Entertainment Technology February 2020

www.etech-news.co.za

February 2020

IN THIS ISSUE CONTROLLING REVERBERATION INTERVIEW WITH LD MARIUS COETZEE RUUD DE DEUGD PROFILE

FEATURE

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

POWERED BY

THE WORLD'S FIRST TRANSFERABLE LED ENGINE

#RobeInnovation OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA: DWR DISTRIBUTION IT’S ALL ABOUT THE people

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C ON T E N TS

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

RUUD DE DEUGD INTERVIEW

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26 KEEPING SOUND UNDER CONTROL

DREAM SETS DELIVERS FOR SCANIA

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HOW TO CHOOSE A PTZ CAMERA

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LED FIGURES & FORECASTS

Editorial Disclaimer The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of Pro-Systems Africa News or any employee thereof. Sun Circle Publishers makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Sun Circle Publishers reserves the right to delete, edit, or alter in any manner it sees fit comments that it, in its sole discretion, deems to be obscene, offensive, defamatory, threatening, in violation of trademark, copyright or other laws, or is otherwise unacceptable. All contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, in any form whatsoever, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publisher.

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EDITOR'S COMMENT

EDITOR'S WORD A FRESH STYLE FOR 2020

G

reetings and welcome to the first issue of ETECH for 2020.

As part of our goal to cover the entertainment technology industry in comprehensive fashion this year, we are delighted to bring out the first of our newlystyled ‘themed issues’ – in which, every two months, we will present a ‘deep dive’ into one of the industry’s major verticals.

We begin, this month, with our Houses of Worship issue. As one of the fastest-growing segments in the entertainment technology industry, you will find great installation stories collected from South Africa and around the world (pp. 12-21), showcasing some of the most innovative technologies available. With audio systems needing to be overhauled, dynamic display and lighting solutions needing to be found, and – increasingly – a greater need to be able to stream content gathered within houses of worship over the internet, there are clearly great opportunities

for technical solution suppliers in this ever-evolving AV environment.

We also present two expert opinion pieces to help guide those operating in house of worship spaces and round up some essential technology for this vertical (pp. 28-32), before concluding with two engaging interviews with leading industry figures: lighting designer Marius Coetzee and rigging expert Ruud de Deugd.

Please note that the next of our themed issues will revolve around venues – we would love to hear from you, so please be in touch to submit your stories and suggestions for featured technologies in bars, clubs, stadiums and other concert spaces.

@etechza

@etechza

@etechza

EDITORIAL David Cornwell – Editor editor@pro-systems.co.za +27 (0)79 748 5386

Nicole Barnes

nicole@suncirclegroup.com Cover photo: Christian Revival Church, Johannesburg

Photo courtesy Blackmagic Design

PUBLISHERS PUBLISHER Simon Robinson | simon@suncirclegroup.com

SALES

Claire Badenhorst | sales@suncirclegroup.com

WEBSITE ADMINISTRATOR

Regards,

David Cornwell

and the ETECH team

Michael Lotriet | web@suncirclegroup.com

DESIGN Trevor Ou Tim | design@suncirclegroup.com

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Albertina Tserere | data@suncirclegroup.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SA ROADIES HEADING TO THE US

Tshepo Nteleki, Kgothatso Mmutle, Tumelo Mavayela, Bongani Thando Mashaba, Avile Landzela, Tumelo Mokgotho, Mpumelelo Dakile and Blondie Sello

In yet another effort driven by the country’s leading live event technical and production training organisation the South African Roadies Association (SARA), eight SARA members – Tshepo Nteleki, Kgothatso Mmutle, Tumelo Mavayela, Bongani Thando Mashaba, Avile Landzela, Tumelo Mokgotho, Mpumelelo Dakile, Blondie Sello – all filled with great excitement, departed OR Tambo Saturday 25th January 2020, as part of SARA’s On-the Job Training programme, for the United States for 10 months On-the-Job Training with the world renowned UniverSoul Circus.

The UniverSoul Circus is a single ring circus, established in 1994 by Cedric Walker, an African American man who had a vision of creating a circus with a large percentage of people of colour performing. He began searching for people from all around the world with incredible talents.

