For The Technical And Production Professionals
Modulo Kinetic at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Ceremonies
A U G U S T 2 0 1 8
SPECIAL FEATURE
MUSIC Tribe’s New Manufacturing Facility SPOTLIGHT : iLight Moves Forward with Robe EXHIBITION REVIEW : BroadcastAsia 2018
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CONTENTS AUGUST 2018
68
62
IN THIS ISSUE
VOL 19 ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2018
04 FIRST WORDS
53 EVENTS CALENDAR
KNOWLEDGE HUB 50 Equalizer or Compressor, Which One is it? 51 Device Integration (OSC) 52 Building your Audio System – Configuring the Monitor 54 Noise in RF Systems
28 VIDEO FILES
53 EVENTS CALENDAR
30 ENNOVATIONS
LIVE 56 VIETNAM: NEX Music Festival Roars on with TW Audio 58 TAIWAN: Golden Opportunity for RoboSpots 60 AUSTRALIA: Modulo Kinetic at the 2018 Commonwealth Games 62 CHINA: Robe Pointes to 2047 Apologue Part 2 64 UAE: Emaar’s ‘Light Up 2018’ Spectacle Breaks all Records 66 SINGAPORE: INX Ignites AIA’s The Music Run 67 INDIA: HARMAN Professional Solutions India Celebrates “World Music Day” 68 AUSTRALIA: Mandylights Creates Spectacular Illumination with Christie 70 SOUTH KOREA: Altman Lighting Illuminates “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez - Louis Vuitton” 71 JAPAN: Billboard Live TOKYO Celebrates 10 Years of Exceptional LivePerformances
06 NEWS
EXHIBITION PREVIEW 40 Prolight + Sound Middle East Attracts International Heavyweights EXHIBITION REVIEW 42 BroadcastAsia 2018: Capture the Future SPOTLIGHT 46 iLight Moves Forward with Robe SPECIAL FEATURE 48 MUSIC Tribe’s New Manufacturing Facility Emphasises Transparency
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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FIRST WORDS AUGUST 2018
A Celebration of Women in the Industry The 18th of July was significant for the events technical industry as the world celebrated the first ever Women Walk Together event. Five countries took part with the event being celebrated simultaneously in India, Guinea, Brazil, United Kingdom and South Africa. The initiative was to show support for the women in the events and events technical field. A global platform to honour and recognise the contributions by women in the industry. The event was also to encourage women who are not in the industry to consider the industry as an option to further their career. In India, J Davis Prosound and Lighting’s Santana Davis took the initiative to partner the event and take responsibility for the event. Kudos to Santana for the full effort. The J Davis team worked quickly and managed to get the support of a majority of the events industry players in Bangalore where the event was being held. Women were of course the focus of the event and by all accounts it turned out to be a successful event. You can read more about it in our News pages. It is hoped that this event will spur more initiatives and dialogues and it will be for the benefit of the industry to have more women involved in the industry in equal footing.
Ram Bhavanashi
Editor, India And Middle East ram@spinworkz.com
Julie Tan Admin & Circulation admin@spinworkz.com
Natalie Chew Writer natalie@spinworkz.com
Daniel Ngiam
MEDIA Rep for Spinworkz Pte Ltd Tel: +65 84410258 ďŹ rst_dm@hotmail.com
Shankar Venugopal Thomas Richard Prakasam Publisher / Editorial Director
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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.
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GLOBAL
MADRIX 5 Wins Awards at PALM Sound & Light Awards required to deploy new hardware in order to take advantage of the speed upgrade. The new software will also improve any compatible system that is currently in use. The user interface has been completely revamped to make it even faster and easier to use. Two themes, dark and light, graphical improvements, and new visual clues allow for even quicker operation. VJing will be more creative thanks to the new capabilities to directly play back the audio track of videos.
The MADRIX 5 was recently awarded for “bringing exemplary innovation in lighting technology and opening up lighting technology creativity opportunities for lighting design engineers” at the PALM Sound & Light Awards 2017– 2018. Smita Rai –Project Head of the PALM Sound & Light Awards– adds that the award is “Recognition of a technology which establishes new techniques and trends and is user friendly, opens up lighting creativity opportunities for lighting design engineers and is appreciated by the users.” The MADRIX 5 new 64-bit software architecture is the biggest performance boost the software has ever seen since the first version in 2005. Users can now control more pixels, output more universes, create more effects, and use more layers. In addition, it is not necessarily
CSV Import and Patch Editor Background Image features allow for much faster set-up times of your project. Fixture list imports that use the CSV file format can quickly generate complex patch layouts based on data of third-party software, such as visualizers, consoles, CAD software, other lighting design tools, or even manuallycreated data. The range of MADRIX 5 Licenses now starts at and has been doubled to 2 DMX universes, and ranges up to 2,048 universes of DMX-based output. Every license now also includes DVI-based output, ranging from 4,096 pixels up to Full HD with MADRIX 5 KEY maximum, which is the new high end. All in all, MADRIX excels in versatility by supporting over 50 industry control standards for output alone plus many more for input and remote control. Existing users can benefit from software update packages for MADRIX 2 and MADRIX 3. MADRIX Training, the comprehensive learning courses offered by inoage, now also incorporates the new software package.
www.madrix.com
SOUTH KOREA
Sound Solution Makes Big Impact with Adamson E-Series in South Korea The Adamson Network has grown substantially in South Korea thanks to the efforts of Sound Solution, the country’s exclusive distributor of Adamson Systems Engineering’s loudspeaker solutions. Over the past year, Sound Solution has welcomed a host of reputable new rental partners as audio companies throughout the peninsula have added Adamson’s flagship E-Series products to their inventories.
Team from Jun Sound in Icheon, South Korea with Adamson E-Series inventory ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“Adamson has a global reputation as a premium professional audio brand, and the South Korean market is quickly catching on to the quality and prestige associated with it,” comments Sound Solution Owner Lee Hong. “South Korea is well known for its appreciation of technology and innovation, and our partners recognize that the engineering behind the E-Series coupled with world-class support from Adamson and Sound Solution offers a major competitive advantage.”
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
The list of new E-Series partners in South Korea includes: Sound Mate; Jun Sound; Seki Sound; Sound Soul; and BL Company. They join existing Adamson Network partners Alpha Media, Tristar Audio, and Blue Noise in the region. “We were seeking a top-quality audio system that could satisfy a wide range of applications, up to and including top Korean and international touring artists and major music festivals,” begins Hyunuk Kim, CEO of Jun Sound in Incheon. “Adamson’s E-Series met all of our requirements and exceeded our expectations in terms of sound quality and performance. We can confidently stand behind this system in even the most demanding situations, especially knowing we have Adamson and Sound Solution in our corner for support.” Based in Seoul, Sound Solution is one of South Korea’s top distributors of professional and hi-fi audio products, representing a catalog comprised of many of the world’s best-known brands. “South Korea always has been one of our strongest installation markets thanks to the superior expertise of Sound Solution,” says Adamson’s David Dohrmann, Technical Director for the Asia-Pacific region. “Now, they’re setting the same standard for the rental segment, which is reflected globally in leading K-Pop tech riders asking for our systems.
Adamson E-Series system from Alpha Media onstage at 2018 Lifeplus Cherry Blossom Picnic Festival in Seoul, South Korea Clearly, this is a major achievement beyond what we could expect from a regional distributor.”
adamsonsystems.com
AUSTRALIA
Adelaide Convention Centre to Deliver Spectacular Visual Experiences with New Christie Spyder X80 Christie is pleased to announce that Adelaide Convention Centre has acquired its latest Christie Spyder X80 multi-screen windowing processor to boost its capabilities in staging various events within its facilities. Featuring 80-megapixel processing power in true 4K at 60Hz performance across multiple displays, the Spyder X80 unit at the Adelaide Convention Centre will be used across the entire complex for staging multiple events such as gala dinners, conferences and trade shows. With this acquisition, Adelaide Convention Centre becomes the first organization in Australia to have the Spyder X80 fitted in its premises. It also complements the impressive fleet of Christie projectors that the Adelaide Convention Centre has at its disposal, which includes several 3DLP systems comprising Christie Boxer 4K30, Boxer 2K20, and J Series models. “The Spyder X80 is the perfect fit for our venue given its powerful processing capabilities and flexibility, as well as full compatibility with the various Christie 3DLP high-brightness projectors that are already deployed within the Centre,” said Matthew Stanton, Technology and ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Venue Operations Manager, Adelaide Convention Centre. “It offers many capabilities for different events and large scale experiences that help make display walls easy to set up and manage, while incorporating the latest standards and connectors. With an array of innovative features and benefits, I’m confident that the Spyder X80 will play an important role in fulfilling our display needs for the foreseeable future.” Stanton noted that Adelaide Convention Centre is no stranger to Christie’s image processing systems having been a satisfied user of the Spyder X20 since 2010. “The Christie Spyder X20 has served us well for the last eight years with its 20-megapixel video processing, matrix switching and integrated source monitoring capabilities. It’s a natural progression for us to upgrade to the Spyder X80, which packs more than enough horsepower for us to create spectacular visual experiences.” Stanton adds, “We made significant investment in our event technologies as part of our recent $397 million redevelopment. The addition of the Spyder X80 to our technology infrastructure further reinforces our market leadership and position as one of the world’s most modern and technologically advanced convention centres.”
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Clark Williams, Executive Vice President, Content Management & Processing, Christie, commented, “The Spyder X80 is high performing, reliable, and the only processor built from the ground up to support 4K at 60Hz on every channel. We’re grateful that Adelaide Convention Centre has placed its trust in the Spyder X80 to deliver the most amazing visuals across multiple displays in its expanded premises. This is a clear testimony that our Spyder X80 is an instrumental piece in realizing a ‘pixels everywhere’ vision and stands alone at the forefront as a solution for applications that require managing a massive volume of pixels from source to display with the highest level of performance, flexibility, and functionality available.” Since its launch in 2017, the Spyder X80 has won numerous accolades from all over the world. Besides being awarded InfoComm 2017’s Best Rental/Staging Product for Live Events, it recently made a big visual
impact with a towering on-stage panorama spanning more than 450 feet and comprising expansive projection surfaces flanked by recessed LED walls at the Adobe Summit 2018 in Las Vegas, USA, with AV support provided by WorldStage. Featuring processing and connectivity capabilities that surpass anything else in the market, the Spyder X80 is the most powerful multi-screen windowing processor and content management solution available. The system can be configured with up to 24 inputs and 16 outputs per unit and supports user-defined colour depth of 8 bits, 10 bits or 12 bits per colour, as well as High Dynamic Range. It is also equipped with Christie’s new Spyder Studio control system and a comprehensive EDID Manager.
www.christiedigital.com
CHINA
Double Dose of MILOS Training in Czech and China outs of static calculation theory. Both took questions from participants, going into deeper group and one-on-one discussions to provide answers and give practical advice on rigging procedures and working safely with various structures. MILOS Sales Coordinator, Michal Zykan, covered truss design, while Brand Manager Marek Zubor took workshop participants on tours of each factory. Key personnel from both factories provided attendees with a complete overview of products and carried out dedicated product demonstrations. MILOS was busy in April and May this year holding their annual Product Academy at both Milos s.r.o. (Headquarters and factory) in Roudnice nad Labem, Czech Republic, and Milos (Guangzhou) Ltd. (factory) in Guangzhou, China.
On each evening, attendees were treated to a fun and exciting night of entertainment - in Prague for the Academy held in the Czech Republic, and in Panyu (a nearby district of Guangzhou) for the Academy held in China.
The Product Academy has been designed to provide attendees with the knowledge and skills they require for working safer and more professionally while carrying out rigging duties and constructing support structures.
At the conclusion of each academy, attendees received a “Certificate of Completion” that now serves as confirmation of the increased knowledge and skills they had gained during the two-day program.
Attendees in the Czech Republic were not only from locally based companies, but also from Slovakia, Germany, England, Scotland and Australia. The Product Academy in China included participants from China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, as well as from Australia, New Zealand and Kenya.
Men at Work’s (India) Mankaran Singh, who attended the workshop in China, summed up the general feeling of all attendees when saying, “Thank you for the wonderful workshop at your Guangzhou factory. It was a pleasure having met some new faces and discussed important rigging concepts at length. Your technical support and hospitality remains unmatched. I look forward to attending more workshops in the future and enhancing my knowledge.”
The two-day academy at each location was a team effort by professionals from both inside and outside of MILOS. Eric Porter, certified rigging consultant and internationally renowned rigging professional, gave rigging presentations and provided rigging consultations. Norbert Tripp, Area Four Industries Technical Director and structural engineer, held presentations that covered the ins and
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
MILOS is currently gearing up for their next MILOS Product Academies, to be held in the same period next year at Milos s.r.o. in the Czech Republic and at Milos (Guangzhou) Ltd. in China.
www.milossystems.com
THE NEW REFERENCE POINT
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
MIDDLE EAST
Dataton Appoints Regional Sales Manager for SAARC Dataton has appointed Ashok Sharma as regional sales manager for the SAARC* countries. Mr Sharma will be responsible for developing and aligning markets throughout the region with particular focus on the highly innovative and active market in India. “The market for high-end media server and content management solutions in the SAARC countries is truly vast and varied,” Ashok Sharma says. “Dataton is in a very expansive phase, with new products and features in the pipeline. I will be working with key local vendors, manufacturers and influencers across all verticals to expand the brand and provide even better support to users.” As an example of this strategy, Dataton Academy training took place in Mumbai in late June. The schedule included dedicated training for operators and was led by Mikael Ena from Dataton HQ in Sweden. More sessions in the region are planned. “There is a great demand for training and our sessions are always fully booked within a couple of days,” Ashok Sharma says. “The Academy is an excellent way to meet users and gather feedback in order to support them in their work.”
Ashok Sharma was previously the Dataton sales representative in the region and has a proven track record in the pro-AV industry. His earlier experience includes positions with projector manufacturers Digital Projection and projection design, as well as signal processing manufacturer Gefen. “The best way for us to continue to be successful in SAARC is to have a local, dedicated sales and support team. With the appointment of Ashok, we will move Dataton closer to the large numbers of WATCHOUT users in the region, and especially in the important market in India,” says Trond Solvold, Sales Director at Dataton. “I am also glad that our local partners, who have done a tremendous job promoting our solutions through the years, also found this appointment a strategically good move. Working together with them will not only strengthen brand awareness, but also secure great support for a great product.” *The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is comprised of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
www.dataton.com
NEW ZEALAND
ACLX Delivers Immersive Lighting Experiences with HARMAN Professional Solutions productions to the Waikato. In order to provide more versatile and affordable lighting solutions to their clients, ACLX sought to update their inventory with a variety of fixtures capable of creating dazzling lighting effects for events at concert venues, theatres and more. To achieve these goals, ACLX reached out to Show Technology, who suggested the Martin Professional RUSH MH1 Profile, MH6 Wash CT and MH7 Hybrid fixtures for their flexibility, power and dazzling effects.
ACLX recently upgraded their lighting inventory with Martin by HARMAN RUSH series fixtures from Show Technology to supply for theatre shows, live music performances, conferences and more.
“We chose the RUSH MH series because each fixture is portable and easy to deploy on small stages, yet powerful enough to hold their own on the largest stages in the country,” explained Aaron Chesham, Managing Director of ACLX. “The RUSH MH series was exactly what we needed—each fixture offers an impressive output with a small footprint at an affordable price. The MH fixtures have great optics, bold colors, and beautiful effects—they save us time and money without sacrificing quality. The RUSH MH series can do everything our clients need and more with fewer fixtures than the competition.”
