC distribution throughout the region, there is a big push on being carbon conscious, so LED is clearly the direction of the future. Astera’s range of entertainment and architainment LED lighting has been used to illuminate numerous high profile and world-class events. The dynamic range of eco-friendly portable lights can be used on stages, at live events and product launches, for TV productions, video and movie shoots as well as for illuminating buildings and public spaces, thanks to award-winning products like the Titan Tube, the Helios Tube, the AX3 and AX5. Adding to this, the AsteraApp is a key feature of the brand, offering quick, intuitive, advanced and straightforward control over multiple fixtures. “Having simple and powerful control of complex lighting programs and effects coupled with the portability of Astera means that lighting designers can focus on being creative without worrying about potential limitations like cables and rigging,” stated Darren Caithness, Lighting Business Manager - NMK Electronics.
Darren Caithness, Lighting Business Manager - NMK Electronics
German wireless LED lighting specialist Astera has appointed NMK Electronics to distribute its products in the GCC region. NMK Electronics was chosen for its vast experience and exposure in the GCC events market. The company was founded in 1987 to focus on the professional audio, video and lighting industry. From modest beginnings in Sharjah, UAE, it has grown into a leading distributor of professional AV products and musical instruments throughout the Middle East and is now headquartered in Dubai. With a portfolio of premium brands, a dynamic, knowledgeable team and a strong financial foundation, NMK is a market leader in the world of entertainment technology. True to its roots in mid-2000s, Astera manufactures innovative, cool, high-quality battery-powered lights and wireless controlled LED fixtures together with a range of extremely practical and useful accessories. Over the years, the brand has kept enhancing technology and adding unique features to its range of lights - a trend that caught the eye of the team at NMK, who serve a wide range of clients in live events and other markets who will use products like Astera Titan Tubes for a diversity of applications, from straightforward up-lighting to funky pixel mapping. NMK also sees potential for Astera in some install projects, based on the high volume and quality of the light output and the fact they can also be mains powered. Facade lighting is an obvious one, and ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
This agreement with Astera will further complement NMK’s growing lighting division. Alex Kemanes, NMK’s chief operating officer notes: “We are delighted to become Astera’s distribution partner due to their focus on invention and commitment to quality which make them a perfect fit for the GCC stage and events market. Astera has a well-established reputation in the market and we plan to further develop this”. Astera’s Sales & Marketing Director, Sebastian Bückle, commented: “I am delighted to be working with NMK and confident that we have a highly motivated, innovative, progressive-thinking and well-connected partner who will really be pushing and making it happen for us in the region.” Following an expo in Dubai earlier this year, Sebastian was impressed with the enthusiasm, drive and knowledge of the players, people and companies. “There is a lot of activity in the GCC and it is a vibrant market with huge potential for Astera, so we look forward to a busy, positive and productive long-term working relationship with NMK.” astera-led.com
COLOR RANGER Outdoor-rated RGBW Wash High CRI: 2700K~ 8000K Ra/R9 ≥ 90 EK Color Ranger at The National Stadium ( Bird's Nest ) , Beijing Olympic Park
www.eklights.com
www.youtube.com/c/EKLightingTV www.facebook.com/EKlighting www.twitter.com/EKlights
Huadu District, Guangzhou, China www.linkedin.com/company/ek-lights Email: sales@eklights.com
NEWS
26 AUGUST 2019
THAILAND
TMB Bank Invests in Allen & Heath
One of Thailand’s largest financial institutions, the TMB (formerly the Thai Military Bank), has recently undergone an audio transformation of its multi-purpose auditorium, centred on an Allen & Heath dLive mixing system. The seventh floor of TMB’s Bangkok headquarters houses the 500-seat auditorium, used for functions and meetings, interspersed with live performances. Due to the size and shape of the venue, a highly flexible and easy to use audio system was required. TMB enlisted the services of Allen & Heath’s Thai distributor, Sonos Libra (in conjunction with Multiline Professional), to deliver a solution. The installation comprises a dLive C3500 surface, a DM0 MixRack fitted with a Dante card, four DX164-W wall-mounted expanders and an IP1 remote controller. Located in a discrete control room positioned at the back of the auditorium, the C3500 surface connects to the DM0 via Allen & Heath’s gigaACE protocol. The four DX164-W expanders connect to the DM0’s integrated DX ports and are fitted into the walls at various points around the auditorium, accommodating a variety of different room configurations. Additionally, the Dante card fitted in the DM0 is utilised for audio distribution to 3rd party Dante hardware in the foyer and back of the venue. Operations such as source selection, volume control or pre-set changes within the main performance area are managed through the IP1 wallmounted controller, with wireless iPad control also possible via the ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
dLive MixPad app. dLive’s Automatic Mic Mixing feature is employed for conferencing applications involving multiple open mics. Alfonso Martin, Head Engineer at Sonos Libra, comments, “Allen & Heath’s dLive system suited the application perfectly, with the combination of flexibility, reliability and the multiple options for remote audio, both through Dante and through the gigaACE protocol. The dLive surface with the IP1 controller is a powerful combination, allowing as much or as little control as needed, and the great looking remote wall panels which allow for high input counts are one of a kind in the industry!” www.allen-heath.com
with M-F3A PRO line array EASILY SCALEABLE
PLUG & PLAY
600W DSP amplification built in
built in line length adjustment
SMALL & LIGHT A4 size / only 8 kg
EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE for small to larger venues
HORNLESS DESIGN promotes full fidelity
M-F3A PRO
is part of the M-line series Available in black & white se® Audiotechnik | Alex Schloesser (Business Development Asia Pacific) | P +65 8777 29 44 | Skype: alexschloesserkoeln | alex.schloesser@se-audiotechnik.com
www.se -audiotechnik.de
HIGH PERFORMANCE
NEWS
28 AUGUST 2019
DUBAI
MediaPro Middle East Makes Massive Robe Investment
An event production by MediaPro using Robe lighting fixtures
“Reliability” … that was a major factor for leading Middle East rental and production company MediaPro’s large investment in Robe moving lights earlier this year explained sales and marketing manager, Jinesh Nair. When it came to making a decision about expanding the moving light inventory at their Dubai HQ, the vital parameters included engineering quality and versatile features as well as an increasing demand from international lighting designers requesting Robe products on their specs. This all led to the purchase of 86 x Spiider LED wash beams, 76 x MegaPointes and three RoboSpot systems complete with the BMFL FollowSpot LT (long throw) fixture with integral camera, which has been especially designed for large arenas and stadiums. These are the first of these special BMFL FollowSpots in the UAE! MediaPro’s initial relationship with Robe dates back to 2006. Established in the UAE in 2004, the company’s modest owner has worked hard on steadily building a world-class operation with a prominent presence throughout the Middle East and Asia which is driven by his vision and commitment to delivering cool and creative results. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
After the first Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 575 and 1200E ATs, there was a bit of a gap other brands came onboard in the intervening years. They then came back to Robe – with great enthusiasm! “The products are generally in demand,” comments Jinesh. “LDs and productions are constantly asking for them, and we want to give our customers the best and most flexible options to realise their shows.” Having their own stock of new Robe products now also saves MediaPro substantially on cross rentals, in which they were increasingly engaged to give the LDs what they wanted. Their work embraces music events and an interesting mix of corporate and industrial shows, experientials and presentations across most the Middle East regions and other parts of Asia. This growing international client list is serviced from the Dubai HQ and bases in Qatar, Singapore, India and Saudi Arabia, employing around 500 people in total. The MediaPro Venues division specialises in the design, supply of installations. “When LDs know we can offer Robe for moving lights, they are satisfied,” confirms Jinesh, “especially for concert and TV studio work – where they like the brightness, and for TV, the low noise levels.”
NEWS
30 AUGUST 2019
A R Rahman concert in Doha
MediaPro will often advise on an event’s lighting design and work in collaboration with independent artists and LDs as well as providing ‘from scratch’ in-house design services if required.
“We will be getting more of them,” he says with a confident smile! All this Robe kit has been delivered by Robe Middle East, which is headed by Elie Battah.
Recent events featuring their Robes have included the 2019 Dubai Jazz Festival where MediaPro created the production design, and Virgin Radio’s RedFestDXB 2019 featuring a lighting design collaboration between their own Harold Fernandez and Miguel Galvao from Done Events.
The role and relationship with the local supplier is “fundamental” to any technology investment says Jinesh: “We need to know that there is a rock solid support system in place and that we will be taken care of after we’ve made the purchase.”
They supplied lighting kit for the much-anticipated launch of Dubai’s The Point Arena, with a show-stopping concert by Enrique, and all the Spiiders and MegaPointes were on a massive show by Indian superstar A R Rahman in Qatar’s Khalifa Stadium, where they needed the power and intensity to throw light across a 90 metre wide stage. The complete stage design for this event was produced by Harold Fernandez. They believe the BMFL FollowSpot is a “game-changer” in terms of product development. “The lights are small, and you additionally have access to the amazing range of BMFL effects” he says, also highlighting the health & safety benefits of not having to have operators up in rooves or working at heights above audiences.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“Robe is a real company with real people who are passionate about the industry, have an eye for the market and a talent for producing some exceptionally good products.” www.robe.cz
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NEWS
AUGUST 2019
INDIA
Acoustic Arts Expands Inventory with Adamson S-Series Acoustic Arts is a live event production firm based in Mumbai. They provide professional sound, lights & truss equipment for touring, outdoor events, festivals, corporate awards and presentations. The company recently expanded its audio inventory with Adamson’s S-Series speakers. The deal was done through Vardhaman MegaTech and system supplied by Adamson distributor Sonotone. Acoustic Arts’ new S-Series system comprises of 8 S10 high performance line arrays with S119 subwoofers and Lab.gruppen PLM20K44 amplifiers.
