TPMEA #011

DECEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 011

SENSATION DUBAI

THE TECHNICAL WONDER RETURNS TO THE UAE

SOUTH AFRICAN ROADIES ASSOCIATION • PARTY IN THE PARK • SAUDI ARABIA’S 87TH NATIONAL DAY WORLDSKILLS LANDS IN ABU DHABI • FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST: WARREN BARLOW • ILEA COLUMN

TPMEA

WELCOME...

TO TPMEA

Dear readers, Some big news to kick off this month’s issue: The year 2018 will see our inaugural awards ceremony - which has been created to pay tribute to the hard-working and talented individuals in the MEA’s live event industry - take place in Dubai on 9 May! We’re very excited and hope you will be too. Please keep an eye on our social media channels for more information in the coming months…

Until then, we have enough content to assuage even the most in insatiable of event production news appetites; including profiles of Sensation and Party in the Park from my last trip to Dubai, coverage from the WorldSkills opening and closing ceremonies in Abu Dhabi, and Stew’s exclusive interview with the South African Roadies Association.

I also got chance to sit down with the some of the team from Wicked, Flow and GL events Group to discover the full story behind the recent acquisition - and the companies’ plans for global domination.

With this our last issue of 2017, we are already looking for a heads-up on all of your prospects for new year’s eve events and headline productions in the months that follow - we want the industry’s best and brightest to earn those first ever TPMEA awards, and actions speak louder than words...

www.tpmeamagazine.com | www.tpimagazine.com | www.tpiawards.com

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Season’s

Greetings

THE CANVAS TO YOUR IMAGINATION

AWARDS LIVE EVENTS EXHIBITIONS MALL DISPLAYS TV THEATRE PRODUCT LAUNCHES T +971(0)48847117 TheIBSGroup

E sales@ibs-group.com IBSGroup

W www.ibs-group.com

TheIBSGroup

IBSGroup

CONTENTS

CONTENTS 16 - TECH PROFILE

Revellers flock to Meydan Race Course to witness the long-anticipated annual return of dance music extravaganza, Sensation Dubai.

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22 - TECH PROFILE

An insight into the 44th WorldSkills competition opening and closing ceremonies, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

28 - TECH PROFILE

Spectrum Entertainment produces a world-class stadium show in the space of 40 days for Saudi Arabia’s 87th National Day.

34 - TECH PROFILE

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TPMEA visits Media City Amphitheatre for Party In The Park - eclipse’s return to live concerts after a long summer break.

38 - ILEA COLUMN

ILEA ME’s Chapter Manager, Kholoud Ali, looks to the future of the region.

MIDDLE EAST

AFRICA

06 - FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

42 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

A look back at industry newcomer Fruition Events’ first full season in the UAE events market.

08 - REGIONAL ROUND-UP

The latest stories from Africa including news from Robe, Quest, DWR and Green Hippo.

48 - INTERVIEW

The latest news from the Middle East.

South African Roadies Association (SARA) Freddie Nyathela discusses training on a recent UK visit.

EDITOR Kel Murray Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7738 154689 e-mail: k.murray@mondiale.co.uk

ASSISTANT EDITOR Ste Durham Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8385 Mobile: +44 (0)7891 679742 e-mail: s.durham@mondiale.co.uk

STAFF WRITER Stewart Hume Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7702 054344 e-mail: s.hume@mondiale.co.uk

GENERAL MANAGER Hannah Eakins Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7760 485230 e-mail: h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES Georgia Guthrie Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8399 Mobile: +44 (0)750 1597 837 e-mail: g.guthrie@mondiale.co.uk

ADVERTISING SALES Lauren Dyson Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)741 5773 639 e-mail: l.dyson@mondiale.co.uk

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Dan Seaton: d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Zoe Willcox: z.willcox@mondiale.co.uk

MONDIALE GROUP CHAIRMAN Damian Walsh

EDITORIAL INTERN Jacob Waite

ACCOUNTS Lynette Levi / Sarah Miller: ar@mondiale.co.uk

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Sensation Dubai Courtesy of Claire Louise Armes, Protec

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Justin Gawne Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8360 Mobile: +44 (0)7768 850767 e-mail: j.gawne@mondiale.co.uk

PRINTED BY Buxton Press • www.buxpress.co.uk

www.tpmeamagazine.com www.tpimagazine.com www.tpiawards.com @tpmea_magazine facebook.com/TPMEA_Magazine youtube.com/user/TPiMagazine

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

FRUITION EVENTS’ WARREN BARLOW WE’RE NOW WELL INTO THE 2017 EVENTS SEASON IN THE MENA REGION, AND SO FAR, IT SEEMS THAT MOST REPUTABLE SUPPLIERS ARE BUSY AT IT. FRUITION EVENTS IS EQUALLY NO STRANGER TO BEING A POPULAR CHOICE AS A RELATIVE NEWCOMER TO THE UAE EVENTS MARKET, AND HAVE SEEN A VERY ENCOURAGING START TO OUR FIRST FULL SEASON.

I believe without doubt that events, by their very nature, face challenges when it comes to executing the plans that so many of us work hard to prepare in advance of getting onto a site. Having the ability to adapt, facing challenges head-on in order to deliver on promise, is key to establishing client confidence within the events sector.

The same can be said for the expansion and development of your business, and Fruition Events is doing just that in its further investment and future strategy.

Fruition has now delivered numerous events across a broad spectrum of clients, and having been involved in several RFP’s, we are already listening to requests from our clients in terms of which products to expand on, and indeed to add to our existing stock and increase our offering.

With the establishment of an equipment portfolio of products, which offers a fresh new look, our clients are already seeing not only the benefit of shiny new equipment, but also the high level of finished detail. Fruition are excited about the high conversion rate with those whom we engage. Based on feedback from our clients, we believe that we are offering some of the best products available in the market, at very competitive prices, and with a level of service often difficult to find during the events season peak times.

So, what’s next for Fruition? We are already in talks with people who are looking forward to joining the dynamic Fruition team in 2018. We’re very excited about the prospect of expansion, and look forward to the value and experience we’ll soon be adding to the team. We continue to cement our strategic partnerships with the likes of Gallowglass Health and Safety, Prolyte, and Network Stages, and are constantly fabricating equipment that will ensure our logistics operation remains efficient, and have several orders pending for stock expansion to cater for our upcoming installations. Our next major expansion within the team will focus on an in-house carpentry facility, which will be a huge benefit to not only our operation, but will be designed to ensure that creative details can be met and delivered.

At a time that we will all begin to see other international suppliers also looking to make their mark with a greater presence, and in preparation for the up-and-coming mega events such as Expo 2020, Fruition is making a firm foothold - and adding further value and choice to the existing, world class, UAE events supply chain. www.fruitionevents.ae

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FIRST LOOK MIDDLE EAST

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FRUITION

EVENTS LLC

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

SENNHEISER APPOINTS NEW TECHNICAL SALES MANAGER Sennheiser has announced the appointment of Fadi Costantine as its new Technical Sales Manager in the Middle East.

The newest member of the audio specialist’s team will primarily focus on supporting customers and growing Sennheiser’s footprint in the business communication, system integration and audio recording segments.

Costantine will work closely with Ryan Burr, Head of Technical Sales & Application Engineering at Sennheiser Middle East, who commented: “A certain amount of confidence has returned to the market in 2017 and we’ve been running at above 20% versus the previous year. This is clearly the time for us to reinvest in our regional presence to capitalise on new opportunities. Fadi is the ideal candidate to help us drive further growth as he brings with him wide-ranging knowledge of our customer base and pertinent skills that will be invaluable to our team and our customers.”

Prior to joining Sennheiser, Costantine held the position of Audio Division Manager at Venuetech, Sennheiser’s long standing distributor in the region, acquiring a wealth of experience and knowledge on the technical and commercial aspects of Sennheiser’s range of audio solutions.

During Costantine’s tenure with Venuetech, he led project design and client support efforts on high-profile projects such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, King Saud Stadium in Riyadh, Basra Stadium in Iraq, and the Lusail and Khalifa Stadia in Qatar.

Costantine concluded: “Joining Sennheiser presents me with the opportunity to drive innovation and the uptake of best practices in the Middle East industry. Over the duration of my career in the UAE and Lebanon, I have established professional relationships with key industry figures which I will now leverage to help Sennheiser penetrate into new customer accounts.” www.sennheiser.com

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ensuring your content stays crystal clear

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

GL EVENTS ACQUIRES 70% OF WICKED AND FLOW BUILDING ON AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH WICKED AND FLOW, INTEGRATED EVENT INDUSTRY GROUP, GL EVENTS, HAS OBTAINED A PORTION OF THE COMPANIES TO FACILITATE FURTHER GROWTH FOR ALL CONCERNED.

While sister companies Wicked and Flow have enjoyed considerable success in the Middle East over a relatively short period of time, the reach and potential of both entities have received a massive boost since the majority of their shares was acquired by GL events Group.

Established in the UAE since 1997, the group has now reinforced its position in the Middle East in preparation for major upcoming events such as the Asian Football Cup 2019, Expo 2020, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. According to the group, these acquisitions will also open up new growth opportunities across Africa.

Benoit Beylier, Managing Director at GL events, began: “Our key focus when we started working in this region was on exhibitions. Our first big contract was when we were chosen as the service provider for the World Trade Centre.

“At the end of the contract in 2015, which forced us to focus more on events. As this division grew up, we began to realise who the

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main players in the region were, as well as becoming aware that we were missing AC and power. That’s when we first discussed the idea of combining teams and equipment with Wicked and Flow.”

Alistair McDonald, Managing Partner at Flow & Wicked, picked up the story: “The conversation began around the end of last year. Having always worked well with GL events. It seemed like a great strategic fit for both sides. The fact that they chose to approach it as more of an investment than an in-and-out acquisition really appealed to us.