ACLX is New Zealand’s most comprehensive supplier of entertainment and event services. Offering project management, installation and full lighting design services, ACLX is known for bringing world-class
The RUSH MH Series provides ACLX with a variety of state-of-the-art fixtures that are capable of producing dynamic visual effects for any event. The MH 1 Profile combines a super bright LED with moving
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
head capabilities in a portable package, allowing for quick and easy installations on stages with limited space. The RUSH MH 6 Wash CT provides a fully pre-mixed white colour system for environments where colour temperature is critical. The multipurpose RUSH MH 7 Hybrid combines the capabilities of Martin’s high-quality 250W Beam, Spot and Wash moving heads in a single fixture, allowing lighting designers to induce emotions in any environment. “ACLX wanted to update their lighting inventory with fixtures capable of creating immersive experiences for any audience,” said Nick Reeves of Show Technology. “We knew the RUSH MH Series fixtures would be a perfect fit. The RUSH MH1 Profile, MH6 Wash CT and MH7 Hybrid
fixtures provide a class-leading lighting solution that meets the high standards required on world-class stages.” “It’s exhilarating to know that ACLX selected Martin lighting solutions to achieve one-of-kind sensory experience at the events they designed,” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP & GM HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “We would also like to thank Show Technology for selecting the RUSH series and their continued support in redefining lighting and changing the way fans experiences light.”
www.harman.com
GLOBAL
GIS AG Acquires UK Distributor LTM range in the important UK marketplace. I warmly welcome LTM to the GIS family and we are looking forward to working with the team.” He added: “As well as a track record of success and a wealth of experience in supplying the UK market with our products for use in both the industrial and live events sectors, the team at LTM gives us access to unparalleled wisdom and knowledge on the entertainment market generally, and we look forward to integrating this expertise into our wider organisation.” John Jones, former owner and CEO at LTM, responded: “With GIS being our main supplier of electric chain hoists and crane components, the acquisition represents the perfect succession plan, whilst giving me to the opportunity to take a step back and retire. I have no doubt that GIS will be able to fully support the further developments of LTM after my retirement. The takeover guarantees stability in the company, which was of great importance to myself, fellow shareholders and, of course, our customers.” Jones added: “On a personal note I would like to wish the new LTM team a very successful future.” GIS AG, a Swiss electric chain hoist and light crane manufacturer, has acquired UK distributor Lift Turn Move (LTM), a supplier of lifting and rigging equipment to the industrial and entertainment event markets.
David King, a former shareholder, will act as CEO during a transition period. He said: “The LTM business is already an experienced and competent operation in its own right, but becoming part of the GIS organisation will add to it even further.”
Located in Bromborough on the banks of the River Mersey, LTM was founded in 2004 and is a full member of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), the world’s leading representative body for all those involved in the industry. Its product portfolio includes GIS electric chain hoists, control systems, material handling equipment, light crane systems, and other related components.
He added: “In addition to benefits to our customers, from an internal perspective, the acquisition will create opportunities for our team of engineers and lifting industry experts. We are all tremendously excited about the immediate and long-term future and look forward to opening a new chapter under Swiss ownership.”
Ivan Muri, CEO at GIS, said: “We are delighted to complete a strategic acquisition, mindful of our intent to continue the growth of our product ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
www.gis-ag.ch
• • • • •
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
CHINA
‘House of Dancing Water’ Expands Riedel Comms Infrastructure with Bolero Wireless Intercom centers on an epic love story and spectacular journey through time, showcasing dazzling costumes and special effects. “A show as complex as The House of Dancing Water would simply not be possible without reliable, stable, and flexible communications between and among our cast and crew members,” said Nicolas Hammond, Head of Sound, Dragone Macau Limited. “We’re already sold on the quality and flexibility of Riedel’s Artist, so it was only natural to choose Bolero for our upgrade to wireless comms.” The Riedel-based communications infrastructure is the result of a collaborative effort between Hammond and Assistant Head of Sound David Sharrock, with the support of The House of Dancing Water sound team. Going live in June, the new Bolero system extends the existing Riedel infrastructure, including two Artist 64 frames and two Artist 32 frames, to enable clear and reliable communications for all cast The House of Dancing Water, a breathtaking in-the-round water show created by the Franco Dragone Entertainment Group for Macau’s City of Dreams entertainment complex, is extending its in-house communications capabilities with Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercoms. Bolero will provide comprehensive, reliable, and integrated wireless capabilities that leverage the facility’s existing Riedel Artist digital matrix intercom system, in operation since 2014. Designed by Pei Partnership Architects, the state-of-the-art Dancing Water Theatre created for The House of Dancing Water includes a stage pool that holds a record-breaking 3.7 million gallons of water, equivalent to five Olympic-sized swimming pools. The arena also boasts a 40-meter-high steel-trussed space that provides the generous heights required for the show’s diving and acrobatics elements. The show itself
members and crew throughout the Dancing Water Theatre. Motocross stunt riders and acrobatic performers, coupled with the technical teams, will use the intercom system for continual communication during the show, which features visuals, water, and atmospheric effects. Even in the aquatics area, the Bolero/Artist combination will support communications with performers and underwater performer handlers in the pool via underwater speakers, in-mask communications systems, and buddy phones. Programming flexibility is another extremely important requirement for the production, and Bolero will enable the team to customize the system to meet the needs of individuals and departments. Riedel’s Director software enables intuitive management and configuration of the system while also facilitating real-time system monitoring by the sound department. “Remote monitoring and fewer moving parts means we can operate and maintain the system much more efficiently, giving us more time to work actively on solutions for users. And the outstanding build quality of the Bolero belt packs means our consumables and service/repair costs will go down dramatically,” Hammond added. “Also, we can’t speak highly enough about the fantastic service we’ve received from Riedel. The personal connections we’ve built with the Riedel team and their outgoing and professional manner have made working with Riedel a pleasure, and we know that support is always just a message away.”
www.riedel.net
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Photo: Paul Gärtner
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SINGAPORE
HARMAN Professional Solutions Simplifies and Strengthens Pro Audio Distribution in Singapore solutions and verticals that we serve, we are happy to appoint E&E as our distribution partner in Singapore” said Ramesh Jayaraman, VP and GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “The new distribution model leverages our brand strengths and E&E’s strong distribution capabilities in providing innovative technology solutions to our Singapore customers. Delivering on this strategy also creates the opportunity for further investment and expansion by HARMAN Professional Solutions in the Singapore market, as E&E extend their capabilities and support across the entire HARMAN Professional audio range.”
HARMAN Professional Solutions, the global leader in audio, video, lighting and control systems, including networked AV, today announced it has consolidated distribution of BSS, Crown, dbx, Digitech, Lexicon, JBL Professional, Soundcraft and Studer in Singapore by strengthening ties with Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd (E&E).
Building on more than 15 years of experience patronizing various HARMAN brands, E&E will expand its portfolio to include HARMAN Professional’s integration, installation and retail audio product suite. All other HARMAN partnerships serving the Singapore market for Karaoke Solutions, Cinema Solutions, AKG Professional, AMX Video and Controls and Martin Lighting Solutions remains unchanged. “In line with our overall business strategy aimed at simplifying our distribution and enhancing customer touchpoints across brands,
“HARMAN Professional Audio Brands and Solutions are well established for their technological superiority and world class quality and E&E with more than 65 years of professional audio solutions know-how is known for our broad scope of services,” said Gary Goh, Deputy Managing Director, Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd. “We understand our customers’ need for solutions and support, and with our hands-on experience in the Singapore market, we are thrilled to bring HARMAN Professional Audio products to our customers and elevate their experiences.” Support, warranty and repair of Harman Professional products in Singapore will transition to E&E with immediate effect. Warranty terms and inclusions will not be affected. For information on sales or support of HARMAN Professional Solutions products in Singapore, contact HARMAN at HPro.APAC@harman.com or harman@enepl.com.sg
https://pro.harman.com/ www.enepl.com.sg
INDIA
MSS World Adds New JBL VTX A12 Line Array Modern Stage Services Pvt. Ltd., (MSS World) pioneers in providing complete solution for events and production upgraded its Line Array inventory with the addition of JBL VTX A12 series. Modern Stage Services has been in the business for over 50 years with an experience of nearly 1000+ cultural shows pan India. Commonwealth games, IPL Opening and Closing ceremonies, AR Rahman India Tour, Kailash Kher country tour, BRICS Goa Summit, India Japan Annual Summit are some of the names from the large base of events where MSS World has successfully provided audio and technical solutions. MSS World Davinder & Pratik Wadhwa ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
“HARMAN Professional is our go-to brand for almost all product
Govindan, Sr. Director Harman Professional Solutions India & SAARC.
categories. We use VTX V25 and VTX V20 for festivals and large scale
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sound through solid technical experience at many prestigious
Wadhwa, Managing Director Modern Stage Services. “I had visited
events in India,” he added. “They have been avid users of HARMAN
Harman Live Arena and Harman’s Annual Dealer Event in 2017-18
professional touring products including the JBL VTX V20 and V25
where I experienced the latest VTX A12 Line Array system,” he adds. “It
line array systems and the addition of VTX A12 series will give them
had an extremely impressive sound which made me take a decision of
the flexibility and versatility that is required, be it Bollywood or
going ahead with the product.”
International acts.” JBL VTX A12 is a revolutionary dual 12-inch line array speaker
The latest Array inventory of Modern Stage Services include 32 x
purpose-built for mid- to large-size touring applications and high-end
JBL VTX A12 12” line array loudspeaker, 32 x JBL VTX G28 dual 18”
fixed installations. VTX A12 has made a major breakthrough in terms
subwoofer, 16 x Crown I-Tech 12000 HD power amplifier, and 16 x
of how the loudspeakers are rigged and transported.
Crown I-Tech 4x35000 HD power amplifiers. “It gives me immense happiness in announcing MSS World as one of
www.pro.harman.com www.mssworld.com
the first customers of the JBL VTX A12 line array system,” said Prashant
GLOBAL
George Masek Returns to the Philips Vari-Lite Fold Signify Entertainment Lighting is delighted to
“I’m thrilled to be able to return to a company where I’ve had so much
announce the return of Philips Vari-Lite veteran
history,” says Masek. “Working with all the talented people there over
George Masek. His appointment closely follows
22 years to create, sell, and support cutting edge, industry changing
the arrival of Brian Friborg as the new Head of
luminaires, was a great pleasure. Since the first time I saw Vari-Lites on
Signify Entertainment Lighting, and of Gary W.
their early tours in the 1980s, it was my dream to work for this amazing
Sanders as Sales Manager for the Americas.
company. I’m honored to be able to come back and see that dream
Based at the company’s Dallas office, Masek will
continue to the next stage.”
look after Business Development for the Philips Vari-Lite, Philips Strand Lighting, Philips Selecon and Showline brands.
Welcoming the appointment, Brian Friborg says, “We could not be more delighted to welcome George back to the Philips Vari-Lite fold.
A well-known figure in the international show lighting business, Masek
He has played an important part in the Vari-Lite story over the years,
has specialized in automated lighting for almost 30 years. Beginning his
and with his long experience and passion for the brand, I have no doubt
career in 1990 as a Vari-Lite Road Technician, he toured the world with
that he will do so again in the years to come. There are exciting times
leading artists, providing on-site support for Vari-Lite products from
ahead for Signify Entertainment Lighting.”
the renowned VL1 onwards. He later moved into technical support and sales, becoming Vari-Lite Product Manager in 2002. Over the next
Signify became the new company name of Philips Lighting as of May
decade he was a key part of the Vari-Lite design and engineering team
16, 2018. The legal name of Signify will be adopted across all global
which produced the highly successful VL3500 Spot and Wash fixtures,
markets in the course of 2018-2019.
as well as the VL500 Series and VLX luminaires.
Signify Entertainment Lighting comprises the Philips Vari-Lite, Philips Strand Lighting and Philips Selecon brands, as well as the Showline
In 2012, Masek left Philips Vari-Lite to take the role of VP of Automated
range of LED stage luminaires.
Lighting at ACT Lighting. In this position, he represented a range of leading manufacturers to the US market, gaining further invaluable experience with a broad variety of new customers and product lines.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
www.lighting.philips.com.sg
switch it up Introducing the latest in our Video Format Conversion technology: the HDMI 2.0 VFC card, enabling users to run 4K resolutions at 60 fps from any pro or gx server. disguise’s industry first VFC card allows users to output DisplayPort, DVI, SDI and now HDMI without changing the system, as well as mix signal formats and resolution types in the same project, with guaranteed frame synchronisation and near-zero latency.
www.disguise.one/vfc
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
INDIA
Women Walk Together Initiative
Santana Davis addressing the audience In conjunction with Nelson Mandela’s 100th Anniversary, the 18th of July also saw the first ever global showcase for women in the event technical production industry. The Women Walk Together (WWT) initiative had five simultaneous shows in 5 countries with each event being led by female production teams – supporting visibility for local females involved in the events industry. The countries involved in the initiative were India, South Africa, Guinea, UK and Brazil. Women Walk Together is the first ever global showcase for women in the event technical production industry. A global platform showing inspirational female skills in sound, light, video, trussing, event onside productions, stage managers, back stage managers, content creators and other technical skills related to events production / event technical industry. In India, J Davis Prosound and Lighting took on the honour and opportunity to be the global partner of the Women Walk Together initiative and also represent and initiate the first ever WWT event in India.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The event saw a superb turnout by the women involved in the events industry that was held at the Opus-Performance Venue in Bangalore, India. The audience comprised of almost all event companies in Bangalore with their nominated female staff. The event included Keynote talks, panellist discussions, short talks and of course a range of performances. Fittingly women led the production with Monisha Das from Calcutta taking on the sound engineering duties for the day and Karuna Sahu from Mumbai taking on Stage Tech duties handling the complete change over on stage. Showing support for the initiative were a number of bigwigs from the industry. These included: Keynote Speakers: Sam Panchamukhi – National Creative mentor, Wizcraft Professor Nandini Vaidyanathan – Founder, Carma Guest Speaker Rasheed Sait, Managing Director, George P Johnson India, Middle East and Africa
Arena More live control than ever before
DN-300Z Expects the unexpected
Parallax New ambient light rejecting projector screen
MALAYSIA SINGAPORE THAILAND INDONESIA
+603 8075 8990 +65 642 30682 +662 769 8199 +62 21 8082 1480
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NEWS AUGUST 2018
Panellist Felix Remedios – Managing Director, Reynold’s Geo Thomas – Founder, ACME Experience Megha Ghosh – Experiential Producers, Show Director, CO-Founder – Decibel Prapti Malhotra – Business Head for Special Events, Wizcraft Geethanjali Santhosh – Owner, Nalesa Floral Fusion Lightning Talks Bhakti Sanghavi Talreja – Co-Founder and MD, Dreamcraft Events and Entertainment Monisha Das – Sound Engineer, Artist Tour Specialist
Gitanjali Borthakur – Owner and Founder, Pixxel Monk Rathish Babu - CEO AAT College J Davis Prosound and Lighting’s Santana Davis must also be commended for taking on responsibility, garnering the industry and supporting the event with the necessary set-up and equipment. The event was a tremendous success and the objective is to hope that this will spur the women in the industry to strive to be the best they can be with full support from all involved and encourage new female blood to join the industry and contribute effectively to the success of events.
www.jdavisprosound.com
INDIA
Martin Audio Appoints PTC as New Indian Distributor Martin Audio has appointed Mumbai-based Preeti Trading Corporation (PTC) as its new distributor in India. The family-owned company has been in operation since the start of the new millennium with a goal to become the leading AV residential and commercial installation company in the sub-continent. Rationalising the decision to approach Martin Audio, managing director Kamal Dhingreja said, “All our dealers carry out installations as well, and had been dependent on traditional brands. So we decided to make Martin Audio available as a performance product, which sets them apart from regular integrators.”
PTC co-director Kamal Dhingreja
He said that Martin Audio’s brand value was well recognised in India. “It is highly regarded for its sound quality,” he said. “We have taken the initiative in working with the top integrators on their projects, and also to reach the best business houses on the Indian map through our sales team.” PTC will be looking to establish the CDD installation series at an early stage, along with BlacklineX, while they will also address rental staging requirements through their regional channel partnerships.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
After making the products available for major integrators, PTC will be planning demo spaces in dealer stores and participating in exhibitions, such as the recent PALM Expo India. Speaking of the appointment, Martin Audio’s APAC Account Manager, Andy Duffield, stated, ”Martin Audio has a long-established reputation in India for innovation, sonic excellence and build-quality. PTC co-director Vijay “As Martin Audio’s product range expands Dhingreja to encompass a wider range of applications and price points, it has become clear that we needed a distribution partner with a wide access to dealer channels across India in order to maximise market penetration across all ranges, throughout the country. Preeti Trading Corporation provides that capability. We are excited to welcome them to the Martin Audio family and are confident that, with their help, Martin Audio’s successes in India will go from strength to strength.”
martin-audio.com
26
NEWS AUGUST 2018
BLACKTRAX
BlackTrax Appoints New Distributor for South East Asia
SEA: CAST BlackTrax has appointed Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) as its South East Asia distributor for CAST’s unique, innovative BlackTrax real-time motion tracking system. “BlackTrax has already executed over 9,000 events around the world, but we continue to look for strategic opportunities to grow the business, and the South East Asia market represents a considerable market potential,” said Andrew Gordon, Director, Business Development. “We are excited by this announcement, as A&L is the ideal team to help us establish a strong presence in the region. Their extensive experience, technical expertise and commitment to customer support represent what we strive for in a partnership.” Acoustic & Lighting System is a distributor and integrator headquartered in Malaysia serving not only the local market but also Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand through a network of nine offices and 200+ staff. It already represents high profile audiovisual brands including Avolites, Clay Paky, disguise and Luminex “We work extensively in creating lighting and video for major live events, and it has become clear to us that BlackTrax will be a very valuable complement to what we can offer our customers, helping us provide them with a more complete solution,” said Eugene Yeo, General Manager of Acoustic & Lighting. “BlackTrax has become famous for its ability to support the creation of truly amazing shows – such as new product launches, spectaculars, visitor attractions, grand openings and so on – and that’s what our customers are looking for.” A&L has already taken delivery of its BlackTrax demonstration equipment and is receiving training from BlackTrax’ local support team.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
BlackTrax technology allows moving objects to be automatically tracked, with positioning information transmitted to media servers, lighting consoles and so on, so that the objects can be highlighted with unprecedented accuracy and repeatability. It is rapidly becoming an industry standard for controlling projectors, cameras, robotic lights, media, audio and other equipment and applications that support the RTTrPM open source protocol.
www.blacktrax.ca www.acousticlighting.com
IT‘S THE PERFORMANCE THAT MATTERS.