Savio Fernandes of Acoustic Arts, comments “We needed a system that sounds great and rigs easily and the S10 fit our needs perfectly. It is an excellent speaker endorsed by some of the best and busiest engineers in the business. We’re extremely proud to be part of the Adamson Network.” “Firstly, the sound of the S10 is impactful and pristine across the board. In addition it is all packaged neatly in a sub-compact lightweight system. Even the coupling of the subs to the full-range boxes is very smooth,” adds Elvis Fernandes of Acoustic Arts. www.sonotone.in
TAIWAN
Analog Way Ascender 16 and VIO 4K Support 2019 “Monster K-pop” Concert show, which featured five big OPTOTECH LED video screens of different sizes and shapes on stage topped by an huge tilted overhead LED panel. AVIC deployed an Ascender 16 - 4K powerful, multi-screen seamless switcher with LiveCore Output Expander, a VIO-4K all-inone, multi input/output solution for advanced conversion applications, and an Analog Way control box to deliver dynamic, non-stop content to fans. “Analog Way always provides a stable, rock-solid system, which was critical for a show like this,” says Peter Hou at AVIC. “The Analog Way gear gave us the excellent results we needed so we were able to satisfy the sold-out crowd.” www.analogway.com Taiwan’s Taipei Arena played host to the “Monster K-pop” concert on March 28, a show which earned its name in every way: monster pop music acts from South Korea – Super Junior, Red Velvet, Chung Ha and VAV – drew monster crowds to an extreme sound and light experience that no one will forget. The production team from AVIC System Co.,Ltd in Taiwan used a complement of Analog Way equipment to drive the video-intensive
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
AUGUST 23 -24, 2019
www.musikmanila.com
info@musikmanila.com
/musikmanilaph
NEWS
34 AUGUST 2019
MALAYSIA
Shure Axient Digital at the Milo Breakfast Day Fun Run
Earlier in the year, Tre bass Entertainment added Shure Axient Digital Beta58 Wireless Microphone x 12Ch to their inventory. On 29 and 30 June 2019, the company Tre successfully used the Shure AD series on “ Milo Breakfast day 2019� at Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur. At the event,Tre bass used the AD series to cover a 200 to 250 meter range covering 25,000 people. The challenges of transmission interference for a large open event such as this are varied with other applications such as telecom, television and pro-touring signals within the space. However Axient Digital is designed from the ground up to overcome the challenges. In the wireless environment, complex setups, high channel counts, and constrained spectrum are everyday hurdles for major events and tours. To assure the microphone could meet the most demanding wireless needs, Axient Digital was developed with input from top audio professionals. Every feature has been stress-tested. Every detail finetuned. Designed to maximize stability, quality, control, and scalability, Axient Digital is engineered for the moments that command the highest degree of attention. For Tre bass Entertainment the investment has already ripped them benefits in ensuring a smooth event in a challenging environment www.conceptaudio.com.my
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
NEWS
36 AUGUST 2019
SINGAPORE
Wings of Time Upgrades to Ensure Seamless Performance
Wings of Time is a spectacular award-winning outdoor night show set in the open seas, created and produced by a team of local and international entertainment and multimedia technology experts who have executed large-scale events and permanent shows. Located at Sentosa island in Singapore, Wings of Time runs two 20-minute shows daily. Wings of Time is an epic tale of courage, mystery and magic that transports the audience on a magical adventure through several exotic vistas through to the fabric of time. The adventure begins with Shahbaz, a prehistoric bird-like creature. Together with his friends, Rachel and Felix, they travel across beautiful landscapes and the mysteries of time. With a seating capacity of 2,500, the show is usually packed on weekends and attracts a weekday crowd of an average of 1,500 each day. Set against a signature backdrop and a larger-than-life water screen, audiences can look forward to a contemporary storyline weaved together with an epic experiential fusion of the latest multimedia effects, including 3D projection mapping, state-of-the-art lasers, robotic water fountains and giant water jets as well as spectacular pyrotechnics. Sound effects, lights and visuals play a crucial role in creating the scenes and moods together with the actors to bring the story to live. One
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
component that is critical to the success of the show is to ensure that the narration is heard crisply and clearly. With the recent Singapore Government mandated frequency management, frequencies have been earmarked for reallocation. This affects wireless systems that now need to operate in different frequencies. “We needed a wireless system that would allow us to lock-in to available frequencies with ease so that our performances during the show do not deteriorate,” said Shaun Tan, Senior Technician, Island Technical Services, Sentosa. “The regulations were an opportune time for us to upgrade our wireless system.” “We needed a robust wireless system. This space is particularly challenging for radio frequency (RF). As it is an open space and near the waters, the area around Wings of Time attracts other events that operate using frequencies. Besides, the ships which are anchored offshore also use frequencies, so it narrows what is available for our use,” added Shaun. “We decided to add the Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems to our inventory as we felt it is the best solution to meet our needs. Shure’s Wireless Workbench software allows us to see what frequencies are available visually – the built-in scanner lists all available frequencies.
NEWS
37 AUGUST 2019
Shaun Tan (Left)
Our previous system was analogue which unlike digital offered limited frequency hopping options.” Shaun highlights that the set-up for the Shure Axient Digital is simple and the technical team just needed a day for training. The Wings of Time rack features two units of Shure AD4Q Axient Digital Quad Channel receivers that offers tuning options between 470 to 636MHz. The AD4Q groundbreaking performance features include broad tuning, low latency, and HighDensity (HD) mode, ensuring solid performance in the most challenging RF environments. Four units of AD2/B87A handheld transmitters and an equal number of AD bodypack transmitters and Countryman Omni earset microphones take responsibility for vocal dispersion. Receivers include four units of Shure UA874-WB UHF active directional antennas, two units of Shure UA864 wall/ceiling antenna frequencies and two units Shure ½ Wave Omni Antennas. Six of the antennas are strategically placed atop four towers surrounding the event space. Shure’s UHF antenna uses a log periodic dipole array to produce a cardioid pattern toward the desired coverage area, achieving greater rejection of RF signals outside the area than standard ½ wave omnidirectional antennas.
“Our performers feel that the system has made the reproduced sound better and crispier. Thankfully we have had no dropouts during the performance as the system seamlessly switches to available frequencies,” said Shaun.
The Shure Axient Digital Quadversity™ mode provides the venue owners’ flexibility to combine the 4 antennas for extended coverage across the venue to prevent any drop outs should the need arises.
www.shure.com/asia www.enepl.com.sg
A Shure AXT600 Axient Spectrum Manager was also put in place to safeguard against the ever-changing RF landscape; providing the crew around the clock full spectrum analysis to prevent disruption from any rogue frequencies. Giving a peace of mind to the crew that they can react immediately ahead of time.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The Shure wireless systems were supplied and integrated by Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd.
NEWS
38 AUGUST 2019
SINGAPORE
Robe Asia Pacific Presents The Art of Light on Stage by Dr. Yaron Abulafia ELighting designing has come a long way in Singapore and the demand for excellence in lighting for performances has significantly grown in terms of originality. Robe Asia Pacific knows the importance of this and have the honour and privilege of inviting, Awardwinning performance designer, with over 200 performances, installations, concerts and TV shows internationally, Dr. Yaron Abulafia (Author of The Art of Light on Stage: Lighting in Contemporary Theatre, 2016) to Singapore.
Lights. Having worked on moving lights for more than a quarter of a century, Steve has experienced the developments first-hand. In his role with various companies, he has been supporting the development teams with his experience gathered on tours and events all over the world.
Dr. Yaron Abulafia will be conducting a comprehensive workshop on theatre lighting design. He will share his years of knowledge and experience in the field of lighting design and dramaturgy of light.
The five day presentation will be held at the School of the Arts, Singapore Studio Theatre, from 9 to 13 September with the programme kicking off at 10.30am each day and ending at 5pm.
Presenting the technical aspect of lighting is Robe Lighting’s very own Technical expert and International Customer Support, Steve Eastham. Get Ready for an overview on the history and development of Moving
To reserve your free seat register HERE.
As an Engineer by profession and a Lighting Engineer by passion, Steve will take the audience through the development of moving lights and share his technical knowledge gathered. His vast experience will be an enormous help for the working and/or aspiring Lighting Technician to get deeper knowledge of the inside and outside of any moving light around.
www.robe.cz
PHILIPPINES
Musik Manila Co-locates Entertainment Design and Technology Expo
Entertainment Design and Technology Expo, will be held alongside Musik Manila, the leading professional trade show in the Philippines featuring latest trends and top of the line equipment in Professional Audio, Video, Lighting, Broadcasting, Staging and Entertainment Technology.
indoor pro AVL booth exhibitions, interactive product demonstrations, skills workshops, live show, technical talks, and product launches.
