Entertainment Technology October 2019 by Sun Circle Publishers

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October 2019

IN THIS ISSUE INTEGRATION FOR LIVE PRODUCTION SIMON KING FOR JOBURG BALLET DAVE TUDOR PROFILE

FEATURE

DStv DELICIOUS FESTIVAL

BIGGER

BRIGHTER BOLDER

OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA: DWR DISTRIBUTION ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ALL ABOUT THE people

Block C, Unit 1, Kimbult Industrial Park, 9 Zeiss Road, Laserpark, Honeydew, 2170, Johannesburg Tel: +27 11 794 5023 | Fax: + 27 11 794 5702 | sales@dwrdistribution.co.za | www.dwrdistribution.co.za

C ON T E N TS

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A SOUND STAGE FOR MUSICAL THEATRE

SOUND MANAGEMENT ENSURES A DELICIOUS FESTIVAL IN KYALAMI 1

36 UNBOUND WITH JOBURG BALLET

PRODUCTS

40 INTEGRATION FOR LIVE PRODUCTION

28 LIGHTING

FOR SCHOOL HALLS

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EDITOR'S WORD

EDITOR'S COMMENT

TIME TO SPRING INTO GEAR

reetings and welcome to the spring edition of ETECH Magazine. As the weather warms up and the days get longer, it is time to celebrate the imminent arrival of another fantastic summer in Africa. While the vast majority of businesses in the country are preparing for the yearend break, the events industry is gearing up for the busiest time in our calendar. I am sure that I am not alone in hoping that the corporate and entertainment industries will celebrate big, and spend a little more as we mark the close of 2019 – a difficult year for all in the industry and the country at large. While Eskom continues to shed its load and businesses fight the ever-present threat of recession, spring is a time to celebrate new beginnings. It is a time to remember (even if by candlelight) that South Africa is still alive with opportunities – even if we have to look a little harder to find them.

In the spirit of the #ImStaying campaign, which has taken social media by storm – as thousands of loyal South Africans share their mutual love for our country – I encourage you to reflect not only on how tight the budget is, but also on the unifying effect that the events industry brings to our embattled country. On the surface, we may seem like a nation divided, but add a little music, some lights and a game on the big screen, and South Africa stands as one. And the Men and Women in Black will always be there to ensure that the music keeps playing, the lights stay on and we can cheer as one.

@etechza

EDITORIAL Nicole Barnes – Editor editor@pro-systems.co.za +27 (0)66 489 3482 David Cornwell – Journalist Cover photo: Raphael Saadiq, on the main stage at the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival.

Photo courtesy Kgabo Legora

PUBLISHERS PUBLISHER Simon Robinson | simon@suncirclegroup.com

SALES

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I wish you all of the best for the coming months, and as always encourage you to contact our editorial team so that we can share your stories with the world!

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#ImStaying Enjoy the read

es Nicole Barn

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INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW VECTORWORKS E-LEARNING PLATFORM Initially previewed at the 2018 Vectorworks Design Summit, a global design and BIM software provider, Vectorworks, Inc., has launched a centralised e-learning platform, Vectorworks University. As the main repository of training resources, Vectorworks University is a new platform for designers, educators and users across the architecture, landscape architecture and entertainment industries. “Vectorworks University is a tremendous new learning platform that demonstrates our commitment to our customers’ education,” said Juan Almansa, customer success director at Vectorworks. “From new customers seeking to learn our software for the first time all the way to seasoned experts, they’ll be able to master their skills in a centralised, self-paced and efficient way.” For many decades, Vectorworks has been well-

known for its helpful training content, including the Getting Started Guides, webinars, manuals, YouTube channel and Planet Vectorworks blog. Taking things one step further, Vectorworks University offers users the opportunity to learn, navigate and excel in the software. Customers will be able to find free online classes, tutorials and webinars ranging from basic to advanced levels on topics such as BIM, site modelling, entertainment design and more. “When we’re onboarding employees new to Vectorworks software, or who need to practice their skills, we now have somewhere to send them,” said Christiaan Briggs, senior technician at

CLAYPAKY ANNOUNCES NEW CEO Claypaky has recently announced that Marcus Graser is, with immediate effect, the new CEO of the company. Marcus takes the place of Pio Nahum who, starting from 1 October 2019, will retire after spending 30 years in the lighting industry. Marcus Graser, 42, is an experienced executive coming from OSRAM – mother company and sole shareholder of Claypaky – where he spent the last fifteen years in a

Marcus Grase and Pio Nahum

variety of different roles. When Claypaky was acquired, he led the OSRAM side of the integration and, since that time, entertainment has been one of his business focal points. “I am proud of having become the new CEO of Claypaky,” says Graser, “and to

Yurky Cross Chartered Architects. “Clearly, a lot of thought has gone into the web design as it works very well.” To date, the platform has over 110 hours of training and 200 pieces of content available. In the future, Vectorworks University will include localised content, multilingual support, learning paths and a certification program. Vectorworks Service Select subscribers and those taking advantage of Vectorworks Cloud Services can use their current membership to log in by visiting university.vectorworks.net. Additionally, Vectorworks Service Select members can access exclusive training.

oversee the exciting progress we anticipate in the years to come. I feel however that this is the right time to express, on behalf of an entire Claypaky community, our sincere gratitude to Pio Nahum for his excellent contributions as well as pragmatic, visionary and passionate leadership that allowed the company to achieve important results”. Nahum, who has spent the last 10 years at Claypaky, says: “I am glad to hand my responsibility over to Marcus; we have been working together since January and he has acquired a perfect understanding of our organisation, our market and our business. I am confident that Marcus will carry out his new assignment with the utmost professionalism, enhanced by the enthusiasm and innovative attitude that are part of his personality.”

ELECTROSONIC PRESENTS ITS AV GOES LIVE ROADSHOW

RGBlink products showcased at ELectrosonic's AV Goes Live Roadshow in Johannesburg

Electrosonic SA’s AV Goes Live Roadshow kickstarted its partnership with RGBlink in October. RGBlink sales director Rod Sommerich flew in from Australia, and together with Electrosonic’s team, demonstrated RGBlink’s range of switchers, scalers and processors to South Africa’s Pro AV and live entertainment industries. Attendees of the roadshow were in for a triple-treat, as they had the opportunity to experience first-hand Martin By HARMAN’s video fixtures; the VDO Atomic Dots, the VDO Sceptron 10s and VDO Fatron 20s, together with ProSpectre’s new LED Screens. Sommerich focused his presentation on project solutions and identifying which RGBlink products work best for specific applications. He covered topics such as high performance processing with 4K input, video control consoles and seamless switchers and scalers with test tools for various applications. During the showcase, Sommerich enjoyed interacting with Electrosonic and its clients and shared his take on the South African market. “If I were to compare; companies in Asia are often looking for the lowest-price solution and will sacrifice function and feature to that price. But here, I can see that while people are looking for an entry-level price solution, they understand that they are getting something of value for the additional cost, and understand the value proposition of our products.” Hans Roosenboom, managing director at EventPro, attended the AV Goes Live Roadshow and indicated that he was particularly impressed by RGBlink’s M2 and T1 Control Consoles. “I enjoyed Rod’s presentation, and he obviously knows his products well. RGBlink have designed products that will offer a good return on investment and as well as flexibility of application. The M2 is quite nice for the conferencing industry as it’s got a lot of inputs. The X1 also stood out as well as the preview monitors and the XPOSE software.” Bongani Dyala, who also works at EventPro as a technical sales representative expressed his excitement on the XPOSE 2.0 software. “Rod’s presentation felt like a friend telling me about this new exciting equipment that I didn’t know about and the XPOSE software really stood out for me. I struggle with clients demanding content, even though they hand things over late. With XPOSE, you plug in a USB and the content is automated. It gives you the results you want. It’s adaptable, has different applications and easy to move around in their travel cases. You literally pack up and go,” Dyala concludes. If you missed out on the AV Goes Live Roadshow and would like to book a demo, please contact Electrosonic SA.