“Flow and Wicked have historically always been 60-70% owned by legacy investors, so to have a more industry-specific stakeholder come and replace our legacy partners - who really didn’t have much involvement with the world was also a plus.”

McDonald continued: “Our legacy investors, which consisted of some family members and

others from Europe, were keen to bow out as they’d reached their comfort zone or an age where they didn’t want to stay in indefinitely.

The acquisition by GL events was the perfect fit and allows us to maintain our identity while also receiving huge support and a great foundation to move into new areas.”

Rather than another silent investor, the deal will see Flow and Wicked benefit from the knowledge, influence, and large-scale client base that GL events has enjoyed over the years.

“We want to soak up as much of the good stuff as we can, particularly in some of the more grown up areas, like finance and HR, that a small business like us didn’t potentially focus on as heavily as we should,” added McDonald.

“When it comes to creativity, product selection and our clients’ experience, it is business as usual - just with a bit more clout.

Were really excited about branching out to work on things like the Asian Games, World Cups, and

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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Opposite: Managing Director at GL events, Benoit Beylier. Above: Managing Partner at Flow & Wicked, Alistair McDonald.

Commonwealth Games. We would have never really had access to these things and now we are the go-to divisions to support these events, which is incredibly cool.”

Beylier went on to explain how he saw all parties moving forward: “GL events invested into these two companies, but it’s important for their clients to preserve the status quo. From our point of view, we can now focus on bigger business and prepare for large events like Expo 2020.

Local business is no longer our focus, so we can concentrate on servicing clients across the world in South America, Asia and Africa. The exciting part is that we can see how we work together and plan for big events years in the future, rather than week-to-week.”

With the aforementioned Expo growing ever closer, Marketing and Communication Coordinator

at GL events Middle East, Anastasiia Komarnytska, was keen to highlight the Group’s potentially invaluable knowledge.

She explained: “Everyone is excited about Expo 2020 but they do not necessarily have the qualities to deal with it. GL events, as a group, has 25 years of experience in these kinds of events and has already supported participant countries at Expo 2015 in Milan. We know the timetable for the project, we know the potential issues and solutions, and we are already based in the region, so we understand the market .”

As well as looking forward to the opportunities available from the deal with GL events, McDonald was also full of praise for the company’s Chairman. He said: “The original founder of GL events, Olivier Ginon, is still very much hands-on when it comes to this industry

and that was yet another great sign for us. Even now, he spends a lot of time with the products and is very interested in innovation, which is perfect for us.”

McDonald added: “The only activity that concerned both sides was a division of GL called Live! By GL events, which is kind of a potential rival to the agency sector we were quite successful in. The strategic decision was made to remove it – like they did in the UK - as we didn’t want that threat to our agency clients. Ultimately the clients are happy that there’s not another competitor in the market and we wouldn’t be infringing on their service. Overall there has been a resoundingly positive response from the industry.” www.gl-events.com www.wicked.ae http://www.flowsolutions.ae

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

PROTEC JOINS FORCES WITH BUMAT MOTION SYSTEMS AND SES

Protec has entered into an agreement with Bumat Motion Systems, the Middle East’s leading manufacturer of turntables and revolves.

Protec’s Founder and CEO, Stephen Lakin commented: “Over the last year we have had more and more requests for revolves, particularly in the motor industry. We felt that working together with a world leader like Bumat would be the ideal solution to beef up our stocks with a quality product that we could offer our clients.

Bumat’s modular system can supply turntables of any size and carrying capacity. Made of aluminium or steel, in diameters ranging from 0.1m to 55m and capable of accommodating load weights from 10kg to 450 metric tonnes.

Our customers can now order turntables out of the standard-system or have them planned and manufactured according to their individual requirements. They can individualise any turntable with regards to carrying capacity, installation height, construction design, mode of operation and serviceability.”

Protec currently owns one of the world’s largest stocks of audio, video, lighting, scenic and staging, robotics, motion tracking, backline,

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rigging, SFX and conference solutions equipment.

It’s not uncommon for the company to be seen at the heart of some of the most technically challenging shows produced in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Far East.

Bumat’s Managing Director, Timo Burgmeier, added: “Bumat manufactures a highly sophisticated and long-lasting product. This is why we only manufacture our turntables in Germany. Different construction parts, protected by patents, ensure a high running smoothness and durability of our turntables. Bumat’s engineering achievements enable our clients to take advantage of all conceivable combinations of complex revolving, rotating, elevating and traversing movements. We use of state of the art 3D CAD systems and our own production facilities with CNC machining centres.

“As an owner-run family business, we have been installing systems and managing numerous projects for well-known customers all around the globe since the company was founded in 1948. Dedicated assembly and service teams with many years of experience are at our customers’ disposal wherever they may be: in Germany, Europe or anywhere else in the world. We are

very excited and we are sure that our agreement with Protec will be a positive step - both for us as well as the Middle East region,” Burgmeier concluded.

In October 2017, Protec also signed a major deal with SES Global. Lakin made the decision to place an order with SES Global to provide power distribution, dimmers and motor controllers for the company’s new set up in Saudi Arabia.

Valued at nearly $750,000 (ZAR), the deal stands as a landmark first order for the new SES FLX dimmer system in the Middle East region.

Upon trialling the unit at the recent UNITE with Tomorrowland production [featured in TPMEA Issue 010], Protec’s Head of Lighting, Aaron Russ, was keen to comment on how impressed he was with the system.

The order from Protec is made up of a number of these multi-channel racks, traditional hard power socapex units and the new SES motor controllers. The order is the first of a 2-part process, firstly to kit out the Saudi operation and then to upgrade the existing Dubai-based stock. www.productiontec.com www.bumat.com www.site-electrics.co.uk

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AUDIO-TECHNICA EXPANDS ITS MIDDLE EAST PRESENCE Audio-Technica has announced the opening of a new sales support office in Dubai. Aimed at increasing the level of service to its distributors, integrators, consultants and corporate end users in the professional audio field across the Middle East region. The office is located at Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA), ideally placed for business throughout the Middle East and well-served by world class infrastructure.

Technical Product Manager Ahmad Abuzannad (who began his AudioTechnica career in the company’s EMEA applications and support team) will head the office staff. Central to his activity will be increased levels of product training and demos – of particular importance to customers evaluating solutions in the conferencing market – in the Middle East and in conjunction with Audio-Technica distributors across the region. Abuzannad will also support customers with the complex wireless frequency planning required for large scale projects. In addition, the new facility allows for extended sales support in conjunction with John Dodson, Audio-Technica’s long-standing local representative based in Dubai.

Matthias Exner, Audio-Technica Director of Sales and Marketing EMEA Professional Audio said: “We’re delighted to be extending our presence in the Middle East with the new office. The territory is a key market for AudioTechnica and it’s of vital importance that we’re able to deliver excellent customer service locally. Initially the scope will focus on support for our professional product ranges – from live sound to installation solutions – and expand into support for Audio-Technica consumer product portfolio in time.

I look forward to working with Ahmad and John on many exciting projects with customers across region in the coming months.” www.audio-technica.com

SES THE POWER SPECIALISTS +44 (0)1753 585050

+971 (0)508 870685 +971 (0)508 869105 www.site-electrics.co.uk www.mainsdistro.com sales@site-electrics.co.uk ME

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

GSL PROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCES DISTRIBUTION OF L-ACOUSTICS ACROSS THE GCC AND IRAQ GSL Professional has become the single point of distribution across the GCC and Iraq for L-Acoustics.

With in-house design services, demonstration and training facilities, local stocking and a newly opened service center; GSL hopes to bolster the world leading product offered by L-Acoustics with industry leading local service and support.

“I am delighted to welcome GSL Professional to the L-Acoustics family,” said Peter Owen, Sales Manager, L-Acoustics. “Their role will be as a pure distributor for the GCC and Iraq. With the technical support and business management offered by GSL, I see this as being very beneficial for both parties.

Faegh Fowzi, President of GSL Professional, added: “L-Acoustics is a top tier brand with a fantastic footprint in the touring and rental markets. We are eager to assist with their continued growth in this and, importantly, the installation market across the Middle East.”

GSL will be offering regular training programmes and hosting demonstration events at their facilities in Dubai and across the Middle East. www.gslprofessional.com www.l-acoustics.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

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VENUETECH NAMED AS ELATION PROFESSIONAL’S MIDDLE EAST DISTRIBUTOR Elation Professional is pleased to announce that Venutech Audiovisual & Lighting Systems has been appointed the exclusive distributor for Elation Professional products in the Middle East.

Venuetech has been a leading provider of professional products and services to the entertainment industry in the Middle East since 2003 and has seen immense growth since its founding. Headed by one of the Middle East market’s most experienced and esteemed personalities, Nour Assafiri, Venuetech’s team of industry professionals is focused on all aspects of the audio, video and lighting market, from sales

to technical support.

“The major target has always been to be able to provide a complete solution for our clientele, therefore we see Elation as the missing piece of the puzzle,” said Assafiri. “We believe that our experience in entertainment lighting along with Elation’s strength and reputation, as well as their continuous production of innovative products, will open doors for a strong relationship and the proper share in the market.”

Venuetech has just wrapped up a successful Prolight+Sound Middle East show at the Dubai International Convention Center, where they represented Elation products for the first time.