Visitors can experience an Outdoor Line Array Speaker Demo featuring world-class premium brands in the audio industry, simultaneous with
musikmanila.com
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The Events will be held on 23 and 24 August at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila Photos courtesy of Musik Manila from 2018 event
VIDEO FILES
39 AUGUST 2019
K2: Power and Precision
Claypaky Sharpy Plus
This video highlights the features of the two versions of K2. K2 HP: 580W 6500K (high output) and the K2 HR: 540W 6000K (high CRI). Luminous Flux for the HP is 18000 lm and for the HR it is 14600 lm. The new touring workhorse, in a road-ready form factor with zero compromises.
The official product video has just been released. Sharpy Plus is the first true 100% HYBRID unit, able to be a perfect beam light and a perfect spotlight. It is suitable for every occasion, with an extraordinary luminous efficiency which ensures substantial savings through lower power consumption.
GLP KNV System
Pakistan Super League Opening Ceremony 2019
This is a video about out KNV Cube & KNV Arc showing the various mounting options and all available connectors and mounting brackets. Offering a whole new dynamic to entertainment lighting, designers can reach a whole new level of versatility and design variants.
Broadcast to over 50 million people around the world, the 60-minute Pakistan Super League opening ceremony combined mind-blowing augmented reality graphics with live performances from global acts. At the heart of it all was disguise, who powered the longest ever AR centered broadcast at this Opening Ceremony. Check out this amazing video.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
ENNOVATION
40 AUGUST 2019
Proteus Maximus Shipping as Brightest LED Profile on the Market Elation Professional is thrilled to already be shipping the 50,000-lumen Proteus Maximus, the all-purpose power luminaire that made an acclaimed world debut at the Prolight + Sound show in April as the brightest LED profile on the market. With flexible use as a profile, beam or wash light and allweather IP65 rating, the Proteus Maximus is the ideal fixture for any outdoor or indoor application requiring radically bright output, powerful beam looks, and stunningly precise gobos and colors. Its fully dust and water proof design makes it an optimal fixture for theme parks and cruise ships, and thanks to quiet operation, flicker-free functionality and DMX-controllable LED refresh rate, its on-camera impact will be welcome in TV and other broadcast environments. With projection, beam and wash qualities of the highest standard teaming with unrelenting power, and all radiating from an impressive 180mm front lens, the Proteus Maximus is all about maximum impact. Providing up to 50,000 lumens from a customdesigned high center-intensity 950W White LED engine (6,500K), it delivers an unmatched level of brightness that gives this top shelf luminaire the power to cut through, even at great distances. Maximus houses a fast and precise 5.5- to 55-degree zoom that can project a tight, compressed beam far into the night and can even be used as an extremely effective followspot. Then zoom wide for a wash of gorgeous color from a CMY color mixing system with variable CTO or access the 6-slot color wheel that includes both high CRI and UV filters.
The Maximus dims smoothly all the way to zero with smooth 16-bit selectable dimming curves included. As elegant as it is powerful, Maximus provides the designer a comprehensive FX package with 6 interchangeable rotating and 7 fixed glass gobos. Effects can be multiplied via a 4-facet or linear rotating prism and a 360° bi-directional animation wheel can be engaged to bring graphics to life. Two variable frost filters (light and wash) can be applied for an even diffusion of light when designers wish for softer gobo or soft wash effects. A high-speed iris with variable pulse effects and high-speed electronic shutter and strobe can be engaged for further impression. The Proteus Maximus also includes an indexable 4-blade framing system with full blackout shutter cuts for full control of the beam shape and projection at any angle. The Proteus Maximus is rock-solid and with on-board climate control it can weather anything Mother Nature throws at it, hot or cold. It includes a Hibernation Mode for power savings and comes with all the professional control and connection features that designers would expect from a cutting-edge luminaire. www.elationlighting.com
MILOS Keeps Your Roof Canopies Stretched TIGHT! over your MILOS roof structures, thereby reducing water pooling, wind flapping, and achieving an overall more professional look to your temporary structures. The advantages offered by the MILOS Canopy Tensioning System includes 50% higher tensioning compared to traditional stretching with ratchet straps; prevention of water pooling in the individual canopy fields; Fast and easy tightening system through the use of a coarse thread screw tensioner. The system is designed to work together with the latest range of MILOS canopies, which feature reinforced eyelets for convenient installation into the keder profiles. www.milossystems.com Say goodbye to pesky water pooling and canopy flapping in the wind. With the Canopy Tensioning System from MILOS, you are given the means to quickly and effectively stretch canopies extremely tightly ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
ENNOVATION
41
ENNOVATION
AUGUST 2019
ArKaos Launches Latest MediaMaster 5.5 ArKaos, has released the latest upgrade to its flagship MediaMaster 5 real-time video control software platform v 5.5.1. Innovation to the fore, ArKaos has made this new version available in time for the peak of the festival season, and all existing ArKaos users can download it free at: https://pro.arkaos.com/software/ mediamaster-pro/download … and start enjoying the benefits immediately. Version 5.5.1 adds new Blending and Playback Modes plus new Aspect Ratio options. The new Blending modes include Difference, Exclusion, Darken, Lighten, Screen and Overlay, individually offering an exciting expanded range of stylistic dynamics for video and visual operation which is ideal for all live scenarios and especially multi-artist events.
layer is set as 1:1 it can easily be moved into the output using the usual positional X and Y parameters.
With the new Playback mode, visual designers and operators can now separate the dimmer intensity from the playback behaviour of the clip / content source … for additional flexibility and even more imaginative breadth.
While some of these additional features are created specifically for festivals, live music concerts and outdoor events, there are many others ideal for a wide range of other / alternative professional visual applications – from corporate launches to theatre productions ... anywhere where video is being used creatively.
New Aspect Ratio possibilities enable the playback layer to be set to 1:1 filling an output space with no stretching or distortion … once the
www.arkaos.com
Truesonic 3 Series 2-Way Powered Loudspeaker
MALAYSIA SINGAPORE THAILAND INDONESIA ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
+603 8075 8990 +65 642 30682 +662 769 8199 +62 21 8082 1480
ENNOVATION
42 AUGUST 2019
Modulo Pi releases new version of the Modulo Player Media Server and Embedded Live Mixer A new version of the embedded live mixer now offers full support of the Stream Deck and Stream Deck XL control pads by Elgato. Thanks to an editor directly integrated in Modulo Player’s remote software and mixer application, operators can now easily customize the LCD keys of the Stream Deck. All parameters entered in the editor appear in realtime on the Stream Deck pads. Modulo Player and its embedded mixer can support any number of Stream Deck pads simultaneously, providing a user-friendly solution to control presets or recall tasks.
Modulo Pi has announced the immediate availability of Modulo Player v5.2, as well as a new version of its embedded live mixer which now includes full integration of Stream Deck control pads. Modulo Player is a cost-effective hardware and software system combining the extensive capabilities of a media server and a live mixer. Introduced at ISE 2019 as a world’s first, the embedded low-latency live mixer is available through a dedicated application compatible with Mac and PC. Operators can work simultaneously on Modulo Player’s software and the live mixer application, allowing cost and time saving. The mixer’s intuitive user interface allows to access Program and Preview screens, create an unlimited number of destinations and mix engines, work with presets, manage layer properties and transition effects including borders, keying, mask, fade, flying.
In addition, Modulo Player v5.2 further extends the show control capabilities of the system. On top of the existing wide library of videoprojectors, mixers, and matrices that can be controlled through Modulo Player, Modulo Pi is adding more than 40 new devices which can now easily interact with Modulo Player. The new devices include NDI PTZ cameras control, as well as a series of USB phidgets such as controllers, sensors, motors, GPIO, RFID tags, etc. Now included in Modulo Player’s internal library, the phidgets expand the interactivity and automation capabilities of Modulo Player. One can easily create tasks in Modulo Player that will trigger automatically depending on the phidgets’ variables such as temperature, humidity, lux levels, distance, and more. All enhancements and references of the new supported devices are included in Modulo Player’s new user manual. The user manual as well as video tutorials can be found on modulo-pi’s website. modulo-pi.com
High End Systems Launches TurboRay High End Systems has released the TurboRay automated luminaire. Offering a classic retro look with its radial diffusers, TurboRay brings a distinctive appearance to any lighting design. When used as a narrow-angle wash light or as a hard edge beam that produces beautiful aerial effects, the fixture is truly versatile. TurboRay’s soft edges, homogenized color and smooth dimming make for a spectacular wash. In the air or projected on a surface, the fixture’s animated gobo wheel and other features produce textures unseen in any other fixture. www.highend.com/turboray
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
43
ENNOVATION
AUGUST 2019
Voice-Acoustic Releases Version Two of its PD-32-6 Professional Power Distributor The German manufacturer Voice-Acoustic has redesigned the popular PD-32-6 power distributor. In the V2 version the user has the choice between different power outputs. Parallel to the 6 Schuko sockets, the distributor is now available with powerCON TRUE1, conventional powerCON grey and 16-pin multipin outputs. With the multipin outputs, all phases can be distributed over a Lastmulticore, example for the wiring of moving heads on the truss. The Schuko hinged cover sockets can optionally be replaced by Swiss T23 standard or French/Belgian Schuko. The precise multi measuring instrument registers extensive current and voltage measured values and also contains an operating hours counter. For increased operational reliability, the PD-32-6 V2 features RCBO combination automats as a special feature. Each automat is a 16A circuit breaker with the slow characteristic C and at the same time a Residual Current Protective Device (RCD). With conventional power distributors, the RCD disconnects all three phases from the mains like a main switch. No output then carries voltage. On the PD-32-6, only one of 6 circuit breakers trips and the remaining 5 continue to operate. This allows the fault to be located more quickly and there is no total failure of all phases.
