While the recent revival of the classic Broadway musical Guys and Dolls starring Oliver Platt, Craig Bierko and Lauren Graham lasted only 149 performances (including previews), it will likely stand out for a more important reason: its use of 3D video animation to extend the sets and give the show a more cinematic feeling.
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As the lights go up on stage in the Atlantis Resort’s expansive, Imperial Ballroom, 51 teenage girls dressed in matching cobalt blue dresses are waiting nervously in the wings. Only one of them is going to get exactly what she wants tonight; the title of Miss Teen USA 2009. The crew, in contrast, is feeling fine. The stage looks great, the girls look great, and after the show is done, there’s load-out, and then, well, then there’s the Bahamas and the lazy river ride. But more on that later.
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In the pristine setting that is northeastern Pennsylvania resides the staging company known as Mountain Productions. The 17-acre spread is an unlikely location for a business in the live event production industry, but from there they have served local, regional, national and international clients in concert, institutional, educational, religious and commercial productions for exactly 30 years. They provide staging, roof systems, grandstands and bleachers, soft goods, production accessories, as well as rigging needs.
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From a Baltimore teen working raves during high school to designing the video system for the Opening Ceremonies for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, Scott Chmielewski has been at the forefront of lighting and video technology. In this month’s PLSN Interview, we discuss digital technology from the designer’s perspective.
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For many years, ArKaos has been very successful at producing video mixing software, including its VJ line of software. It combines real time video mixing technology with intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and it is widely used in nightclubs around the world and on tours such as The Prodigy in 2009.
Read More »Innovations in LED technology have resulted in some very interesting lighting fixtures for the entertainment industry. Some of the advantages of LEDs include: Long lamp life — 25,000 to 50,000 hours or more (We don’t really know yet since most of the new generation fixtures haven’t been around long enough to tell); Economic benefits — Because there are no lamps to replace, this also means there are no associated labor costs involved; Time Savings — Lower maintenance because of the fixture’s limited moving parts reduces labor and the total cost of ownership as compared to conventional lighting fixtures; Low Energy Consumption — Higher efficiency means it uses less energy to produce the same amount of light.
Read More »A lighting tech and an audio tech were standing in a venue, looking up in the air and pointing to a section of truss that was flown with two chain hoists. A rigger walks up and says, “What’s going on?” The lighting tech said, “We’re wondering how high that wire rope ladder is that’s attached to that truss.”
Read More »Michael Jackson’s untimely death in June shocked the world. It also shocked accountants at more than a few companies. Jackson died less than three weeks before he was to kick off a series of 50 concerts at London’s 20,000-seat O2 stadium on July 13.
Read More »Sometimes automated lighting programmers are asked to do more than just program lights. Many productions involve video elements, special effects, audio triggers or other unique components that are triggered from a lighting console. Recently I have been involved with several productions that utilized methods of combining presentation software (PowerPoint or Keynote) and lighting to save money, reduce staffing, or simply to be creative.
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Sometimes I think I’m too old to learn new tricks. But that’s just an excuse for being set in my old ways. What I really need to do is practice what I preach now, and start making lists. I’m thinking that if everybody made little lists we would probably save on a lot of things besides aggravation. Things like gasoline, overtime and shipping bills.
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ROZNOV POD RADHOSTEM, Czech Republic — Robe acquired PCB production company Dioflex, its long-term electronic parts supplier, and is expanding with a $5 million logistics center that nearly doubles its warehouse space to about 43,000 square feet. An expansion of the company’s factory includes a new 10,000-square-foot plastics molding area.
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NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — After five years on the project management team at XL Video UK, Phil Mercer has been named MD of XL Video’s Los Angeles office.
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