Supporting the Venuetech team at their stand was Elation Sales and Marketing Director, Eric Loader, as well as Elation Key Account Manager, Frederik Afif. “We are excited to have Venuetech join the Elation team and grow the Elation success in the GCC region,” stated Loader. “I’ve known Nour for many years and value the relationships and experience he and his team have in the region. We look forward to the opportunities this partnership will open up and to supporting Venuetech in expanding the Elation brand in the Middle East.” www.elationlighting.com www.venuetech.ae

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TECH PROFILE

SENSATION DUBAI AFTER A YEAR AWAY, THE WORLD-RENOWNED DANCE MUSIC SPECTACULAR RETURNED TO MEYDAN RACE COURSE IN DUBAI WITH AN ALL-NEW - AND SURPRISINGLY MINIMAL - SHOW DESIGN.

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TECH PROFILE

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Sensation Dubai 2017 saw the global phenomenon return to the city once more, this time back at Meydan Race Course. With more than a few surprises from the stunning line-up, this event saw the experience come alive with a mind-blowing lighting show, thumping music, theatrical acts and the voices of thousands of screaming fans.

The typically solid line-up of performers consisted of Sensation mainstay Mr. White, Sam Feldt [who brought 3 live musicians along for the ride], Spanish DJ Danny Avila, Don Diablo, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and headliner Steve Angello. Acrobats, dancers, pyrotechnics, lasers and fireworks synchronised with the music across an unending sea of white, while the crowd embraced the theme; to ‘Celebrate Life’.

The party enforces its all-white dress code as a tribute to Miles Stutterheim, one of its founding members who died in a car accident, and to create an atmosphere of togetherness at even the most mammoth venues.

The show was again produced, organised and promoted by Envie Events. The company’s Managing Director, Barry Pavic said: “Attracting a global clientele and elevating the overall guest

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experience completely from entrance to exit is the ultimate goal - which translates into shows that fans want to keep returning to. We strive to make sure that everyone has a good time.”

CELEBRATE LIFE Dubai’s own Protec provided video, audio, lighting, and backline, as well as some elements of the set and all necessary rigging.

Simon Travis, Protec’s Project Manager for Sensation Dubai 2017, was on site throughout the 8-day set-up. He began: “Meydan is very different from the usual kind of dance music venue, particularly because it’s a race track so we had to consider the horses stabled there, in terms of noise levels. The noise was very strictly controlled as they didn’t want to freak out the horses, though they did move them off site for the show day.”

The audio system was relatively straightforward, with 32 L-Acoustics K2’s for the main hangs, which were flown with 2 K1 subs above it for both hangs. For front fill Protec used 4 positions of 12 L-Acoustics Kara. The shape of the stage meant that a full sub array was impossible, so the team opted for 15 SB28’s per

side DJ monitoring came from 3 Kara per side on top of 2 SB18’s. The entire system was powered by 11 LA-RAKs containing 18 LA8 amplifiers.

Protec’s audio offering also included a DiGiCo SD10 at FOH, Neutrik fibre optics, an Antelope Audio lsochrone OCX Clock, Lab.gruppen Lake LM 44 processors, a Sennheiser G3 wireless monitoring system for the dancers.

Travis said: “We also had a couple of VIP lounges that had to be catered for. We used our compact Bose system for one of the lounges and our L-Acoustics Syva setup for the other. Comms was taken care of by Clearcomm and we used Helixnet for our 9 wired positions and Freespeak II for our 8 wireless.”

Sound Engineer for Protec, Dan Dignan, added: “The Sensation guys are great. We were dealing with Niels from the Sensation audio production team, NoizBoyz, mainly. He’s great guy and so easy to work with. He took care of the desk while I took care of the system. The guys from Backbone were good lads too, Tom and Roden especially.”

The company used its Pioneer DJ equipment for the event, which consisted of a Pioneer DJM 900 Nexus, Pioneer DJM 2000 Nexus and 8 CDJ

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TECH PROFILE

2000 Nexus, which allowed the crew to have 2 DJ set ups plus a spare.

OPEN YOUR EYES For lighting, Protec used a mixture of Robe, Martin by Harman and Claypaky fixtures. Travis said: “We had 45 of our Robe Pointe fixtures mounted on all 3 sections of the triangular backdrop set. Inside the scaffold structure was a combination of 37 Claypaky A.leda B-EYE K10’s and 7 K20’s, which were positioned evenly for uplighting effects. We used 28 Martin by Harman Atomic 3000 Strobes on the floor, in the walkways where the dancers were performing and rigged within the set itself. We also used 50 PAR 36’s, which we mounted onto the structure and the bars above some Robe Pointe fixtures.

This gave a terrific blinding effect.”

The crew arranged 28 Claypaky Show-Batten 100’s along the front edges of the stage to further light the dancers and a number of SGM fixtures in additional areas; namely P5’s for the VIP decks and Q7’s to light the bars.

Travis continued: “For the front of the DJ riser, we used 16 Jarag lights, which are completely DMX controllable, so you can actually programme them to have words flash through. This had a great effect on the front of what was already a really well-lit set. At FOH we also had Claypaky Scenius Unico fixtures, which lit various positions for the dancers and served as little spots. For the entrance we used 12 Claypaky Super Sharpys to create a nice effect, which were controlled by our

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ChamSys MagicQ MQ60 desk.”

Protec also provided a considerable amount of Le Maitre and MDG hazers to create the necessary atmosphere and 3 MA Lighting grandMA2 full size consoles at FOH, one of which was a spare, as well as 2 grandMA NPUs. RAVE ‘N’ ROLL The backdrop for the main stage - which was made up of a large central triangle flanked by 2 smaller ones - was covered in LED panels. The 2 small screens were made from 49 of Protec’s 6mm Mambo LED panels (13 panels wide x 7 panels high), and the main screen required 121 of the company’s 9mm product (21 panels wide x 11 panels high). Protec also supplied NovaStar VX4S processors to control these screens, while the main signal came from the media servers run by Sensation’s production team.

The team used 3 Panasonic remote cameras on the DJ, which could be controlled from FOH, and were vision mixed through a Roland V1200HD.

Travis commented: “We ran signal from FOH to the LED control backstage using our Lightware 220pro fibre transmitters and receivers and 3 150m Neutrik fibre cables. We used Lightware MX DVI PRO matrices at FOH and backstage to handle the signal routing and switch between main and backup signals. The live footage was mixed to the screens and overlaid with content provided by Sensation, operated by the touring Lighting Designer.

“The triangular shape of the set meant that we couldn’t hang the screens from truss, so we had to stack it from the ground. The sheer size of the screen presented us with some rigging challenges but they were all overcome easily enough - all of the panels had to be secured to the scaffolding structure at the rear of the screens.”

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND Travis concluded: “The event itself was fantastic.

The combination of Envie Events, Backbone International, the Sensation crew from Holland and Protec all worked together as a great team to ensure we could get everything built and the show delivered as per the plan that had been designed.

“It was quite an unusual show for Sensation because it differed in design both technically and aesthetically to cater to the Dubai market for this year, which is incidentally the same show that will also be used for Australia in the next few weeks.

“Envie and Backbone are great to work with.

They present us with new creative challenges each time. We thrive on these challenges and it’s always good to be able to come up with innovative and creative solutions. What resulted was a fantastic show for an audience with great energy.”

Photos: Protec and Envie Events www.sensation.com www.envie-events.com www.productiontec.com

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WORLD SKILLS ABU DHABI 2017 HELD AT THE ABU DHABI NATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE, WORLDSKILLS ABU DHABI 2017 BROUGHT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM 59 MEMBER COUNTRIES AND REGIONS TO COMPETE IN A VARIETY OF VOCATION SKILL COMPETITIONS. TPMEA SPOKE TO SOME SEVERAL OF THE COMPANIES THAT AIDED THE EVENT.

The 44th WorldSkills competition welcomed an impressive 1,300 competitors, 10,000 international visitors and 100,000 visitors from the UAE. Billed as the world’s leading technical and vocational skills event, the incentive was organised by Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) and EmiratesSkills. The occasion utilised 105,000sqm of exhibition space and included permanent and temporary structures at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Additionally to the competition the event also boasted an impressive opening and closing ceremonies.

The event’s lead creative agency was People.

Pitching for the event back in October 2016, the company proved a full turnkey solution for both the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the event. Discussing its involvement with

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the event was People’s Rachel Sweeney. “Our responsibilities for the event included designing and building a bespoke grandstand for 9,500 people and stage set,” she commented. “We created all of the ceremony content including a bespoke music composition played by a live 60 piece orchestra, films, floor projection content, installation of an aerial system using QMotion and full choreography for two performances which included Britain’s Got Talent winners, Spelbound.” Additionally the company provided a full operational support and created both a pre function area for the Opening Ceremony and a Farewell Party for 3,500 people after the Closing Ceremony. “Our overall goal for the event was to create a world class event that would formally welcome 10,000 visitors to Abu Dhabi and officially open WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017,” stated Sweeney. “We wanted to tell the story of

how skills have helped shape Abu Dhabi and the UAE in a way that had never been seen before in the region.” Despite the short build time for the grandstand and stage the People team and its collection of suppliers were able to ensure the event was a success.

Dubai-based eclipse Staging Services supplied lighting and rigging production in both the opening and closing ceremonies for the event. The build began 2 weeks in the lead up to the opening ceremony at du Arena in Abu Dhabi.

The staging specialist provided over 800 fixtures including a collection of Claypaky Mythos, Sharpys, Sharpy Washes, Stormys and Alphas. Also on the rig were SGM P5’s, a scattering of Philips Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX and an array of conventional fixtures, all run over an Avolites dimming system, an MA Lighting grandMA2 Lighting network and fibre backbone.

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Senior Project Manager, Tom Warneke, commented: “We also had a large scenic element covering one end of the stadium known as the ‘weave’, which featured strips of cloth backlit by hundreds of Chauvet LED battens. Added to this was the floor package and atmospherics, stadium work light and show blues as well as lighting for the pre-function area.