An earthing screw is available for earthing truss or stage constructions. The internal wiring is carried out with 2.5 and 6 qmm cable crosssection. The distributor is made in Germany and delivered with a test report. www.voice-acoustic.de/powerdistributor-en.html
Audio-Technica Now Shipping Updated MicroSet Microphones Audio-Technica is now shipping the BP892x, BP893x and BP894x MicroSet headworn microphones – updated versions of its BP892, BP893 and BP894 models. Primary improvements include detachable cables and more secure ear loops for comfort and fit. All models will be available with a variety of terminations for wired, Audio-Technica and thirdparty wireless systems, and in black or beige. Audio-Technica’s high-SPL BP892x MicroSet microphone features a subminiature omnidirectional condenser capsule that delivers extremely intelligible, natural audio with a flat, extended frequency response that is ideal for stage and television talent, lecturers and worship leaders. The ultra-lightweight and inconspicuous BP892x hooks securely behind either ear and can be worn for hours without fatigue. For maximum stability and comfort, the included AT8464x dual-ear adapter kit converts the MicroSet to a dual-ear-worn unit. The BP893x MicroSet, with its extremely unobtrusive 0.2” boom, is a high-SPL omnidirectional condenser headworn microphone that offers ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
inconspicuous, under-the-ear placement, along with clear, natural vocal pickup. Its lightweight, low-profile design makes the microphone ideal for use by stage and television talent, lecturers, worship leaders and others. The innovative, high-SPL, low-profile BP894x MicroSet subminiature cardioid condenser headworn microphone hooks behind either ear for a secure, comfortable fit and delivers a flat, extended frequency response, resulting in extremely intelligible, natural audio. The microphone features a rotating capsule housing with talk-side indicator for perfect polar pattern placement and provides excellent rejection of outside noise, with exceptional gain-before-feedback when used with live sound systems and stage monitors. www.audio-technica.com/
EXHIBITION REVIEW
44 AUGUST 2019
SLV Symposium The second edition of the SLV Symposium was held from 2 to 4 July at the Quill Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event targeted at the local industry saw more than a 1000 plus visitors attending the planned workshops, seminars, loudspeaker shootout and of course viewing the latest solutions from the 28 exhibiting companies.
The Loudspeaker shootout held on the first and second day of the exhibition saw six brands participating: RCF, CODA Audio, dB Technologies, TW Audio, Point Source and Axiom. The shootout was divided into three one and a half hour sessions each day, to allow more visitors the opportunity to listen in.
Acoustic and Lighting the official Sennheiser distributor held two seminars. One was an open session introducing the XS wireless digital microphone and in-ear monitoring system targeted at the prosumer segment and the other was a closed door event for partners, dealers, rental companies and users. The closed door event touched on a range of solutions from the G4, XSW, D6000, and in-ear pro series and was presented by Garry Tjhin from the Sennheiser Asia office.
Constantly busy the Total Solution booth featured thirteen brands. Key among them was the grandMA 3, Christie’s Pandora Box, the Varilite 6000 and Follow-Me solutions. This photo shows the TSM team with MA Lighting’s Franco and a figure that I was pleasantly surprised to see at the show because he is almost always busy with projects, Lighting Designer Steve Nield (second from left).
Electronics & Engineering Sdn Bhd held a Drum Tuning and Miking Techniques workshop on the 2nd and 3rd July, at their booth. The one hour session saw an enthusiastic response. Malaysia’s top pro drummer from PAE, Sembah Bumi did the drum tuning demonstration whilst multi-award winning sound engineer, Rahmad Kamikza went about sharing with the audience about miking techniques for drums, with the help of Sembah. More importantly, E&E took the opportunity to demonstrate the JBL VTX-A8 at the exhibition. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Novastar showcased its NovaPro UHD Jr 4K controller.
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Visual Contact’s Tommy highlighted that on display was the Analog Way Aquilon LivePremier series as well as Renewed Vision PvP3 media server, among other solutions.
Kenneth Ang(L) of TeamGrey that carries a large inventory of CODA Audio speakers, with the brand’s regional representative James Yeung. On display was a full range of CODA Audio solutions from the APS, HOPS8, ViRAY, TiRAY and LINUS14D.
The Magnimage booth saw quite a bit of interest. The company showcased their V8 seamless switcher as well as the H6 Video Wall Controller.
The PFKTruss and KS Asia Flooring team. On display was PLUSSTRUSS truss, stage, barrier and aluminium accessories as well as KS Asia Flooring’s modular sports flooring for indoors and outdoors as well as turf protection flooring.
INFiLED highlighted their various pitch LED solutions.
The beer brigade? ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
A personality that had uprooted from Malaysia and worked in India for a long number of years popped up the exhibition. It was really good to see Andrew John.
SPOTLIGHT
46 AUGUST 2019
Creative Automation is the New Medium An Entertainment Technology Asia magazine Exclusive with Andrew Gordon, Vice President of Business Development at CAST Software and author of the Automtd Andrew blog. In the midst of a new wave of Automation Anxiety, creatives are beginning to realize the potential of automation to increase efficiencies, with some using technology to create new forms of expression that reflect the Digital Age and all its possibilities. The word “automation” has implications of replacing work altogether, but what it really is, is a technology like any other: it’s meant to give us more time for ourselves by speeding up the parts of our jobs that seem mundane and repetitive. Artificial intelligence, after all, is still designed by us in terms of its capabilities and commands, and it will help us do whatever it is we need help doing, but it will not be capable of true human creativity, which is borne of natural necessity, that is, impulse, decision-making, experience and emotions.
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Computer Music vs. Computer-Aided Music While AI is indeed infiltrating many creative arenas, it has been very apparent in the world of music. MuseNet, for instance, is a deep neural network that generates “4-minute musical compositions with 10 different instruments, and can combine styles from country to Mozart to the Beatles.” Both examples have been extremely successful in doing what they propose, which is to replicate existing musical styles of “real” artists and composers, but it will take a bit more time before anyone can expect a computer to compose music based on their own thoughts and emotions. While some have focused their algorithms into replicating musical styles, others have been using the advantages of machine learning as a part of their composition process. A most notable example is Google’s Project Magenta, launched in 2016 with an aim to push the boundaries of “machine learning as a tool in the creative process”. An open source research project, Magenta is a playground for musicians, artists and developers alike, allowing them to explore machine learning as the foremost musical instrument of today and tomorrow. Unlike some music-writing programs, Project Magenta focuses on the integration between technology and human creativity, with an emphasis on just how limitless the possibilities can be when we combine the two.