INDUSTRY NEWS

HOG FACTOR EMEA COMPETITION OPEN FOR 2020 ENTRIES High End Systems has announced that the latest installment of the Hog Factor Europe competition is now open. The company invites applications from students, apprentices and other aspiring lighting professionals under the age of 25, from across Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Africa and the Middle East. Hog Factor is recognised for giving young people the opportunity to learn an industry-leading lighting console in a fun and unusual way. The 2020 finale at the Prolight + Sound trade show will see three teams pitted against each other to win the coveted Hog Factor Europe champion title and a trip to LDi Las Vegas 2020. Individuals or teams of two people are asked to submit a performance lighting piece programmed on a

NEW WORLD RIGGING SYMPOSIUM ESTA and USITT have announced the third New World Rigging Symposium, taking place between 31 March and 01 April 2020 in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo. 6

Hog or on Hog 4 PC, which can be downloaded free of charge with a special demo version of Capture visualisation. The top three entries will be selected, and the contestants asked to program another performance lighting piece based on High End Systems’ 2020 Prolight + Sound stand design. These finalists will be invited to the event in Frankfurt to demonstrate their programming skills live in front of a panel of industry experts and an international trade show audience. High End Systems Brand Manager, Tania Lesage comments, “Since its introduction in 2014, Hog Factor has become an internationally renowned competition and has helped launch a number of careers. We can’t wait to

Building on the enormous success of the first two symposiums, the 2020 event will once again provide an opportunity for riggers and those interested in the live entertainment rigging industry to network, discuss current issues and new technologies and help shape the future of the industry. Attendees at the previous symposiums were impressed with the knowledge and passion of the presenters and their fellow attendees, which made for educational and inspirational events. The mix of professional riggers, engineers, health and safety professionals, venue managers, educators, and manufacturers ensured stimulating and

meet the next Hog Factor hopefuls and the talent of tomorrow.” A previous winner of the competition, Austria-based Nina Mesitz of team ‘Status Cue’, praises her experience and encourages others to enter: “You learn so much and meet some really influential people that will make valuable contacts for the future. It’s an opportunity not to be missed.” The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2020. The finalists will receive free travel and accommodation for Prolight + Sound, Frankfurt, Germany (March 31 – April 3, 2020). The overall winner(s) will be awarded a trip to the LDI Show in Las Vegas. For more information on the competition and how to register, visit: highend.com/hogfactor/pls.

sometimes spirited interactions in the sessions as well as the networking events. In multiple sessions over two days, participants will be given a range of opportunities to further their technical knowledge, keep up to date with codes and standards, increase their understanding of structural issues, and learn about the challenges of working as a rigger in other segments of the entertainment industry. The Symposium will carry 10 ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification. To find out more, visit www.esta.org/events/ symposium/nwrs.html

INDUSTRY NEWS

RENKUS-HEINZ PROMOTES JIM MOBLEY TO VP Renkus-Heinz recently announced that Jim Mobley has been promoted to the position of vice president, operations. Mobley got his professional start as an installer for Matty Sound Systems in San Bernardino, California, in 1983, eventually becoming lead installer and designer. He founded his own design and consulting firm in 1996, operating it for three years before becoming RenkusHeinz’ first application engineer in 1999. As an application engineer and most recently, technical sales manager, Mobley led Renkus-Heinz’ pre and post-sale technical and design support, taught classes in EASE, EASERA, and SysTune, and created the Iconyx Dealer Certification program. “Jim has been a pillar of stability and has provided good guidance and support internally and externally in his 20 years at Renkus-Heinz,” says company president, Matt Czyzewski. “In his new position, he will be responsible for manufacturing, purchasing, and quality. Jim will work closely with the rest of the management

team to strategise and develop long-term plans that usher in new levels of productivity, growth, and success.” “I look forward to working with Matt Czyzewski and the rest of the executive team as we continue the traditions of innovation and excellence that Renkus-Heinz is known for in the pro audio industry,” responds Mobley. “Among other things, I will focus on further developing our communications and processes to enable us to build on our legacy and accomplishments and continue to grow.” For more information about Renkus-Heinz, visit www.renkus-heinz.com.

Jim Morley

INDUSTRY NEWS

PROLIGHT + SOUND TO CELEBRATE ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

For the last 25 years, Prolight + Sound has been synonymous with trends and innovations in the entertainmenttechnology industry. The next edition from 31 March to 3 April 2020 will present itself as an independent platform occupying the whole of the western section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre. More than ever before, the focus of Prolight + Sound will be on professional encounters, offering new trade-visitor services and an even bigger gamut of conferences. A clear structure of the product portfolio makes orientation and networking easier for both visitors and exhibitors. 8

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our promise for Prolight + Sound 2020 is unequivocal: we will bring companies together with top decision makers from the industry, increase visitor quality and help continuously generate new, highgrade leads. The event has set a clear course towards the future and creates new incentives for buyers and planners to come to Frankfurtâ&#x20AC;?, says Michael Biwer, Group Show Director of the Entertainment, Media & Creative Industries Business Unit of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. Thanks to its focus on the western section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre, Prolight + Sound offers short walking distances and optimum presentation conditions. In addition to the display of products in the exhibition halls, companies also have the opportunity to show their latest products and brands in demonstrations and workshops as part of the complementary event programme.

FULL COMMITMENT TO VISITOR QUALITY AND CUSTOMER RETENTION In close cooperation with companies and associations, Messe Frankfurt is implementing a wide variety of measures to reinforce the position of Prolight + Sound as the foremost business platform for decision makers. For the first time, exhibitors can invite an unlimited number of contacts to the event with free admission ticket vouchers. Also new is a Hosted Buyer programme: Messe Frankfurt will bear flight and hotel costs for a limited number of new top buyers, which are selected in cooperation with keyaccount exhibitors. Visitors from specialised market segments with a high budget responsibility enjoy exclusive admission to the Tulip Club, the VIP lounge of Prolight + Sound. Additionally, Messe Frankfurt organises guided tours for international visitors in different product groups.

INDUSTRY NEWS

CLEARLY STRUCTURED PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AND SPECIALISED PROGRAMME Prolight + Sound is positioned as the international trade fair for technologies and services in the events and entertainment business. The focus is on innovations for use at concerts and shows, theatre productions and open-air events, corporate events and conferences as well as in film and sound studios. In this connection, the fair encompasses products for both mobile and fixed applications. In other words, Prolight + Sound covers a broad yet clearly defined thematic spectrum and is split into five main sections: ProAudio, ProLight, ProStage, ProMedia and ProEvent. Individual options are available for each of the different thematic sections.

FOCUSING ON YOUNG TALENTS Prolight + Sound is taking account of the great demand for qualified personnel with the

Future Talents Day on the 31 March. The programme includes special events for students and trainees with lectures on career scenarios in the event industry. Young people can find out about job vacancies at the Future Hub in Hall 11.0. A premiĂ¨re at Prolight + Sound 2020 is the Start-up Area in Hall 11.0 where companies that have been on the

market for less than five years can make presentations for a reduced stand-rental price, including stand construction using sustainable materials. All conferences, seminars and workshops are open to Prolight + Sound visitors free of charge. Tickets for Prolight + Sound are also valid for Musikmesse from 1 to 3 April.

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

INTEGRATION IN THE MODERN LIVE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT In an engaging presentation at this year’s Mediatech Africa show, leading sound technicians Adriaan van der Walt and Cristo Hattingh shared insights into the multi-layered topic of Communication Protocols and Cross-System Integration in the Modern Live Production Environment. In this white paper feature, the two professionals outline the challenges and opportunities of networked audio solutions in the context of live event and broadcasting.

COMMUNICATION MODELS From the outset our brief from the client (the producers of The Voice South Africa) was the driving force behind just about every decision regarding our workflow and gear allocations. The brief was that the viewer experience of the audience watching the show live at the venue or in the comfort of their home on the broadcast should be as close to the same as possible. Of course, the scale of such a request – when dealing with a show comprised of as many ‘moving parts’ as The Voice South Africa – is not something to be taken lightly, and could only be executed with utmost planning and precision, and by finding efficiencies throughout the communication protocols and cross-system integration chain. This means both effective communication between people – through hashing out the exact technical specifications and having collaborative teams in place to make it all work – and finding the best methods of communication between technologies to deliver on the required outcomes.

Crucial to delivering on the client’s expectations was working closely with the production team, both technical and creative, to understand how the four different stages of the show – Blinds /Battles /Knockouts / Live – would map out as we progressed. Also keeping in mind the key elements within the show, the Coaches/Talent/Presenters/Audience, and their impact on how we approached all the different stages. The Talent’s journey through each stage would be unique, they would not only perform but live out an experience, and our goal was to bring that experience to the audience. This required unique solutions and approaches, including expanded RF microphone capabilities and innovative splitting systems to allow the storyline of the show to continue even after the talent had left the stage and started to interact with the ENG crew.