“An event of this scale is always something of a challenge but with the expert team we have here at eclipse alongside a methodical and thought-out pre-production process, we’re able to counter most logistical challenges before they arise. For this event, due to the scale, we thought long and hard about how we would transport and rig everything to fit in with competing schedules for tower cranes and our fellow suppliers.”

The other challenge the eclipse team had

to tackle was the weather. “On the tail end of summer, du Arena’s humidity levels go through the roof,” explained Warneke. “This makes maintenance and reliability a challenge. However, this is managed through our experience in these elements as well as routine, preventative maintenance.”

General Manager at eclipse, Martin Lubach, added: “Whether it’s providing the best in equipment or most reliable and consistent service, meeting project requirements in terms of quality and overall performance are critical values that we assure in our projects. We are honoured to extend our services for such an important initiative that focuses on providing the very latest updates into cutting-edge techniques and showcasing young students’ talents which will significantly boost their employment prospects locally and internationally. The eclipse team’s

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ability really shone through, highlighting that we can provide technical support for large-scale events to the highest standards. With all this commitment, I am extremely proud of the entire team and the hard work we have been doing.”

Also on site aiding in the lighting design for the opening and closing ceremony was Manchesterbased dbnAudile.

The company’s Director, Stephen Page, discussed its involvement with the event. “We were tasked to create lighting design for the opening and closing ceremonies along with the pre-function area outside, which was an exposition of Middle Eastern culture and then for a post-function party after the closing ceremony.”

Joining Page on the project was Programmer Edwin Croft and Peter Fisherwood, Association Lighting Designer. Page continued to talk about

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working out in the region. “Over the last few years I probably do about 6 or 7 shows out there a year and eclipse are always a pleasure to work with and are an incredibly competent, capable rental house. There are also loads of highly skilled production crew out in the region.”

Also aiding the visual experience for the ceremonies was Stage One, which handled show motion, and PRG, which handled projection.

DELTA Delta Sound also participated in the opening and closing ceremonies, providing the audio and comms. Delta’s Managing Director, Andy Jackson, said: “I remember discussing this project about 12 months before the event, once People were awarded the project.

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“The main arena was repurposed with grandstand seating on three sides to give an almost in-the-round feel. We got involved with People early in the process to come up with audio solutions that worked in line with the design and creative elements,” said Jackson.

“The audio design would need to encompass several key components and restrictions,” he continued. “The system had to be deployed quickly due to the time restriction for the build.

We opted to suspend the system on crane towers at a height of 25m on a 15m cantilever. From these points, we were able to cover the entire arena and stage area.

“In the main arena we utilised 24 L-Acoustics K1 with 8 K2 (hangs of 12 and 4), 12 K1SB (6 flown behind each main array) and 16 KARA, 2 out-fill

hangs each of eight. Various smaller X8 and 5XT units were deployed for onstage and Royal / VIP fills. Control was from a DiGiCo SD7, while playback was Merging Ovation system.”

The show elements involved Abu Dhabi NSO Orchestra with a 60-piece choir mixed to a backing track of voice overs and effects. This was all done by taking the original ProTools sessions and transferring to Delta’s Pyramix/ Ovation system for ultimate show control. The company also provided all timecode elements and distribution.

Delta’s Craig Harvey took on the role of Project Manager and also operated all of the playback. The orchestra was mixed by Martyn Ward. The comprehensive comms system for the event was led by Delta Sound’s Comms Manager,

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Rob Turner, and included 120 radios interfaced with a Clearcom matrix.

“The overall comms system also included Helixnet and Freespeak2, distribution for all this was done over a secondary Optocore network which also carried the timecode distribution,” said Turner.

“The matrix was central to the interfacing; we had 20 lever panels, 18 helixnet positions and 22 freespeak wireless users. This set up required high level safety requirements and there was no room for compromise,” he continued.

Project Manager Harvey concluded: “This network covered the arena flawlessly! As I’m sure you can imagine, it would be impossible to do these jobs without being able to communicate and our team did a great job in delivering this.”

HARLEQUIN Also working both opening and closing ceremonies was Harlequin Arena Group. The company supplied a 15m x 50m VIP majlis tent with full interior fit, a 20m x 80m competitors tent, complete with lights & AC, and clearview grandstand seating for 8,000 people. This

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included 390 VIP padded seats, along with a shaded camera platform. The horseshoe grandstand shape was chosen to wrap around stage using curved corner sections and the VIP seating area was air conditioned using under floor cooling, a last minute request that was fitted within 48 hours.

As well as both ceremonies, Harlequin also lent a hand for the competition, supplying 40m x 210m ATS Structures for exhibition use; a fully branded 40m structure, and a 20m x 40m structure for BOH with AC. Jonathan Hills, Harlequin Arena General Manager of Middle East, said: “Contracted by people working at the du Arena, we delivered 8,000 seats using the Arena Clearview system and a 3,600sq metre stage, using the Arena Super Deck. While for the competition, we were contracted by WorldSkills directly at ADNEC delivering 9,200sqm of structures.”

WORLD CLASS / SHOWFORCE Ensuring the safe and successful delivery of the project was World Class Events. The company provided Project Director John Adkins, Senior

Project Manager Brian Gowen and 6 project managers to plan and oversee the event build.

The de-rig was an even greater undertaking, given the quantities of kit involved and the incredibly short timescale, World Class increased the number of project managers to 12 and turned to sister company, and fellow member of the Spendlove Group, Showforce to provide the huge numbers of crew required.

With just 4 days to clear the venue before the next event was due to build, dismantling and removing all the stands where the 51 competitions had been held was a mammoth undertaking. This included the removal of shell scheme, flooring, AV equipment, furniture, graphics, rigging and electrics along with the equipment and items displayed on the exhibition stands.

To meet the incredibly tight deadline, given the scale of the task in hand, World Class split the venue into 6 manageable zones and appointed project managers, crew managers and crew who worked around the clock. The de-rig was managed and overseen by John Adkins, Managing Director of World Class, and Brian Gowan,

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Platforms & Stages

Towers & Archways

Senior Project Manager. World Class’ 12 project managers worked alongside 12 international crew managers and 360 local crew, supplied by Showforce, which was split into day and night shift patterns, working across all 6 zones for the entire event.

The skills on display at the event included everything from bricklaying and bakery to electrical installations and web design and development, ensuring that there was an eclectic mix of products and equipment that required packing away. In total, the Showforce team removed and packed away 8,000 line items of equipment and over 1 million individual pieces. Over the course of the 4-day de-rig, the Showforce crew clocked up an impressive 17,856 hours between them.

Adkins added: “I personally really enjoyed this job, which was largely down to the people involved. It was a great team and everyone had a strong work ethic. A clear and concise communication plan was implemented, from the WorldSkills sector managers, to our zonal

project managers, to crewmembers, which allowed us to deliver effectively and meet the deadline.”

Commenting on World Class Events’ performance, Aidan Jones, Executive Director of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, concluded: “It was great to meet and work with the World Class team during WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. The focus that their team brought to getting the job done, their extremely positive attitude and the very professional way that they approached the project proved to be invaluable.”

Photos: WorldSkills International, Ace Valencia (Harlequin) https://worldskillsabudhabi2017.com/en/ www.people-creative.com www.eclipse.ae www.dbnaudile.co.uk www.stageone.co.uk www.prg.com www.deltalive.com www.harlequinmarquees.com www.worldclassevents.global www.showforce.com

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SAUDI ARABIA’S 87TH NATIONAL DAY DUBAI NATIVE, SPECTRUM ENTERTAINMENT, PRODUCED A TRULY WORLD-CLASS STADIUM SHOW IN LESS THAN 40 DAYS FOR SAUDI ARABIA’S 87TH NATIONAL DAY, A HUGE FEAT MATCHED ONLY BY THE MAGNITUDE OF NATION’S LANDMARK ANNIVERSARY.

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“For the first time mixed audiences were allowed to attend the event; underlining the aim of the Kingdom to open up its society.”

Spectrum Entertainment achieved the impossible and produced a world-class stadium show in less than 40 days for the 87th National Day in Saudi Arabia. On behalf of and in cooperation with MMG, a storyline was created that gave an insight into the nation’s ancient cultural traditions and a glimpse of its promising future. For the first time, mixed audiences were allowed to attend the event; underlining the aim of the Kingdom to open up its society.

The show was an incredible stadium spectacle supported by the most modern event technologies, such as a 65m x 22m front

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projection screen, a giant stage measuring 70m x 35m with runways extending into the audience, diverse water fountains, and a laser and pyrotechnics show.

A group of international professionals from Spectrum Entertainment was able to stage a show that involved a cast of 600 actors, dancers and musicians, combined with a stunning performance by Arabian horses and camels.

Making all of this happen smoothly and seamlessly involved a huge effort by a dedicated project team. Thanks to its wide international network and expertise, Spectrum Entertainment was able to pull an outstanding team of event

professionals and creative minds together to create an impressive show to truly reflect the nation of Saudi Arabia.

Lead by Julien Beyrouthy, General and Region Manager of Spectrum Entertainment Services in MENA, Show Director Munir Al-Qahtani - known for producing stadium shows in Saudi Arabia with a track record of integrating heritage and culture into live stage shows - and Director Marwan Al Rahbani took care of the theatrical aspects of the show.

For the technical production and logistical side of this huge undertaking, Massimo Fogliati and Guido Zanca came on board as production

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managers to help oversee the technological aspects and the operation.

Empire Interior Design, the sister company of Spectrum Entertainment Services, worked to design and compose the outstanding stage of The Epic, which was created to serve the main show area, and to present to the audience a remarkable experience. All the elements together designed and executed, gave the stage a spectacular look and feel, and made it overall a very impressive and extraordinary show.