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Sougwen Chung, Drawing Operations Unit: Generation 2 (Mimicry), 2016 — — NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC], Tokyo Japan — — Courtesy of the Artist — — sougwen.com
Better Together Outside of the musical realm, there are still many instances where automation has been extremely valuable when used as a tool or extension of human creativity. In 2012, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation sponsored a prize welcoming programmers to design an automation software that could help grade essays in state tests. The best of 159 submissions produced scores that were nearly identical to those graded by humans. These scoring programs did not assess the merits of the essay; rather, they mimicked how a trained educator would have scored the essay, acting as an extension or clone of that educator in completing the task, and directly decreasing time and associated costs. In a more collaborative application of creative machines, the robotic drawing arm by Sougwen Chung, known as DOUG 2 (Drawing Operations Unit: Generation 2), utilizes neural nets trained on Chung’s drawing gestures to learn the drawing style of the artist. At its core, the project “explores the artistic potential of human and robot collaboration”. The result is not only a stunning collection of complex lines and patterns, but also a live demonstration of a machine working alongside a human to create something original and otherwise unattainable. We Define Creativity By understanding what machines can replace in a creative process, we are discovering more and more that a lot of the creative work we do involves repetitive tasks that can be easily automated. The things that cannot be automated are also the things that we struggle to define
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for ourselves. Fleeting definitions of trends and taste, for instance, are decided on by the direction of humanity, which is unpredictable even to the most developed of machine algorithms or mathematical formulas. Take Amazon’s fashion helper, the Echo Look – A “hands-free camera and style assistant.” With Echo Look, users can take photos and videos, then ask Alexa for styling advice based on current trends. However, Alexa lacks the spontaneity and out-of-the-box thinking that helps dictate fashion trends. On the contrary, Alexa tries to match your outfit with the outfits that are already in the box. Trends tend to be very arbitrarily decided on by humans; in fact, most of the time, the most successful designers are the ones who subvert trends. In that sense, the Echo Look is nothing more than a second opinion – not to help you create your own style, but to make sure you don’t look bad. While artificial intelligence has been extremely helpful in sorting and organizing data to produce coherent analytical results, they are still far from capable of being creative – that is, the power to create and dictate trends and taste. When we praise art, it is a testament to the human ability to create and innovate, not necessarily the result of said creativity. With a defined objective, automation can help simplify, enable and even invent forms of expression that were once nonexistent. By integrating technology with art, we are defining the new era of human creativity, marked by advances in science and our ability to create anything out of our environments. automtd.co
ALEX COLUMN
48 AUGUST 2019
It Will All be Software One Day… All of us audio people are gearheads and that is good and healthy too. It also helps the industry and the manufacturers who are happy to sell and supply us with all this gear. However, we all cannot ignore that more and more of what we are dealing with every day, is software based and in the clear majority of products, there is a processor of some sort and a software of some sort involved. Whether it is MAC or PC or Smartphone, or RASPBERRY based gear, or FPGA based products, they all have some software on board. This opens a huge amount of opportunities on both the development and manufacturing side, as well it does create the need for us to familiarize ourselves with those software items anew every day. We are used to using wireless devices on stage for monitor tuning and to expand control possibilities on IPads and other touchscreen devices. Virtual reality and its need for good audio create a whole other universe of demand and also possibilities for us in pro audio. In this regard, it does not matter if you like your analog audio or if you find that this analog gear sounds warmer and it has more headroom (which it does not if you drive it right), but the future is digital, end of story. So, we all better start digging in and getting used to IT structures and how they work. As much as this can look rather alien at the beginning, trust me, there is no magic and no rocket science behind it and in general the people from the IT industry are not smarter than pro audio people, so it should be possible for us to learn all that we need to know. Let’s have a look at Network layers for example. There are eight layers and that’s a number which is not scary to any audio engineer at all. My hands can span a bank of eight faders with no problem, so getting to work with eight Network layers is no big challenge. Since everything in Digital happens on a ”two wire system” all the communication is serial. For this purpose the IT community breaks down all communication and transport into packages. These packages have a certain size (bits and bytes) and they contain both addressing information as well as content, which in our case is Audio signals. At the beginning of each package there is information on where this is coming from and whom it is intended for and this should make sense for everyone since on the network, everybody can see everything, if they want to. It works rather similar with the IP addresses and it does not matter if you use fixed IP or DHCP. Fixed IP address means that the user will allocate an individual and unique IP address in a standard format to any
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In this regard, it does not matter if you like your analog audio or if you find that this analog gear sounds warmer and it has more headroom (which it does not if you drive it right), but the future is digital, end of story.
device on the network. This means the user is in control (I like that very much), but it also forces you to manage this proactively and with great attention to detail. DHCP is comfortable since someone else (the DHCP Server) will automatically allocate network addresses to any new device within the network from a range, which has been predefined. In both cases it is ultimately our responsibility to make sure that devices can “see” each other and will be able to communicate, so that we can do the work we are actually being paid for. If you observe and know about those two things properly, then you will have solved 95 % of your digital challenges and the rest should be easy. Welcome all to this exciting new world of possibilities. If ever you want help and need advice, you know how to find me….. Join the conversation and share your thoughts with Alex. Alex can be reached at alex@asaudio.de
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SINGAPORE
From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience Sound, light, visual, automation and effect technologies help bring the narration to live for visitors This article is contributed by Ctrl Fre@k and Kenny Wong with additional input from ETA.
What is From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience? Is it an exhibition, or a show, or a movie, or a museum, or a theme park? It is all of the above and at the same time none of them. This centrepiece event of Singapore’s Bicentennial commemoration at Fort Canning Park is divided into two parts – a ‘timed experience’ inside the Fort Canning Centre, called Time Traveller and a ‘free and easy’ component at the top of Fort Canning Hill, called Pathfinder. Time Traveller The Time Traveller is an immersive multi-sensory experience which takes the visitor on a 700 journey through Singapore’s history in 50 minutes. The Singapore Story is told through multimedia, sound, lighting, automation, water and other special effects, as well as, live performers. Pathfinder The Pathfinder is a thought-provoking series of pavilions which takes visitors through Singapore’s place in the world across the centuries by using artefacts, maps, flora, the written word, augmented reality and interactive installations.
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The show kicked off on 1st June with the run ending on 15th of September 2019. Show Concept The challenge for the creative team was how to create an experience about the history of Singapore that will be exciting and engaging to a wide spectrum of visitors – from pre-schoolers through to seniors. This meant translating the well-researched and comprehensive historical materials, provided by the Singapore Bicentennial Office (SBO), into a 50-minute journey that was more visceral than cerebral. So each Act offers the visitor a different sensory experience. There are altogether five acts within Time Traveller. Visitors kick off the ‘journey’ at the Atrium before being encompassed with the different acts. Show Control In order to meet the projected visitor numbers, there needs to be 60 shows that can accommodate up to 60 visitors per show each day. This means that every 12 minutes a show needs to start resulting in
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One of the Pavilions at Pathfinder
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Close up of the projectors with the ultra short throw periscope lens. Photo©ETA
simultaneous runs in each Act. CtrlFre@k, designed a show control system which allows for the gallery guides in each Act to trigger the fully automated show with the push of a single button. The show control system is based on ETC Paradigm with integration of ETC Eos, Green Hippo Hippotizer and Timax Soundhub, which worked together as a seamless whole. Video In Act 2 and 3 the delivery of video content is done primarily with laser projectors. However, the ultimate deciding factor for the choice of projectors boiled down to the lens that can give maximum image height with the constraints of minimum ceiling height and lack of throw distance. The only lens that could deliver was the Epson ELPLX01 ultra short throw ‘periscope’ lens. These were integrated into the Epson EBL1100U (6000 lumens) and EB-L1405U (8000 lumens) laser projectors. As all overhead equipment on level 3 could not be hung from the ceiling,trusses were brought into place. In Act 1, there was a particular requirement for the LED wall. It had to have the ability to function at a very low intensity without losing its colour integrity as it had to work in tandem with the projectors for the gauze, as well the lighting for the live actors that were layered to create the complete image. This was also required in Act 5 where visitors are in very close proximity to the LED wall. Broadcast Professional helped the creative and technical team achieve this with their partner CLTLED Display, who tailored their product to suit the requirement.
d&b speakers provided by Orbital. Photo©ETA
Audio The confined spaces in the Fort Canning Centre called for many small speakers, which were not available for rent locally. So the technical team turned to Orbital Sound in UK who were able to provide the numerous and various d&b loudspeakers with accompanying power amplifiers. For Act 4, which is reminiscent of a bunker or air-raid shelter, there was a requirement for the loudspeakers to visually blend into the environment. For this the JBL Control 60 series Pendant Speakers was suspended out of view above the ‘bunker’. The multi-channel audio content is mixed in-situ in each Act on Pro Tools Ultimate, which is then uploaded onto the TiMax Soundhubs to be played back. The audio content is then efficiently distributed to all the spaces via Audinate Dante full redundant network system In Act 3 the visitors revolve around the 360 degree screen, courtesy of a revolving floor. Multi-channel Panspace tool within the Timax allows the technical team to synchronise the panning of the voice over, together with the movement of the revolve to ensure that the VO is always in ‘front’ of the audience member within the 12-speakers discrete channel 360 degree design.
The projection in Act 2
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Acoustics in Act 5 had an issue as well. This is due to the rectangular room which had reflective glasses protecting the LED screen from the water during the ‘rain’ effect. The technical team resolved it through a distributed surround sound system to achieve a more focused coverage – exciting the audience, not the ‘room’.
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The lighting in Act 1 had to work in tandem with the projectors and LEDs so as to create a seamless experience for the audience
Lighting The limited power supply in Fort Canning meant that LED lighting fixtures had to be used, due to their low power consumption. A myriad of fixtures were chosen to meet the varying needs of the show. The final inventory included fixtures from ETC, Gantom, Chauvet, Martin Professional and GLP, plus effects from Rosco and GAM. The smoke effect was provided via Antari. At the outdoor Pathfinder, other than the use of LED strips, the other fixture extensively used are the different variants of Gantom mini fixtures, as well as Martin Linear Graze. The workhorse of the nightly sound and light shows are the five units of Clay Paky Super Sharpy and a unit of Mythos 2. Lighting control is handled by ETC Eos. The lighting fixtures were supplied through Stage Equip and Auxilio Studio. Automation In Act 1 where 500 years worth of history had to be squeezed into 7 minutes, the creative team felt a need to propel the storytelling so that it is more dynamic. The solution was the use of a 19m long travellator which could be precisely controlled at specific moments to start, stop, ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
accelerate, decelerate and move at exact speed. A further dimension was added with two scenery tracks to move two physical flags across the span of the stage. Due to the lack of space, Act 2 and Act 3 was combined into a single space. For the transition to happen from Act 2 to Act 3, two quartercircular screen closes to form a complete 360 degree screen. Then in Act 3, the creative team wanted the visitor to feel like they are inside the ‘machinery’ of industrialisation. Hence they are seated on a revolving floor within the 360 degree screen. Stage One from UK designed, supplied and installed all the automation elements. All of which were precisely controlled using their Qmotion automation control system. Screens and Show Fabric The entire Time Traveller uses quite a substantial amount of screens. Showtex from Hong Kong supplied all the gauzes, show fabric and different types of screen materials. They also fabricated the frame for the curved screens in Acts 2 and 3.