ULTRA-COMPACT SIZE LOW WEIGHT OF ONLY 8 KG BUILT-IN AMPLIFICATION & DSP
M-F3A A masterpiece of sophisticated German engineering M-F3A is an ultra-compact active line array system offering crystal-clear sound reproduction with extremely low tonal coloration and studio quality highs due to its hornless design. The unique PA sound is achieved by incorporating eight high-efficiency 2.8“ neodymium mid-frequency drivers and 7 pieces of 1“ direct radiation dome tweeters into each unit. All drivers are mounted on an A4 papersized front surface in a cabinet weighing only 8 kg including the rigging, 400W class-D amplification and DSP.
www.se-audiotechnik.com Also available in
WHITE
CONTACT ASIA PACIFIC Alex Schloesser alex.schloesser@se-audiotechnik.com
28
VIDEO FILES AUGUST 2018
Robe RoboSpot Multi Device Control Launch
Musik Manila Expo 2018
Designed for safe, secure and space-saving followspot solutions, the Robe RoboSpot Multi Device Control allows remote control of BMFL Follow Spot, Spot, Blade, Wash Beam, DL4S, DL7S, MegaPointe. and Pointe luminaires. The base station features a 15.6-inch HD screen for the operator to observe the performance from a “first person” viewpoint using the dedicated pan/tilt enabled RoboSpot MotionCamera or from the RoboSpot fixture mounted camera.
Musik Manila Expo is the annual expo/ tradeshow of professional Audio, Video, Lighting equipment, LED video display, staging and special effects, and this year’s event is to be held alongside an Outdoor Line Array speaker demo. Admission is free for the event, running from 1 to 2 September 2018. Check out their Facebook video!
Introducing Yamaha CL/QL Series Version 5.0
Cameo Steam Wizard 1000
Andy Cooper from Yamaha introduces version 5.0 of the Yamaha CL/ QL series. In addition to support for more Dante devices such as Rupert Neve Designs RMP-D8, Sennheiser EM6000, Shure AD4D and AD4Q, and Nexo DTD Controller, version 5.0 adds Individual Fade Time functionality, and a new Portico 5054 by Rupert Neve Designs for use in the Premium Rack.
Expanding the Steam Wizard series, the Steam Wizard 1000 is perfect for DJs, mobile entertainers and medium-sized venues. The high-velocity vertical fog machine produces dense, even bursts of water-based fog with adjustable length of up to four metres that are simultaneously illuminated by triplets of red, green and blue LEDs for dramatic scenes and rich colours. The Steam Wizard 1000 is operated via DMX in 4-channel mode or the included remote with illuminated buttons and rotary controls providing easy visibility in the dark.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
LIVE EVENTS & VENUES
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ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Elation’s All-weather Cuepix 16 IP - a Cutting-edge LED Matrix Panel As more and more projects and shows are staged outdoors, Elation Professional is again expanding on its leading line of multienvironmental IP-rated products with the new Cuepix 16 IP. The Cuepix 16 IP is a powerful 4x4 matrix LED blinder and effect panel with allweather IP65 protection. An updated version of the company’s Cuepix Panel, Elation’s popular 5 x 5 LED matrix panel that has enjoyed great success since launching 5 years ago, the Cuepix 16 IP fulfils the need for more IP-rated blinder/effect options. Lighting fixtures mounted on a downstage truss like blinder/effect lights, or general area wash fixtures, are especially exposed to the elements. Now designers can add high-impact colour or white light, eye candy or pixelmapped effects, to productions of all types, indoors or out, without the worry of weather and cost and inconvenience of protective coverings.
flicker-free thanks to its user-adjustable LED refresh rate and Gamma brightness settings. The Cuepix 16 IP dims smoothly all the way to zero with adjustable dimming curves included for programming ease. The fixture also includes an adjustable high-speed strobe (1-18fps) for those energetic flashes of light. The Cuepix 16 IP is easy to use with a 4 x 4 semi-transparent blowthrough design that not only keeps the weight down (33.0 lbs., 15 kg) but allows multiple fixtures to be easily linked together to create horizontal and vertical arrays. Versatile rigging options include 90° adjustable and fixed yoke brackets with 3-position mounting holes. Convenient features like iIntegrated alignment pins and interlocks make multiple panel matrix designs easy to set up and disassemble. Optional Omega Brackets are also available. Professional control options include DMX (14 DMX channel modes from 3-128 channels) and RDM (Remote Device Management) while onboard Art-NET and KlingNET protocols allow for more creative pixel-mapping designs. The fixture is outfitted with IP-rated 5pin DMX, RJ45 etherCON, and Seetronic Powerkon IP65 in/ out connections. A 4-button control panel with LCD menu display makes for easy navigation through DMX and manual settings and an autosensing power supply allows the unit to operate anywhere in the world.
The sleekly-designed Cuepix 16 IP houses 16 long-life 30W RGBA COB LEDs for a full spectrum of well-balanced, custom colours (saturates to pastels) with no pixelated rainbow shadows. The added amber LED compared to the RGB-based Cuepix Panel extends the possible range of colours and gives more control over white balance, producing a better warm white. The COB LEDs give a higher-density output and a more even light distribution for superior allaround performance. Each COB module is individually controllable for a wider scope of design possibilities while RGB, dynamic amber and pixel flip modes add to its creative potential. The five included pixel flip modes make it easier for users to uniformly configure all pixels in multipanel configurations regardless of their installation orientation. The high-power LED colour matrix projects a wide 62° beam angle with an 87° field angle for better coverage while maintaining a high level of uniformity. When used with cameras, the silent fixture works absolutely
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The Cuepix 16 IP offers all the benefits of LED like greater reliability and less maintenance. It consumes little power (520W max power consumption) for a lower cost of ownership and with a long LED life rating, service intervals are few and far between.
www.elationlighting.com
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ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Elation Introduces Obsidian Control Systems
Elation Professional is excited to embark on a new chapter in its evolution with the launch of Obsidian Control Systems, an accessible line of advanced yet intuitive lighting control products. Following completion in late March of the acquisition of the M-Series range of entertainment lighting controllers from HARMAN Professional Solutions, Elation received valuable feedback from the thousands of M-Series users worldwide. “Based on this feedback, we sought to create a dedicated company and brand focus for the continued development and evolution of the product series,” states Elation Sales & Marketing Director Eric Loader. “The Obsidian development will continue to be focused on stable and compatible software and hardware for all existing M-Series products” Obsidian lighting control software and hardware is designed and maintained by lighting professionals so that professionals can excel at the highest level. It is easy to use and accessible to every level of user, whether a novice programmer or a designer at the highest level. “Our pillars are that we believe in innovating together to create intuitive
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
products that are both forward thinking and reliable,” Loader continues. “We asked ourselves what it would look like to remove creative and financial obstacles so that designers and programmers can go beyond where they have before, and so that the next generation can be taught and encouraged. By innovating together, we’re creating products that are focused on the user. We have the user in mind and they can always speak directly to our innovative team with feedback.” Obsidian products are designed by an international team of lighting professionals with over 25 years of industry experience. In fact, Obsidian’s core development team, located in the Elation European office located in The Netherlands, goes all the way back to 1992 with the award-winning CASE control console series, followed by the MAXXYZ control console and MAXEDIA media servers, the M-Series platform and now the dawn of a new evolution of lighting control systems. Obsidian offers a wide range of lighting controllers, including excellent entry level options, which are exclusively distributed by Elation Professional worldwide.
www.elationlighting.com www.obsidiancontrol.com
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ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Cadac’s Golden Anniversary Console CDC five takes the audio performance, latency management and next generation, glass cockpit – hidden till lit – touchscreen-based user experience of the CDC six and CDC seven to a new competitive price point, making CDC five a unique and competitive entrant in the generalpurpose mixing console market. With the launch of the CDC five, comes Version 5 CDC Console Software, which features an improved Graphical User Interface (GUI) with a completely redesigned console control screen. The GUI has evolved for the CDC five to include a swipe down feature on its sole 23.5” touch screen which brings up the control screen functions normally found on the separate 6.5” control screen on its larger siblings. Cadac is celebrating its 50th anniversary with two new launches in its CDC touch-screen digital mixing console series; the top of the range CDC seven-s and the CDC five, a highly compact, all-in-one mix solution of unparalleled quality and power, for small-to-medium sized production companies, freelance mix engineers and all manner of fixed sound installations.
Version 5 CDC Console Software comes with a number of new features, including: Cue Ripple, Cue Preview, “human interface” and feature set, and a 23.5” touchscreen that displays a uniquely intuitive, “high agility” CDC swipe-able user interface.
www.cadac-sound.com
Small. Light. Fast. disguise Introduces the solo venues. It offers the support of our full disguise production suite with the power and performance to meet modern demands. disguise Sales Director EMEA, Sarah Cox, explains; “The solo has been created to enable artists and creatives to join our community, ensuring any project or budget can access the disguise software and hardware, without having to sacrifice on power and performance.” The solo is the natural progression from the disguise 2x2plus, future proofed for evolving industry needs with a significant increase in power, output resolution, plus even more storage. It can be used as a standalone solution, to design, sequence and play back your shows, or as a master in a larger network with pro and gx range machines. The 2U base units can be customised with HDMI and SDI capture, Pro Audio and 10GB Ethernet ports, 4K outputs, fixed storage, 2TB SSD and full redundant capabilities - so whatever your needs and budget, there’s a disguise system tailor-made for you. disguise is proud to announce the introduction of its newest server, solo, designed for the next generation of content creation. solo brings the power of the disguise solution to smaller productions and experiences within theatre, fixed installs, studio setups and smaller
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The solo is now available for shipping.
www.disguise.one/en
33
ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Allen & Heath Introduces SQ4U The SQ4You app is available for both Android and iOS and up to eight phones or tablets can be connected at the same time, making it a great time-saver for the busy audio engineer who is mixing the whole show single-handed. SQ4You’s main ‘Four Wheel Drive’ view is designed to be big, bold and easy to use, providing straightforward level controls over 4 groups, a master level and mute. Double tapping on a group gives access to more granular controls, including individual channel metering, send levels and stereo pan. Groups can be custom named for quick recognition and channels can be assigned to groups via simple checkboxes, allowing the user to create their ideal custom mix.
Allen & Heath puts performers in control of their monitors with a new personal mixing app for its SQ mixers. SQ4You is a personal mixing app to accompany SQ series mixers, allowing up to 8 performers to control their own monitor mixes from their Android or iOS devices and freeing the audio engineer to focus on the front-of-house sound.
“Most performers will tell you how off-putting bad monitors can be, but in the real world there isn’t always a dedicated monitor engineer on hand to craft that perfect mix,” commented SQ Product Manager, Keith Johnson. “SQ4You is free, unobtrusive and incredibly easy to teach and learn – most performers will be up and running in a few minutes. Performers will love being able to control their own mix and busy audio engineers will appreciate the time and space to focus on the front-ofhouse sound. It’s a win-win!”
www.allen-heath.com
SSL Live. L100 Superior sound with a smaller footprint
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
MALAYSIA SINGAPORE THAILAND INDONESIA
+603 8075 8990 +65 642 30682 +662 769 8199 +62 21 8082 1480
34
ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Solid State Logic Launches New L100 Live Console The 17” multi-gesture touchscreen gives access to all of the consoles’ functions, and combines with Quick Controls in the central Fader tile to provide intuitive, immediate hands-on hardware control. The integrated tablet device stand combines with newly released version of SSL’s TaCo tablet control application functionality to offer an additional control interface for channel or Effects Rack processing. The Master Tile also provides Mute Group, Solo/Talkback, Assignable keys, and Automation controls.
Solid State Logic has announced the release of the L100 live console - the newest member of the SSL Live console range. L100 provides a physically smaller premium solution for customers who prioritise outstanding sonic performance in space restricted installations, for submix positions or corporate production. SSL Live consoles have earned their place on international arena tours, at festivals, and in prestigious installations and houses of worship around the world, gaining a reputation for superior sonic performance, fast and flexible workflow, comprehensive network-ready connectivity, and stalwart reliability. This new entry features the same high headroom, low latency SSL Tempest Audio Engine as the other SSL Live consoles, guaranteed showfile compatibility across the range, and all of the same I/O options, including SSL SuperAnalogue stageboxes (over MADI or Dante), local analogue and digital I/O, and Blacklight. L100 sets itself apart with its compact, 12 + 2 fader configuration frame, while retaining the same fast access layer / bank switching and Super-Q technology to ensure no channel, group, aux, VCA, or master is ever far away from the engineer’s fingers. Users who require more faders can expand the L100 with the addition of SSL’s new Remote Tile and more screen space can be added via an external touchscreen and the addition of tablet control.
96 fully-processed paths provide ample capacity for small- to mid-sized live productions, and its flexible architecture means it can be configured with up to 64 input channels, 36 aux sends, 12 stem groups, 12 VCAs, and four masters. An additional 4 x 32 input, 12-ouput matrix is always available. Every L100 path features a complete range of channel processing configurable in any order, including EQ, dynamics, tube emulation, delay, all-pass filter, and two insert points. The console’s internal FX rack provides everything else, with a large suite of SSL FX, for up to 24 instances. The SSL SOLSA PC app can be used for online control and offline editing and the SSL Live TaCo (Tablet Control) mix app provides wireless tablet control of SSL Live consoles from iPad and Android devices. Antony David, SSL’s Managing Director, comments: “The launch of the L100 will deliver the incredible SSL Live audio performance and technology to a whole new range of users that previously might not have been able to specify SSL Live. Solid State Logic does not compromise its sonic integrity and build-values for anyone, so to be able to offer L100 at a very competitive price point is fantastic news. The Solid State Logic L100 live console is currently available.
www.solidstatelogic.com
Lightact Launches a New Version of Their Flagship Software Lightact v3.0.4 features NDI integration, HAP codec playback, a brand new real-time Particle Engine and a number of new real-time texture processing filters. Lightact is an integrated suite combining standard media server functionalities such as projection and multi-screen mapping and DMX lighting control with unique real-time rendering capabilities and reliability features aimed at permanent installations. The suite includes Lightact Cloud installation monitoring solution and Lightact WebUIs client user interfaces. Lightact also includes a real-time 3D rendering engine and Unreal Engine integration. Lightact, a Slovenian media server manufacturer, has launched a new version of their flagshipsoftware.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Lightact v3.0.4 is available on Lightact’s webshop.
lightact-systems.com
36
ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
In Safe Hands with BroadWeigh A new Advanced Handheld from BroadWeigh is set to bring an additional level of portability to the BroadWeigh system by expanding its standalone monitoring capabilities. The new kit (BW-HA, received a soft launch earlier this year at Prolight & Sound and is now available to order. Jonathan Purdue, BroadWeigh’s Business Development Manager said: “When we took the new Advanced Handheld to Frankfurt earlier this year, we met with some prospective customers and explained the benefits of the new kit – the first question most of them asked was – ‘when can we get our hands on one?’ What’s great about this new Handheld display is that it’s not been improved at the expense of losing simplicity. It has been designed with complete flexibility in mind – so whatever the complexity of your project – be it simple roaming straight out of the box to setting up summation groups – this device is more than capable and without the need for a PC and base station.” The Advanced Handheld retains all the existing capabilities of the existing BroadWeigh Handheld (BW-HR) to monitor any BroadWeigh devices around it at a range of up to 800 m, whilst also introducing three operational modes that bring new functionality.