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

Adriaan van der Walt

Cristo Hattingh

Here is some technical insight into the RF systems and how we mapped it out. During the Blind auditions, each role player had to be mic’d up in order to give the Post editors the content for their storyline. This meant a Shure ULX-D Beltpack with Sennheiser MK2-Gold on Talent, Coaches, Presenter and key family members (pre-planned by production). Although the family was technically off stage while the Blind performance was taking place, all reactions and comments needed to be captured, we even had additional ambient mics in that area for larger family groups, as only two lapel mics were allocated to family members . After a performance, the Talent would join the family on camera but off stage, and even move to the holding room, so we added a second ULX-D

receiver unit synched to the Talent belt packs in that room so the ENG crew did not need to re-mic and interrupt during spontaneous moments. We also mic’d the steps and floor of the stage to assist in making the walkup to the mic as realistic as possible. During the Knockout round, the lapel mic logistics got even more compounded, as all Talent started the session on stage and needed to be pre-mic’d: this was to capture any comments and whispers between talent before and after they had the opportunity to perform. We used Shure ULX-D Systems with KSM8 capsules for the performance vocal mics. During the Blind/Battle and Knockouts this was up to four Talent mics; when we got to the Live show, the lapel count dropped drastically and the performance mic count went up – at the peak, 22 microphones were allocated in some episodes.

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

PROTOCOL PLURALITY When designing complex workflows of this nature, it will be inevitable that the protocols being used will be diverse. Even using one protocol like MADI can be challenging, as most MADI connections are peer to peer. This means dedication of a port to a single purpose, but – when only 16 voices are needed – accessing the others become impossible unless additional hardware is used to facilitate this. Now add Analog, DANTE, AES, AVB and 48K/96K to the mix, and the fun begins. Once you mix communication protocols, as with people, translation and context become vital. We used them all. Starting with the decision, based on required workflow, to use XTA Active splits in the capturing path meant that Broadcast could function completely independently from the Sound Stage.

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Now, this doesn’t mean to say we couldn’t be completely digital. It would definitely have simplified the stage patch in terms of the amount of copper cable being used – and the challenges this brings! We felt, however, that having an active splitter between the venue I/O (Digico SD10s) and broadcast I/O (Avid S6L) had more benefits that outweighed the possibility of hums or buzzes brought on by using so much copper between the Digico and Avid platforms. Some of these benefits are: No clocking issues between Digico and Avid platforms Making changes to gain and other relative levels during virtual sound-checks could be done independently between venue and broadcast systems A particular input or output signal could be distributed between the platforms without having to consider sample rate conversion which meant saving time solving challenges on the fly Virtual sound checks could be done at different times: FOH & Monitors could only do virtual sound checks after-hours, once choreography and camera rehearsals were complete, which meant broadcast did not have to wait around at night while the venue audio team was busy fine-tuning their mixes Side note: the venue used for the production still operated as a church on a Sunday morning, so as Broadcast was only connected via Active spilt, we could switch on and do system checks and virtual sound checks while the services continued. Conversely, broadcast could do a virtual sound check on a Sunday morning while the venue audio team were busy with church services The Broadcast solution consisted of a SoundGP Music OB, and a SuperSport OB

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SoundGP – all performance related elements: AVID S6L using the AVB Protocol 2 x 64/32 Stage Racks 2 x MADI Cards 64ch 48k each AVID ProPAck AAX and McDSP Plugins Direct Out Technologies 96/48 SRC Unit. because the S6L is clocking at 96k we needed to convert to 48K to interface with Supersport. Direct Out Technologies M.1K2, routing the 2 AVID MADI cards to SuperSport and RME USB/ MADI XT for WAVES MultiRack on an iMac mainly Loudness R128 Monitoring RME MADI/DANTE used for the Music director interface via DANTE running ABELTON on the stage Apple MacPro with Protools AVB connection 128ch, recording for archiving and Virtual Sound Checks Monitoring was JBL LSR 6328 and 6312 for LCR&Lfe with Genelec 8010A rear, controlled from a SPL Studio Monitor Control Apogee BigBen Clocking unit to sync up with SuperSport as well as all local devices

SuperSport – all the Talking heads and EVS playbacks (Operated by Ross Glicrest & Arie Kruger): Calrec SIGMA Console Hyrda I/O in Venue at FOH and Stage to facilitate the receiving and sending of sources. WAVE Soundgrid with MGB MADI connection (via D.O.T M.1K2) for DUGAN Auto-Mixer on Coaches All Genelec 8020D monitoring ENCO playback system for all Stings/ Underscores and tension beds

Meanwhile, at Front of House the following protocols were used: Analog for talkback I/O, accepting inputs from various playback sources, Smaart I/O and also outputs to delays and other spaces like the production office and ENG feeds MADI as the native I/O on Digico platform Optocore as the transport platform on which the Digico MADI signal would run as well as Main and Back-Up I/O routing between the SD10 and the L-ISA processor Waves Soundgrid, which also runs in parallel to MADI on the Digico, was used for I/O to an external host computer for plug-ins and also multi-track recording and playback

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY • Audinate Dante which was fed from Monitors to the Lighting department who ran their own DAW for programming and talkback purposes • AES was mainly used as the main output signal to the PA system and this signal also ran on the Optocore backbone • FOH used Ableton Live as the main multi-track system and Waves Tracks Live for back-up, both connected to Waves Soundgrid on its own closed network During the show, the ability to work on independent workflows was even more important. Both broadcast and venue would use dedicated snapshots for each performance. The point at which each department would switch to the next scene was totally different. As an example: the moment a performance was done and the host would facilitate a discussion between the on-stage Talent and the Coaches, broadcast and monitors had to change to the next scene to prepare for the next performance. FOH had to remain in the current scene during these post-performance conversations and could only advance to the next scene as the next Talent was announced.

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A total of five closed networks at FOH were established to take care of the following: Waves Multirack which was a connection between the SD10 data port, an integrated Waves card, a Waves server and an external host computer on which plug-ins were operated Waves Soundgrid which was a connection between a Digigrid MGB (MADI to Soundgrid interface connected to the SD10) and another external computer which ran the main multi-tracks Apple Audio MIDI network which had a two-fold role; firstly to transfer MIDI commands sent from the SD10’s snapshot control to various computers to do combinations of program changes and controller changes and secondly to connect the back-up multitrack DAW to Soundgrid L-Acoustics L-ISA controller which ran a GUI to access both Main and Back-Up processors L-Acoustics LA Network Manager for real-time monitoring of the PA system during live broadcasts

MUSIC FIRST Of course, the heart and soul of The Voice South Africa remains the music – and an essential aspect of the system’s design was to showcase the talent in the best possible light. We developed workflow solutions that made an impact at every stage of the production process to make sure the music performances took centre stage. This same amount of planning went into the design of our channel lists. As the idea from the Show Director, Darren Hayward, was to start relatively small in the early stages of the competition, and then add more and more elements to the band as the show progressed, we had to ensure that this aspect was integrated into our design from the outset. The pre-recorded stages of the production, namely Blinds/Battles and Knock-Outs, were filmed roughly six months apart from the Live rounds, but we did not want to treat them as separate entities because as important as it is to ensure continuity within TV productions, it also counts for the technical workflow in the audio department. From the initial discussions, all the channel counts and console architecture was planned with the Live shows in mind. During prerecords, the live band might be simpler and would have a lower channel count compared to Live shows – which meant that there would be many open and unused channels at the start of the production, which would then eventually be used as the production grew, as and when Darren and the team planned for these evolutions to happen. Digital platforms like Avid and Digico are highly configurable, in particular the way in which the operator can change the layout of the mixing surface. Having the ability to adapt the layout of the mixing console from one performance to the next makes the job far easier during the event. Naturally all of this has to be preprogrammed during and after rehearsals and also verified during the final dress rehearsal. The complexity of an audio ecosystem like this is a result of integrating different platforms and protocols – and, most importantly, being prepared for the challenges which are part and parcel of live TV productions. When the director calls for something you have to be able to produce consistently good mixes and it is only possible through loads of planning, rehearsing and communicating with fellow team members.

The five networks had to run on a managed switch to eliminate network flooding and ensure the stability of each platform. This meant the traffic from one network would not interfere or interrupt the traffic of another.