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Act 5 where “rain” showers down at the guests. The top features tubes that carry the water. The flooring allows the water to flow through to a catchment underneath that recycles the water. The LED screens are protected from the water with a glass front.
visitors. Local water feature company Agropolis developed the system together with the Bicentennial technical team. System Installation All power and cabling infrastructure, plus all AVL equipment were installed by Broadcast Professional. They managed to complete the installation within a very tight-frame. They continue to be involved with the maintenance of the equipment. * All photos for this article courtesy of Kingsmen unless otherwise stated KEY TEAM MEMBERS
The water effect at The Atrium
Water Effects The Time Traveller begins and ends with ‘rain’. In the Atrium, to give the visitor a sense that they are going back in time, physical ‘rain’ is seen to happen in reverse. Extensive research pointed the creative team to a company called Water Pearl in Japan who eventually created this ‘wow’ installation. The reversal of the water droplets was created using precision strobes and accurately timed water droplets that tricked the eye into believing that the droplets were indeed moving upwards. From the audience reaction during the shows there is no doubt that it was one of the main talking points. Then to cap off the experience, indoor rain was created in Act 5, where visitors are given umbrellas to stay dry with. The intensity of the rain synchronises with the video content on the LED screen surrounding the
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Creative Directors: Beatrice Chia-Richmond and Michael Chiang Technical Director: Kenny Wong Multimedia Directors: Sally Lee and Brian Gothong Tan Lead Multimedia Producer: Jx Huang Technical Managers: Melvin Lee and Marc-Andre Therrien Time Traveller Designers: MET Studio Pathfinder Architect: Zach Collaboratives Main Contractor, Project and Event Management: Kingsmen Show Control, Video, Sound and Lighting Systems: Ctrl Fre@k System Installation: Broadcast Professional
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AUSTRALIA
AGB Events Creates Spectacular Light and Sound Event ‘HALO’ brings memorable, mesmerising show to Townsville
After months of anticipation and secrecy, ‘HALO’ - the light and sound experience designed specifically for Townsville, a coastal city in north eastern Queensland, Australia - has opened. Created and produced by Sydney-based AGB Events, HALO is a spectacular experience of massive proportions that transforms Castle Hill, the natural ‘halo’ that hovers above Townsville. Presented by the Townsville City Council, HALO runs in conjunction with the inaugural North Australian Festival of Arts, and has been made possible through the generous support of the Australian Government’s “Building Better Regions Fund”. “Townsville City Council wanted to create something highly memorable that would truly mesmerise and captivate the public’s imagination ,” said Anthony Bastic, CEO and Creative Director of AGB Events. “We were thrilled and honoured to be asked to undertake such a prestigious and challenging project. We’re delighted with the results.” HALO – which runs from 19th July to 4th August between 6:00pm and 10:00pm - is the latest in a series of large scale, highly imaginative ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
multimedia shows produced by AGB Events. These have included Vivid Sydney Light Walk, Australia’s largest annual event; Parrtijma, a light festival in Alice Springs that took its inspiration from indigenous stories and culture, lighting up two kilometres of the MacDonnell Ranges; and the Lights of Christmas in Sydney and Brisbane. “HALO is a new event experience that showcases creativity in one of the most aesthetically compelling new art forms; light art,” continued Bastic. “Over the past decade, the light art movement has captured the attention and imaginations of many people around the world. This new movement in art has allowed lighting designers, artists and technicians to experiment with the latest advances in technology and create experiences that are compelling, spectacular and memorable.” AGB’s light vision for HALO There are two elements to HALO: the Castle Hill Light and Sound Show, and the illumination of Queens Gardens. Castle Hill lights up with a dramatic light and sound show for five minutes, every 20 minutes. Queen’s Gardens is the the focal point for HALO, and the prime viewing point for the Castle Hill show. The Gardens is also the location for
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theatrical lighting treatments including tree lighting, using colourchanging LEDs, and the HALO ‘chandelier’.
by AGB Events and especially composed for HALO by electronic music and media production specialist Nick Wishart.
High powered moving head lights combined with arrays of colour washes and gobos (stencils or templates placed inside or in front of a light source to control the shape of the emitted light) are being used to create the Castle Hill light show. Custom made glass gobos, as well as silhouette gobos, are also included.
HALO is a concept that is designed to expand over multiple years as the popularity of the event spreads.
“The ability to use a variety of techniques such as blending colour palettes, mixing silhouettes, varying movement speeds, warping angles, adjusting focus and scaling zoom are all ways in which AGB’s lighting designer created the story,” Bastic explained. Collaboration with media production specialists HALO is not just about light: the shifting patterns and colour scapes are enhanced and given even greater power by a soundtrack commissioned
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“As HALO’s audience grows – which we’re very confident it will - the creative scope and lighting displays have the opportunity to increase and expand, ensuring interest in the event is not only maintained but multiplied,” said Bastic. “We are already looking to the future and we have some exciting ideas for subsequent editions of NAFA, using impressive, technologically-advanced light installations so spectacular that Townsville will capture the attention of the world.” www.agb.events
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AUSTRALIA
Show Systems Australia Tells DOWNTOWN Story in Colour CHAUVET lighting fixtures help transport audience to the psychedelic ‘60s
The Devonport Choral Society’s production of DOWNTOWN! The Mod Musical, flips through the ’60s with the agility of a go-go dancer. Relying on a mix of mod-infused styles and the trippy, ear-wormy music that still resonates today, the production at the Paranaple Arts Centre needed bold, saturated colours to help transport the stage – and the audience – back to the psychedelic ‘60s Michael Westcott of Show Systems Australia reflected the exuberance and free-flowing spirit with his colourful lighting design for the show. Helping him create this time-piece panorama, while supporting the actors on stage, was a collection of CHAUVET Professional fixtures. “The theme of the show demanded bright, candy-coated colours that could showcase the stage and performers in a variety of different ways, which is what Michael delivered,” said Matt Adams, Technical Director of Show Systems Australia. “The colour mixing capabilities of the Maverick MK2 Spot and COLORado 2 Quad Zoom fixtures were critical in helping him make this happen.” Indeed, colour shined at the heart of this show, so much so that the five leading characters in the all-female cast were named after different hues: Blue, Orange, Red, Green and Yellow. Accompanied by the music of a five-piece band belting out vintage ’60s hits, the play follows these characters as they mark the passage of time with a series of letters to an advice columnist. The use of colours was critical to define space on the stage, which had relatively few scenic elements. As one critic noted: “It’s an interesting exercise in symbolism, choosing colour and shapes to evoke an era, rather than slapping the audience in the face with literalism.” Key to creating this colour scape were the eight Maverick MK2 Spots hung on two light bars. They provided an evocative backdrop to the zany ’60s tale, in addition to adding punchy moving looks for the dance scenes. At the same time, Westcott was also able to use the lights to ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
create subtle changes in brightness and colour that reflected the flow of time as the story unfolded. An additional four MK2 Spot fixtures were set on the ground, behind and between the gaps of large, free standing letters. These units were used to create aerial effects that added a dynamic element to the stage.
COLORado 2 Quad Zoom LED Wash Lights were located throughout the rig and were used to adorn backgrounds and scenic elements with psychedelic colors. “The COLORado fixtures gave us a solid, wide wash that transformed the stage with different colors,” said Adams. “They gave us a nice colour foundation for the Mavericks to build on. This design was all about creating an atmosphere and telling a story with colour.” www.chauvetprofessional.com
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DUBAI
Awe-Inspiring Opening Ceremony for 2019 Pakistan Super League disguise powers longest ever AR centered broadcast
The Pakistan Cricket Board started the 2019 season with something truly spectacular. Right before the first match, an awe-inspiring opening ceremony took place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium - but this was unlike any event ever seen in the tournament’s history. Broadcast to over 50 million people around the world, the 60-minute Pakistan Super League opening ceremony combined mind-blowing augmented reality graphics with live performances from global acts, including iconic 70’s funk band Boney M, Pakistan’s Junoon and solo stars Fawad Khan, Young Desi, Aima Baig and Shuja Haider. Event management company ITW Trans Group collaborated with specialists in large scale opening ceremonies, concerts, and events, The Musketeers. Having coordinated the creative vision behind the last three Pakistan Super League opening ceremonies, Creative Director Samer Feghali wanted to push the envelope of live entertainment boundaries. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“With an annual global audience of 50 million people, our goal each year is to keep this an exciting and engaging component of the tournament, and to push the creative vision for both the television audience, and those in the stadium” stated Samer. “AR was something that we had wanted to try for this event, but it was always going to be a risk - this duration of real-time AR rendering had never been done before. We worked with ITW, explaining they would be the first hosts ever to orchestrate an opening ceremony of this kind, and once they gave the green light, it was all systems go!” The opening ceremony featured eye-catching elements of AR throughout the live broadcast. Bringing the event to life and working in collaboration with Musketeer were content generating experts, Bild Studios and Studio One. David Bajt and Scott Millar from Bild Studios technically produced and supplied all the equipment for the show, with Urs Nyffenegger, from Studio One, providing the AR animation elements.