In Roaming Mode riggers can view the readings of any devices in the proximity of the handheld without the need to define them on the toolkit. This is the ideal solution at times when the Handheld needs to be used with different sets of devices. Listing Mode allows the user to set recognisable names to individual devices and to set a custom overload warning for individual devices. Meanwhile Summing Mode provides group summations without the need for a PC and a base station, allows for groups to be assigned overload warning and enables the user to drill down to individual devices within groups to find the source of an overload. This device also includes a backlit display making this usable in low light environments. Jonathan continued: “With these added functionalities, this really is an ideal solution for riggers who can monitor data on the ground without having to return to the site office or carry a laptop around. We aim to develop products that tick all the boxes for our customers in the UK, Europe and beyond and judging by feedback so far, this new Advance Handheld is set to be a must-have in every safety conscious rigger’s tool box.” He concluded: “2018 is proving to be quite an exciting year for us. We’re introducing several new products and expanding further in Europe, having recently signed up Scan-Rig in Sweden and Imagine Light in Italy as new product partners. Europe is a huge market for us and so it is great to have a greater presence as we increase our product offerings.”
www.broadweigh.com
Dataton Introduces WATCHMAX SDI Features inlcude 4 x DisplayPort 1.4; 8 x 3G-SDI bi-directional connectors; Up to 4K @ 60Hz per DisplayPort channel; Up to 2K @ 60Hz per channel with 4K options when linking multiple output; Synchronization cards built-in. Dataton WATCHMAX is a range of flexible and powerful WATCHOUT media servers with various configuration options. WATCHMAX is the perfect choice for live events or fixed installations. They are tuned for maximum WATCHOUT performance and a minimum of hardware headaches with a locked-down operating system. WATCHMAX SDI is the latest addition to the WATCHOUT media server range by Dataton. It ships with 12 channels output, where 8 are bidirectional 3G SDI channels in addition to 4 Display Port 1.4 channels. The WATCHMAX servers are designed for maximum flexibility, and come with a variety of additional configurations on capture cards and storage.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
The WATCHMAD SDI is estimated to be available in late Q3, 2018.
www.dataton.com
InfoComm Southeast Asia 2019 15-17 May 2019 Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), Thailand www.infocomm-sea.com
WHEN SOUTHEAST ASIA ROARS TEN DYNAMIC COUNTRIES, ONE HUGE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY With a collective gross domestic product of $2.6 trillion in 2016 and a 630 million-strong population, Southeast Asia is a majestic global economic force to be reckoned with. Slated to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2050, its ascent is driven by capital infusions and collective efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to stimulate intra-ASEAN trade. On this journey of progress, technology is a critical enabler. With increasing prosperity and living standards, people and businesses in Southeast Asia are on the prowl for the latest AV and Integrated Experience innovations. Join InfoComm Southeast Asia 2019. Now is the time for astute businesses to leverage the growing might of the region.
Organized by:
A project of:
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ENNOVATIONS AUGUST 2018
Crest Audio’s Versarray PRO Powered Line Array Comprising the Versarray PRO VR112 line array element and the VR-PRO 215 sub, Versarray PRO is an ideal choice for all mid-sized line array applications including live entertainment, theatres, houses of worship and more. With integrated Dante audio networking, built-in DSP, innovative flying hardware and world class components, the Versarray PRO powered line array delivers premium quality audio in a versatile, easy-to-set-up, networkable package. The VR112 benefits from Crest Audio’s latest-generation Mark III ribbon drivers and proprietary CLEAR FORM Waveguide for crystalline high end reproduction. The low end is served by the 12” NEO Black Widow neodymium loudspeaker with dual 4” voice coils which works in conjunction with Crest’s patented Ram Air Cooling (RAC) design for even greater efficiency and power handling. The compact, flyable VR-PRO 215 sub, also with RAC design, features dual 15” Black Widow
Low Rider drivers and delivers full power down to 35 Hz and a peak SPL of 135dB. Both elements benefit from 3000 W of available dynamic power. In terms of rigging, Versarray PRO is a fully articulating array thanks to an ingenious, easy-to-adjust 3-pin system on the back, which enables a range of configurations. Versarray PRO includes Auto-Hang DSP technology, a quick and easy push-button control option that allows the user to adjust the array according to the number of cabinets in the array, speaker positioning and more. Combined with the innovative FlyQWIK hardware, a Versarray PRO system can be accurately deployed in a fraction of the time required by competing systems. As an active system, Versarray PRO features sophisticated on-board DSP processing including FIR filtering. Certain parameters may be accessed from the back panel for quick and easy initial set-up, or indeed the whole system may be configured and controlled remotely via a dedicated Window-based software utility. Dante network control and audio are delivered via a single CAT5/6 cable, and redundant analog connections have also been included for rock-solid reliability.
https://peaveycommercialaudio.com
LITEC Raises Sound to New Heights with the FTH40 + FTH52 Flyintowers The FTH40 allows 1600kg of your audio equipment to be supported up to 10m, while the FTH52 Flyintower supports a total load of 1400kg up to 13m. Both towers are designed for lifting loads with an electric chain hoist or manual winch, but more importantly, feature all straight sections made from standard truss, rather than truss that’s custom made. FTH40: Height:10m Loading capacity: 1,600 kg Main truss: QL40A Base dimensions: 5.8 x 7.5m
In order to offer a load capacity range from 300kg to 2000 kg, LITEC has increased its current range of Flyintowers in 2018 to a total of nine models. That’s four new Flyintower models added this year. The first two of these new Flyintowers are the FTH40 and FTH52, which provide the strength and stability you’ve come to expect from LITEC at new heights and weight capacities.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
FTH52: Height: 13m Loading capacity: 1,400 kg Main truss: QL52A Base dimensions: 6.4 x 7.9m
www.litectruss.com
23 – 25 September, 2018 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.prolightsoundME.com
Let’s master it.
Power up your lighting and audio capabilities System integrators and end-users looking to source permanent lighting, audio and AV solutions? Visit Prolight+Sound Middle East and meet industry experts to experience and source the latest technologies from leading manufacturers and to stay ahead of the competition.
EVENTS. RENTAL. INSTALL. INTEGRATION For more information on visiting, go to www.prolightsoundME.com/Visitor
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EXHIBITION PREVIEW AUGUST 2018
Middle East’s Booming Entertainment and Professional AV Industry Attracts International Heavyweights
Global suppliers of event technology and professional audio visual equipment are looking to the Middle East as a key growth market, with many returning to the region’s dedicated industry exhibition in Dubai to showcase their latest products in a booming regional market. Germany’s MONACOR INTERNATIONAL, Czech-headquartered Robe, and FBT Elettronica from Italy will be among more than 40 exhibitors from 10 countries showcasing 100-plus brands at the 3rd edition of Prolight + Sound Middle East in 2018, with the view of engaging with key decision makers from the crucial region. All have exhibited at previous editions of the annual three-day exhibition and conference, which has now become a fixed date in the annual calendar for anyone involved in the regional events, entertainment, and professional audio visual (AV) industries. MONACOR INTERNATIONAL, a manufacturer of PA, stage and event technology, has exhibited at every Prolight + Sound Middle East since its debut in 2016, and will again be centre-stage with new product launches when the trade fair opens from 23-25 September 2018 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Thorsten Siebers, MONACOR INTERNATIONAL’s Managing Director, said the company will launch its audio matrix system DRM-884 – a versatile multi-room PA concept for hotels, restaurants and bars, conference rooms, schools, sports centres and fitness centres. “After two very successful trade shows in recent years, we look forward to returning to Prolight + Sound Middle East this year,” said Siebers. “In the Middle East, the technology for audio, light and stage is experiencing a boom which is rapidly gathering momentum. There’s an increased demand for ‘German engineering’ which has been part of our quality standards for more than 50 years combined with a wide and modern product range in the fields of PA, stage and event technology. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
A visitor trying out one of the solutions displayed at the exhibition “We believe the region shows great potential for growth and development in these areas,” added Siebers. “The market is continuously changing and introducing new technologies, particularly in security and events. Thus, we remain vigilant and react to continuous change to ensure that our customers will benefit from it.” FBT, a leading supplier of professional audio, installed sound products, and audio contractor solutions, is another returning Prolight + Sound Middle East exhibitor in 2018, and will launch in the market its HORIZON series of column arrays. Bruno Tanoni, FBT’s CEO, said the Recanati-headquartered company had recorded good feedback from its participation at the exhibition in 2017: “Our presence as a manufacturer surely attracted more visitors and smoothed some preconceptions that an industry show in the Middle East might not be appealing any longer,” said Tanoni. “Instead, we were favourably and discreetly happy with the results. New leads and clients joined us afterwards, and we met some of our regional distributors who appreciated our coming to Dubai. FBT has developed some new products and we’re planning to bring them to Prolight + Sound Middle East 2018.” Tanoni added: “As we’re developing more business in the installation and contractor markets, it’s important to be present at this exhibition in Dubai to meet the ever growing demand of professional products and solutions for various applications.” Meanwhile, Robe Middle East will back for the second straight year at Prolight + Sound Middle East 2018 with some of its key moving lights and LED fixtures used in the professional entertainment, leisure, and architectural industries.
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Visitors experiencing a light show at Prolight + Sound Middle East
Event visitors attending one of the many talks hosted at Prolight + Sound Middle East
“We’ll show the MegaPointe, Tarrantula, LEDBeam 150, RoboSpot system, and possibly some others to be announced nearer the time,” said Elie Battah, Robe Middle East’s General Manager. “The MegaPointe has been one of the most successful Robe products ever and it’s been popular here like everywhere else. Our LEDBeam 150 has also done really well and most recently the Tarrantula was launched, which is a larger version of our Spiider LED wash-beam light.
“The Middle East is a hot destination for the events and entertainment industry, and with the region continuing to feature as an important stop on the annual calendar of leading international performers, demand for top of the rung audio and visual equipment will continue to surge,” said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East.
“The Spiider was introduced in 2016 and has been incredibly well received, and the larger version is a direct response to market demands,” added Battah. “Everyone likes a big beam light, and this one does so much more than just being a beam.” Battah said that Prolight + Sound Middle East was a great meeting place for the events technology and entertainment industry based in the region: “Currently it’s the only exhibition in the Middle East targeting our key markets, and it’s important to show all our newest technologies there in an environment where customers can have a closer look and get all their technical and creative questions fully answered,” he said. Prolight + Sound is organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, and returns with the Events, Technology and Entertainment Development Forum, a three-day conference and workshop discussing key trends and strategies in executing world-class events and iconic attractions.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“Prolight + Sound Middle East fills a perceived need in the market for an event that is reflective of the enormous developmental energy that is currently driving the sector in the region. Industry professionals will gain key insights into what to expect in the future and new industry trends at the interactive discussions hosted alongside the event,” Pauwels added. Other returning exhibitors to Prolight + Sound Middle East in 2018 are Venuetech and Aviss from the UAE, and France’s Inventys. Its fastgrowing global appeal is underlined by debut exhibiting countries such as the USA (Gator Cases), Canada (Stageline) and the Netherlands (ADJ). Prolight + Sound Middle East is the fifth instalment of the international network of Prolight + Sound events worldwide, and is co-located with Light Middle East 2018, the region’s dedicated exhibition, conference, and awards for lighting design and technology.
www.prolightsoundme.com
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EXHIBITION REVIEW AUGUST 2018
BroadcastAsia 2018: Capture the Future Held in conjunction with ConnectTechAsia (which comprised of CommunicAsia and the inaugural NXTAsia), BroadcastAsia (BCA) was held at Suntec City Convention Centre from 26 to 28 June. As an exhibition, BCA sought to highlight the ever-evolving elements of the broadcast and production industries, and showcase the emergence of technologies such as OTT platforms, Live Production and UHD content. The event also staged its first-ever esports tournament – the Southeast Asian League (SEAL) took place at the Esports Arena Studio within exhibition grounds, and featured a three-day live stream tournament. BCA boasted 634 exhibitors, of which 84% were from overseas, and 52 participating countries. There were also conferences galore, from the ConnecTechAsia Summit to the BroadcastMedia Track, which addressed challenges facing the fast-growing, ever-changing broadcast and TV industry, as well as tips to keep up with market disruption and the implementation of new technologies.
lighting application for theatres, tv, or festivals. The fresnels showcased – also part of the Ovation series – project bright, high CRI fields of light with soft edges, and allow for 16-bit dimming control, multiple control options via DMX, and an easy-to-navigate OLED full text display.
Besides the conferences and talks, what caught our eye during this year’s BCA were the booths – as well as all the displayed solutions! Read on to find out more:
A&L took the time to showcase the products from the various brands it distributes for, including Claypaky’s Axcor series, as well as a range of solutions from disguise and Avolites.
One of the most popular booths at BroadcastAsia was the Hypervsn booth that attracted droves of visitors keen on taking photos of the visually impactful projection of images. Electronics and Engineering is the appointed authorised reseller in Singapore as well as the authorised service centre for Asia. Hypervsn is a cutting-edge visual solution for creating, managing and displaying unique 3D video content with holographic effect. It uniquely combines a smart Hypervsn management platform and a Hypervsn projection unit, a hi-tech hardware device generating stunning 3D visuals perceived by viewers as hi-resolution holograms floating in the mid-air. Chauvet showcased its Ovation series. The CHAUVET Professional Ovation line of ERS-style LED ellipsoidals are the perfect lekos for stage ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Claypaky’s Axcor Beam 300 is the perfect replacement for the Claypaky Sharpy, with an even more compact body and a beam angle as small as 2º. The Axcor Spot 300 has 17 gobos on two wheels, including seven high-quality dichroic rotating gobos. Weighing just 20kg and measuring a little over 500mm, this unit incorporates features that are not often found in models of this size, like a rotating prism, a motorised iris, a soft edge filter, a 16-bit dimmer, and an 8-40° zoom. Last but not least, the Axcor Wash 300 has a 140mm front PC lens and linear 5.5-4.2º zoom, and claims producing colours as its specialty. AVID showcased its VENUE | S6L-16C . It features all the hallmarks of VENUE in a compact control surface that offers powerful performance in a portable solution for smaller spaces and budgets. The VENUE | S6L16C is a 16-fader control surface that’s ultra-portable, but expansive in its capabilities. It’s ideal for corporate events and live applications where space is tight.
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Features include 16 channel faders across 1 Channel Fader Module, plus 2 assignable faders in the Master Live Module; 32 assignable channel knobs (encoders) across 1 Channel Knob Module as well as 1 Master Live Module (provides control over global system parameters, such as channel banking, snapshots, and monitoring).
The Total Solution Marketing booth showcased MA Lighting’s grandMA3 consoles, boasting a whole new operating system and more ergonomic design and system-architecture that incorporates new fixture, feature and effects handling. One highlight was the grandMA3 full-size console – as the flagship of the range, its features include realtime control for up to 250,000 parameters per session in connection with grandMA3 processing units. The grandMA3 control consoles are compatible with shows created on grandMA2 consoles, and existing show can be exported from grandMA2 software 3.4 for use with all grandMA3 console models. The grandMA3 full-size and light console models also incorporate fully-featured Mode2, which runs native grandMA2 software version 3.4 and later. ETC introduced visitors to the Colorsource family, comprising of the Spot, Par, Linear, CYC, Relay, Consoles and AV Consoles. Also present was the Source Four LED Series 2, which included the Lustr array, Daylight HD and Tungsten HD arrays, Spotlight, CYC and Fresnel. Also present was the Element 2 console and Ion Xe from the Eos series – the console is designed for venues that use primarily conventional lighting, and provides the features of the Eos system in a simplified and more economical package. The Element 2 console can be backed up by
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
another Element 2, ETCnomad 6144 or ETCnomad Puck 6144 minicomputer. The Ion Xe console provides complete control of conventional and moving lights, LEDs and media servers, supporting multiple users with partitioned parameter control and full backup, multiple playback faders and cue lists in a tracking, move-fade environment.