REAL DEAL EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

HOW BAD WEATHER USES REAL TIME GRAPHICS

ENGINES TO CREATE UNIQUE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCES In the words of Andrew Bosman, the co-founder of Cape Town-based innovative technology studio Bad Weather, the company “is tailored towards the conceptualisation, design and execution of creative technical productions.” At this year’s edition of Mediatech Africa visitors were given a hands-on demonstration of the company’s technical prowess, as Bosman and Bad Weather creative director Jonathan Bandli delivered an eye-

Emerger at Mediatech 2019 Black Box

opening presentation on Creative Workflows for Real Time and Interactive Experiences. A NOTCH ABOVE

Jonathan Bandli

Bad Weather has been synonymous with some of the country’s most exciting event productions for a number of years – including Rage Festival, Comic Con, Cotton Fest and Rocking the Daisies – but the company used the opportunity presented by Mediatech’s Black Box exhibition space to “showcase different ways in which real time content can be integrated into our current market here in Africa. The term ‘real

time’ – in the context of graphics and animation – is often shied away from because people just assume the costs will be exorbitant.” Wanting to show that bespoke applications of this technology are not beyond the reach of South African productions, the team designed a completely interactive presentation that involved things like “beacon tracking, where a presenter would wear an ID tag and, at the back of the venue, an infra-red camera was set up to capture their X/Y position on stage – and it would lock that content into our real time animation engine.” Bosman explains that the backbone of this aspect of Bad Weather’s production offering is the innovative software Notch, described by Mark

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

“Emerger’s content was all generated in real time. We used a combination of cameras and Xbox Kinects for a lot of the depth effects, then After Effects and predominately Notch for graphics and animation – all played back in real time. It adds so much value to the experience of the show; we can’t wait to bring the technology

Jennings (head of marketing at Notch) in an interview with VRFocus as follows: “At its heart – because of its real-time rendering ability – Notch is really fundamental to any [production environment] where you need to be able to create fantastic motion graphics without having to wait.” Bosman outlines the practical and creative implications of the Notch real time rendering engine: “Everything the camera picks up is fed through Pandora’s Box Widget Designer into Notch and then – once you’ve set the parameters of your canvas – that content is rendered and displayed in real time. You can also link the data from the camera to a lighting console, though: for example you can link the data to MA consoles and have lights follow performers” – a far more cost-effective solution than motion-control lighting systems that solely perform this function.

to Daisies.” – Andrew Bosman, co-founder of Bad Weather 15

EXPERT OPINION TECHNOLOGY

“Another huge benefit of this real time approach is if there are any lastminute changes to content required,” Bosman continues. “We’ve all been there, where there’s an event and all of a sudden a speaker didn’t show up because they were ill – and now you have to render new content with a new speaker’s name and their title. Or, more from the colour and animation side, maybe you’ve prepared content in studio but when you get to site the director isn’t happy with one of the shades you’ve used and how they appear on camera. With Notch, basically, you have all of these layers expanded in real time and you can adjust specific parameters on each layer. “It’s like your scene is exploded – and you can pick and manipulate any element in a live environment. You can move light around, move shadows, adjust speed. What’s also great is that Notch works on a pixelagnostic forum, so if you generate your content in HD but then you get onto site and you actually need to display it in 4K, you just change the camera inside Notch, you don’t need to re-render anything. This is especially helpful for touring: if you’re playing different places every night, with different stages, different resolution screens every night – you’re never limited by what you’ve pre-prepared. The same goes for frame rate: you can slow the internal camera down, but you’re still processing every frame of the original content.”

BREAKING THE MOULD Asked about what originally led Bad Weather to explore the possibilities of real time content workflows, Bosman says: “For a number of years we’ve been striving to create new experiences – and so we’ve been

investigating and researching these different technologies. During 2017, we worked on the Dubai Frame – and at the end of that process, the client said they wanted us to develop an interactive screen. So we looked into it, and – after Stage Audio Works brought in the hardware – we decided that Notch was the best route to go for the software engine, and then we developed the interactive content for that project.” Notch was deployed at Cotton Fest earlier this year for live camera effects as well as the 2019 edition of Rocking the Daisies – but visitors to Mediatech were given a taste of the stunning visuals made possible by the technology through Bad Weather’s collaboration with dream-pop duo Emerger. “Emerger’s content was all generated in real time. We used a combination of cameras and Xbox Kinects for a lot of the depth effects, then After Effects and predominately Notch for graphics and animation – all played back in real time. It adds so much value to the experience of the show; we can’t wait to bring the technology to Daisies.” As well as allowing for a “better connection with audiences, more flexibility to our workflows and letting us interact with our technology on a more practical and engaging level,” Bosman concludes by saying that he expects real time technology to have an increasing impact in a number of different industries over the coming years. “Being primarily an events company, we’ve obviously started by pushing this technology into this space and designing live experiences, but there are lots of areas where it has room to grow. In the film industry, for example – in the case of perspective tracking – but also in the context of more corporate installations, anywhere you want to create interesting, interactive content. It’s still very new technology – but there are very few limitations on it and where it can be integrated.”

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ora bo Leg by Kga Photos

LIVE EVENTS

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Rapha

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main sta

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SOUND MANAGEMENT ENSURES A DELICIOUS FESTIVAL IN KYALAMI The seventh edition of the DStv Delicious International Food

A DELICIOUS EVENT

and Music Festival, held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and

The DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival first took the entertainment and culinary world by storm in October 2013 and has continued to grow in both size and quality over the years. The festival, now in its seventh edition, has become a highlight of Joburg’s social calendar and continues to develop its reputation as the city’s most prestigious celebration of the best live entertainment and culinary experiences that the city has to offer.

International Convention Centre on the weekend of 21 and 22 September, has been heralded a success by organisers, exhibitors and festival-goers alike.

Central to the success of this year’s event was a dynamic team of event organisers and technical service providers who collectively pulled out all the stops to deliver a world-class concert within earshot of Joburg’s trendiest suburbs.

LIVE EVENTS

of the biggest “As in years past, one to overcome was challenges that we had red a top-quality ve li de e w at th g n ri su en stival-goers fe r fo ce en ri pe ex rt ce n big co at the venue is th t n u co ac to in g in k while ta tial areas, surrounded by residen state, Lonehill, E ll fa er at W g n di u cl in f among others.” ho ls au P d an ll hi g in n Sun – Dave Tudor, Techn

ical Manager

Over the years, the DStv Delicious Festival has hosted some of the biggest names from both the culinary and music worlds, such as MasterChef SA Judge Pete Goffe-Wood and chefs Reza Mahammad, Siba Mtongana, Jenny Morris. Music legends have included Common, TKZee, Hugh Masekela, Incognito, Lira, Thandiswa Mazwai, Black Coffee, Louie Vega, Jordan Rakei and Erykah Badu to name a few. The last four iterations of the DStv Delicious Festival were held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, where more than 40,000 visitors have gathered, year-on-year, for the two-day event. Situated in the heart of the growing metropolis between Johannesburg and Pretoria, the venue’s expansive grounds and world-class infrastructure provides the perfect setting for the festival, which features a main-stage, with a generous picnic area complete with

a fully-equipped bar, surrounded by terraced VIP hospitality suites. The festival also offers a ‘delicious mile’ where visitors can enjoy a range of sponsored lounge areas, pop-up restaurants, bars and food trucks. For those who enjoy a good dance party, this year’s festival offered a second stage, the Red Bull Music Dance Arena, which featured local and international deejays on Saturday night. The Engen Kids Fest, positioned a comfortable distance from the main festival grounds, provided junior festival-goers with their own stage, live entertainment, indoor and outdoor activities and catering, all presided over by an army of well-qualified childminders. In short, the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival is the perfect indulgence for all.

LIVE EVENTS

“In 2018, the city coun cil imposed restriction s of about 96dB at front of house, which is in line with restriction s imposed in the EU for indoor events he ld in urban areas, but it is simply not suff icient to deliver th e sound re-enforcemen t needed to create a solid outdoor concert ex perience.”

– Gearhouse senior

sound engineer, Jona tha

n Green

Raphael Saadiq onstage

A SOUND MANAGEMENT PLAN The DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festival is a complex event by anybody’s standards, and as such the show’s organising team, led by festival director Lloyd Cornwall and executive producer Kim Bultemeier, drew on some of the country’s leading technical suppliers to ensure the show’s success. Speaking to ETECH in a recent interview, Dave Tudor explains that he was appointed as technical manager by the festival’s organising team and was tasked with overseeing all of the technical aspects of the event. “As in years past, one of the biggest challenges that we had to overcome was ensuring that

we delivered a top-quality big concert experience for festivalgoers while taking into account that the venue is surrounded by residential areas, including Waterfall Estate, Lonehill, Sunninghill and Paulshof among others.” Tudor goes on to explain that during the 2017 iteration of the event, festival organisers were flooded with a slew of noise complaints from residents. As a result, the city council placed severe restrictions on the sound team ahead of the 2018 event. Gearhouse senior sound engineer, Jonathan Green explains “In 2018, the city council imposed restrictions of about 96dB at front of house, which is in line with restrictions imposed in the EU for indoor events held in urban areas, but it is simply not sufficient to deliver the sound re-enforcement needed to create a solid outdoor concert experience.”

