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The Drones are Coming (To a Movie Set Near You)

Black Armored Drone from Intuitive Aerial was designed to hoist RED digital cinema cameras.

The Drones are Coming (To a Movie Set Near You)

Every year in the spring, the worldwide broadcasting and post-production community gets together at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas. The show has become a remarkable incubator of audio and video technology, and this year was no different — with thousands of exhibitors and over 90,000 attendees from 155 countries.
At NAB, I’m always on the lookout for something different — a new technology or a new production tool that’s destined to change the way we work, and possibly change the way that content is created. This year, it wasn’t an “app” or a software program, or even a new 4K camera. In fact, this year — it had rotors.

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ArKaos Stadium Server

ArKaos Stadium Server and MediaMaster Pro V3.1

Last year, ArKaos launched MediaMaster Pro 3.0 at PLASA 2012 and then recently continued their evolution with the announcement of a new division called ArKaos Pro at Prolight+Sound 2013. ArKaos Pro has been formed to focus on the specific needs of the large scale events and professional markets, and they have already released their first new server aimed at meeting the demands of this market head on: the Stadium Server. Not to be confused with the A30, this server is a standalone media server system designed for the professional lighting designer that targets the touring and large venue markets. Here’s a closer look under the hood of the new Stadium server from ArKaos.

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Convergence in lighting and video has gained momentum from software that lets users map video pixels to LED fixtures. Shown here, the LED mapper from ArKaos.

One Stage, Many Disciplines: Multimedia Convergence

When I was in high school, like many of us, I was in the AV club and did lighting for all of the school shows. I guess that would have been my first exposure to convergence. The idea of using multiple disciplines of technology to create an onstage experience started back in 1988 for me. Even then, we were attempting to use slide projectors for some of the images in our shows (pretty high tech for a school in a town with only one traffic light).

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connectCAD is a software add-on to the Vectorworks platform

Virtual Design: The Right Tools Make All the Difference

Over the last 20 years, advances in computer technology have benefited the entertainment industry. In particular, CAD programs have altered—for the better—how designers execute their ideas. But the benefits of digitizing workflows have changed more than just how we approach design. As a result, there’s never been a more exciting time for our industry. And as the growing availability of mature software tools continues to improve our design thinking, idea communication and the installation and execution of design concepts, we’ll continue to benefit by doing it more efficiently and accurately than ever before. When I reflect on this evolution, the journey has been remarkable. I’d like to share my own journey and how I arrived to this point in time today where we finally have at our fingertips the right tools for the job.

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Robe Robin MMX WashBeam in spot mode

Robe Robin MMX WashBeam

Robe’s Robin MMX WashBeam incorporates some of the same elements as Robe’s previously introduced MMX Spot, including the use of Philips Platinum 35 lamp as the light source. But unlike the Spot, the WashBeam gives users two different lens options — a plastic Beam lens and glass Fresnel Wash lens. Only one can be installed at a time. The fixture is smart enough to tell which one is currently being used, and that changes the functions of some of the features found inside along with the beam coming out the front.

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Designer Drafting and Visualizing for the Entertainment World, Second Edition

Designer Drafting and Visualizing for the Entertainment World, Second Edition

The world has changed since author Patricia Woodbridge published the first edition of Designer Drafting and Visualizing for the Entertainment World in 2000. Back then, digital alternatives to traditional hand drafting were still in their infancy, and Woodbridge, an experienced art director of feature films and a longtime teacher of scenic drafting and set design at the graduate level, focused on guidelines such as line weight in terms of pencil choices and how hard you should press on the paper.

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The Rebound in Corporate Events: AV Providers Need to be Ready

If your business includes providing lighting, projection video or staging for live corporate events, you may want to sign up for a frequent-guest program at some of the hostelries in the U.S. very soon. After several years of lackluster room and event-space bookings during the worst of the economic downturn, that kind of spending is predicted to climb 5.1 percent this year, to $268.5 billion, according to trade group the Global Business Travel Association. Its forecast, released in April, is up substantially from the 1.8 percent rise in industry spending in 2012, and is even higher than the group’s previous prediction for growth of 4.6 percent.

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PASS I ON

I remember a long time ago when I first started programming automated lighting that the skill was held as very secretive. People had to teach themselves how to program and, once they gained that knowledge, many chose to hold it tight. Most people did not want to share their skill, as the programming jobs were rare and no one wanted to have increased competition. Luckily, this has changed considerably through the years, and now, many are willing to share their knowledge and skills with others. To help foster our industry, we should all look for opportunities to instruct others and share what we have learned. By doing so, we will learn more and expand the abilities and professionalism of our entire field.

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LD Howard Ungerleider on stage with his Steampunk-inspired design for Rush’s Clockwork Angels tour. Photo: Debi Moen

Ungerleider’s Brush with Fame; Boston for Boston; Quick Cues

Lighting designer Howard Ungerleider felt a momentary rush of stardom — on the artist’s side of the velvet rope, you might say. It was the night before Rush was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. Outside the band’s hotel, fans gathered in wait for Rush’s Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson. But those weren’t the names screamed when Ungerleider made it to the glass lobby doors. “Howard!” they shouted.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Huntly’s Way

In my continuing pursuit of figuring out how lighting vendors build their inventory, I have come across three distinctive methods that a few different companies have utilized. A company may buy all their gear based on supply and demand. Or they buy certain pieces of gear and sub-rent the latest expensive fixtures on the market rather than risk they will be outdated. In the past, some companies actually built all their own lights, truss and dimmer racks. I thought that I summed it all up. But then I got to talking to some friends who work for Christie Lites. And it didn’t take long to figure out that there is one other way to build a business, and it seems to be working just fine. If you do it Huntly’s way.

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