Audio Technica’s fourth generation mid-range 3000 series wireless solutions have been completely over-hauled. The company worked on a whole new design and concept that offers a new and more sleek look for the 3000 series. The 3000 series features full metal materials, OLED display and easily interchangeable microphone heads. Simplified selection of usable frequencies, increased system reliability, and illuminated transmitter screens for clear reads on dark stages all adds up to the luxury of rock-solid, richly detailed high-fidelity sound. The 3000 series offers back-up frequency with a more robust connectivity. The wireless microphone features a unique multifunction button to switch to a backup frequency if needed in a seamless manner. beyerdynamic was pleased with the strong interest for its new tour guide system Unite at BroadcastAsia. Unite will officially ship in November. The solution features a talkback function, which will provide the system with additional potential uses. The talkback function is the ability to speak into the system itself using a receiver. A versatile
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EXHIBITION REVIEW AUGUST 2018
range of components, simple setup and DSP control to optimise speech intelligibility make Unite the perfect solution for many different scenarios and not just for tour guide purposes. DECT standard ensures use of Unite without approval or licence fees, meaning it can be used almost anywhere. The Unite system doesn’t just transmit microphone signals, it is also capable of connection to other audio sources. Tests show that the system’s signal is strong up to 300m in line of site.
Seen for the first time in Asia at the Loud Technologies Asia booth were the Doughty’s lighting truss. Also showcased was the Admiral Truss solutions and Prolyte’s Protos live load monitoring system. The RF Venue wireless transmission systems including the Wave Tower and the RF Explorer RackPRO – a 1RU full features spectrum analyzer for managing and monitoring any wireless audio system from a laptop or equipment rack, were also exhibited. Loud also took the opportunity to showcase the Dante AVIO Adapters. The company has been appointed to distribute the adapters for S.E. Asia. The agreement covers mainly Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the other outlying countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Philippines. Prolyte’s PROTOS Load monitoing systems comprise of equipment including a complete line of wireless and wired daisy chain load cell shackles ranging from 3.25 to 4.75 Tonnes that are available for in and outdoor use. PROTOS also includes USB base stations (the PLCS-WLLCRD and PLCS-WL-LCR-800) that act as the connection between the wireless signals from transmitting PROTOS devices and the computer, and the PLCS-WL-HR handheld remote, which is a roaming handheld ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
device that allows users to check on the load on a hoist before it is lifted, by viewing the reading supplied by the PROTOS load cell shackles or windspeed meter transmitter modules.
Roland showed off its professional video equipment, including the V-60HD and VR-4HD. The V-60HD video switcher is a plug-n-play production switcher with audio mixing for events and productions, and key features include: • 4 SDI, 2HDMI and 1RGB input • 2SDI, 2HDMI and 1 multiview output • 18-channel audio mixer • Smart Tally • RS232C control The VR-4HD is an all-in-one HD AV mixer with built-in USB 3.0 for web streaming, and key features include:
• • • • •
12 all-in-one portable production solutions 6 input, 4-channel video switcher support for HDMI*1, RGB/Component, and Composite Video Effects built-in scaler via CH4 18-channel audio mixer
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Event: SI INDIA AWARDS COCKTAIL EVENT Date: 18 September 2018 Venue: At the Bombay Exhibition Centre Grounds Time: 6pm - 8pm
The Grand Celebration of AV Excellence Beckons You For the Second Edition of
SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INDIA AWARDS Award Platinum Partners
Organised by:
Award Gold Partners
Ofď€ cial Media:
w w w. s i i n d i a a w a r d s . c o m
46
SPOTLIGHT AUGUST 2018
iLight Moves Forward with Robe
iLight is a Hong Kong-based rental company which specialises in supplying lighting design, equipment and expertise to a diverse range of theatrical, cultural, performance and events projects This was an ideal training ground and a lively creative environment as well as a prime opportunity to make contacts in pursuance of his dream to be a lighting designer. Around five years ago, Hong Kong Cultural Centre had its first introduction to Robe when one of the regular lighting rental companies arrived for a show with Robe LEDWash 1200s. Wheel scoped out the product and was impressed with the build quality, but it wasn’t until a couple of years later, when he met Raymond Wong of ArcSource, that Robe really appeared on his radar, and he ‘got the bug’ for the brand! The premium end of the moving light world in Hong Kong he explained Founded in 2009 by Wheel Lo and his business partner Kwan Kwan Wong, iLight now has a full time team of 10 plus a pool of over 70 skilled designers and technicians helping to service a busy schedule, each time delivering fresh and imaginative visual concepts to their client base. In 2017, iLight started purchasing Robe products from Hong Kong distributor ArcSource Ltd., and now has BMFL Blades, Spiiders, DL7S Profiles, DL4F Washes, CycFX 8s and ColorStrobes in stock … which are all being used regularly. The plan is to make more purchases later this year! Wheel graduated as a theatre lighting design major from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, then cut his industry teeth working as a lighting technician and stage manager at the famous Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
… had been dominated by two competitor brands for over a decade, in his opinion, none of them specifically appropriate for theatre, and he also felt it was time for a change! Raymond Wong at ArcSource was in turn introduced to Wheel by an ex-classmate working in his office … as Raymond was scouting for someone to take on training and product awareness in schools, colleges, educational establishments, churches, etc. At that point, Wheel looked closer at the Robe product range. Raymond highlighted the innovation and crafting and functionality that went into every Robe product’s design. “It was very clear that things had moved on substantially in recent years” stated Wheel, who was particularly struck with the BMFL Blade and the DL7S Profile. “These two products were exactly what we were looking for - properly geared to theatre and sophisticated - in the quest to find new and inventive moving light technologies for performance,” he explained, starting to get excited by the whole prospect. That was in 2016, so Raymond then invited them to Prolight & Sound Frankfurt the next Spring, which was followed by a visit to Robe’s factory in Valašské Meziříčí, where Wheel saw the production lines and R ‘n’ D in action first hand. He was “extremely impressed”. He also thought the lightshow in the Robe demo theatre was the icing on the cake in terms of seeing and appreciating the effects of the products in situ, “it showed the full power of the ranges and created an authentic theatrical atmosphere”.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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SPOTLIGHT AUGUST 2018
They were considering buying a colour scroller option for their existing strobes when Wheel and his team saw the Robe ColorStrobe for the first time … and were literally blown away!! “The output is amazing” and apart from the strobe function they are using it regularly as a rockstyle blinder. Wheel observes that two ColorStrobes will effortlessly illuminate an entire 2500 seat auditorium! Last but not least are the CycFX 8s … which he thinks are a very simple idea that has a brilliant effect, great for back lighting and shooting up – or down – scenery and softs / cloths. He feels that a lot of thought goes into Robe’s products, and that they As soon as Wheel and his crew arrived back in Hong Kong, they made the first order and were all very enthusiastic about the Robe fixtures. In the BMFL Blades, the brightness is “far greater” than the previous competitor product. Wheel also applauds the good gobo design and the smooth shutters, features essential for any self-respecting theatre production! The six facet linear prism is “cute and different”, he quips. The DL7S Profile, they appreciate as a luminaire designed specifically for a demanding theatre / performance environment. As a low power consumption LED lightsource it’s also ideal for some of the older venues in Hong Kong where power is limited. The fixture also stays cooler than discharge lamp moving lights, so generates less heat which can become an issue in some smaller venues. The DL4F Wash, he declares, is the most “Theatrical” wash on the market! “The smooth edge of the beam is really like a typical Fresnel lantern” he enthuses, adding that the inbuilt barn door means the DL4F “can completely replace” the original tungsten fresnel in theatre. Low power consumption and cool temperatures are again advantages and the size and weight of the DL4F is “perfect” for smaller scale performances in school halls, churches or the medium sized theatres of around 400-seats … without any compromise on quality or features. The Spiider is truly his current favourite fixture! The wide angle, the colour saturation, its incredible 13.3Kg weight, small size and effects are super-impressive,” he states, adding that it can be used as a general wash, where just four pieces in an upstage position can cover as much as a 12 metre wide by 10 metre deep stage for a standard theatre production. As an effects light it can be used for engaging audiences at concert and events.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
are producing technology that is “that bit more special” than some of the other manufacturers. Wheel also underlines that good service is critical in the whole brand equation. “When you make a commitment, you need to know that you will be fully supported. After sales is absolutely key, which is also why we chose to go with Robe, he stated. iLight’s Robe fixtures are constantly in use on a diversity of shows and events. Wheel recently designed lighting for singer K.C. Lee’s “Share with You” concerts at the MacPherson Stadium and for cult hair-stylist and guru Guy Tang who recently toured Hong Kong to showcase his coolest new hair products. LD Gabriel Fung lit “No Place Like Home” by the Windmill Grass Theatre Company at the Kwai Tsing Theatre and LD Leo Sui will use BMFL Blades and other lighting supplied by iLight for an upcoming production, “In Time of Turmoil” staged at the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre … and there are numerous others as the company fulfils a hectic schedule. After a year of utilizing Robe products in the field and getting them in front of a lot of people, the iLight team concludes, “The feedback has been very positive and we’re looking forward to investing further and to seeing more interesting products in Robe’s future pipeline.” Photo credits: iLight
www.robe.cz
48
SPECIAL FEATURE AUGUST 2018
MUSIC Tribe’s New Manufacturing Facility Emphasises Transparency The company recently opened its fully-functional factory in Zhongshan, China
The lesson learned? Build your own factory. “The only way you can achieve quality is if you own manufacturing,” commented Behringer. “We rented the facility that we were using for the past 10 to 12 years, but then we wanted our own building, our own manufacturing... So we made the decision about four years ago to build this place (in Zhongshan).” And so MUSIC Tribe City was born – boasting facilities like dormitories, various recreational facilities, a canteen, supermarket and hospital, the grounds are crafted as a home away from home for the company’s 3000 employees.
Located in Nanlang town in Zhangshan City, MUSIC Tribe City is the baby of the company’s founder, Uli Behringer – and for good reason. Having taken over three years of planning and construction, the sprawling 300,000sqm facility was created as a means to ensure product quality. Speaking at a press conference, Behringer shared how his journey started with a simple goal: “I wanted to provide equipment for my friends, my family... To make them happy. In 1987 I graduated from university, and it was clear to me that this was exactly what I wanted to do.” While creating equipment for his friends, he noticed that components mostly came from Taiwan and China, and decided to import them directly. However, he also soon realised it was very difficult to manage the sub-contractors he worked with, and the company ran into problems with product quality. “While I wanted to have the best product at the best possible cost, the sub-contractor or contract manufacturer wanted to maximise their profit. That was a time when we had severe quality problems, because the sub-contractor did not follow our specifications, and he chose components that would give him more profit but caused us many problems.”
The factory handles all operations, from manufacturing to packaging The factory handles the entire process – from manufacturing components, piecing the products together and packaging for distribution – for MUSIC Tribe’s 12 brands, from MIDAS to Turbosound and Behringer. According to Behringer, MUSIC Tribe City isn’t meant to just be a workplace for employees – his vision is for the company to be a “collaborative showroom” of sorts, where employees come together for a shared purpose. “In a tribe, people come together for a shared purpose that is bigger than shareholder money. Our purpose is not making money, it’s to provide meaningful, great solutions for customers.” Behringer also shared that an enlightening conversation he had with his ageing mother was the basis for the idea to create an academy within the company’s culture: “Tribe Academy is a vision where we help people to learn, for the purpose that they can teach us. The most meaningful human value is helping other people, and you help other people by teaching them – learning becomes knowledge, and knowledge becomes the ability to survive. Our academy has no tuition fee, no certificates, no degrees – all we try to do is provide our employees and customers with knowledge that is meaningful and unconditional. This is how we came up with the tagline of ‘Learn. Teach. Inspire.’
A look inside the MUSIC Tribe City factory
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
I believe that if you help people to learn, they will want to apply the knowledge. If people learn more and apply it, magical things happen.
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SPECIAL FEATURE AUGUST 2018
People want to apply what they have learnt. And then you create better solutions, better products – and then the profits will happen.”
Behringer standing with Rowlands (far left) and Coates (far right)
A manufacturing team leader performing routine quality checks on finished components Of course, the learning process applies not only to MUSIC Tribe’s employees, but the company itself – Paul Coates, China Operations Transformation Leader, shared that the company is always looking to improve on its failures. “The biggest problem we face is our success; we’re not good at turning around when we have problems, and aggressively nailing that problem and making the change. We admit that, we recognise it and we’re working on making it better – but we’re still not there yet, we’ve still got some way to go.”
So why now would MUSIC Tribe choose to hold a press conference, considering how their last media conference was 10 years ago? The answer, according to Behringer, was simple: to introduce the company’s new factory in Zhongshan, and better relations with the media – therefore reinforcing the “Glass” culture. With the company’s “Glass” vision in mind, however, it’s mildly ironic that they play coy when asked about upcoming plans for their products. Graham Rowlands, VP of Global Sales (Professional Division, Music Group) explained: “Approximately four years ago we started developing the next generation of MIDAS consoles. But with the new development this is not an extension of pro series; we want to fundamentally change the digital mixing console market. This is not only slow going, but there are failures along the way. We research, we believe, we fail. The process goes on and on.”
One way of working past their failures, Behringer stresses, is to enforce the culture of “Glass”: “‘Glass’ means transparent, something you can see through. So when you go through this facility, you’ll see everything is open, there’s nothing to hide, we want people to see each other... we believe in transparency between the customer and us, between the people and us, everything’s open.” One way of enforcing the “glass” culture, he added, is to allow customers to see the entire process from manufacturing to packaging: “We have an idea to put cameras in the factory, with live streaming – so the customers from Nicaragua, from Northern China – they can log in and see live on camera how the products are made. Remember the glass vision, we’re transparent. If we make a mistake, we admit to it because we want to improve, and at the same time we want you to be able to see anything.” A finished Behringer speaker waiting to undergo the packaging process As Behringer put it: “We are not interested to release another series of consoles which is slightly better. The time we’ve spent over the past four, five years is to invent something that I think is fair to say is revolutionary. Let me make it simple – what will come in the near future from MIDAS, from Behringer, will change the industry. Remember my words.”
www.musictribe.com
The factory handles all operations, from manufacturing to packaging
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
50
KNOWLEDGE HUB AUGUST 2018
THE ALEX SCHLOESSER COLUMN
Equalizer or Compressor, Which One is it? And now you will ask the obvious question: Why would that even be a question or an option? The headline for this issue’s Column is just something that I have carried along in my career and I still find this an important aspect of our work as sound engineers. Allow me to explain. Anyone that has been doing sound for more than ten years will remember mixing most of their shows on analogue consoles. Consequently, you always had EQ available at your disposal and yes, of course the EQ quality depended on the quality and price of the console. There were only very few consoles and those where usually extremely expensive, which had dynamics modules on board. One of my personal favorites was the ATI PARAGON and it had indeed a noise gate and Compressor per channel on board and was a fully analogue console. I was saving for a couple of years to buy one and then digital took over... As a result, processing resources were limited and as a sound engineer you had to choose what to use and where. This is both troublesome and good, because you make very conscious decisions. I have also recognized that this is a completely different decision process in Life Sound, where I spend my life, and in Recording studios. Whatever I say here is about the life sound environment. In life sound 80% of your work is fighting those demons of feedback, bad room acoustics, a P.A. that is too small, a band that is not tight etc. and only 20% is making it nice and adding the cream to your mix. In my early days on most of the gigs I only had one dual channel / stereo compressor and one four channel Noise gate for any dynamic treatment and the compressors usually ended in the same places. One channel for the BASS Player, because the player’s dynamic was quite strong and would kill the P.A. system eventually. The second channel usually went to the Bass Drum to get a decent tight punch out of a Bass drum that should keep the beat together. Bringing those two sources under control allowed most gigs to go through without major incidences.
I remember working a few shows with one colleague at the time who would rather go back to resetting the console if he was not happy with his mix, than trying to fix a weak mix by adding another dozen processing units and I have always found this to be the way I want to approach this. If it’s not right, don’t add more, it will not get better, but rather worse. In this spirit I wish you all very happy mixing... You are very welcome to keep this column interactive and to share what you want to hear about and which topics you want to see addressed. Please send your queries to: alex@asaudio.de
The dynamic of any given life concert will be very likely less than 15dB if it is considered smooth and consistent and that does represent a challenge for the engineer.
In today’s technical environment, where we do have everything available all time on every channel at even the most cost efficient small little digital consoles, I have found one thing rather common. I hear a lot of gigs that are completely over processed and this is sad. When you need to make choices on your decisions, because you have limited resources you usually end up making better choices, because your choices are very conscious.
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I have found that getting your dynamic under control is much more important than getting the EQ right and that is because of the problems mentioned above. The audience will likely know some of the songs that they hear during a performance and they will know them from listening to CD (yeah, very old school) or even worst case MP3 and similar. The dynamic is rather limited on these mediums and that is what is expected in the life environment as well. The dynamic of any given life concert will be very likely less than 15dB if it is considered smooth and consistent and that does represent a challenge for the engineer.