LIVE EVENTS

To avoid a similar situation ensure that residents were not arising in 2019, event exposed to levels of noise organisers engaged in disturbance that exceeded those extensive consultation with set out in the noise management the city council, ward plan. councillors and the community with the view to come up with a solution that would respect the rights of residents while delivering a big concert In addition to the impressive line experience for festivalup of both local and international goers. “As a demonstration artists that performed on the main of our commitment to stage over the two-day event, The Red Bull Music Delicious Dance Arena responding to the DStv Delicious Festival hosted the concerns of the residence Red Bull Music Delicious Dance in the area, we appointed one of the country’s leading acoustic Arena, a high-energy electronic dance music experience held in consulting firms to establish a comprehensive noise management an indoor venue on the Kyalami grounds. plan for the duration of the event,” explains Tudor. Leading technical supplier, Multi-Media was approached by Director and acoustic consultant at Acoustech, Oliver Riaan Jacobs from Sate Creative, who consults with Red Bull for Knoppersen, points out that the services of a qualified acoustic their live events, with the brief for a high-energy dance music consultant are required by law for a noise exemption application event. According to Multi-Media senior sound engineer, Adriaan to be considered by the city council. “An acoustic consultant is van der Walt, “the sound had to be great everywhere in the room there to ensure that an appropriate noise management plan is set while keeping the low-end contained within the venue as much as in place, which will guarantee that concerns from the affected possible to minimise noise pollution to the neighbouring residential parties are taken into account,” Knoppersen points out. areas. Dave [Tudor] reiterated the importance of keeping within “Once we were appointed to the project, Acoustech prepared the noise parameters set by the city council and event organisers.” a noise management plan ahead of the festival for the event Van der Walt states that “Low-frequency propagation is one of organisers and the local council. This noise management plan the main criteria in finding the critical balance between crystal included noise modelling, which allowed us to predict noise levels clear, concert-level sound inside the venue and noise pollution in the surrounding suburbs when the main stage was operational. near the perimeter of the grounds. This decision was made easier A noise assessment indicated which suburbs would be affected by by auditioning various options before getting to site. The process the event, and all areas were listed. The noise model also took lowinvolves designing the venue in 3D modelling software and frequency from the main stage into account, as low-frequency comparing various options of sound systems in this virtual space to from events of this nature are most often the root cause of noise see how they would behave in the real world.” complaints,” says Knoppersen. Many speaker manufacturers offer this feature, however, in van der Walt’s opinion, L-Acoustics, in particular, offers far more specificity the user many different parameters to adjust to find a solution which works best for that particular event and space. “This was one of the main reasons why Multi-Media invested in Once the DStv Delicious festival management team had a clear L-Acoustics’ KARA system,” he concludes. understanding of the residential areas that would be affected, they systematically informed all the affected area’s ward councillors about the event and the degree to which people could expect to be affected. Information about the event and the expected noise levels was then disseminated to all residence who According to Tudor, the number of noise complaints received fell within the area highlighted by the pre-event assessment during the two-day event was dramatically reduced in comparison provided by Acoustech. A dedicated phone line was established to previous years, indicating that the strategy employed was a to deal with any noise complaints about the event, which was huge success. “The whole team, including event managers, made available to affected residents. technical suppliers, audio engineers, and acoustic consultants During the event, Acoustech used calibrated sound level meters worked together to ensure that festival-goers had a great concert to monitor noise levels at front of house, as well as the at the experience while ensuring that the concerns of the surrounding property boundaries of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Knoppersen community were comprehensively addressed. We achieved buypoints out that this hands-on approach ensures that the sound in from city officials and the constituencies that they represent levels remained within the limits approved by the Department of through community engagement, careful analysis, planning and Environmental Health and City Of Johannesburg local council implementation of the noise management plan, and being throughout the event. In addition, consultants were deployed to completely transparent with all parties involved ahead of the take decibel measurements from complainant’s locations to event made all the difference,” Tudor concludes.

CONTAINING THE BULL

SOLID IMPLEMENTATION

THE RESULT

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A TOTAL TECHNICAL EVENT SOLUTION

PROFILE

There are few professionals in the technical eventing and entertainment industry that have not had the pleasure of working with Dave Tudor. As a freelance technical production manager and consultant, Dave has worked with an impressive list of rental and events companies throughout his career and has been a part of the production team on some of the highestprofile events to be held in South Africa over the past 20 years. Dave has also toured the world with some of South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful artists including Jeremy Loops, Johnny Clegg and Boo! and has worked with some of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most celebrated musicians such as Frank Opperman, Wendy Oldfield and Tony Cox, to name a few. Dave recently shared a few insights into his professional journey with ETECH magazine.

DAVE TUDOR

HOW DID YOU START YOUR CAREER IN THE TECHNICAL ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY?

When I was a university student, I used to host house parties with some of my friends. We would invite some bands, get some beers and host an open house party. We would print fliers and distribute them across the university campuses in PE and brace ourselves as the onslaught of people came through the door – it was a little like the stuff of movies. It was during this time that I discovered my interest in organising events. Once I had completed my fine arts degree, I moved up to Joburg and enrolled in an audio engineering course. While I was studying, I landed a resident position as an audio engineer at a jazz club in Melville called The Bassline. I worked there for many years and developed a strong relationship with the owners and got to meet a lot of artists and bands, which served as an opportunity to launch my career in audio. In 1999, I decided that I wanted to get involved with touring and did my first tour around the country with Wendy Oldfield. Through Wendy and her band, I got to meet a lot of other artists and started to work with some of them, including Frank Opperman, Jonny Clegg, and Tony Cox, among others. During this period, I got a call from Leon Retief who was the drummer in Boo! and travelled around the country with them and worked on their European tours in the early 2000s. It was, and always is a great experience being able to travel and work overseas. When I returned from touring in 2002, I started working for the Gearhouse Group as a freelance audio engineer before

taking on the role of the audio department manager. I then served a stint in their operations department, finally ending in the project and sales department. I then decided to move on and worked for a number of rental companies in the country. After being retrenched, I decided to go full-on as a freelance technical consultant.

ARE THERE PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY WHO HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER? I am fortunate to have a group of peers in the industry whom I enjoy working with, some of whom go back to my high school days, including Paul Newman from Lucidity, the management team at Mushroom Productions, Mark Daubeney and Graham Cunningham, as well as Damon Forbes from Breakout. Then recently I really enjoy working with Clint Seery from Showsync.

WHAT HIGHLIGHTS IN YOUR CAREER HAVE STOOD OUT FOR YOU? As you develop in your career as a technician, you find yourself on great jobs that you that leave you with the thought ‘wow, this is the biggest event I have ever been a part of,’ and then something else comes along and tops it. However, if I were to list some of the events that remain definite highlights for me, it would have to include the Global Citizen Mandela 100 concert, held at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in December last year. I was also privileged to be involved in the 46664 Concerts, the first at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town in 2003 and then Johannesburg at Ellis Park in 2007. I also enjoyed being involved in various iterations of the Coke Fests that were held in the early 2000s in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Another stand out event was Sensation, Inner Space – a big EDM production from Holland, which was held at the TicketPro Dome in Johannesburg in 2013. It involved about ten months of pre-production work and was, at the time, the biggest event of its kind that had been held at the venue. The DStv Delicious and Afropunk festivals are other great highlights that are regular events on the calendar that I take great pride in being involved in.

PROFILE

"The best advice that I could offer a young person starting their career in the entertainment and eventing industry is not to choose a field of specialisation too early in your journey. There are many facets in the industry that a lot of people are not actually aware of." â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dave Tudor

Dave Tudor serves as Technical Manager for the DStv Delicious International Food and Music Festivals

Late last year I was asked to tour manage the Jeremy Loops Levitation tour through Europe in January and February of this year, which was very well received and to be a part of that team and be involved with a South African artist performing at that level at some of the most well established and historic venues across Europe was a great honour. Right now, I am working on and looking forward to the Kyalami 9 Hour Intercontinental GT Challenge, being held at the Kyalami Race Track between 21 and 23 November. It is the return of international motorsport to the country for the first time in 37 years and is the season finale for the series, so it is very exciting with lots of challenges!

