PLSN: How did you begin your career in the entertainment industry?
Mitch Kaplan: My entry into the visual arts started in 1978. A schoolmate and I secured the rights to sell the print services for 3M brand Scanamural, the first large format, ink jet printer. This was the beginning of digital printing. It eventually evolved into billboard size, photo quality print vinyl graphics that you see everywhere. In 1988, Large Format Digital video display evolved from the technology of pixel manipulation. We were pioneers and the times were very exciting. Our very first sales call netted a $250,000 rush order for a sports marketing company. That was our catalyst into the digital world. Read More »
The 2012 Ryder Cup golf tournament at Medinah Country Club and 2012 London Olympic Games were just two of this year’s big events with live and televised production where crews relied upon the expanding range of ProPlex data distribution devices and cable options from TMB. The ProPlex line of devices includes GBS Gigabit Ethernet Switches, IQ Ethernet-DMX converters, DMX/RDM Opto-Splitters and forthcoming (early 2013) RMT remote media transceivers for multiplexed DVI transmission and distribution. ProPlex cable options are also expanding, including DMX, Cat5e and fiber optic cable and assembly/snake options now available, and TMB also recently introduced its ProPlex RDMigo touch-screen tester/controller and 8-Track devices for DMX record/playback and backup.
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I read a lot of interviews with production designers in our business. I listen to them at speaking engagements. I see their posts on social media sites. They remember to credit their programmers and production managers, but it just seems like they never mention the countless individuals whose input was necessary for their vision to ever reach fruition. Most designers are not engineers. That’s why we put those little waivers on our plots that say we accept no liability for the structural design or integrity of a project. We just had the design concept. But we all need a team to cover our butts.
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The Robe Robin DLS Profile is the latest product in the DL range of luminaires that uses the Robe RGBW LED module. The DLS adds a system of four fast, smooth, framing shutters within the optical path design of the DLX Spot format. There is individual control of each shutter blade position and angle, together with rotation of the complete framing module. The fixture offers a sharp precise or soft frame for the projected image; the system produces a new series of effects through pre-programmed shutter blade shapes and movement sequences. Snappy blades of the framing module overlap each other on almost the same focal plane which allows the designer to create polygons or triangles, as well as other shapes, while staying in focus and always precisely returning to the pre-programmed position. As with all models in the Robe DL luminaire range, the multiple shadows normally associated with an LED source have been eliminated.
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LAS VEGAS – Philips’ new Showline LED linear luminaire added a new lighting element to the stage of the Latin Grammy Awards Nov. 15 in Las Vegas. LD Carlos Colina used eight of the Showline SL Bar 640 luminaires, supplied by Atomic Lighting. Programmer Felix Peralta and Colina said they stood out among all the other fixtures, and read well on Univision, too.
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