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KNOWLEDGE HUB AUGUST 2018
THIS SEGMENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY disguise
Device Integration (OSC)
times of day, remote inputs etc.) or by creating a project in an existing application such as Lemur, TouchOSC or OSCWidgets, then defining a ‘layout’ of actions that the user can trigger, which sends the relevant OSC strings to the media server. In one of our previous articles, we discussed general device control. But to recap, we should remind ourselves of what a device is. Ultimately, a device receives data from; or sends data to – the media server which, in a lot of scenarios, becomes the central hub for all of this device data. What the device can do specifically, depends on the device itself as well as the protocol it uses to communicate with external equipment as well as the exposed functionality that can be controlled remotely. In this scenario, the device is the machine that is Open Sound Control (OSC) is a protocol for communication among computers, sound synthesizers, and other multimedia devices that is optimized for modern networking technology. Over recent years,
sending the OSC data to the media server.
www.disguise.one
OSC has become an extremely popular choice for system integrators working with Media servers due to it’s ease of integration. OSC’s advantages include interoperability, accuracy, flexibility, and enhanced organization and documentation which make it ideal for easy to integrate, non-critical show systems. Connecting to the media server OSC is a protocol that’s communicated over a standard network. So generally speaking, there would be an OSC device connected with a
disguise Knowledge Hub articles that you might have missed:
network cable to a switch, and the media server also connected to the same switch. OSC can be sent over wireless networks as well, with the use of an access point. A common use case for this is OSC control from an iPad app such as Lemur or TouchOSC. Before launching into your media server application, you should check communication between the OSC device and the media server. You can do this by pinging the device from the media server. Ping is a computer network administration software utility used to test the reachability
•
ETA February: 3D Workflows
•
ETA March: Understanding Content Templates
•
ETA April: 3D Projector Simulation (Part One)
•
ETA May: 3D Projector Simulation (Part Two)
•
ETA June: Static vs Dynamic Video Mapping
•
ETA July: Media Servers Device Control
of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network. It measures the roundtrip time for messages sent from the originating host to a destination computer that are echoed back to the source. Once you know that the devices are able to communicate, you can proceed to configure the OSC setup by either writing an application that sends OSC strings based on defined events (button presses, ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Visit
https://www.e-techasia.com/magazine/ to view magazine and articles
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KNOWLEDGE HUB AUGUST 2018
HARMAN EDUCATIONAL SERIES PART 7
Building your Audio System – Configuring the Monitor Systems Welcome back to Building your Audio System series. In the first 5 months, we learnt the importance of having a good PA and what are the different factors to consider when deciding on the requirements. Last month, we began to learn more on setting up and configuring the monitor systems. This month, we are continuing our exploration on configuring our system, where we will discuss steps to ensure a great show and eliminate technical problems. This includes the band’s sound check and “ringing out the system,” which is a preliminary process that will help prevent feedback before it happens.
Ringing Out the System “Feedback” is one of the worst words (and sounds) you can hear as a live sound engineer, and eliminating it from an audio system should be one of your highest priorities. To keep feedback from rearing its ugly head during the sound check or performance, it’s important to “ring out” the system before the musicians arrive.
•
Slowly raise the channel preamp until you hear a subtle ringing on the verge of feedback and then slightly dial it back. Repeat this step until all microphones are at (or near) stage volume.
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Mute or attenuate your FOH master and slowly raise the monitor bus master until you hear feedback. Use a graphic EQ to notch out the first offending frequency.
•
Continue to raise the volume and cut additional frequencies through this process until you have a loud monitor wedge that is clear and feedback-free.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the next monitor bus and graphic EQ. After you’ve completed this process on all monitor busses, it’s time for sound check!
Sound Check Communication and Workflow Many bands aren’t sure what they’re supposed to do during sound check, so it’s the engineer’s job to lead the band through this process with grace. To expedite a good sound check, the engineer should utilize a talkback microphone for communication with the band. Set up a talkback channel by routing microphone into an unused input on the console. Leave the channel fader down and use the aux sends to route it to each stage monitor without it coming through the main house system.
If you’re mixing on an analog mixer, you’ll need a hardware graphic equalizer for each monitor send.
The Soundcraft SI series features a built-in graphic EQ on every output that can be applied to your monitor buses. “Ringing out” means to identify and attenuate specific frequencies that are likely to feedback in a particular space. Ringing out each monitor mix follows the same concept using these basic steps:
•
Set the main LR fader, the monitor bus master fader, the input channel fader and the channel-to-bus fader (or knob) at 0dB so that no gain is being added or subtracted.
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Use the talkback mic to ask the band, “Is my voice too loud or too quiet in anyone’s monitor?” If the answer is yes, turn it down until it’s at a comfortable level for each musician, and then tell the band you’re ready to check one instrument at a time and begin with the drums. “Kick drum, please! Who wants it? Point your finger up if you want more, point your finger down if you want less, put your hand down when you’re satisfied.” Adjust each instrument’s level to each musician’s monitor mix until they communicate that they have as much as they want.
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This continues through the snare, high hat, bass, guitars, and vocals until every channel has been checked and every band member is happy with the mix they’re hearing in their wedge. Singers usually want a lot of their vocals, while guitar players often need the other guitarist in their mix. Bass players will want a lot of kick drum and guitar. Drummers will probably want a lot of everything, since they’re playing behind the loudest instrument acoustically. After all instruments have been checked, ask the band to play a full song so that they can hear everything in context and request any last minute adjustments. This will also give you an opportunity to dial in the FOH mix while the band is running through the song. If they have any requests, accommodate each musician one at a time. Remember to keep an eye on the stage during the performance in case a band members uses a hand signal to ask for more of themselves in the monitors.
Conclusion Every live sound engineer needs to be able to dial in a good monitor mix on wedges. Now that you’ve learned about communicating with the band and how to “ring out” the system, you can walk into your next sound check with confidence. In part three, we’ll cover five processes every engineer can use to improve their monitor mixes. Do you have your own tips for workflow and communication? Let us know by dropping us a note at HPro.APAC@harman.com. If you would like to visit us at our HARMAN Professional Solutions APAC Experience Centre in Singapore, drop us an email at HPro.APAC@harman.com to fix up an appointment. HARMAN Professional Solutions APAC Experience Centre 108 Pasir Panjang Road, Level 2, Golden Agri Plaza, Singapore 118535
http://pro.harman.com
EVENTS CALENDAR 2018
Aug 22 – 24 Integrate Venue: ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour
VISIT SITE
August 23 - 25 PALMEXPO China Venue: China National Conference Centre, Beijing, China
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Sep 05 -07 InfoComm China Chengdu Venue: Western China International Expo Center
VISIT SITE
Sep 18 – 20 InfoComm India 2018 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, India
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Sep 23 – 25 Prolight + Sound Middle East Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre
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Sep 10 – 13 Prolight + Sound Shanghai Venue: Shanhai New International Expo Centre
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Oct 19 – 21 Conference and training programmes start on Oct 15 Live Design International (LDI) Venue: Las Vegas Convention Centre, USA
VISIT SITE
2019
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Jan 24 - 27 NAMM Show 2018 Venue: Anaheim Convention Centre, Anaheim, USA
VISIT SITE
Feb 05 – 08 Integrated Systems Europe 2018 Venue: Amsterdam Rai, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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KNOWLEDGE HUB AUGUST 2018
ALL ABOUT WIRELESS BROUGHT TO YOU BY
EIGHTH INSTALMENT
Noise in RF Systems by Hayden Leiper Welcome to the eighth instalment of All About Wireless, brought to
The situation is markedly worse once an image is displayed. Average
you by SHURE. In this issue, we will identify several common sources of
power of the noise floor is raised by approximately 6dB, with many
noise that affect wireless microphone and IEM systems.
strong peaks of EMI presenting at up to 50dBm above the noise floor. To make matters worse, the distribution of energy is constantly
Noise in RF systems can generally be regarded as any RF energy that
changing according to the video signal. So, in practice, the frequencies
is not the desired signal. Two terms commonly used to describe RF
at which the EMI peaks exist fluctuate randomly.
noise are Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). EMI is random, broadband noise whereas RFI is narrowband noise broadcast at specific frequencies. EMI is generated by non-broadcast electronic devices and electric motors. The noise emitted by these devices is a by-product of their operation. EMI may enter a wireless microphone or IEM system via the antenna, transmission line, or power connection, and the effect is typically high frequency noise or distortion. Interestingly, the presence of EMI can be seen on a CRT monitor where it often presents as vertical bands of dots moving across the screen. EMI generated by an energized video wall with image displayed All electronic devices emit some amount of EMI, but LED walls are of particular concern. Whilst individual LED modules may conform to
This can pose a very serious problem for the coordination of wireless
relevant emissions standards, the EMI generated by a fully formed
microphone and IEM systems as the peak EMI energy radiated from a
video wall can be considerable. Spectrum scans are essential to
large video wall may be stronger than that of the microphone and IEM
capture the impact a video wall has on the RF noise floor.
transmitters. In difficult RF environments like this, antenna choice and positioning are very important. Directional antennas may be positioned
The scan presented below reveals the EMI generated by an energized,
such that the null point is directed at the source of EMI. Boosting
but blank, video wall. Without an image displayed, average power in
transmitter output power and inserting an equivalent pad at the input
the noise floor remains below -85dBm. However, multiple spikes of
to the receiver can also be an effective way to increase the signal to
energy extend well above this threshold at power levels strong enough
noise ratio without increasing the chances of overloading the receiver
to interfere with wireless microphone and IEM systems.
front end. In any case, the identification and monitoring of potential sources of EMI is critical to ensuring RF systems are configured for optimal performance. RFI differs to EMI in that it is not unintentionally radiated energy at random power levels, but rather, is simply the presence of unwanted RF signals broadcast by RF transmitters. Sources of RFI may include other wireless microphones and IEMs, radio and television broadcast, wireless communications systems, or consumer electronic devices with wireless functionality. The presence of RFI can also be seen on a CRT monitor where it often presents as several horizontal bars or wavy lines on the screen.
EMI generated by an energized, but blank, video wall ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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The good thing about RFI, as opposed to EMI, is that it can often be accommodated as the interfering frequencies usually remain constant. Local television stations, for example, are reasonably easy to identify and avoid. Rogue mobile transmitters present a greater challenge as they can be difficult to physically locate. RF Engineers at broadcast events, for example, are often required to track down ENG teams onsite that are transmitting on interfering frequencies and assign them coordinated frequencies to use instead. Intermodulation Distortion (IMD) products are another primary source of RFI. This will be the topic
The impact of noise on operating range
of next months article. It is important to understand the effect noise producing devices will One less commonly recognised source of interfering noise can be
have on the RF noise floor so that an informed assessment can be
attributed to the receiver demodulation circuitry. Local Oscillator (LO)
made regarding their impact on our wireless microphone and IEM
and Intermediate Frequencies (IF) generated within the receiver can
systems. As depicted above, a higher RF noise floor typically results
cause distortion, both within the receiver itself and in other receivers
in a reduction of operating range. In analogue systems, an increasing
in the system. If the RF inputs of two receivers are able to interact
noise floor will produce increasing amounts of audible noise in the
electronically, one receiver may interfere with the other if the operating
demodulated signal until the squelch point is reached. Digital systems
frequency of one is equal to the LO frequency of the other.
do not exhibit this behaviour, typically demodulating clean audio until the point that noise induced errors cause the system to mute.
For example, a standard single conversion superheterodyne FM
This is advantageous as the impact of a raised RF noise floor is not
receiver tuned to an operating frequency of 600.7MHz would have
immediately audible. However, if a high noise floor is not identified,
its LO operating at 590.0MHz. If not electronically isolated, a second
the resulting decrease in operating range may come as an unwelcome
receiver tuned to an operating frequency of 590MHz could experience
surprise to the RF engineer. Spectrum scanning is the key to identifying
interference from the LO of the first, especially if the power level
and managing noise in RF systems.
received from the 590MHz microphone transmitter is low. An Antenna Distribution Unit (ADU) electronically isolates receiver RF inputs,
Next month, we will focus specifically on one form of RFI -
minimising the risk of LO induced interference. Even with an ADU in
Intermodulation Distortion. We will learn how and why IMD products
place, it is still recommended that carrier frequencies are coordinated
are generated, and how to manage IMD in multi-channel systems.
to avoid LO frequencies by at least 250kHz.
SHURE HAYDEN
An Image frequency is another potential source of internally generated
Hayden Leiper is an Electroacoustic Engineer
interference. In a single conversion FM receiver, depending on the
with 15 years’ experience in the professional
design, the LO may track above or below the tuned operating frequency
audio industry. Currently employed as a Technical
by 10.7MHz. When the tuned operating and LO frequencies are
Consultant with Shure Asia Limited, Hayden’s
applied to the receiver mixer section, one of the outputs of the mixer
current responsibilities include wireless and
is the 10.7MHz IF. If another carrier existing 10.7MHz away from the
audio systems Applications engineering support;
LO and 21.4MHz away from tuned operating frequency is allowed to
authoring, editing, publishing, and presentation
enter the receiver demodulation circuitry, the result will be a second
of educational materials for the Shure Audio
interfering output from the mixer stage at 10.7MHz. This is referred to
Institute; and support of training seminars, webinars and educational
as an Image of the tuned operating frequency. Although professional
programs conducted by Shure Asia’s channel partners.
receivers incorporate filters to supress this, it is recommended that operating frequencies are coordinated at least 250kHz away from any potential Image frequency.
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www.shureasia.com
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VIETNAM
NEX Music Festival Roars on with TW Audio EDM festival attracts a large crowd in Hanoi
The NEX Music Festival held in early May is an EDM festival that took place in a new development area called EchoPark in Hanoi. The festival showcased 12 well-known domestic and foreign DJs, including Summer Huynh, Kodeine , K.S, Ezik&KE, Hanzoi, Howning, Minh Tri and Nim&Slim and headliners Above & Beyond. A huge crowd of about 20,000 attended the event. This first edition NEX Music Festival was organised by Zeit Media with sound system support provided by Phuc Thinh based out of Ho Chi Minh city. EDM festivals in general need a very powerful sound system to be successful. As such the organiser of NEX wanted to ensure that they had a system that would guarantee the adrenaline flow throughout the event. Phuc Thinh has been using the TW system in events within Ho Chi Minh that showcased the quality, durability and consistency of the TW AUDiO system. “The team at Puch Tinh was also very eager to learn and grow so that they can enhance their standards to handle events at a more pro level,” said Augustine Edward, Managing Director, TW Asia. “This caught the attention of Zeit Media who then decided to choose TW ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
AUDiO for the NEX festival. I must also pay tribute to our distributor in Vietnam, Mr Huy who was very involved in ensuring our clients got the best out of our systems.” The challenge with the NEX event was the weather issue. The event was held at an outdoor venue and not surprisingly countries in the tropical
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zone have to deal with a lot of rain. “The rain was heavy and delayed the entire setup. Furthermore the gear was coming from Ho Chi Minh with trucks having difficulties arriving on site due to the rain and mud. They finally arrived the night before the event. We had to work in shifts overnight being soaked by the rain and mud eager to finish the set-up in time for the show,” said Augustine. The final set-up for the stage featured six clusters. The main PA comprised of 15 units of TW Vera36, 12 units of Vera36, six units of Vera10 and two units of L24 per side. Front fill had a mix of four units of M15, four M12 and eight units of C15. Other than offering clear sound and coverage, the Vera features an array of rigging points that enables the system to be quickly and efficiently set-up. In this particular case with the short time available for set-up, this feature was of tremendous help. Providing the essential low frequencies were 28 units of BSX subs and 20 units of S33 subs. The subs were positioned as a sub-array with the use of digital audio processing to steer the sub energy to the audience to get evenly distributed sub coverage.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
A delay tower consisting of 24 units of mixed T24N and T24P speakers with 10 units of B18 subs and eight units of B30 were directed toward the VIP section. Augustine adds, “This event was significantly important for TW in order to show the acceptance of our brand with touring acts finding its way on to the technical riders. It shows growing acceptance and a good reputation the brand has gained across the world.” The conclusion from all involved was that the sound system was outstanding and delivered with punch and clarity. “This is especially important for an EDM festival where all aspects of the sound need to be the top of the game. The system performed well and kudos to the technical team who ensured that the sound coverage and power was consistent throughout the event.”
www.twaudio.com
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TAIWAN
Golden Opportunity for RoboSpots
The 29th edition of the GMAs staged in Taipei Arena was the first time Robe’s RoboSpot remote follow spotting system was used in Taiwan
The 29th edition of the Golden Melody Award (GMAs) staged in the
system in action as yet, Stanley had every faith that, being a Robe
15,000 seat Taipei Arena presented a golden opportunity for Robe’s
product, he would get the required results.
