In almost every event produced these days, the moment comes during a meeting or tech rehearsal where someone asks, “Can’t we automate that?” Most good technicians will answer, “yes, but…” Those “buts” refer to cost, complexity, time, staffing and expertise. What has been missing (until now) are products designed for easily automating the little effect — a prop or drape or lighting practical.
Read More »Automated lighting consoles are extremely powerful tools with very complex software. No matter how many features a console provides, one of the most essential elements is its fixture library. The library contains unique profile information about fixtures used within our industry. This information becomes the interface between the programmer and the instructions for the light (or other devices). Without proper libraries, most desks will not communicate with fixtures and devices. In some cases, it is important for a programmer to understand the process to create new or modify existing libraries. The method of creating or editing fixture libraries differs greatly between console systems, but all require a basic understanding of how a fixture library functions.
Read More »
LD Joel Reiff grew up listening to Alice Cooper on the radio, so he was familiar with the songs. What he had to learn to light were the stunts that Alice pulls onstage on his current tour. The “Spend the Night with Alice Cooper” tour entertains with props and gags galore, as Alice has done since the 1970s. Reiff says Cooper and his manager, Shep Gordon, create the ideas for the stunts with James Randi as one of the stunt designers.
While touring the world, I have spent far too many hours sitting at FOH, wondering who in the world designs some of these venues. I decided that I should put my two cents in writing instead of stewing in my own disgust of poor forethought. Here are a few remarks that I would like to make to anyone who is considering designing an entertainment venue.
Read More »
LAS VEGAS – The Event Safety Alliance (ESA) and the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) have agreed on a joint copyright that will allow a second edition of The Event Safety Guide to be developed as an American National Standard (ANS). To take on the project, a new working group is being created within ESTA’s Technical Standards Program (TSP) called the Event Safety Working Group (ESWG). Leading the new group will be co-chairs Dr. Donald Cooper, Executive Director of the ESA, and Richard Nix, Special Project Manager for ZFX, Inc.
Read More »
CZ – The global launch of Robe’s highly anticipated new product and “Next Big Thing” – the Spiider – will take place at www.spiider.cz tomorrow morning – Thursday 15th September 2016 at 12 noon. (CET – Central European Timezone). following an innovative and fun teaser video and a huge amount of chatter that helped ramp excitement within lighting and visuals communities.
Read More »
While touring the world, I have spent far too many hours sitting at FOH, wondering who in the world designs some of these venues. I decided that I should put my two cents in writing instead of stewing in my own disgust of poor forethought.
Read More »
NASHVILLE – For Toby Keith’s “Interstates & Tailgates” tour, which includes more stops at festivals and fairs this year along with standard amphitheater dates, LD Seth Jackson worked with Bandit Lites on a gear package that includes a lighting pod approach that could easily scale up or down with the needs of each tour stop. The trek runs through mid-October.
Read More »
LOWELL, MA – In 1975, Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio held a gathering for young worshippers. The organizers of that event could scarcely have imagined that there would one day be 40 Steubenville Youth Conferences in 11 states. Nor could they have envisioned the kind of dynamic and richly textured stage presentation that engaged thousands of young people at Steubenville East, which was held recently at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Tsongas Center.
Read More »
Vectorworks’ 2017 release included English versions of its Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Designer and Fundamentals software products. Ten additional language releases will follow in the coming months.
Read More »
DUBAI – Neumann & Müller Event Technology named Kristofer Collier head of lighting operations and lighting design. Collier, who brings over two decades of experience as a lighting designer, engineer and operator in the Middle East, Europe and Far East to the position, is based in Dubai and will oversee projects in the Middle East.
Read More »
LONDON – d3 Technologies’ r14 is the company’s third major software release this year. Major updates include real-time generative effects and device recording. Other improvements include improved DMX patching, sACN and CITP support, cue lists, as well as various under-the-hood performance updates. The latest release also features is Gold support for Notch real-time generative effects playback.
Read More »