The main part of the show was driven by the visual content displayed on the giant screen. To create this immersive experience for the audience, the Dubai-based company The Onlooker was contracted to produce and edit the content within the short time-frame. For the projection, 16 Christie Boxer 2K30’s were used for the main screen, and 4 Christie HD 20Ks were used for the side screens, provided by MediaPro.

Spectrum Entertainment is a proud partner and rental house for Adamson Systems in the Middle East. For sound reinforcement, the largest line-array system, the E-Series, was deployed.

Designed and run by the support team from Adamson; David Dohrmann Technical Director

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“The rig needed to be lightweight but still pack a punch for the dynamic and fast-paced parts of the show. It also needed to be traditionally theatrical in parts, and the mix of Claypaky fixtures allowed a fine balance between bright and beamy, slow and moody.”

Adamson Asia Pacific and Scott Mason as the FOH Engineer, 12 boxes of Adamson E15 Speakers and 6 Adamson E12’s per side were utilised, combined with 12 Adamson E119 and 6 Adamson E219 subs for the low end. Amplification was done through the specially designed E-Racks from Adamson. Each E-Rack is equipped with 2-3 Lab.gruppen PLM+series amplifiers, featuring Lake processing and Dante audio networking functionality.

To ensure a satisfying sound experience was enjoyed throughout the stadium, numerous delay speakers of Adamson’s Y10K were added and run via Dante. Prior to the installation of the sound system, the whole stadium was modeled in 3D and run via Blueprint AV through a complex sound simulation.

The lighting design of the show was created using a selection of Claypaky fixtures including Mythos, Super Sharpys and Scenius. The rig needed to be lightweight but still pack a punch

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for the dynamic and fast-paced parts of the show. It also needed to be traditionally theatrical in parts, and the mix of Claypaky fixtures allowed a fine balance between bright and beamy, slow and moody. In addition Spectrum added its own inventory of 40 Claypaky Scenius Unicos.

Spectrum’s Lighting Designer, Allessio de Simone, combined some of the fixtures with a BlackTrax system to give him almost unlimited followspot positions. This also gave de Simone the ability to track actors and performers, as well as the animals arriving on stage.

Adding to the visual landscape, Matrix Lasers provided single and multi-colour lasers as well as G-Flames. In total, 5 multi-colour lasers and 3 single colour lasers were installed in between and above the video screens. The lasers acted as a supporting feature to the video graphics during the show. Additionally, these lasers were used to illustrate the use of new technology during the traditional dance performances.

A further 2 multi-colour lasers were installed on the roof top of the stadium with the purpose of projecting graphics on the field, directly within view of the guests. G-Flames supported the video sequence which portrayed an erupting volcano - these were installed both on top of the screen, as well as on the stage.

The event was able to be successfully completed with the help of staging & scaffolding from AES and temporary power supply from Aggreko, water screens from Fountain4Rent and overall production support from Black Engineering.

Photos: Spectrum Entertainment Services www.spectrum07.com www.mmgmodels.com www.mediaprome.com www.matrix-laser.com www.aes.ae www.aggreko.com/en-mideast

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SAVE THE DATE TH 9 MAY 2018

Want to know more, contact Hannah Eakins on h.eakins@mondiale.co.uk.

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PARTY IN THE PARK THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL WAS BACK AT MEDIA CITY AMPHITHEATRE TO MARK ECLIPSE STAGING SERVICES’ RETURN TO LIVE CONCERTS AFTER A LONG SUMMER BREAK. TPMEA’S STE DURHAM WAS ON SITE TO MEET THE CREW AS THEY PREPARED FOR THE ARRIVAL OF ONE OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL’S BIGGEST NAMES.

Always something of an anomaly on Dubai’s event calendar, Party In The Park has, of late at least, catered to gig-goers that crave something with a little more bite than the usual bubblegum pop or EDM acts on show in the city. This year saw headliner Liam Gallagher supported by a strong undercard, as well as a closing DJ set from big beat pioneers, The Chemical Brothers.

Tom Warneke, eclipse’s Project Manager on site, began: “Party In The Park is one of those gigs that we do every year at the start of the season.

Not a lot has changed this time to the outside observer, as it’s more like a refinement of all the things we tried during festivals last year. For us it’s a well-oiled machine - we work in this venue a lot and have a great relationship with DGT Events.

“Although we are handling audio, lighting, video and rigging, we are working alongside others like Byrne, who are doing power and cabins, AES, who are providing the stage, and regulars like Gulf Crewing Company’s Nigel Beaton, who is on as Site Manager. It’s our first big gig of the season so it’s like getting the band back together after the summer; the atmosphere on site has been great.”

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Around 10,000 eager fans were expected for the show, which featured a relatively early 2pm doors for brunch and virtually non-stop entertainment from then on.

SUPERSONIC Although eclipse’s audio department seems to be a permanent fixture in this venue during events season, complacency in configuring the sound system for the festival was not an option.

Head of Audio, John Parkhouse, began: “Even though we’ve done countless gigs in this venue, there’s still a certain amount of experimentation each time. You have your starting point and you know what you want to achieve with your system designing software, but there are always variables that keep things interesting. At the end of the day we are inquisitive people, so we always want to try something new and see what difference it makes. Every time we come here we tweak it a bit in order to learn and improve.”

Parkhouse chose to base the system at Media City Amphitheatre around an d&b audiotechnik J-Series line array, this time opting to fly 4 J-SUBs above a main hang of 16 J8’s per side. This was complemented by out fill of 2 V-SUBs and 8 V-Series per side, and front fill consisting of 4

drops of 2 Y-Series speakers. The low end for the show was reinforced from the floor by 8 V-SUBs, 8 J-SUBs and 6 J-INFRAs.

“We’ve often deployed a ground sub array and flown V-Sub but this time we ran into an issue,” explained Parkhouse. “I wanted to fly the subs behind the main hangs but there isn’t enough room on this cantilever, so we decided to fly J-Sub above the J8’s. This means we redistributed the rest of the subs accordingly with grounds stacks.

“The d&b ArrayCalc prediction looked really nice and I’m very happy with how it’s sounding.

I’d go as far as to say that I’d be looking to do the same in the future in here. It really works well, particularly for getting some low-end energy down at the back of the venue.”

Another factor that necessitated changes in the show’s sound design was the rearranged VIP grandstand and bleachers that face the stage. “It certainly alters how far we are required to throw the sound but it’s just something that varies from event to event,” Parkhouse continued.

“We’re close to some pretty expensive offices, residences and hotels so we always have to be conscious of where else the system can be heard.

The system is carefully aimed with this in mind.”

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Head of Video, Darko Rosenberg.

Project Manager, Tom Warneke.

Head of Audio, John Parkhouse.

Craig Ralph and Andreas Ehrenberger.

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He added: “Especially nowadays noise pollution is becoming more of a consideration, particularly in Europe, and I predict it will be the same here in the years to come. We also use d&b NoizCalc to calculate what’s happening outside the venue. We can do our system design, zoom out so we’ve got a couple of kilometres of coverage and then drop the system in place over a Google maps capture. NoizCalc allows us to predict what we are going to be doing in the immediate vicinity and further afield. So, we’ve got a quite accurate picture of the effects of the system. The fact that we’re doing this regularly at gigs now is also great peace of mind for the clients.”

The company also provided the rest of the requisite audio gear for the headliners, bar a few select microphones that couldn’t be sourced locally. “The rest of the mic package is pretty standard,” said Parkhouse. “For Liam, we have Shure mics for the kick, Sennheiser for the toms, and AKG 414’s for overheads. There is also the usual Shure SM57 and 58’s, Beta 58’s and Beta 56’s. Liam’s crew have brought 6 boutique Shure SM7Bs and some KSM313 ribbon mics. For them, the guitar tone is a huge part of his sound and I completely understand why they’ve brought their own mics over.”

All of the band was on Shure PSM1000 IEMs, with d&b M2 wedges at the lead vocal position

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and some more V-Series boxes for side fill. Mics and monitoring for the other acts were also provided by eclipse, as well as an Avid Profile for FOH for support, and a DiGiCo SD9 for ancillary duties, DJs, MCs, and VT rolls. The company also supplied a DiGiCo SD5 for Liam Gallagher’s FOH engineer.

Although this show was seen as eclipse “getting the band back together”, the audio crew had not been sitting on their hands all summer.

Parkhouse explained: “Over the summer we spent time developing our network capabilities and how we distribute the PA feeds. We’re now on Cisco switches that we’ve built into a flight case and put Neutrik etherCON Cat5’s throughout the ruggedised case.

We have Lake LM44’s feeding separate primary and secondary switches at FOH and through to the same at side of stage running Dante and R1 system control. We have got multiple levels of redundancy and that is the main backbone. We then distribute out of the switches into the d&b DS10’s keeping everything in the digital domian - it’s rock solid.”

LITTLE BY LITTLE The lighting rig at Media City Amphitheatre was based on headliner Liam Gallagher’s touring setup and supplemented with additional fixtures to make it more compatible with a typical festival

system.

Head of Lighting, Craig Ralph, explained: “While Liam’s rig is the basis, it’s certainly not an artist specific setup. The main element that we tried to get exactly the same was the placement of the spots. We’ve tried our best to match them up so it’s a bit more streamlined for the incoming LD. We then slotted the extras between their existing stuff to try and keep everyone happy.”

He continued: “Usually with a festival, people relax their expectations a bit, but we always do our best to accommodate them as much as possible. Everyone has been pretty understanding of what’s here, and it helps that the fixture types are almost identical to what they wanted.”