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE HAD OVERCOME DURING YOUR CAREER? One of the greatest challenges is maintaining a healthy worklife balance. I went through a period a few years back where I got divorced and was retrenched within two or three weeks of each other. It took enormous will to bounce back from these setbacks and keep things together and tidy when under extreme pressure. On a broader level, it is always challenging to stay abreast of all of the technological advances in the industry. One also has to be vigilant about how you manage your time. As a freelancer, you are your own marketing department, manager, accountant, business manager and labour force, and it is very important that you stay ahead of your game on all of those fronts.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY? The best advice that I could offer a young person starting their career in the entertainment and eventing industry is not to choose a field of specialisation too early in your journey. There are many facets in the industry that a lot of people are not actually aware of. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go in hard and fast with the single-minded idea of becoming an audio or lighting technician. It is best to use these areas of specialisation as a platform to explore all of the roles and opportunities that present themselves in the broader eventing industry. It is also important for those entering the field to understand that this is a challenging field of work that demands long hours in a high-pressure environment. Some of the skills that are most useful to be a successful crew member are the ability to multitask, being able to deal with situations that arise that are outside of your control, and being able to keep a level head when under pressure.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS AND HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF THE JOB? I am an avid cyclist and enjoy keeping fit, which is what I spend most of my time doing when I am not working. I also enjoy being out with friends eating good food, which is an important part of maintaining a good work-life balance. I enjoy giving guest lectures at the Academy of Sound Engineering, telling stories and imparting knowledge to the youth who are the future of the industry. Dave Tudor can be contacted at dave@deliciousfestival.com

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EXPERT OPINION LIGHTING

FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN INVESTING IN LIGHTING FOR YOUR 1 SCHOOL HALL

PLAN YOUR PROJECT

Every school is different and, therefore, your school hall should be custom-designed to meet your specific needs. The first step that you should take before purchasing any equipment is a clear and detailed needs analysis so that you are in the best position possible to make informed decisions.

Many schools are discovering the enormous benefits state-of-the-art lighting technology brings to school halls. Experienced theatre lighting designer and product specialist at Apex Pro, Mathew Lewis shares some pointers for school management teams looking to upgrade their lighting rigs.

Important questions to ask before investing in a new lighting rig for your school hall: • What do you use the school hall for most often? • What are the most important events that you hold in your hall? • What is the current condition of your staging infrastructure? • What does the existing lighting rig cost to run and maintain? • Who will be operating the rig? • How much support will you need to run and maintain your rig? • What are you willing to spend? You need to know exactly what you want to achieve, what you will need to achieve it, the level of support that you will need, and how much you are willing to spend so that you can provide a clear and concise project brief to prospective service providers.

CONSIDER YOUR COSTS

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Pros ou n d

Your school’s lighting rig should be considered a longterm investment in your school’s infrastructure. As such, one should investigate the total cost of ownership of your rig over the life cycle of the technology, rather than deciding your budget The traditional school environment may have changed based on the initial capital cost of the installation. a lot over the years, especially with the introduction of Traditional halogen-based stage lighting uses bulbs that take a lot of digital technology in the classroom. However, there power to run and are expensive to replace, which has a direct impact are few schools that function optimally without a on your running costs. While investing in newer LED-based technology school hall. is guaranteed to have a positive impact on the running costs of your The hall is where new learners meet their teachers lighting rig, it is critical that you analyse the total cost of ownership and peers for the first time on that nervous first day of of the new rig that you choose to maximise on the potential school. It is where children are recognised for their benefits. achievements throughout their schooling careers and where they will write their most important exams. It is where pupils and staff gather to cement their identity as a cohesive community – developing relationships that often last a lifetime. In schools with performing arts programmes, the school hall often serves as the first stage upon which children have the opportunity to perform, and where they attend school socials. In short, the school hall serves as the heart and soul of school life. Modern lighting technology has the potential to transform a school hall into a dynamic and highly engaging space for academic purposes, awards evenings and professional-level performances. In the past, professional-grade stage lighting was expensive to run and maintain, and often difficult and dangerous for children to operate. Fortunately, with the emergence of LED technology and networked control, modern lighting rigs offer a wide range of functionality, while being affordable, user-friendly and economical to run. Lighting designer Mathew Lewis of Apex Pro, a leading distributor of stage lighting solutions in South Africa, points out five key points that school management teams should take into account before investing in new lighting technology for their school halls.

s ch ool hall, Benon i

EXPERT OPINION LIGHTING

INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST

sto

n's

Co lle

When considering what to prioritise when installing a new lighting rig, it is generally considered wiser to invest in the highest-quality staging infrastructure that you can afford, such as lighting bars, electrical n Du St infrastructure and networking points. Once you have the infrastructure in place, you can run a standard lighting scheme for day-to-day operations, using high-quality static lighting fixtures that are relatively affordable, and hire in professional-level moving head stage lighting for your school productions when needed. Investing in infrastructure also means investing in safety, which is of paramount importance when children will be using the stage. Many traditional rigs require Once you have committed to installing a technicians to climb ladders to manually change colour gels in front of lighting modern lighting rig for your school hall, it is important that you are in fixtures for production lighting. It is never desirable to have school staff or a position to get the maximum use of your investment over the long children working at height, because of the obvious dangers involved. run. Many entertainment technology service providers offer serviceModern LED stage lighting fixtures are controlled digitally from a console level agreements as a part of their product offerings. The benefit of these positioned in the auditorium or at front of house eliminating the need types of agreements includes on-going training for the staff and learners to have staff or children climbing up into the rig. who will be operating your rig, as well as on-going maintenance and

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

repairs on all of the installed technology. You also have the benefit of being able to call on a trusted partner if you have a problem with your rig, especially at critical times such as during school productions or important events at your school.

FIND THE RIGHT PARTNERS

Investing in new technology always comes with a certain amount of risk, especially when the technology is of a highly specialised nature. How do you know that you are getting a good deal? How can you be sure that you will be able to operate the rig once it is in place? What do you do if something goes wrong and you can’t fix it? The most effective way to mitigate these risks is to establish a good working relationship with a reputable and certified service provider.

“There is little point in spending your budget on cheap fixtures that are likely to fail after a few months in operation, requiring you

What to look for in a service provider for your lighting rig • Find out if the service provider is certified to install the equipment that they are specifying • Make sure that the service provider is using equipment that comes with a solid manufacturer’s warranty • Find out what turn-around times are and if warranty repairs are carried out locally • Get first-hand references from other organisations that have used the company to deliver on similar projects • Get a clear understanding of the company’s after-sales support services including on-going training

to purchase new equipment on a regular basis. Also, there is not likely to be a solid return on investment if you spend an enormous amount of money

on lighting technology that is designed to deliver more than you

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actually need.”

Photos courtesy the Fugard Theatre

INSTALLATION THEATRE

d n u o s A r o f e g a st musical theatre INDUSTRY LEGENDS COLLABORATE TO OVERCOME ACOUSTIC CHALLENGES AT THE FUGARD Located on the outskirts of Cape Townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic District Six, the Fugard Theatre is fast establishing a reputation for delivering large-scale, technically accomplished musical theatre productions, despite the venueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relatively small size and quirky architecture.

ETECH spoke with internationally renowned theatre sound designer and technical director at Prosound, Mark Malherbe and resident musical director at the Fugard, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder about their long-standing collaboration, which has seen them overcoming enormous challenges to deliver topclass soundscapes at the Fugard in recent years.

INSTALLATION THEATRE

The Homecoming Centre has gained increasing popularity as a gathering place for students, artists and young professionals, and regularly houses exhibitions and events. While the location of the theatre serves to highlight its commitment to inclusion and social cohesion, and places it at the centre of Cape Town’s thriving creative community, it is no easy feat to transform an aged concrete warehouse into a fully functioning theatre – an obstacle that the Fugard has fought hard to overcome since opening its doors in 2010.

A TRICKY STAGE Malherbe points out that the Fugard is not your average theatre, and presents several challenges to audio engineers working in the space. “Notably, the space was not originally designed to be a theatre, and architects created balconies, galleries and boxes in addition to the stalls to make the best of the limited available space. The design has resulted in a unique and intimate theatre, but it also makes achieving even sound coverage across the three levels in the house a bit of

A THEATRE OF DISTINCTION The 320-seater Fugard Theatre is housed within the District Six Homecoming Centre, established in the historic Sacks Futeran buildings on Caledon Street, Cape Town. According to South African History Online, the Sacks Futeran buildings were purchased by the District Six Museum Foundation Trust in 2002, with the vision to develop a multi-purpose space that would serve to honour the memories those who lived in the area from the late 1800s up until the notorious forced removals orchestrated by the Apartheid Government in 1966. The Homecoming Centre is a complex of five interconnected buildings consisting of nineteenth and twentieth-century warehouses, with a remnant portion of an old Gothic-style church as its centrepiece, which currently serves as the main entrance and foyer of the Fugard Theatre. The initial refurbishment of the space, which saw the old warehouse and church façade transformed into a multi-level theatre with a foyer, was made possible by its founding producer,

a nightmare.” Lingenfelder concurs, stating that: “The theatre is quite narrow and very high, with very little backstage or wing space, and as a result, there is a lot of reverberation and not much opportunity for dampening. The auditorium has been fitted with wooden floors and leather seats, which are difficult, hard surfaces for auditory purposes. Speaker positions are also challenging, as there are overhanging balconies on three sides of the auditorium, resulting in hotspots, dead spots and bass traps, which can be a nightmare for any sound engineer.” Lingenfelder goes on to explain that “working in theatre is always challenging because one spends weeks preparing the necessary technology and then rehearsing with musicians for weeks in a studio or rehearsal room ahead of the show. Ultimately, you have to hand everything that you have done over to the theatre’s sound team, whose responsibility it is to realise the sound that you envisioned for the production inside the venue. Because of the unique architecture of the Fugard, this has proven particularly challenging over the years.”

