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Information Integration Group: Taming the Rental Management Tigers

IIG Rental Item Availability Calendar

Information Integration Group: Taming the Rental Management Tigers

In the rental and production industry, you never know what you’re going to get when equipment is returned. If all goes to plan, rentals are returned on time, in one piece, and fully operational. However, reality has a way of messing with best-laid plans, and many things can wreak havoc when it comes to inventory management. But in the face of such uncertainty, a rental and production company still has to be able to schedule rentals based on real-time availability of equipment.

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Shooting Video with DSLRs

For both corporate and live events, video elements are often a major part of the show.  If the clips are pre-produced, a significant amount of planning, pre-production and shooting is always required.  Traditionally, you’ll need a crew and a few cases of expensive video gear to accomplish the task, but a new twist on an old trusty photography tool suddenly makes the job a bit easier.  In fact, it’s the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera — a mainstay of the professional photographer for high quality stills, but now, an equally remarkable video tool.  SLR-type cameras enable photographers to see exactly what’s captured on film or digital media, because shots are composed directly through the lens.

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Vaddio ProductionVIEW HD Switcher

Vaddio ProductionVIEW HD Switcher

As the “video guy,” I get asked to wear a lot of hats, and it’s not just because I’m a nice guy who says “yes.” There are a lot of factors to keep track of — not the least of which is keeping a decent image onscreen. If you’re touring, you’re usually just trying to keep the gear from being destroyed. If you’re in corporate, you have the constant harangue of having to edit presenter imagery. If you’re in trade shows, well — that list is too long.

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Alternative Energies

It might have something to do with the presidential election cycle. Back in 2008, when Barack Obama trumped John McCain, the Warped Tour featured a 40,000-watt solar-powered stage provided by Stage-Tech Productions. It was one of a cluster of high-profile applications of alternative energy to provide the power to run sound and lights for outdoor music performances that year. Examples of stages being powered by the sun (and vegetable oil, and wind) continue to appear, but at nowhere near the pace one might have expected after the heady days of 2008.

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Watch Where You Point That Thing!

Automated lighting programmers have many tasks they must perform when programming any type of production.  One of the most common tasks is positioning (or focusing) the fixtures. The exact angle and aim of the fixture must be dialed in to ensure the proper areas of the stage are lit or that the aerial effects look good.  There are many techniques and tools to assist the focusing process and it is important that programmers understand the differences.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Working with What You Got

I just spent a month doing benefit gigs all over the country. A musician decided to devote some time and talent to raising money for various charities in a dozen towns, and he asked me to light him. The majority of the gigs were in theaters and clubs that had some in-house lighting of their own. In order to raise more money for the needy, I decided to try and do these shows with almost no additional lighting, despite the fact that the artist was used to sold out arenas with big rigs.

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Mid-America Sound Corp., Indiana State Fair Commission and IATSE Local 30 Fined by State OSHA

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA), which had conducted an investigation into possible workplace violations associated with the collapse of the main stage at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 13, 2011, issued a report and levied more than $80,000 in fines against the staging company, the stagehand’s union and the state fair commission.

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Philips Selecon and Strand Name New Denmark Distributor

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Philips Selecon and Strand Lighting has appointed Gobo – Highlight A/S as its new distributor for Demark. Gobo – Highlight A/S has a main office and warehouse in Copenhagen and a sales and administration office in Aarhus. The company supplies entertainment technology equipment to rental companies, theatres, venues, architectural installations and television production companies.

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Messe Frankfurt Organizes Light India 2012

FRANKFURT, Germany – Trade fair organizer Messe Frankfurt is partnering with the Electric Lamps & Components Manufacturers’ Association of India (ELCOMA) for the 2012 edition of Light India. The first trade show will be held Oct. 5-8 at Pragati Madian in New Delhi, India. A wide range of lighting manufacturers are encourage to participate, with the audience including private and government buyers.

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