RoboSpot remote follow spotting system to show its flexibility and scope.
“We were keen to break new ground – this is a high profile show and it’s important to push the envelope when it comes to technology,” he
Organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, the GMAs recognises
stated.
outstanding singing achievements in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka and Formosan languages in both the popular and traditional music
Scotty Chen from Aurora added, “The front follow spot positions in the
industries, attracting artists and audience from all over Asia. Moderated
Arena are not the best, so unless we cut into the seating areas we have
by Jam Hsiao, the 2018 show was broadcast live by Taiwan national TV
to fly a ‘bridge’ to accommodate both hardware and the operators …
throughout South-East Asia.
with all the issues that this brings! The RoboSpots effectively eliminated all of that”.
Hong Kong based LD Stanley Szeto lit the show, working for the Artesian Engineering Co Ltd.
The option to rig three remotely operated follow spots that were needed, closer to the stage, in a perfect position and without
Stanley is a long-time user of Robe products, so when asked to design
compromising on seating capacity, was joy to the organiser’s ears, as
lighting for this event, he seized the chance to use Robe Pointes on
well as giving the operators a far more comfortable and safer place
the rig to create some of the spectacular scenes and effects. He also
from which to work – i.e. backstage with their RoboSpot BaseStations!
decided to show-test Robe’s new RoboSpot system. The three near-stage RoboSpots were individual BMFL FollowSpots with The RoboSpots were a recent investment by locally based company
integral cameras, and they were used as back – for the forestage - and
Aurora Lighting from Taipei, and although he’d not actually seen the
side key lights throughout the show.
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Everyone was delighted at how easily they integrated into the overall
Aurora work on a lot of corporate shows, and Scotty immediately
lighting design without having to allow space for an operator. “There
recognized the potential of RoboSpots for these and other scenarios.
was really nowhere on the rig for near-stage follow spots and operators
With support from the Robe AP office and Jackson Yu from technical
to go, especially in the positions where they were needed,” emphasized
partner DLHG, he trained the GMA operators “in 5 minutes”.
Scotty. “With all the flying video panels making up the set … it would have also been dangerous to have people in the roof in these
Zooming especially proved to be a highly desirable feature, allowing
positions”.
operators to target their BMFL FollowSpots very accurately. They much preferred it over the traditional ‘cross-hair’ method, and Scotty also
“Operating from backstage using the RoboSpot BaseStations it was hard
confirmed his plan to implement the Multi Device Control feature in the
to miss the smiles on the RoboSpot op’s faces whilst watching their
latest RoboSpot system software versions in the very near future.
counterparts on the FOH follow spots … climbing up and abseiling down from their platform,” confirmed Jens Poehlker, MD of Robe Asia Pacific.
The benefits for him were clear - with dimmer, iris and frost in the
“The show lasted a good 5 hours and we all know what that means for
hands of the operator, and the ability to have overall control for
a person stuck on a platform high above the audience!”
central operations from the lighting console, is a win-win scenario that ultimately gives LDs a greater choice of fixtures that can be used for follow spotting. Photo credits: Jens Poehlker
www.robe.cz
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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AUSTRALIA
Modulo Kinetic at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
For the opening and closing ceremonies of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games,The Electric Canvas managed the AV projection relying on the Modulo Kinetic
The 21st Commonwealth Games took place in April 2018 at the Carrara
Recognized internationally as a leader in large-scale and architectural
stadium in Queensland, Australia. Produced by Jack Morton Worldwide,
projections, The Electric Canvas has relied on Modulo Player for several
the opening and closing ceremonies were spectacular shows with 4.000
years now: “We use Modulo Player on many projects because we really
volunteer performers. Combining theatre, dance, and music, the shows
like the X-map among other features.”
were created to reflect the Gold Coast culture, embodying its spirit and its energy. After winning the tender, The Electric Canvas prepared the event over 6 months. To achieve such a large-scale video projection in the stadium, they chose 20 x Christie Boxer projectors, as well as Modulo Kinetic, a powerful media server with advanced features from Modulo Pi. Peter Milne, Director of The Electric Canvas, explains: “I’ve been involved with Yannick Kohn - founder of Modulo Pi - and his
When entering the bid for the Gold Coast 2018, Milne chose
“We Modulo Kinetic, Modulo Pi’s new media server solution: “We were very excited when Modulo Kinetic was use Modulo launched, and now we have quite a lot of Modulo Player on many Kinetic servers. In fact, when we proposed Modulo projects because we Kinetic to the Commonwealth Games, we only had a few months experience with it. That was possible really like the X-map because we trust Modulo Pi when it comes to this type of software development. We were sure that among other their technology would be reliable and solid because of features.” our previous experiences with Modulo Player.”
technology for nearly 20 years now. When he launched Modulo Pi in 2010, we were very keen on adopting his latest system, Modulo Player”.
Working closely with the content producer, The Electric Canvas designed the projection overlay which determined how to cover the field of play, and how to project the other elements efficiently,
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while providing maximum creativity. The main video projection was
The show also included 3D mapping on Migaloo, a 30 meters long
a visualization of Earth and its history, projected on the stadium play
inflatable white whale,handled by 12 puppeteers. The whale floated
field. This came with several challenges: “We had to put the 20 video-
into the arena, with content projected onto it after it reached its final
projectors at a height of 67 meters above the ground in the sports
position. The projection on the whale then transferred to the field of
lighting towers. We did this because the stage was covered with sand,
play at the end of the sequence.
so there would have been a lot of unwanted texture, had we projected The show video was synchronized to
from a normal setting position. Especially as the sand was being constantly disturbed by the performers. Putting projectors so high was a difficult thing to do, particularly for technicians, who had to climb more than 200 steps every day to get to the top of the towers. But it was all worth it in the end, as the resulting image quality was very good” comments Peter Milne.
“Ceremony production is a very unique process. There are changes in the choreography or content every day, so you have to have a very flexible system to be able to cope with those changes and incorporate them, sometimes even within the same rehearsal.”
To handle all necessary changes, the flexibility
timecode, which was delivered with the music, but sometimes had to run independently from the timecode, as Milne explains: “In the case of having to hold entries and exits by the cast, or other unplanned factors, you need programming strategies, creating loops in the content so you don’t have any unexpected result in the picture when the timecode stops, or when something unexpected happens in the show. There
in the video-projection programming brought
are a lot of media servers who don’t cope
by Modulo Kinetic was a must for both ceremonies of this major event:
with this very well. Having a strategy whereby you can, at some point
“Ceremony production is a very unique process. There are changes
in the music, ignore the timecode, allowing the music to stop and to
in the choreography or content every day, so you have to have a very
loop, waiting for something else to happen when there’s a mechanical
flexible system to be able to cope with those changes and incorporate
breakdown on the field, or when somebody falls over, is crucial.
them, sometimes even within the same rehearsal.”
These contingent loops are a major and important part of these live shows, so having a system like Modulo Kinetic that deals with those contingencies, in a very fluid and flexible way, is essential.” Operators could also rely on the backup capabilities of Modulo Kinetic: “On a show this size, you have many departments involved, with everybody running from the timecode. One other important feature of Modulo Kinetic is the automatic reversion to back-up systems, should we have a computer problem or failure. That is also something Modulo Kinetic is good at.” In the end, the projection was impressive and looked very good in both ceremonies, with The Electric Canvas receiving lots of positive comments. About the utilization of Modulo Kinetic on this international multi-sport gathering, Milnes concludes: “It was reliable, flexible, and
The Electric Canvas has worked with Modulo Player for several years now
easy-to-use in a situation that can sometimes change dramatically every day. The Modulo Pi media servers are very specifically built for technicians and for the creatives that do the type of work that we do.
In a time-critical context, The Electric Canvas’ operators made the
Because the Modulo Pi team listens to technicians and creatives that
best of Modulo Kinetic’s capability to preview the show in 3D: “During
work on projects, they modify and improve their software specifically
the day, when we don’t have the benefit of darkness, we can run
on that feedback. For us, that’s an enormous advantage compared to
the show from the recording of the previous evening, using video
other much larger companies.”
of the rehearsal, to then further fine-tune the programming of the projection.”
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
www.modulo-pi.com www.theelectriccanvas.com.au
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CHINA
Robe Pointes to 2047 Apologue Part 2 For the “Mirror-Mirror” installation, 30 Robe Pointes were used
“Mirror-Mirror” is a dynamic kinetic installation created by German lighting / visual artist and imagineer Christopher Bauder from WHITEvoid, featuring contemporary dancer and crossover artist Qiu Jirong, and one of seven provocative stand-alone segments making up Apologue 2047/2, directed by Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor - and former cinematographer - Zhang Yimou. The work was produced by L!VE Kingway at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing in June and will tour China in August allowing a wider audience to experience how Zhang Yimou breaks the form of traditional stage presentation by blending Chinese folk arts with modern technology, creating a unique performance concept in the process. For Mirror-Mirror, Christopher utilised 30 x Robe Pointes as his primary light sources, which worked in unison with 102 x KINETIC LIGHTS WinchLEDpixels and 34 x Mirror Disc lighting fixtures. Each mirror is controlled by three winches which give 7 metres of up / down plus pan / tilt, so they can move incredibly smoothly on XY and Z
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
axes making their movement fluid and three dimensional. The mirror movement is controlled via ArtNet by Kinetic Lights’ proprietary KLC software platform and the whole system is networked. Christopher devised a storyboard for the eight minute piece and completed a pre-visualisation of the kinetic elements which included moods emotions, feelings, atmospherics … while Zhang Yimou and his
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team directed the overall show, composed the music, and both of them suggested certain positioning and chorography for the dancer. It was an evolutionary process which suited the development of all movement - from the dancer to that of the mirrors and lighting technology.
“In addition to the accuracy of the lighting cues we needed a light with highly calibrated colours that matched perfectly. It had to be a quick moving fixture easy to handle and programme … and also readily available. This and the crispness of the emitted light made it perfect for the installation”.
The Pointes are arranged on ladders in three layers, each with five Pointes, running upstage / downstage. Utilizing these traditional dance performance lifting positions was one thing, but the technique was fully subverted with the mirrors which were able to bend, reflect and refract the light beams in any direction in mid air.
“I really maxed out the Pointes on Mirror-Mirror” he stated, “We could vary the looks infinitely with different gobos, strobing effects, frosts, etc., adding that the biggest challenge at the NCPA had in fact been pumping enough haze into the performance area in three minutes as that was all they had for between segment changeovers.
Combining the side-rigged Pointes with the moving mirrors massively increased the flexibility of the precisely positioned lighting fixtures.
DMX from the Pointes was converted from ArtNet and integrated into the computer running KINETIC LIGHTS’ proprietary KLC software where Christopher and his team programmed the lighting looks and scenes as well as all the mirror movements.
Christopher first worked with Zhang Yimou on “Weaving Machine” another large scale kinetic installation that was staged as one of the eight sections in Apologue Part 1, presented a year ago in the same venue. This involved 640 internally lit balls on the same winch system and a solo female dancer, Rose Alice from London.
The luminaires were supplied by German rental company MOTION on a dry hire basis and will also be on the tour which visits Tianjin, Xi’an and Nanjing in August.
This was very successful, so all eyes were on the second edition of 2047 Apologue. Christopher wanted to retain elements from Part 1… so the fluid, seamless movement of the mirrors via the custom winches were the continuity, and the experimentation came with the moving lights and treatment.
Christopher really enjoyed working with Zhang Yimou again. Their different creative backgrounds and mix of alternative cultural influences providing a real catalyst for some spectacular visual synergy.
Bending and reflecting the lighting in this way with the mirrors is something he has crafted over a number of installations, notably earlier this year in SKALAR at Kraftwerk in Berlin, a cathedral-like former power station that provided an imposing industrial setting. SKALAR was lit with 90 x Robe Pointes in conjunction with 65 x double sided mirrors – each with a perimeter ring of 180 addressable pixels suspended on 195 of the WinchLEDpixels. It achieved great critical and popular acclaim, and the Pointe was his first choice of beam light for that. However Christopher knew that there was still a huge amount of more imaginative scope using these adaptable fixtures, so he spec’d them again on Mirror-Mirror for their brightness, precision, intensity and the clarity of the light source. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
“As a master of performance entertainment and live storytelling, it was a huge privilege to work with Mr. Yimou,” commented Christopher. “As a former cameraman, he knows a lot about lighting and has very specific ideas about colour and texturing … so I took that on-board with my programming of the Pointes and had a complete free rein with the mirrors. It was a very satisfying and educative way to work”. Yimou is also known for directing the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, and the Beijing’s eightminute show at the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics. For 2047 Apologue Part 2, his assistant director is Lulu He.
www.robe.cz
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UAE
AO Creative Ensures Emaar’s ‘Light Up 2018’ Spectacle Breaks all Records The Burj Khalifa transformed into the world’s tallest World Cup scoreboard for this year’s World Cup
The Burj Khalifa is famous for being the world’s tallest skyscraper, but the Emaar Properties had the idea to bring it a step further by using it to showcase live updates during the World Cup in June, and light up with the flag of the winning nation. It all kicked off in January with a spectacular New Year’s Eve ‘Light Up 2018’ launch, masterminded by Emaar Properties and realised by AO Creative, that broke from all conventions to stage a Guinness world record-breaking, multimedia light and sound show. Emaar Properties’ ambitious vision for the New Year’s Eve event was fulfilled by AO Creative, the creative division of Arts Outdoor Lighting Technology. More than one million people descended on Dubai to watch it live. In addition, over 2.5 billion viewers saw it through live TV broadcasts and online streams. ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Dubai’s spectacular ‘Light Up 2018’ launch was realised by AO Creative Always willing to embrace a new challenge, AO Creative’s open-minded approach, combined with its expertise in delivering unrivalled and unique multimedia design solutions and full production, meant that it was Emaar Properties’ partner of choice to deliver Dubai’s 2018 New Year message. From the outset, Emaar Properties’ vision was to create the most advanced and visually exciting New Year countdown on the planet. At times space warping, the immersive installation visually remodelled the 828-metre-tall Burj Khalifa tower and its surrounding area, allowing audiences to see Dubai from a whole new perspective. AO Creative Executive Producer, Marco Niedermeier explained: “Our task was to deliver ‘the biggest show in the world’ and make
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a positive, lasting impression, not only on the guests celebrating in Downtown Dubai, but on the entire world. Emaar Properties’ idea was to create a spectacle on a different scale from the usual New Year’s Eve celebration. They trusted in our ability to deliver, and gave us complete licence to develop this fresh, radical concept.” The result was an atmospheric fusion of fountains, light, sound and video. Inspirational content included Arabic calligraphy, geometric designs and the story of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s first president. The LED façade of the tower acted as the central storytelling element, while sharp beams of light framed the building’s distinctive shape. Show production designer for AO Creative, Jerry P. Appelt elaborated: “We had 109,252 square metres of LED screen area to work with and we used the spectacular height and shape of the skyscraper as accents for a huge, complementary light show that extended the video images far into the surrounding atmosphere.”
