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Barco FSN 3G 150

Barco FSN 3G 150

Barco FSN 3G 150

The worlds of Live Event Production and Studio are vastly different creatures. What we see as the norm on the road, they see as completely abnormal from their air-conditioned cush-domes. We do share some things — killer deadlines, the need for super-high-performance gear, long hours. I’ve seen “studio” types get thrown into road situations and just completely fall apart from the exposure to chaos. Likewise, put a roadie in a studio, and you’ll have no problem picking out which “one of these things is not like the other.”

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Library (left), Layers (right) and Timeline (below) on the main screen

Millumin Software

The recent video boom has spawned a number of applications that allow you to do pretty much anything with anything. Warping, mapping and multiple layer playback, exotic even a few years ago, are fairly commonplace. But as app designers pack more of these advances into their software bundles, users are yearning for an easy way to arrange and play back some simple files. As a believer in using the right tool for the right job,  I was pleased to try out Millumin on a recent gig. I found it to do exactly what I needed.

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Swisson’s XMT-350

Swisson XMT-350

Have you ever had a problem with your rig or cable? One of the first things I check for is Air-Gap Impedance (AGI) — in other words, to make sure I plugged everything in properly! You don’t need a specialized gadget to check for an unplugged cable. But once that’s done, and you’re sure everything is plugged in, what if you still have signal issues or faulty cables?

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It’s About Time

People everywhere struggle with time.  They set alarms to signal when to awake or perform certain tasks.  They wish that they could go back in time, freeze the moment, or even skip ahead to the future.  Interestingly, the automated lighting programmer has total control of time at his/her fingertips when programming a show.  The power we programmers have over time is limited to that of our show, but the capabilities are stunning and often overwhelming.  Our consoles give us the ability to manage timing in varied methods, and it is important for any programmer to understand the techniques available on most automated lighting consoles.

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Classic production gags, including Lady Justice, a.k.a. Doris, made it into the film.

Lighting Metallica Through the Never in 3D IMAX

Metallica is known for making memorable concert moments. It could start out simply as a little pre-planned spark of a lighting fixture that would trigger crashing light towers, destroying the set to a controlled chaos while the bewildered audience sometimes raced for the exits. Variations of these destruction scenes over the years loom large in their legacy. Now they’ve poured all these gags in a virtual cement mixer, set the volume to “roar” and captured it on film — 3D IMAX, no less.

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Illustration by Andy Au

The Venue

No matter what show I design, I always strive for one aspect — to make my show look theatrical. It doesn’t matter if I am illuminating the unveiling of a new automobile, or an opera; I want dramatic lighting. The biggest problem I endure at most events is actually the venue itself. The place where you are holding your show can make for a pleasant experience or a long, slow day.

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GoVision Ultra-Lightweight 10mm CF Tile

GoVision’s newest LED video display panel, the 10mm CF Tile, features a 10mm pixel pitch of SMD, (Surface Mounted Diode) that are suitable for indoor or outdoor use.  The panels offer a 5000-nit brightness with a 40% transparency. The panels can be configured to work both vertically, horizontally and angled for maximum design flexibility. The panels are constructed from Carbon Fiber to offer ultra-lightweight and durability.

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Compulite Launches Vibe Console

Compulite launched a new series of consoles, the Vibe.  The entire workspace of the Vibe is based on the built-in touchscreen. Commonly used keys such as the number pad, encoders, flash/bump buttons and screen views are still hard buttons while all control, configuration and playback happens within the 10 point touchscreen. 

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ESP Vision Releases Vectorworks 2014 Plug-in

Shortly after the release of Vectorworks latest version of their CAD software, (version 2014), ESP Vision announced the release of their updated plug-in.  ESP Visions 2014 version of the plug-in for Vectorworks Spotlight includes a new symbol library which works with the Vision Pro fixture Library. Additionally, all of the new Vision Symbols now work within Renderworks. The new plug-in works for both Windows and Mac OSX systems.

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Global Truss America Quick Rig Clamps

Global Truss America introduced a new line of clamps that are designed to quickly and easily attach fixtures to 48mm – 50m tube truss. The new Quick Rig Clamps use a hook style design that incorporates a self-locking system.  The low profile, shallow-fitting clamps helps keeps fixtures closer to the trussing. The clamps are available in standard aluminum and black powder coating and are TUV approved with a maximum load of 551 pounds.

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Blizzard Toughstick 5 IP65 LED Wash

The Blizzard Toughstick 5 features 9 15-watt RGBAW LEDs in a half-meter long anodized aluminum enclosure.  The entire fixture is sealed to prevent water from entering the fixture.  It has an IP rating of 65, suitable for wet locations.  Connections for the fixture use IP rated AC power cord and DMX in/out cables.

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