The main spot element in the rig was the Martin by Harman MAC Viper Profile, while the main wash was a Vari-Lite VL3500 Wash FX, and the main beam was a Claypaky Sharpy. “We added some LED equipment to the rig as well, with Claypaky Stormys in there and MAC Aruas across the back.”

The company also provided an MA Lighting grandMA2 Full Size at FOH, with a grandMA2 Light as a tracking backup, and 2 NPUs for the network processing at the stage end. All of this was driven by Luminex GigaCores, via a gigabit fibre link to the stage with copper backup.

Ralph commented: “We run 2 lines of everything

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for automatic takeover without anyone interfering. I’ve never had one fail but it’s reassuring for everyone concerned that we are covered if it does. It’s touring standard, so when people come in and see that level of gear and expertise, it gives them confidence.

“eclipse are trying their best to provide a really high standard,” he expanded. “Perhaps crews from Europe haven’t been here before so its good for them to arrive and know that all of the gear that we’re providing is the same as they’d use in the US or Europe. Most reactions I get are pleasant surprise! I’ve walked on to sites in the past and been put on edge so I know exactly how they’re feeling.”

The change to a Stageco roof from AES was a welcome one for Ralph, as he explained: “You know you are getting a good quality stage from Stageco and, from a lighting perspective, I find that it’s easier to get a better trim height and spacing in between trusses. The top is peaked, which gives you an opportunity to get a nice even rake across the whole stage. There’s also a lot of space in the wings for extra box storage, dimmer world, monitor world, and so on. This all makes a massive difference and the access for load-in is perfect in this venue.”

FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH This policy of stage rotation is the norm in Media City Amphitheatre, and one that was also welcomed by the studious Head of Rigging for

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eclipse, Andreas Ehrenberger. He said: “It’s a simple stage but one that is well-designed for climbing and rigging. As there wasn’t a cherry picker available for us at the time, we climbed the stage during the rigging process, which is not usual in this region.

“We could have done the whole show in 2 days but we stepped it down and had a rigging only day last Saturday with just 2 riggers. It definitely made things easier for us.”

He continued: “It’s a straightforward rig with 5 runs of truss for lighting, 3 hoists per truss, main PA, out fills and 2 IMAG screens with a total weight of 18.5 tonnes - so nothing too complicated. It’s a little bit lucky for us in that Liam has come along with an old school backdrop instead of a huge video wall in the back. This would be a medium-sized festival stage in Europe so it’s capable of holding much more.”

The crew used James Thomas Engineering 52cm and 30cm tower truss, LIFTKET 1 tonne, double brake hoists for lighting and video, and LIFTKET 2 tonne, double brake hoists for audio.

Ehrenberger had 32 hoist control channels to run everything independently, to what TPMEA discovered was an exacting standard.

“Sometimes people say I am a little bit too German for this job, but I like to know what I’m doing before I arrive on site,” he said. “Working with AES means I have to provide full load calculations 2 weeks before the show. They then

sign these off, which only gives me permission to rig that exact thing.”

Ehrenberger’s Teutonic efficiency was one of the main factors that led him to work with eclipse when he moved to the UAE only one year before we spoke.

He said: “I choose eclipse because their H&S standards were really high already. I am qualified to a German standard, so since I arrived I have tries, along with our H&S guy at eclipse, to set standards in rigging even higher. We want to educate people even more on how to use safety equipment properly, how to climb safely and how to operate tools like cherry pickers in the correct way. To provide proper load calculations you have to know the mathematics and the physics behind what you do. I don’t do plug and play or trial and error.

“That’s what I learned in my childhood, then in school and then in the event industry. I think I overwhelmed everyone at first but after a while they understood that I’m right!”

The Head Rigger concluded: “You know the hard work is worth it when you see 10,000 happy people, and a good performer on stage.

It’s nice to have touring crew be pleasantly surprised when they come in and to see a friendly professional crew waiting for them with familiar gear. We all like to provide that service and, just like Craig does in lighting or John does in audio, I personally like to set the highest possible standards in everything I do.”

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UNIVERSAL GLEAM Given the lack of upstage video to which Ehrenberger had previously alluded, eclipse’s Senior Video Technician, Darko Rosenberg, looked convincingly like the most chilled out man in Media City. This situation was a stark contrast to 2016, particularly considering the elemental misfortune that plagued the company’s video crew only 12 months prior.

He remembered: “Last year there was a large upstage wall and separate portrait IMAG screens on either side of the stage. Every act had their own content and specific demands so we were very busy. We also had to deal with some crazy winds that were quite unkind to our side screens, though they didn’t actually cause any real damage in the end.”

This year the crew opted for a 6m x 3.6m IMAG screen on either side of the stage, in a more traditional 16:9 orientation, which were made up of ROE 9mm LED panels. The company also provided 3 Sony HXC 100 cameras, a Ross Crossover switcher, an Analog Way Saphyr (Midra) SPX450 switcher, and Apple MacBooks with PlaybackPro.

Rosenberg continued: “We also have a Resolume media server on standby but none of the acts requested anything specific. There is a line from FOH for any content or effects the incoming crews want to use on the side screens.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Rosenberg admitted: “Being more relaxed like this is great for a while, but I’d prefer to be busier in a way. When stuff is more edgy and you are going non-stop it’s definitely more fun. The only real strain with this show is that it’s a long day. I am splitting the show with a colleague; I will be doing camera directing

and switching content onto screens for a number of the acts and he will take the other ones.”

The last word went to Warneke: “While a lot of gigs in Dubai tend to be electronic or DJfocussed, this is one of the few returning annual shows that is more focussed on rock ‘n’ roll.

Having Liam Gallagher in town is certainly a big deal for everyone.

“Luckily we’ve kept good notes year-on-

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year so we could take our time going over them and try to implement as many improvements as possible. We, just like many other suppliers in the region, are constantly striving for the elusive gold standard – maybe this will be the year!”

Photos: Syed Ali Massam and TPMEA www.eclipse.ae www.byrnerental.com www.aes.ae

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ILEA COLUMN

KHOLOUD ALI ILEA’S CHAPTER MANAGER, KHOLOUD ALI, GIVES HER TAKE ON THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS....

With the events season being at its busiest, the International Live Events Association in the Middle East (ILEA ME) has been more focussed than ever.

Our membership have requested an increase in knowledge sharing and educational sessions and over the last few months we have conducted sessions that cover the new VAT regulations and implications that this will bring to the industry, and procurement workshops with Sam Achampong from the Chartered institute of Procurement and Supply. Our future global president and current international board member Jen Trethewey paid a visit to the region and discussed change within the workplace and further sessions are scheduled to tackle the challenges faced by freelancers along with VAT follow ups before the new laws come into place on 1 January 2018.

The recent announcements that goods and services will be applicable to VAT within the GCC have undoubtedly created a sense of nervousness within our membership as the finer detail of these new regulations has been slow to be released. This has now been released by the Federal Tax Authority and our VP of Finance, Steve Armitage, continues to share regular updates with the association. Our sessions have been well attended and the information shared has

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since helped clarify some points that where causing confusion. We will continue these sessions throughout 2018 as businesses adjust to these new laws.

Since the start of the latest presidential term, we have always committed that we would listen to what our members want from the association and look at ways to tackle and address the challenges and opportunities that they face. During our last chapter meeting we hosted a work-shop run around where we identified these challenges and opportunities throughout different topics. The results specified that Procurement posed the greatest challenge according to our membership which resulted in the creation of the procurement working session with the support of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.

This relationship will continue long into 2018 as we look to collaboratoively work across various sectors, associations and institutions.

During mid-October we partnered up with Prolight + Sound Middle East where ILEA had a stand where members could come and network within and the use the opportunity to meet fellow event professionals. The event also included panel discussion appearances from President Dan Bolton as well as Thomas Ovesen from concert promoters and venue, 117 Live, and leading freelance member Stefan Wieland.

During October we were also fortunate the support the Blends event, hosted by Yas Marina Circuit. Abu Dhabi has long been on our list of priorities to support and it’s great to be given the opportunity to work with leading venues and event producers in the Emirate as we look to expand the reach provided by ILEA ME.

We continue to commit to supporting leading regional trade shows, exhibitions and industry related events and are proud to support further, the forthcoming Infocomm MEA on the 5-7 December where we will be holding our second chapter meeting of the term followed by a summit called ‘Creating New Wow Moments’.

We will also be supporting the first Dubai Association Chamber conference happening on the 11 December with members of our board representing the association on further panel discussions and presentations. This is a key development in strengthening our ties with Dubai government departments so we have direct channels of communication with the varies entities and regulatory authorities.

Partnerships are forming the basis of this new term

ILEA COLUMN

and we are very proud to announce that we have also started working closely with the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Production Forum on different topics. One that is close to our members hearts’ is freelance issues when it comes to visas, fees, licenses, insurances, regulations, governance and much more.

We together sat down with the Dubai Creative Cluster Authority (DCCA), and formed a united voice in order to address some of these opportunities. During the meeting we agreed to conduct a survey that would then examine the number of freelancers within the country, challenges faced and how to address them, we are happy to say that we do have support and the DCCA are taking steps together with us to tackle these opportunities best at hand.

These meetings have then lead to the creation of us conducting our freelance session in December in partnership with the IAA, where all freelancers can come and view the legal working options available in the UAE. In the meanwhile, the survey is now complete and ready to be sent out, so we are very optimistic that this will create results and further strengthen our working relationships with various public and private sector entities.

Our conversations with different government entities continues and is looking very promising. After several discussions with leading venues, we are continuing in our

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quest to create standardized legislation for Health & Safety with the support of DWTC and ADNEC amongst others.

Dubai Economic Department are also very keen in pushing a survey created by us to really understand the contribution to the Emirates GDP that the events industry, this has been in discussion for over 12 months and we do see significant progress in being able to release this survey within the early part of 2018.