Eric Abraham, who continues to underwrite the theatre’s operational costs. The Fugard's Funny Girl – The Musical (2017)

INSTALLATION THEATRE

A MUSICAL JOURNEY Even though the Fugard Theatre may not seem the ideal venue to stage large-scale musical theatre productions due to its modest size, in 2013 the Fugard acquired the rights to stage The Rocky Horror Show, which proved to be the first in a long list of successful musical productions staged at the venue. Theatre management contracted noted musical director and conductor Charl-Johan Lingenfelder to serve as musical supervisor on the show and turned to celebrated sound engineer Aki Khan and his team at Eastern Acoustics Pro Audio to supply the audio. While the show was a great success at the ticket office, the acoustic challenges at the Fugard became glaringly apparent. As a result, Lingenfelder and the theatre’s management team turned to Mark Malherbe to consult as a specialist theatre sound designer ahead of the staging of David Kramer’s original musical, Orpheus in Africa, which opened in February 2015. Malherbe notes that while Khan and the Eastern Acoustics team are some of the most skilled audio technicians in the country, the Fugard presents a unique set of challenges, which required a highly specialised skill set, unique to the theatre environment, to set right. Malherbe, who had worked extensively with Kramer in the past, was able to draw on his years of experience as a sound designer for some of the world’s highest-profile musical productions both locally and abroad to provide the direction needed to create a natural sound for the choir that served as the focus of Orpheus in Africa. To achieve this, Malherbe worked in close collaboration with the Fugard’s technical teams to build stage monitors and sound reinforcement into the set, which dramatically improved the sound quality on the production. Following the success of Orpheus in Africa, Malherbe collaborated with the team at the Fugard on several musical productions, including Kander, Ebb and Masteroff’s Tony awardwinning musical Cabaret, which was followed by an original production of Funny Girl – The Musical in 2017. In 2018, Malherbe served as sound designer on the Fugard’s production of West Side Story as well as King Kong the Legend of a Boxer, both of which earned him Naledi Award nominations in the best soundscape category. “Our collaboration on Orpheus in Africa served as the foundation for the deeply cooperative working relationship that has developed between the Fugard’s managing director Daniel Galloway, musical director Charl-Johan, the Eastern Acoustics team and a number of other disciplines, including set designers and wardrobe. Our collective efforts have successfully cleared the way for a progressive improvement on the sound quality on the musical productions that have been staged at the Fugard subsequently,” says Malherbe. Malherbe explains that throughout the various productions that have been staged at the Fugard, some of the more junior members of the audio team have gained invaluable experience in theatre sound design and are emerging as a new generation of experts in the field. “Throughout our collaboration, I have had the privilege to see Eastern Acoustics’ David Classen grow enormously as a theatre technician and has become my righthand man,” he says. Lingenfelder concurs, adding that each

musical that they have produced has served as a collective learning opportunity. “When starting on a new production, I work very closely with Mark and David, who is a marvellous problem solver. We have all spent hours online in forums and with manuals trying to figure things out, and have grown our knowledgebase enormously as a result.” As one of the most experienced and technically knowledgeable theatre sound designers in the country, Malherbe has provided the team at the Fugard with a wealth of support and has ensured that skills are transferred across the team. Lingenfelder reflects on their collaboration by stating: “I have worked with Mark for at least 15 years, and we have developed a sort of shorthand, which is what we all want in our work relationships. He understands my quirks and also strives constantly become better at what he does. Whenever my work sounds awful for whatever reason, I just have to look over my shoulder and can be assured he’s standing at the back pouring over the equipment, trying to fix, tweak, and make suggestions. And in those stressful environments, that is sometimes all we need.”

A WINNING RESULT Earlier this year, Eric Abrahams and the Fugard Theatre announced that they had obtained the rights to produce a non-replica version of the wildly successful Broadway musical, Kinky Boots, the original production of which premiered at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago in 2012 and made its Broadway debut in 2013. Both Malherbe and Lingenfelder are passionate adopters of new technologies, which has resulted in some of the most cutting-edge technologies being deployed for the Fugard’s Kinky Boots to overcome the challenges that the audio department has been grappling with over the years. “Working with Charl is always a pleasure because he is as interested in trying new technologies as I am – which is fantastic quality in a musical director,” Malherbe points out. Lingenfelder adds that he has taken advantage of audio and digital technology to overcome challenges throughout his career. “I started out writing and producing my own mini-musicals in the 90s, and needed to create tracks and augment them with live musicians as a result of very tight budgets. Obviously, there are challenges involved in this approach, but I ended up doing ten years of what we refer to as ‘bonsai musicals’ for Pieter Toerien Productions with director Paul Warwick Griffin in this way. “Mark was always sound designer on these mini-musicals, and we really started pushing the technical boundaries early on to allow us to create good quality musicals on a modest budget. We would record all of the music for a show as individual tracks and have the engineer mix it as live, while syncing lighting and video cues as well. This afforded us the luxury of experimenting with surround sound at a time when nobody was doing it locally yet. There was an enormous amount of trial and error involved, but luckily it has led us to where we are today.” According to Malherbe, management at the Fugard invested heavily in the production of Kinky Boots, which is the first nonreplica production of the multi-award-winning show, globally. “Unlike with past productions at the Fugard, I was given free rein

INSTALLATION THEATRE

Load-in ahead of Kinky Boots at the Fugard Theatre

to design the audio for the show from the ground up,” says Malherbe. In response, he specified the Meyer LENA PA for the intimate and acoustically challenging theatre. “The LINA is wellsuited to the specific needs of the Fugard, as it is the smallest and most compact system in the Meyer range, and can be used either in line array configuration or as individual boxes, which proved critical to my proposed sound design for the space. “One of the challenges that we have never fully overcome at the Fugard is even sound coverage,” says Malherbe. “Because the design of the house is so varied, with some sections of the stalls being open to the full height of the roof while others are under the overhang of the balcony, for example, it is very difficult to ensure that all members of the audience will have the same audio experience.” However, Malherbe developed a unique design whereby a large number of powerful but compact boxes are strategically deployed through the house. “While the golden standard for any theatre is even sound coverage across every seat in the house, I proposed a compromise where I would ensure that every seat would receive good, if not identical, sound,” Malherbe explains. In light of the fact that Prosound is the official distributor of Meyer Sound in South Africa, Malherbe qualifies his decision to specify the LINA. “Some might make the assumption that I specified the Meyer LINA PA system because I have a close affiliation with the brand. However, I truly feel that it is the best system available on the market for the unique requirements of the Fugard – and the end results have proven this approach well worth the investment.” In addition to deploying a state-of-the-art PA that is ideally fit for purpose, Lingenfelder and Malherbe decided to run the entire show using the latest in networked control technology.

“With Kinky Boots, I knew I wanted to run the entire show using Ableton Live, unique software that is specifically designed with the needs of musical directors and designers in mind,” says Lingenfelder. “Ableton is used abroad for the show but, in my opinion, in an unnecessarily complicated manner. We have managed to strip down on our equipment and simplify our approach so that we have a user-friendly system that doesn’t terrify musicians. Ultimately, we run a combination of Mainstage, Ableton Live, and QLab with a triggering system that cues lighting, video, and some sound as well.” Malherbe has drawn on all of the lessons learned while working with the team at the Fugard to ensure that Kinky Boots was acoustically exceptional. “My role as a sound designer goes far beyond simply specifying the PA system and programming at my desk. It is also very important that I consult on the technology that we use to make sure that it adds to the overall visual and audio experience for the audience.” Lingenfelder echoes these views, pointing out that “We want to ensure that audiences continually have new and bettered sound environments and if we can deliver that without breaking the bank, managements will see the benefit of investing in these contained systems. It might seem more expensive at first, but they quickly realise the long term benefits.” Together, the team at the Fugard Theatre have achieved the seemingly impossible, having created an acoustically sound stage for musical theatre in a concrete warehouse in a heritage building. There can be no better tribute to the creative and enterprising spirit that was so much a part of the District Six culture that the theatre aims to celebrate. I am sure that I am not alone in looking forward to whatever new musical theatre delights the Fugard brings to the boards in the coming years.