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The teams used disguise gx 2 servers, designed for unparalleled generative content capacity, to render the AR content for the several artists performing, as well as the added spectacular elements. Creative Producer Urs Nyffenegger said, “The Notch and disguise combination was essential for the success of the PSL Opening Ceremony due to the adaptability, flexibility and unparalleled real-time workflow capabilities. Everything we were able to accomplish on this project was only possible because of disguise.” A project as ambitious as this came with a host of its own challenges. Not only did the teams have a short turn-around time of just 45 days, but they had only 15 minutes to remove the stage from the Cricket pitch. “We have to take care of the pitch area and we have very limited time to take care of it,” said Samer. “Every time we ran a rehearsal, we could not pinpoint the stage exactly, so to calibrate with disguise and the stYpe Cameras during setup within an hour was amazing.” To add to the already complex event, the main headliner for the Opening Ceremony pulled out the day before, leaving the team to reconfigure the content with just 24 hours’ notice. With such a short turnaround, Scott Millar from Bild Studios chose Notch and disguise because of the proven compatibility and solid combination, meaning it would be delivered on time. To overcome the artist issue, a virtual DJ was flown out for the Opening Ceremony last minute. The user-friendly features of the disguise server meant the DJ content was immediately integrated with the compiled show.
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“With disguise we were able to composite all six cameras feeds, with camera delay, with AR, and with the graphics on top to present that composited output to the vision mixer to the camera returns, and we were able to do that for two cameras per server. This is a huge benefit over other systems. In the world of live events, with disguise, you are really able to send ‘stuff’ everywhere,” said Scott. The disguise servers made calibrating the cameras prior to the show simple and managed all the input from each camera. stYpe was the partner in camera tracking and provided custom tracking heads and third-party software to allow accurate tracking of the project for all six camera involved. They were able to pull off all tracking on time, with an 80% increase in the clarity and quality. “I cannot imagine being able to pull this show off, with any other system. I have used a lot of products on the market, and to do the change of adapting over 15 minutes of show content, 24 hours of the show, for a Virtual DJ (VJ) we flew in was remarkable. We were able to plug in the VJ’s content, without issue and integrate the AR, to a live camera,” remarked Samer. “We built virtual cubes with LEDs to accompany the music set for the headline artist, and without the VJ they would have been black. Integrating his content was so easily assimilated I was amazed, it just worked with the disguise hardware, and in theory it is not so easy to accomplish,” added Urs Nyffenegger, who alongside the Studio One team provided the AR animation elements. The PSL Opening Ceremony featured a disco scene, flying F16 jets, a 30-meter trophy, a robot that landed on stage, and more. The end
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result was a 45-minute live show with 12 different AR scenes achieved using disguise, Notch, and Stype technology, combining AR and VR with live broadcast to over 50 million people around the globe. This accomplished the longest ever duration of an AR centered broadcast. Credits for the Pakistan Super League Opening Ceremony: Event: Pakistan Super League Opening Ceremony End client: Pakistan Cricket Board Event Management Partner: ITW Trans Group LED AR Work and Content for Show: The Musketeers Opening Ceremony Creative Director: Samer Feghali, Creative AR Producer: David Bajt and Scott Millar Bild Studios Technical AR Production: David Bajt and Scott Millar Bild Studios AR Equipment Supply: David Bajt and Scott Millar Bild Studios AR Animations Producer: Urs Nyffenegger, Creative Producer and team from Studio One Solutions: Notch: Used to create the interactive and generative real-time visual content for the project. disguise: The disguise software and gx 2 hardware was used to previsualise, as well as to physically generate playback of Notch content, alongside tracking all the data to calibrate the camera to allow for AR capabilities. StYpe: Camera tracking partner selected to supply custom tracking heads and third party software to allow accurate tracking of SpYder Cam system. www.disguise.one
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JAPAN
Connecting Cultures Moment Factory does its magic
Lake Akan Ainu Theatre “Ikor” © Akan DMO
In 2019, a Japanese government bill was passed that recognized the Ainu of Hokkaido as an indigenous people of Japan. The Ainu have been living mainly in the northern island of Hokkaido. Their culture and influence flourished for approximately 300 years before giving way to mainstream Japan.
Rediscovering “Lost Kamuy: An Ancient Ainu Epic Story”
Ainu strongly believe that deities are found in their surroundings and dance is used to worship and give thanks to nature. UNESCO deemed traditional Ainu dance as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but Ainu culture is still relatively unknown and the Ainu language is classified as “critically endangered” in UNESCO’s endangered language list. The Akan Ainu Industrial Arts Association and the NPO Akan Tourism Association & Community Development Promotion Organization (Akan DMO) have established several recent initiatives for local and international audiences to experience the Ainu culture at Lake Akan, Hokkaido. Entertainment Technology Asia magazine focuses on two of these key experiences and explores the creative use of technology to bring the Ainu ancient culture to life. It’s also worth noting that the indigenous Ainu people are requesting representation at the 2020 Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to showcase their traditional dances and culture. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Lost Kamuy: An Ancient Ainu Epic Story © Akan DMO & Nagi Yoshida
Since March 2019, a 40-minute performance called “Lost Kamuy: An Ancient Ainu Epic Story,” is performed at the Lake Akan Ainu Theatre “Ikor” located in a kotan (village) in Akan, East Hokkaido. Here, traditional and ancient ceremonial dances are combined with contemporary dance, 3D digital imagery, and 7.1 surround sound, enhanced using five projectors that bring the stage to life.
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© Nagi Yoshida
Inside the dedicated Ikor 332 seat, 899.55 square meter theatre, the performance began as a creative collaboration between the Ainu of Lake Akan and contemporary artists: Nagi Yoshida / Photographer; Kuniyuki Takahashi/ Sound Designer, Producer, and DJ; UNO/ Dancer, Live Director, and Illustrator; WOW inc./ Visual Design Studio; Shusei Toko /Ainu Artist (Director of the Akan Ainu Industrial Arts Association); and, Daisuke Sakamoto/ Creative Director (JTB Communication Design, Inc.).
Screenshot of video content created by WOW inc. © WOW inc.
Visual design studio, WOW inc. were engaged to carry out all production and staging elements. Out of the five projectors used, they used one projector to project images on to the stage floor, three projectors for the back three sides of the stage that can create a single seamless image and one screen for gauze/scrim situated above and behind performers.
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Highlights from Lost Kamuy: An Ancient Ainu Epic Story © Akan DMO
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On the 11 by 7 meter stage, WOW inc. reports that the total image resolution is 5K. Gauze is fixed and located in between, in front of and behind the stage and performers dance in front of and behind the screen, depending on the scene. A hologram effect is created where video images seemingly float in the air. WOW inc. also reports that the model of projectors used produce a high resolution, brightness and contrast and are engineered by a local “Made in Japan” brand. In creating the audio aspects Kuniyuki Takahashi, sound designer, music producer and DJ explained: “The natural sounds such as birds singing and other sounds from nature, I used these within the music, but they are also part of the 7.1 multi-channel soundtrack itself.” The “Ainu Traditional Dance” and “Iomante Fire Festival” programs held at Ikor have also been renewed.
The front entrance to KAMUY LUMINA © Moment Factory
New KAMUY LUMINA, an hour-long Enchanted Night Walk at Lake Akan
© Akan DMO
Moment Factory took over a year in R&D working with Ainu in developing the Rhythm Staff used to guide visitors through KAMUY LUMINA © Akan DMO
“KAMUY LUMINA, an Enchanted Night Walk at Lake Akan” takes place at Akan-Mashu National Park, located in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture. KAMUY LUMINA was created by reputed multimedia company Moment Factory from Montreal, Canada, in collaboration with Japan’s indigenous Ainu people and produced in partnership with Akan Adventure Tourism. It opened on July 5 and will continue until November 10 and reopens each spring after that. KAMUY LUMINA takes visitors on a fantastic journey through the lakeside forest of Lake Akan. Inspired by an ancient Ainu yukar (epic story) it tells of the Jay Bird saving the Ainu people from famine. KAMUY LUMINA dramatises a story where gods (“kamuy” in the Ainu language) remind humans of the importance of giving thanks to nature. KAMUY LUMINA brings the night forest to life using various techniques such as projection mapping, lighting, sound, scenography and interactive effects triggered by a custom-designed Rhythm Staff using specially-developed interactive technology.
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Each scene of KAMUY LUMINA integrate seamlessly with Akan’s lakeside forests and terrain. Creatures of the forest come to life in breathtaking and intimate detail: from the beating wings of an owl who perches in real trees to deer that run through the forest and dreamlike clusters of marimo (balls of green algae) that appear by the lake - each element of the KAMUY LUMINA tale merges with the surrounding environment. “The Ainu…have a long tradition of storytelling and philosophy of harmonious coexistence with nature. Our town, the Lake Akan hot spring area, is the place where we have been developing community together with the Ainu people. We hope KAMUY LUMINA will showcase the beauty of nature and Ainu culture with people all over the world,” said Masayuki Onishi, President of Adventure Tourism. “Inspired by local Ainu philosophy, for this Lumina Night Walk we worked harder than ever to create an experience that coexists with nature, and minimizes impact on the surrounding environment. We decided to put multimedia in the hands of each visitor, rather than only in the forest. But to meet this challenge we had to create new technology,” said Dominic Audet, CEO of Moment Factory.