As we are looking forward to the New Year, with much achieved in a very short amount of time during 2017, we are very driven to keep going and create more positive outcomes as well as generate more benefits for our members to promote best practices and value for joining the association.

Jen Trethewey’s visit and subsequent meetings with DTCM have proven to be extremely fruitful and we are very excited to share with our members and the industry some positive opportunities that lie ahead in 2018 along with greater support from the global associations head quarters… watch this space.

For details on ILEA membership please email: admin@ilea-me.com www.ilea-me.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

ROBE LAUNCHES MEGAPOINTE IN SA “The MegaPointe has had a mega acceptance throughout its entire launch period and is already being specified on major tours and events worldwide,” said Harry Von Den Stemmen, Robe’s International Sales Director.

South Africa was no different, and after a successful launch in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Robe distributor, DWR Distribution, knew the Durban clients had to see the product too.

Stemmen and Ondrej Hegar, Robe Product Manager, visited the country in November to showcase Robe’s latest offering and to meet up with the industry. “The demand is such that we can’t satisfy the markets fast enough, but we’re trying hard and we are expanding and speeding up production,” said Stemmen. “Industry professionals are raving about the feature packed, ultra-compact yet extremely powerful light and the quality of the product. I see the same evolution coming for the South African market, and there have been enthusiastic reactions and comments to its recent launch, like everywhere else. The first batches have been ordered and will

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soon be on the way. We can expect a ‘hot phase’ from January 2018!”

Hegar agreed. “The fixtures have been really well received across the globe and we have had positive feedback on the unit,” he said. “Already specified on a huge amount of shows and tours in the upcoming year, the MegaPointe will definitely be an industry standard. On our trip to South Africa, we had a great deal of positive feedback from various customers and there was not a single person who didn’t’ like it! People were amazed by the prisms, zoom range of course by the brightness. Altogether it’s a great package. My favourite feature is its unique effect engine of 6 prisms, which delivers never before seen effects for beams. The double zoom range in comparison to the Pointe is also a real step forward.”

Christopher Bolton from Keystone Productions has worked in the lighting industry in South Africa for the past 23 years and attended the DWR Durban launch. “Most of the time when a new fixture comes out it looks cool with the

promise of new features,” said Bolton. “Often, though, the fixture is unable to execute these features perfectly. Enter the Robe MegaPointe.

How you fit all that in such a small 22kg fixtures baffles my mind. Congratulations Robe! Thanks also must go to Nicholas Barnes and Michael Taylor-Broderick from DWR for hosting us.”

Brett Kingsland of Kingston Sound concurred: “In my opinion the new MegaPointe is great. Its new features are superb and the brightness is beyond belief. Well done to Robe for a light that is well priced versus features.”

The South African MegaPointe launch was hosted at one of the busiest times in the industry.

“Thank you to Harry and Ondrej for coming out all this way to support us, and to Robe for coming up with this innovate and exciting product,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “To our clients, in the midst of crazy season you made every effort to join us, and while there were a few missing faces, we appreciate the fantastic feedback.” www.robelighting.com http://dwrdistribution.co.za/

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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SOUTH AFRICA’S FIRST DRY HIRE COMPANY South Africa’s very first strictly dry hire company, Guquko Technical Rider, has been established by a young entrepreneur, Phumzile Sibanyoni. Guquko is the Zulu word meaning ‘to turn around’ or ‘to reform’, a pertinent name for a company that hopes to bring a fresh wind of change to the industry.

Making an investment of 12 Robe Spiiders, 24 Longman 4 Ups and Prolyte stage decks purchased from DWR Distribution, the objective of the company is to rent out high ticket line items that are specified by lighting designers on a daily basis.

“Because we were just starting out, we looked at gear that would be beneficial to the growth of Guquko,” said Sibanyoni. The company has started trading and with the Robe Spiiders currently high in demand on shows, their units are out already creating revenue.

Duncan Riley of DWR said Sibanyoni was wise enough to see the gap in the market for a professional dry rental company who don’t do shows and who only rent out gear. “It’s a trend in Europe,” he commented.

Sibanyoni started working in the events industry in 2014. She offered a service which covered a broad spectrum including staging, technical equipment, décor and catering. She realised that by focusing solely on equipment hire, she would create a niche in the market, and be able to assist rental companies with the supply of well-kept gear and excellent service.

Prior to that, her career has included working at Eskom for 10 years as a Senior Plant Operator. “I have always worked in a male-dominated industry,” said Sibanyoni. “I’ve always found men to be helpful, open to assist me and great to work with. I know there are not many women in the live industry, but it’s something we need to encourage. It’s a warm environment with good people and I’m very excited to be in this space.” www.guquko.co.za

ABSEN LED PARTNER WITH DWR DISTRIBUTION Ricky Qiu, Brand Manager at Absen (second left) along with DWR Distribution’s Duncan Riley, Schalk Botha and Robert Izzett.

Absen LED has appointed DWR Distribution as its new distributor in South Africa. With subsidiaries in Europe, Germany, Orlando in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Tokyo, Russia, UAE and Hong Kong, DWR is confident that Absen LED Display Applications will provide clients with a wide range of quality and affordable products.

Shenzhen Absen Optoelectronic was founded in 2001 as an integrated service provider and manufacturer within the Optoelectronics industry, focusing on premium quality turnkey LED display solutions. Since this time, Absen products have been shipped off to over 120 countries, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa

included, and used in over 30 000 projects.

From the design of each product until it’s completion on the production line, strict quality control is put in place. “From the very beginning we carefully select the material used for each product and only work with the highest qualified material manufacturers,” said Ricky Qiu, Brand Manager at Absen. “We can say that if comparing similarly priced items, our quality and material will be better than our competitors. Should the material be identical, then Absen’s price to the client will be lower because we have the volume to give to our supplier.”

“Absen in South Africa means good value for money backed up with support and technical assistance from DWR,” said Schalk Botha from DWR who will manage the brand in South Africa.

While the emphasis is on the quality, Absen offers a great variety for indoor and outdoor applications.

“We look forward to this new relationship and are confident that our clients will love this technology,” said Robert Izzett, Head of Sales at DWR. www.absen.com

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

QUEST FINDS NEW DISTRIBUTOR

Simon Oates, Frank Andrewartha from Quest and DWR’s Kyle Robson and Robert Izzett.

DWR Distribution is expanding its industry footprint with the addition of the audio brand Quest Engineering.

Based in Melbourne, Australia, Quest Engineering came from humble beginnings in live audio production, but after 20 years of product development, the company has become an internationally recognised audio brand.

During this time, industry maverick, Simon Oates, has held the agency in South Africa and made Quest a household name in the industry.

“Simon has now passed the torch to DWR, and

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we are thrilled to introduce Quest as our first loudspeakers to our family of products,” said Robert Izzett, Head of Sales at DWR. Oates will continue to support his new and existing clients in collaboration with DWR and Quest.

Quest’s Frank Andrewartha was in Johannesburg recently to meet up with the DWR team. “This is a good outcome and brings experience as well as a great support structure for production customers and a turnkey installation solution,” he stated.

With a background in concert sound

production, Quest design and manufacturing has a history of developing innovative loudspeaker and electronics with high end audio performance and robust design. The company’s R&D division is composed of consultants and system engineers who have had years of experience in meeting the specialised needs of venues, live production audio, retail environments, churches, corporate installations and government projects.

http://dwrdistribution.co.za

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Lihle Mvumvu and Albino Sitoe, students from the Tshwane University of Technology with Theo Rood from MJ.

MJ EVENT GEAR OPENS ITS DOORS TO VARSITY STUDENTS There are numerous South African industry names who cut their teeth at MJ Event Gear, many arriving at the Johannesburg-based rental company such as Tshwane University of Technology’s students to complete their internship. This year, MJ have been pleased to welcome Albino Sitoe and Lihle Mvumvu, 3rd year students at the Tshwane University of Technology, who for 3 months have been exposed to training in live entertainment.

“It is very important for our lighting students to visit companies as this not only motivates and inspires them, but it also prepares them for their career and what to expect when they graduate,” said Wandile Mgcodo, Lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Technology. The university is grateful to all the rental companies and suppliers who have partnered with students over the years.

Theo Rood, a Director at MJ Event Gear as well

as a former Tshwane University of Technology student, remembers just how terrifying it was going through the process himself. He laughed: “My very first job was preparing parcans for a Toto concert in 1997.” The band toured South Africa for the first time, eventually joining a South African choir and drum team to perform Africa in Johannesburg. “My back was so sore from bending over and testing parcans all day!” he smiles. Having been part of a band at high school, Theo thought he was destined to be a sound boy, but as time went on he found the light, and his interpersonal skills with clients have made him an asset to the company.

The Tshwane University of Technology students at MJ Event Gear are coached to do everything from maintenance, lighting, staging and audio. “I recommend the internship as it’s beneficial for the students, the university and our company,” said Rood. “From experience, I know

that you can only learn so much from books.

The students usually joined us in our silly season at the end of the year, and it’s a rough three months. I always tell them if they can make it through this they will go a long way. Albino and Lihle have been stunning.”

Lihle Mvumvu is grateful for the opportunity.

“I have gained experience in terms of rigging and lighting, and this is going to be my industry,” he commented.

Albino Sitoe agreed. “It has been a nice experience. At first it was hard to adapt as at Tshwane University of Technology there is not as much equipment and we are now working in a live environment. Despite the long hours, I’m enjoying it.” He adds that the way MJ Event Gear prep gear is a winning formula. “It makes things easier, knowing your gear is clean and ready for hire.” www.mjeventgear.co.za

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

Dylan Jones from DWR Distribution with Staal van Der Bergh from VisualAudio Productions.