The challenges of rigging an event on such a massive scale were considerable. Working at extreme heights, AO Creative’s team of design engineers and technicians were tasked with framing the entire building with powerful light beams and installing a crane at the very pinnacle to create a platform capable of supporting three heavy laser units and three huge outdoor searchlights. “The challenges were countless and varied,” says Niedermeier. “Although we had five months from start to finish, the onsite team could only install the hardware during the final two months, often in very tough and restrictive conditions.” Once the installation was in place, ideally the creative team would have run the show in its entirety many times over. However, the content and its nature had to be kept secret until New Year’s Eve. This was never going to be easy when the canvas was visible from across the city and beyond! To maintain secrecy, viewing time was restricted to twenty-second segments of the show, and relied on the skill of the creative team to ensure any anomalies were ironed out well before the show ran in full at 11:59pm on New Year’s Eve 2017. Niedermeier summed up the response of AO Creative’s team on the night, “Seeing the event in its entirety for the first time on New Year’s Eve was emotional. To watch it being played out on technology we had specified and installed in such challenging circumstances, was incredibly rewarding. The joy was, it worked exactly as we had envisaged.” Emaar’s Light Up 2018 not only conquered a massive creative and technical task but set a breath-taking milestone by breaking the Guinness world record for the biggest lighting installation in the world for a New Year event. In all it took 280 moving lights rigged around the frame of the building, along with LED screen and special outdoor beam lights rigged on the façade edges to deliver. Around 550 fixtures were used in total, many of them having to be dismantled to fit in the lifts and then rebuilt in their rigging location. In addition, AO Creative managed a team of over 300 specialist engineers, riggers and technicians, who built and installed nearly 120 tons of equipment and ran over 29 kilometres of cabling. So huge was the show’s impact that the installation was extended for the celebrations of the Chinese New Year. AO Creative delivered a brand new narrative and video, sound and light content for the night, following which the original production extended its run until 31 March 2018. Photo credits to Ralph Larmann.
www.ao-creative.com Dubai’s spectacular ‘Light Up 2018’ launch was realised by AO Creative ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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SINGAPORE
INX Ignites AIA’s The Music Run
Runners at the event were treated to a breathtaking light and pyrotechnics show at the afterparty Special effects for the light show included:
• • •
20 x Pyrotechnics shots (Fountain, RGB Jerbs etc) 4 x Venturi blowers 12 x Bubble machines
Another highlight at The Music Run was the AIA Vitality Leap, an activity created for visitors that was both unique and experiential. According to INX, the AIA Vitality Leap was an auto-belayer free fall activit that was both good for the ‘gram, and memorable at the same time.
The 4th edition of AIA’s annual The Music Run saw an estimated 10,000 runners on 21 April, the day of the run. For this year’s event, AIA tasked INX with creating a spectacular light show that would later be known as “AIA Ignite”. Featuring a fully customised and choreographed lighting display and pyrotechnics show, AIA Ignite was unveiled at the run’s afterparty to set the mood for the party and cap off an exhilarating run. The set-up took nine days, and INX introduced lighting and special effects to the set – modelled after a vintage jukebox – using customised RBG LED neon light strips, as conventional LED strips would have spotting limitations that were less than ideal. The light show was
The light show was scheduled to start at dusk, which meant that INX had to customise the LED strips used
scheduled for dusk, when there was still ambient light from the setting sun, so INX requested that the light strips be made brighter than the ambient light to achieve an overwhelming effect.
Their third time working on AIA’s The Music Run (other instances were
Other challenges faced included managing the voltage drop issues that
AIA’s goal of making the event’s “AIA Music Village” an unforgettable
came with installing long stretches of LED strips – what INX had to do was introduce a system to stabilise the power supply to maintain a consistent voltage throughout the stripe, resulting in homogenous and brightly-lit strips during operations. High-density pixel effects were also achieved through the introduction of Madrix Nebula and High-End Hog
in 2015 and 2017), INX were proud to say that they managed to achieve experience for visitors, and that they were able to improve on what had been done in previous years. Esther Tan, Section Head - Brand & Corporate Communications, AIA Singapore Private Limited, commented: “The AIA activations at The
4 lighting system.
Music Run by AIA 2018 was beautifully executed by INX, in particular
Because of the LED strips used, INX ended up with a total pixel count of
brought the event’s after party to a whole new level. INX’s creativity,
a whopping 10,400 from the LED strips covering the entire structure’s outline! To ensure that they could control everything with precision, INX utilised Art-Net, which enabled them to control over 10,000 DMX channels.
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
the AIA Ignite light show, which completely wowed the crowd and innovativeness and commitment to perfect the AIA activations while keeping cost within budget should be commended.”
inx.com.sg
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INDIA
HARMAN Professional Solutions India Celebrates “World Music Day” To encourage women to take up music as a career, this year’s event featured seven amazing women rhythm and percussion artists
HARMAN Professional Solutions celebrated “World Music Day” by powering a unique and never seen before festival – “Woman of Rhythm”. Seven amazing women rhythm and percussion artists took center-stage at the Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium in Pune and delivered a spellbinding, power-packed performance to music-lovers attending the concert. Aditya Prabhu, organizer of the event, conceptualized “Woman of Rhythm” which replaced “The Dumru Festival” this year with a motive to encourage more women to take up music as a career and add to the profound talent of percussionists the country has. Music is integral to HARMAN’s rich heritage and globally HARMAN encourages its own staff to participate in in various informal street studios, organize and play in bands and make music videos. Music festival collaborations lend to promote this heritage and to celebrate the true spirit of music. “When it is about delivering crisp sound, the only brand name that comes to my mind is JBL”, said Aditya Prabhu. “From my earlier days in the event production industry, I used to concentrate on good sound because at the end of any concert what music lovers take back is sound. I had an experience in 2008 when during one of the shows I was setting up in Pune; the sound system received was not up to the mark. I called up my friends from the industry, checked online, and came across one Rental Company who had JBL line array system and AKG mics in their inventory. We used JBL & AKG there for the first time. That was an event, which got known for the sound it delivered and since that day I have been an avid fan of JBL and AKG sound. We have been associated with Harman now for 2 years in which we have delivered “The Dumru ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
Festival” in 2015 and now “Woman of Rhythm” and thanks to the end– to–end audio solution delivered by Harman gear, we never faced any technical glitches.” The Woman of Rhythm festival was powered with eight JBL VRX 932 LA-1 as main PA system, eight JBL VRX 915M for stage monitoring and four JBL STX 828S sub woofers. Amplification was through Crown XTi 6002 and Crown XTi 4002 power amplifiers and a Soundcraft Vi3000 console was used for both PA and monitors. Microphones used on the stage included two AKG C1000 for the Tabla, two AKG D7 for Pakhavaj and Mridangam respectively, six AKG D5 for Padanth and two AKG Drumkit Premium sets for both the drum kits. Rental partner Dwarika Light and Sound, Pune, provided the complete solution. “Women today are taking up roles traditionally fulfilled by men and music is no stranger to this as well. At HARMAN Professional, we encourage new musical talent and encourage artistes from all genres and backgrounds to dream and fulfil their aspirations in music. Lending support to a such a unique event with talented female percussionists, especially on World Music Day was an opportunity for us to re-affirm our commitment to gender diversity and to encouraging local music. We have been associated with the Dumru Percussion festival in Pune for two years and this collaboration has been extremely fruitful in delivering a rhythm fiesta to music lovers” said Prashant Govindan, Sr. Director, India and SAARC, HARMAN Professional Solutions.
harmanaudio.in
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AUSTRALIA
Mandylights Creates Spectacular Illumination Effects with Christie Widget Designer at Vivid Sydney 2018
The project was commissioned by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to showcase a unique creative programme to share the stories of the Barangaroo precinct
The Marri Dyin puppet at Barangaroo during Vivid Sydney 2018 The project was commissioned by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority
high, illuminated puppet named Marri Dyin wandering the site and
to showcase a unique creative programme to share the stories of the
interacting with spectators. In addition, there were several moments
Barangaroo precinct
which incorporated the precinct’s tower lighting and audio features with integrated elements within the puppet to create a large-format
Christie’s Australian partner, Mandylights, played an instrumental
spectacle.
role in transforming Wulugul Walk in Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct into a magical bushland filled with dramatic lighting and mesmerizing
The project was commissioned by the Barangaroo Delivery Authority
puppetry during Vivid Sydney 2018.
to showcase a unique creative program to share the stories of the Barangaroo precinct and celebrate the femininity of the site’s
Known as The Liminal Hour, the multimedia experience was designed
namesake. Mandylights was responsible for the lighting design of
by the artists at Mandylights, Erth Visual & Physical Inc., Jacob
Marri Dyin, including the use of a pair of Christie Pandoras Box Widget
Nash and James Brown. It featured a walking, 20-foot (six-meter)
Designer, as well as 350 internal LED lights that were wirelessly
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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controlled and triggered from both an onsite iPad and an external
shimmering of her skin with the opalescence of oyster shells.” He added
lighting control system.
that The Liminal Hour is “the natural and collaborative way everybody came together to create this contemporary spirit,” and that the “gigantic
“For this show, it was essential that both lighting and audio appeared
Marri Dyin puppet aptly embodied the physicality and the philosophy of
organic and fluid, and transitions between cues and tracks had to
the land she inhabits.”
be seamless regardless of where we were coming from or going to,” said Clint Dulieu, technical designer, Mandylights. “This meant that
Singling-out the Widget Designer as one of the technology tools that
we needed much more than canned show replay, and to have a nice
contributed to The Liminal Hour’s success, Dulieu noted that it was great
front-end for the cast members. We had therefore chosen the Widget
being able to work directly with the software support team at Christie
Designer as it enabled me to customize a front-end interface that gave
to get solutions, fast. “Widget Designer enabled us to achieve a control
the puppeteers from Erth everything they needed.”
solution that not only filled all of our specific requirements from the technical side, but whilst doing so did not in any way limit the artistic
An advanced control surface creation framework that lets users create
needs of our puppeteers which is quite the challenge.”
dedicated user interfaces and interaction logic by connecting visual control components, Widget Designer has a rich feature-set for visual
“At Mandylights we’re extremely happy with the outcome of this
node-based programming. With its intuitive interface, Widget Designer
project. We have delivered an entire precinct to great response from the
enables both professionals and non-programming specialists to create
audiences each night with all technical elements working perfectly for us
truly immersive interactive experiences.
each and every night,” said Dulieu. “We also had great response from all stakeholders on the project and more importantly, the amazing feedback
The first Widget Designer was used for the main control engine within
we’ve had from both public and press speaks for itself.”
the puppet itself and was installed on-board in a custom system that was built into a waterproof case. The second Widget Designer was
Michael Bosworth, Executive Director for APAC, Enterprise, Christie,
deployed in the main control room and served as a bridge taking in cue
commented, “We’re delighted that the award-winning Christie Widget
commands from QLab show control, and outputting to the GrandMA2
Designer has played a significant role in the staging of The Liminal Hour.
lighting control system via telnet.
We congratulate the project teams, in particular Clint and his team from Mandylights, for delivering a spectacular show with Widget Designer,
The results were nothing short of spectacular. Both the media and
which provides a complete customizable control interface solution for
members of the public were mesmerized by the gigantic Marri Dyin
the end user that no other systems on the market can offer.”
walking towards spectators and interacting with them during the performances. A Vivid Sydney official who was present said he was
Photo credits: Destination NSW
“awestruck” when he first saw the six-meter-tall puppet, and described the glow from the LEDs, controlled by Widget Designer, akin to “the
The Marri Dyin puppet interacts with a spectator during the show
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
www.mandylights.com www.christiedigital.com
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SOUTH KOREA
Altman Lighting Illuminates “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez - Louis Vuitton”
Hansam Systems works with lighting specialist Baesung Kim of LUCEA LIGHT who produces an elegant lighting design for the iconic art exhibition using Gallery 50W LED luminaires Curated by Olivier Saillard, “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez - Louis Vuitton” tells the history of Louis Vuitton, beginning in 1854, through the archives of the Family’s founding members. Conceived and designed by Robert Carsen, the thematic journey has been touring around the world, including a stop in Seoul, South Korea. With strict guidelines for the exhibition lighting design, lighting specialist Baesung Kim needed a series of powerful yet flexible lighting solutions, so he worked with distributor Hansam Systems and created a design with 260 Gallery LED luminaires from Altman Lighting. “The exhibition was part of the world tour for the Louis Vuitton show with the initial exhibition design coming from France that included lighting product specifications,” began Baesung Kim. “I joined the team for the stage setting and assisted with the product proposal, installation and execution of the show. Knowing we wanted to change the original product specifications to the Gallery LED series, we first conducted testing in South Korea, and then sent a product sample to France for their approval on specification.”
Kim continued, “I really like the intensity of illumination we can achieve with the 50W Gallery series and it has a good CRI value and local dim function. Additionally, it was also ideal for the design because the exhibition was very elegant and sophisticated, and the Gallery fixtures matched the luxurious concept of the show.” With the lighting solutions now ready to be installed as part of the exhibition lighting design, Kim knew that the performance of the luminaires would be tested. In an environment where the consistency of light is crucial to the success of the design, the Gallery LED fixtures would be used throughout the show for their various capabilities. “The show was held inside the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and the Gallery fixtures were installed in the ceiling to illuminate nine of the 15 exhibitions,” explained Kim. “The fixture lamps ran for approximately 8-10 hours per day, throughout the course of the 90-day exhibition, and we used them to illuminate the various exhibition elements using full beams of light, and also specific points of light by cutting the beam with the Gallery shutter system.”
The Gallery LED Series used for the exhibit
Lighting Designer Baesung Kim The Gallery Series is a family of architectural LED luminaires designed to serve as the most versatile solution available for museum, art gallery, hotel, restaurant and retail lighting. This scalable family offers 4000 lumens across a variety of color temperatures and can be used to build a multitude of solutions through profile, beam wash, wall wash and flood options. With a 92+ CRI engine and dimming options that include local on-board dimming, Mains Dimming, DMX/RDM, 0-10VDC and DALI, the Gallery Series also offers a number of mounting options making it an ideal architectural lighting solution where aesthetic and performance expectations are high.
Drawing to a close in South Korea, the “Volez, Voguez, Voyagez - Louis Vuitton” art exhibition continued its tour around the world. Looking back on the exhibition lighting design, Kim was grateful for both the technical support and the Gallery LED Series which beautifully illuminated the historic and iconic event. “We really appreciated the assistance we received from the sales and technical teams at Hansam Systems,” concluded Kim. “They perfectly coordinated the order and delivery schedule for the Gallery fixtures, and even helped on the onsite installation. Because of their efforts, we successfully completed the show and I would definitely recommend the Gallery LED Series to other designers who may be working on both art exhibitions and other unique lighting installations.”
www.altmanlighting.com
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com
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JAPAN
Billboard Live TOKYO Celebrates 10 Years of Exceptional Live Performances with HARMAN Professional Solutions
Hibino deployed an end-to-end JBL by HARMAN VTX Series audio solution at Billboard Live TOKYO to deliver unrivalled concert experiences “The level of detail that the VTX Series provides is exactly what we were looking for,” said the planner of Billboard Live TOKYO. “When we were listening to CDs during the system tests, the VTX Series made us feel like we were actually in the recording studio. They can recreate every little detail of a performance—you can even hear performers breathing on stage.” Billboard Live TOKYO also used the upgrade as an opportunity to reconfigure the design of their sound system for more efficient low-end coverage. Located within the Tokyo Midtown complex in Roppongi, the venue sprawls across three floors, making it difficult to deliver sufficient low frequencies to the upper levels—especially with groundstacked subwoofers. To solve this challenge, Hibino flew two VTX-G28 subwoofers near the ceiling on either side of the stage, as well as two Billboard Live TOKYO recently upgraded their sound system with a full
slightly lower VTX-S25 subwoofers between the line arrays to provide
JBL by HARMAN Professional VTX Series solution provided by Hibino for
controlled low-end distribution across all three floors.
an unrivalled concert experience. “We’ve received many compliments about the improvement of the Billboard Live is a world-class club and restaurant that hosts more than
sound,” said the technical director of Billboard Live TOKYO. “The
200 performances each year. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary
richness and response of the VTX Series is just superb, and by flying the
in 2017, Billboard Live decided to upgrade their sound system with a
subs we were able to evenly distribute low-frequencies throughout the
state-of-the-art audio solution that would earn them global acclaim
venue.”
for another 10 years to come. Billboard Live hired sound and visual specialists Hibino to supply a top-tier sound system that could deliver
Along with the VTX Series line array speakers and subs, Hibino deployed
stellar sound for any type of music—from the subtle nuances of
VTX-F12 loudspeakers as outside fills to provide even coverage on the
acoustic performances to full-scale pop productions. After hearing the
far sides of the stage. Utilizing the same D2 Dual Driver technology as
clarity and precision of the JBL VTX Series speakers, Billboard Live knew
the VTX Series, the VTX-F12 blends seamlessly with the main speakers
they were a perfect fit.
while providing wider horizontal coverage. In order to provide crystalclear monitoring on stage, Hibino deployed VTX-M20 speakers as floor monitors. “Even the monitors in the VTX Series sound great,” said the planner of Billboard Live TOKYO. “The stage sound meshes really well with the main mix. With the VTX-M20 monitors performers can clearly hear themselves on stage and our FOH engineers can easily dial in a great mix without having to fight the stage noise. Plus the low profile means they look great on camera, and they don’t disturb the view for the audience.”
harman.com
ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com