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My 3G Is Better Than Your 3G

What thoughts come to mind when you hear the term 3G?  Could it be that ubiquitous cell phone spokesman, touting their company’s latest network?  Perhaps — but if you walked the aisles at April’s NAB convention, the video industry’s most exciting new buzz was evident at almost every turn — and yes, it’s also called 3G. 

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Copy That

In most situations, copying is a bad idea.  I have taught my son that copying from someone else’s paper in school or copying data for a book report from a web page is wrong.  If I were to copy a previous article and submit it as a new one, PLSN would almost certainly reject it. 

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Old Lamps for New

One of my biggest joys of watching a live performance is when I see a lighting show where the designer has put a lot of thought into different aspects, when that lighting person is professional enough to know when to use the latest technological gadgets and when not to, when sometimes “less is more” and old school prevails.

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Rick Fisher Lights Billy Elliot

It seems like the concept of the original musical, and particularly one that is not self-reflexive, has been harder to find on Broadway lately, especially in an era where movies are being turned into musicals and old movies are being turned into musicals then back into movies again. Frankly, the trend is tired, which is why Billy Elliot: the Musical stands out.

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Scott Warner: The Next Roy Bennett?

The first time Scott Warner knew what he wanted to do in life was at a concert. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew he’d find it somewhere around the front of house. After studying to become a sound engineer, he realized he really wanted to play with lights. Luckily, his best friend knew a band that could help him realize his dream.

 

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Chauvet Colorado 2

I don’t think there has ever been a more interesting time to be in the lighting industry. The rapid pace of technological advancement is a rich fertilizer for the entertainment production industry and it produces a bountiful harvest of new products. One such product is the Chauvet Colorado 2.

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Pixel Mapping

Pixel mapping, as it’s referred to in the world of digital lighting, is the use of a media server (e.g. PRG Mbox, PID Catalyst, or Martin Maxedia) or another kind of software to map an image or video clip to a grid of LEDS and/or lighting fixtures. The image can be displayed across any type of fixture that has intensity (for example, PAR cans).  In addition to intensity, an image with color information may also be displayed across automated fixtures with RGB or CMY attributes as well (for example, High End Systems Studio Color or Vari*Lite VL5).

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Be Here Now

Many of today’s greatest spiritual teachers such as Ram Dass and Eckhart Tolle teach the principle of staying focused on the present moment.  They explain that the past cannot be changed and the future is uncertain. The only thing that any of us truly has is this very moment. 

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