STAAL SALUTES THE HIPPOTIZER VisualAudio Productions’ Staal Van Der Bergh has invested in a new Hippotizer Karst Media Server from South African distributor, DWR Distribution, contributing to the company’s existing Hippotizer Boreal Media Server.

“I love animals. The more Hippos the merrier!

But in all earnestness, I don’t always need a big Hippotizer such as the Boreal and the Karst’s greatest selling point is flexibility. Now I have the best of both worlds,” said Van Der Bergh.

DWR’s Dylan Jones added: “Staal can send out the Karst on an extra show, he can work on large productions using both the Karst and the Boreal, or he can do a smaller show with just the Karst.” In addition, the unit can also be rented out for dry hire.

“The main attributing feature is a 4k Output which can be split into more outputs if needed,” Jones commented.

“Because the Hippotizers work together, you can plug a network cable over HippoNet, which will connect the 2 servers and create 6 outputs.”

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The Karst offers unparalleled power built into a custom, tour-ready case. The product benefits include 2 DVI or HD-SDI outputs, 1 DisplayPort 1.2 output (which supports 4K), 1 optional internal capture card with an optional Genlock.

A total of 4 codecs are available in Media Manager’s Encoding settings to ensure that media is played instantly, smoothly and accurately.

Van Der Bergh was among the first Green Hippo users in South Africa, recently deploying 81 video starts in 3 hours at the Adcock Ingram Awards Evening, including 60 video starts at the APEX Awards, before creating 6 masks to make a scene at the Young Community Shapers Awards.

“It’s all Chris Bolton from Keystone Production’s fault,” Van Der Bergh recalled.

“Together we went to the very first Green Hippo demo in South Africa. Chris was the first in SA to invest in Green Hippo but Staal was not far behind, purchasing the entry level 2 channel Hippotizer Chipmunk and within 18 months

upgrading to the V3, the Boreal Media Server and now purchasing the Karst.

“The nice thing about Green Hippo is that I don’t need to have the content when programming because I programme per slot number. I can pre-program the entire show at my office and when the client brings me the content with the list of where the videos must go, I simply import then drag and drop.

This video goes to slot 1, this one to slot 2, the next to slot 3, and before I know it, I’m done.

You still trigger like a cue, and essentially the slots are your gobo slots. With Hippotizer you can just press ‘delete’, replace the content and it’s done,” he explained.

VisualAudio Productions was established in 2007, supplying sound, lighting and rental companies. “When I look at the level of shows I used to do and the shows I do now, there’s a great improvement,” Van Der Bergh concluded. www.green-hippo.com http://dwrdistribution.co.za/

REGIONAL ROUND UP

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DWR SUPPLIES TEENAGE CSR

DWR Distribution’s Gareth Chambers alongside CSR Events’ Callum Sutherland.

Callum Sutherland, an 18-year old boy who attends St Stithians College in Johannesburg, South Africa founder of CSR Events, is somewhat different to the average teenager.

With the end-of-year-matric exams on his mind, Sutherland has worked on building a career in the live events industry, adding to his inventory by investing in a dot2 XL-F console from DWR Distribution to compliment his 6 Robe LEDWash 300s fixtures.

“Passion in this industry is a huge component and you have to really take care of everything from the equipment to the people because if you aren’t dedicated to making every factor of your production as good as possible you won’t grow as a business or person,” explained Sutherland.

The 18-year-old has worked on many weddings and corporate functions, both in service and rental, with the majority of his business focused on schools and their annual productions.

“Passion in this industry is a huge component...”

Callum Sutherland, CSR Events’ founder.

His largest client is St Stithians which consists of 5 schools situated on the campus. “Over the years, I fell in love with the software and its visualiser which was not accessible to me on previous consoles without having to pay a subscription for it.

I believe the dot2 XL-F was the best solution for both my needs and wants in terms of control for all of my productions, from small to large, and to train the younger generation of technical stagehands.

The dot2 XL-F has already been put to work on one of St. Stithian College’s biggest productions of the year which ran without a single problem,” Sutherland added.

Sutherland hopes to increase his clientele, making dot2 XL-F and 6 Robe LEDWash 300s available to freelancers and rental companies, and he hopes to build good partnerships as he studies a business course at university. www.robe.cz www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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INTERVIEW

IN CONVERSATION: SOUTH AFRICAN ROADIES ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ROADIES ASSOCIATION, FREDDIE NYATHELA, WAS ACCOMPANIED BY 2 YOUNG TECHNICANS DURING A RECENT VISIT TO THE UK WHERE THEY WENT BEHIND THE SCENES AT YORKSHIRE’S BACKSTAGE ACADEMY DURING THIS YEAR’S PRODUCTION FUTURES EVENT. TPMEA SPOKE TO NYATHELA ABOUT THE TRIP AND THE FUTURE OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN SA.

Formed in 1995, the Johannesburg-based South African Roadies Association (SARA) is a dynamic non-profit organisation dedicated to developing young peoples’ skills in the local technical and production sector. President and founder, Freddie Nyathela, recently invited 2 of SARA’s most promising technicans, Moeketsi Tshabalala and Setjhaba Motaung, to Wakefield, UK. Here, they visited Production Park; home of Backstage Academy. The 5-day excursion

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presented an opportunity for the young duo to expand their skills and network with some main players in the UK’s live events community.

“SARA has spent the past 17 years enabling youngsters to gain skills in lighting, sound, staging, power, rigging, audio visual and production through the accredited Skills Education and Training Authority (SETA) courses, as well as its Entry Level On-The-Job Training Program,” explained Nyathela, giving some

background on the organisation. “The program is still the main way new blood has found its way into the professional ranks of the technical and production industry in South Africa, and beyond.”

This trip was orchestrated in line with SARA’s goal to expand the horizons of those looking to break into the industry. Nyathela explained: “The two young technicians were selected based on their commitment and attitude to learning. They have also excelled in SARA’s training programs,

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INSIDE LOOK

Moeketsi Tshabalala I learned a lot during our visit to Production Futures, especially about lighting desks and audio visuals. I was also inspired by the TPi Breakthrough Talent Awards, as well as the class with the students from the Backstage Academy.

It was a great and unforgettable experience. I’d like to say a big thank you for this trip, which was provided by Backstage Academy and the SA Roadies Association, it was really inspiring to me as a young technician.

Setjhaba Motaung I would like to thank South African Roadies Association and all parties involved for giving us such a wonderful, life-changing experience in the United Kingdom. We were taken to Backstage Academy and Production Park in Wakefield to get International Live Events knowledge. I must say we learned a lot, especially when it came to looking at new technology and event industry production. We also had the privilege of attending some production classes, which were very inspiring and helpful, as was Production Futures. It hosted global companies like PRG, Avolites, Prolyte and Robe. Going to the UK was a great experience; it was actually my first time on an international flight! I would like thank Freddie for coming along with us, to help us feel comfortable throughout our trip.

which empowered them to be sound and lighting technicians.” Both Tshabalala (26) and Motaung (19) join the growing ranks of SARA trainees travelling outside South Africa for the first time, facilitated by the organisation.

“In total we spent 5 days in the UK,” recalled Nyathela, adding: “We attended several lectures held at Backstage Academy that covered topics including event planning, sponsorship and marketing.” Nyathela told TPMEA why it’s important for young crewmembers to broaden their horizons in Britain: “It’s very beneficial, as this sort of exposure to the UK industry is invaluable in shaping young technicians’ perspective and outlook on life. It’s a great experience they gain and bring back with them to South Africa which, in turn, can only benefit our industry and country.”

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The students also paid a visit to the second annual Production Futures. The joint venture between TPi Magazine and Production Park brings industry professionals and aspiring crewmembers of the future together under one roof for a networking opportunity unlike any other. The event also hosted this year’s TPi Breakthrough Talent Awards (younger sibling to the annual TPi Awards), showcasing some of the latest projects from the UK’s fledgling engineers.

“Production Futures was a particularly special and inspiring event for SARA and its students and one not to be missed. It gave both the guys an opportunity to interact with their UK counterparts and share information and contacts. The event also consolidates SARA’s working relations with other industry players in the UK. It will be great to have such an event in South Africa, to expose

young people to the industry at an early stage.”

TPMEA asked if SARA was planning anymore European visits in the near future. “Absolutely!” exclaimed Nyathela. Who excitedly concluded: “We’ll be at the ILMC in March 2018 and its Production Meeting in London. In April we will be attending the Creative & Cultural Skills Annual Conference in Manchester, in addition to Proligh t+ Sound in Frankfurt, Germany. In other news, we have just had 3 SARA technicians complete a 10-month tour of the US with UniverSoul Circus, and a further 12 SARA members are going out with the production in 2018.”

Photo: Sarah Womack www.facebook.com/sarodies/ www.backstage-academy.co.uk www.productionpark.co.uk www.productionfutures.co.uk

Excellent events and nothing less

‘Top quality performance’ is a promise that we keep, with no ifs and buts, based on our high standards; • O ur Quality assurance - Our equipment is tested, and the entire company is DPV T-certified by the German Inspection Company for Entertainment Technology which guarantees the quality and safety of all services provided.

• Our People and their areas of expertise – Our event technology specialists provide advice from the planning stage through to the trouble-free technical execution.

• Our Experience - We have the most comprehensive event technology knowledge gained from over 35 years of experience and from our collaboration with renowned manufacturers for innovative solutions and technologies.

Audio • Lighting • Video • Conferencing • Rigging • Event-IT • Content Production

Winner: • Supplier of the Year 2015 Shortlisted: • Employer of the Year 2015/2016/2017 • Supplier of the Year 2016 • Best Use of Event Technology 2016

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