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Š Moment Factory integrated into the surroundings, not only to respect the environment but also to be as unobtrusive as possible during the day. KAMUY LUMINA is the first experience in the Lumina Night Walk series staged in a national park created by Moment Factory.
https://www.w0w.co.jp www.momentfactory.com
Š Moment Factory Over a year of R&D resulted in the Rhythm Staff that each visitor carries with them throughout their journey, allowing them to light their path, and even interact with the story. To overcome any technical challenges, Moment Factory ensured that all technology could withstand outdoor weather conditions whilst remaining hidden for a flawless experience. Technology was seamlessly
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DUBAI
Government of Dubai Media Office Upgrades Audio Facilities at World Trade Centre HQ Sennheiser Digital 6000 tackles wireless connectivity with best-in-class audio quality As part of the upgrade to the conference hall at its headquarters at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) has implemented Sennheiser’s versatile Digital 6000 solution. With hassle-free wireless connectivity and best-in-class audio quality, this professional microphone system offers the flexibility and quality needed to Salem Belyouha, meet the diverse requirements Director – Media Services at GDMO of the high-profile events held at the Hall, which range from internal gatherings and workshops, to public talks and major press conferences. A significant aspect of the upgrade was the GDMO’s decision to leverage networked audio. Salem Belyouha, Director – Media Services at GDMO said, “Doing so has enabled us to significantly reduce the amount of cabling, simplify interconnectivity, maintenance and troubleshooting, and streamline our technical operations.” This year, Yamaha and Sennheiser collaborated to enable seamless integration between the Yamaha CL and QL series consoles and the Sennheiser Digital 6000. By choosing to leverage these two solutions, GDMO’s Engineering team has gained the ability to control several parameters of the wireless microphone system’s operating menu, and also to monitor RF levels, gains and battery status of the wireless microphones all through the console itself. Flexibility was one of the main selection criteria for the microphone system as the stage layout and seating arrangements in the conference hall change from event to event. This prompted the decision to utilize a wireless solution. However, as events held at the venue typically result in large numbers of mobile phones being utilized, it was imperative that the system address the GDMO’s concerns regarding RF interference and noise.
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Building on its eight-year relationship with Sennheiser, the GDMO decided to install the Digital 6000. Commenting on this decision, Mr. Belyouha said, “Our experience with the Sennheiser team has been fantastic. We have worked with them on numerous projects over the years and they have proven time and time again that we can rely on them to assist with the implementation of our projects with a high level of expertise and professionalism. They supported us long before we issued any formal RFQ, and long after the project was completed.” Ryan Burr, Head of Technical Sales & Application Engineering, System Solutions at Sennheiser added, “Sennheiser has a long-standing and highly-valued relationship with the Government of Dubai Media Office. It has been very rewarding to see their team develop their understanding and use of Sennheiser solutions and we worked very closely with them to specify the right solution for this application.” Four EM 6000 DANTE receivers form the backbone of a system that includes three SKM 6000 handheld microphones. Sennheiser
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customised these handhelds in the GDMO’s corporate colours and provided both a dynamic capsule in the form of the MD 9235 and also the pre-polarised condenser microphone capsule ME 9004, which features the audio specialist’s unique patent-pending shock mount inside the microphone head. The GDMO also selected Sennheiser’s ME 104 cardioid microphone capsule from the modular series of lapel microphones with five SK 6000 bodypack transmitters to provide the best feedback rejection and attenuation of room noise. The GDMO also opted for Sennheiser’s latest charging solution, the 19” 1RU L6000 intelligent charging station, that optimally charges the batteries for extended storage periods and has a simple three-colour LED display that provides a quick overview of the charging status. “Extensive details regarding temperature, remaining charging time, run times, charging cycles and battery quality can all be retrieved via the Wireless Systems Manager (WSM). Our free of charge professional software solution also allows the GDMO to remotely set-up and coordinate the frequencies of their wireless microphones,” explained Burr. The Digital 6000 brings the benefits of the Long Range mode of Sennheiser’s top-of-the-range Digital 9000 system to a two-channel receiver. By eliminating intermodulation, the system enables more channels to operate in less spectrum space, thereby addressing the
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GDMO’s concerns regarding RF interference. Data security, another critical requirement of the media office is also addressed as the Digital 6000 features switchable AES 256 encryption. Sharing the positive experience his team has had since the systems upgrade, Mr. Belyouha said, “With sound it’s a tricky thing: if something goes wrong and there’s bad sound, people notice and it’s a major disruption to the event. But when everything goes well, and the sound is great, people don’t notice. Since the installation, we found no complaints and that’s a success for us.” www.sennheiser.com
Yamaha and Sennheiser collaborated to enable seamless integration between the Yamaha CL and QL series consoles and the Sennheiser Digital 6000. By choosing to leverage these two solutions, GDMO’s Engineering team has gained the ability to control several parameters of the wireless microphone system’s operating menu.
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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Theatre Company Switches To CORE by DPA Amplifier Technology Better dynamic range and improved resilience to harsh conditions key to investment decision
As a long-term user of DPA microphones, the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) has been quick to adopt the Danish manufacturer’s CORE by DPA amplifier technology, which has now been successfully incorporated into DPA d:screet Miniature, d:fine Headset and d:vote Instrument Microphones. Already the owner of a substantial amount of DPA stock, STC recently added 75 d:screet CORE 4061 Miniature Omnidirectional Microphones to its inventory and is putting them to good use on a number of productions, including a new version of Tennessee Williams’ classic Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Ben Lightowlers, STC’s Head of Sound and Audio Visual, says: “Once the new CORE technology arrived, I was keen to put it through the rigours of a regular season at STC. The goal for us in Theatre is to not distract the audience with an obviously mic’d tonality but rather aim for a more naturalistic augmentation of the voice. The new CORE mics boast a more open frequency response, which is appealing when balancing vocal performances of varying dynamics in circumstances where some cast members are potentially quieter than others on stage.” STC’s new d:screet microphones were supplied by DPA dealer Soundcorp, in conjunction with the company’s Australian distributor ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Amber Technology. STC’s DPA inventory also includes d:dicate™ 4017 Shotgun Microphones, d:fine Headset Microphones, d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphones, d:facto™ Vocal Microphones and more legacy d:screet 4061 Miniature Microphones than Lightowlers can count. “In the 13 years I have been with STC, I estimate that we’ve purchased an average of fifty d:screet 4061s per year to service the main stage shows, of which there are 12-15 per year,” he says. “They have a good resilience to sweat, skin contact, quick wig or costume changes and other extreme conditions we put them through. In the past this has included actors hurling themselves down a slip’n’slide across stage through a pool of water while fully nude, to a chorus of cast conducting an intimate conversation in typhoon conditions, all the while remaining intelligible to our audiences. Sometimes an actor might not leave stage for the whole play or it might be that a production spans over six hours.” Lightowlers adds that switching to DPA’s new CORE microphones gives STC more resilience and even better dynamic range. He is delighted with the results they are delivering and pleased that they integrate so well with STC’s fleet of radio transmitters. “I especially appreciate getting the microphones terminated to Lemo connectors at the factory,” he says.
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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Testing DPA for water resistance
fitting DPA mics 2
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
STC’s new d:screet CORE 4061s have already been used on the theatre company’s longest-running production, The Wharf Revue, which is a musical parody of Australia’s current political landscape.
some cracked stage direction written into the script, that also has major dialogue over the top. Time and time again in those situations it is DPA that has saved the day.”
“The new CORE microphones rose to the occasion and established that they could stand up to the demands of a typical STC touring production,” Lightowlers says. “They are now being used for rehearsals for Cat On A Hot Tin Roof in which one actor has to take a shower on stage. Instead of being able to put a mic on the actor backstage after the shower, he needs to stay on stage until interval, so we’ll need to introduce a capsule cover. It will certainly be a fun test for the team, but nothing we haven’t overcome before.”
STC presents an annual season of diverse productions at its own venues – the two-theatre Wharf and the Roslyn Packer Theatre at Walsh Bay and as the resident theatre company of the Drama Theatre at Sydney Opera House. It also tours productions to other theatre venues around Australia. At peak times STC will have at least two shows rehearsing, another one or two in development and three or four shows performing on its various stages. With the two Wharf Theatres housing a combined total of 550 patrons, the Roslyn Packer Theatre housing just shy of 900 and a further 500 patrons housed in the Drama Theatre, STC reaches over 300,000 audience members each year – and that’s before it counts those attending its touring productions.
Although d;screet CORE 4061s are small enough to hide in an actor’s hairline without being too visible, Lightowlers says he is looking forward to trying DPA’s new 6000 series Subminiature microphones because they are even smaller and more unobtrusive. “The smaller, the better,” he says. “All CORE by DPA products are IP58 certified but the design of the 6000 series capsule permits even less water to enter, which is something directors should be aware of when they want their actors to perform underwater. I can’t tell you how many times I have sat in a production meeting and had the sound designer, director or costume designer ask me for advice on how to deal with ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“Whilst our venues include a standard sound infrastructure, due to the large number of shows performing and rehearsing concurrently, we need to carry a sizable inventory of floating stock,” Lightowlers explains. “I’ve found that it is far more cost effective to own all our equipment rather than to hire on a show-by-show basis.” www.dpamicrophones.com
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