INSTALLATION HOUSES OF WORSHIP

A SOLUTION FOR DIE BRON CHURCH Stage Audio Works’ Cape Town office has helped to enhance the services at Die Bron Church and Theatre with new audio, video and lighting solutions throughout its campus.

The project called for a campus-wide integrated solution and saw Stage Audio Works partner with Gearworx for the installation. “Die Bron Church required a complete solution, covering AV, audio and lighting,” recalls Jerome Gideon from Stage Audio Works’ Cape Town office. “The client wanted the best solution for their budget and to make operation as easy as possible. They also wanted to make sure that no matter where you were seated within the venue, you could hear every spoken word clearly.” To meet this brief, Stage Audio Works designed a widereaching solution, drawing on the strengths of many of the brands it represents. Starting with the audio solution in the theatre, the main PA comprises eight d&b audiotechnik 10AL line array cabinets, with a pair of 18S-SUBs and the same number of B22 subwoofers providing low-end reinforcement. Delays are in the form of eight d&b E8 cabinets with power for the audio solution from the German manufacturer’s 10D and 30D amplifiers. On stage, performers use Sennheiser EW500 wireless microphones, while monitoring is available via Sennheiser EW300 in-ear monitors or dBTechnologies Flexsys FM12 wedges. Completing the audio signal chain is a Yamaha QL5 digital mixing console and Rio3224 stage box.

Die Bron Church, Cape Town

INSTALLATION HOUSES OF WORSHIP

On the lighting side, Stage Audio Works supplied 12 Acme Stage Par MP300z lights, a pair of XA-400 moving heads alongside nine Italian manufactured LDR Profiles to complete the stage lighting look. The AV portion of the solution covers projection and distribution to all the screens around the church. Stage Audio Works opted for a Christie DHD850_GS projector as the main output, with Atlona 4K/UHD HDBaseT distribution amplifiers and receivers to send the video signal around the facility. Away from the theatre, the main entrance is covered by five Audac ATEO6 loudspeakers with control from the Belgian manufacturer’s Pre220 preamplifier and powered by a CAP224 amplifier. “The biggest challenge was that the system would need to be easy to operate, as there are multiple users,” recalls Gideon. “The site is also used as a multi-purpose venue. It is used for

church on Sundays and then theatrical productions, wedding functions and special events on request throughout the week. We offer complete AVL and structural solutions, so we were able to accommodate these needs. We have partnered with the right companies that offer products that can talk to each other and exist within the same ecosystem, making the complete solution ‘symbiotic’ and easy to operate.” The end result is one that the church is very happy with. “From the beginning of working with Stage Audio Works, their professionalism came through in every contact with them,” states Rhona Kieswetter, senior leader at Die Bron Church. “Their attention to detail was of a high standard and their prices very competitive. Their constant availability was appreciated, and nothing was too much for them to attend to. We experienced them as very helpful with a great work ethic and aftersales service. We can highly recommend Stage Audio Works.”

LIVE EVENTS

SIMON KING IS CREATIVELY UNBOUND WITH JOBURG BALLET

In July of this year,

A LIGHT ON NEW TALENT

Joburg Ballet inspired audiences with its Unbound season, featuring three original works by local female choreographers, two of which were world premieres. Lighting designer Simon King worked closely with the creative teams to bring Photos by Lauge Sorensen

their respective visions to life at Joburg Theatre.

According to Iain MacDonald, artistic director at Joburg Ballet, the company strives to be accessible and relevant for South African audiences and presents a wide range of work, including muchloved traditional and fairy tale ballets as well as an annual season featuring new work. Company CEO Ether Nasser spoke with ETECH ahead of this years’ Unbound season and explained that, in addition to her own short ballet The Angel Trilogy, and Transcendence by international choreographer Kevin Durwael, the company would be premiering two original ballets, both choreographed, produced and designed by South African women. “Joburg Ballet is dedicated to establishing a ballet company that embraces diversity and develops local talent. So we were extremely excited when our company members Shannon Glover and Kitty Phetla were available to produce works for Unbound.”

Sanmarie Kreuzhuber and Leusson Muniz in I Think Therefore I Am; Unbound Joburg Ballet 2019

LIVE EVENTS

A celebrated dancer and choreographer, and this years’ winner of the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Award, Phetla created Wakanda, inspired by the Marvel film Black Panther. First created as a bite-sized ballet of the same title with branding company TBWA Hunt Lasacaris, Nasser requested that Phetla extend the work into a half-hour piece for the programme. The second piece to debut was I Think Therefore I Am by Shannon Glover, who recently returned from the USA following a choreographic residency at New York University. Glover presented a work inspired by French philosopher René Descartes. “Descartes argued that the only thing we can truly be sure of is form,” Glover reflected. “Dance has allowed me to explore the many facets of this complex philosophy, and I hoped to capture the audience’s mind to formulate their own answers through innovative movement and intricate sign language.” Both of these emerging South African artists took on the challenge of producing, choreographing and designing their original works, staged at the complex’s Mandela Theatre with the support of Vanessa Nicolau, who has served as technical supplier for Joburg Ballet for decades, and noted theatre lighting designer Simon King.

"I have worked with Simon King many times in the past, and I am very excited to have him on my team. There is no such thing as ‘I cannot’ when A CREATIVE COLLABORATION working with King is one of the most experienced theatre lighting designers in the country and, having served as a resident him, which really lighting designer at the Pretoria State Theatre for many years, has lit just about every classical ballet ever staged opens the door at some point in his career. Speaking to ETECH, King expressed his enthusiasm at for creativity." having the opportunity to work with Phetla and Glover on – Kitty Phetla, Principal dancer their original works. “I’ve had a lot of fun working on and choreographer, Unbound with Joburg Ballet; especially as I got to work with Joburg Ballet the choreographers who were debuting original works this season.” Phetla’s Wakanda made extensive use of projection to depict the mountainscapes that cement the piece in the mythical landscape of Wakanda. “We have a unique relationship with Splitbeam, the Gearhouse business unit that specialises in supplying technology for theatre in South Africa,” explained Nasser. “Despite our considerable budgetary constraints, Splitbeam has assisted the company in accessing state-of-the-art projectors, which makes it far easier to create the scenery for our ballets.”

Sanmarie Kreuzhuber and Mahlatse Sachane in Angel Trilogy; Unbound Joburg Ballet 2019

Photo by Lauge Sorensen

LIVE EVENTS

King complimented the use of projection with a dynamic and vibrant lighting design that accentuated Phelta’s careful observance of cultural symbolism. “The piece incorporates Basotho blankets, with white horizontal lines for the women and vertical lines for the men, in line with cultural tradition. I wanted the lighting to capture and extenuate the use of symbolism and ritual in the piece,” said Phetla. “I’ve worked with Simon many times in the past, and was very excited to have him on my team. There’s no such thing as ‘I cannot’ when working with Simon, which really opens the door for creativity.” Glover, on the other hand, created a minimalistic stage with a central beam of white light and oxblood shadows on the periphery. “I staged my piece to create the impression of observing the human mind at work. As a result, I have no wings, and the piece occupies a circle on stage, with one white centre light – like an idea that just popped into your head,” she explained. “Working with Simon and Vanessa was a pleasure because their combined experience and creative sensitivity means that they’re extremely skilled at listening to what I want and translating that onto the stage with me.”

AN INVESTMENT PAYS OFF In August of this year, Joburg Theatre took delivery of twenty Vari-Lite VL2600 Spots and four Robert Juliat Cyrano followspots to augment their growing inventory of LED fixtures. “The new Vari-Lite VL2600 Spots, recently purchased from DWR Distribution, are a great addition to the rig at Joburg Theatre, and have been hugely advantageous in developing these new works,” King said. “I was head of lighting at the Pretoria State Theatre for a long time, and we were some of the first people to invest in Robe and Vari-Lite fixtures when the technology was still quite new to the country. In my experience, these brands are great to work with, and the after-sales service that we receive is really exceptional.” For Joburg Ballet news and updates visit www.joburgballet.com.

Shannon Glover and Ruan Galdino in Transcendence; Unbound Joburg Ballet 2019

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