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The circus currently has performers from at least 24 different countries around the world and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

The UniverSoul Circus base is a worldclass live entertainment attraction that has captured the hearts and imaginations of a new generation of families.

Celebrating its 27th anniversary, UniverSoul Circus has come full circle in its influence in the international entertainment marketplace – garnering the distinction of being known as a one-of-akind, must see attraction.

The first season of operations brought formidable debt upon the organization. By 1997 the circus tour grew to 10 cities, 19 cities in 1999, 31 cities in 2000 and 32 cities in 2005. A tour of South Africa, the first international destination, was completed in 2001.

SARA and the UniverSoul Circus first began working together in 2002 linking SARA’S On-the-Job Training Program with UniverSoul Circus’ technical and production crew requirements. A fruitful relationship endured for the next seven

years seeing 121 young South Africans receive ten months of On-the-Job paid for training experience in the USA, as part of the UniverSoul Circus technical and production crew. Lighting, sound, staging, audio visual, video technicians and production are some of the skills which they gained, creating “life changing experiences for those who make the grade,” said SARA. SARA’S On-the-Job Training Program has seen hundreds of young South Africans receiving world-class technical and production up-skilling in arguably one of the most dynamic and leading entertainment markets in the world, the USA. South African technical and production skills, as shown by the exportability of the SARA members’ skills, are “skills of the future” and one of the skill sectors offering transferrable skills and sustainable employment, across global markets, notwithstanding the region and the continent, to young people.

For more information please visit www.saroadies.co.za.

ETC BECOMES A SIXEYE CONNECTED MANUFACTURER SixEye is pleased to announce that ETC, one of the world’s leading events lighting technology manufacturers, has become a SixEye Connected manufacturer, with its Mosaic range of architectural lighting controllers the first in the company’s product portfolio to benefit from SixEye’s unified remote management platform.

SixEye provides a cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) solution, enabling best-in-class remote management of professional control devices. SixEye combines the management and control of products from multiple manufacturers into one portal, easily accessible in a web browser on desktop and mobile.

Systems integrators can have their own SixEye portal at their own domain. The portal carries the integrator’s own branding, allows them to invite end users into any project site in the portal, and grant them bespoke access with SixEye’s granular permissions. Device management includes firmware and file upload, triggering, real time status, logs and more with encrypted network security maintained for peace of mind without any additional hardware or IT expertise. End users can use SixEye’s control panel, designed for mobile browsers, to perform actions across multiple devices in a project site at the touch of a button.

“We’re happy to offer SixEye functionality in our Unison Mosaic controllers, the premier system for transforming large scale buildings, attractions, or LED walls into eye-popping displays,” says Shawn Fernandez, product manager for Mosaic at ETC. “We have Mosaic controllers for every project, so it makes sense to let users access them from everywhere with SixEye.” ETC joins Pathway Connectivity and Pharos Architectural Controls – which are currently live on the platform – and will benefit from SixEye’s latest features, including the ability to schedule tasks to run automatically.

“We are delighted that ETC has seen the value of the SixEye platform and is joining us as a Connected manufacturer,” says SixEye’s CEO, Simon Hicks. “For SixEye, having one of the world’s most respected lighting manufacturers on our platform is a leap towards becoming a standard for the remote management of professional control devices.”

ETC customers who want to take advantage of this feature should contact SixEye (hello@sixeye. net) for a demonstration of the available features and how to obtain a SixEye portal.

INDUSTRY NEWS

After last year’s success, the collaboration between Messe Frankfurt and the creators of the Sample Music Festival is to continue for a second year. In cooperation with well-known manufacturers and the Raycademy Frankfurt, the organisers are setting up an exciting experience zone called ‘ProDJ SMF’, with interactive demonstration areas for music production and live performance.

Product specialists from some of the top brands, such as Native Instruments, Ableton, Akai and SERATO, as well as start-ups in the music tech scene, will provide insights into the future of music making. International artists, including Pedro Le Kraken from France, Tony Beatbutcher from Belgium, Frankfurt DJ Legend Ray-D as well as Tonspielzeug, Hix Boson and Arkaei will make the event one of the highlights of Prolight + Sound.

The Sample Music Festival was first rolled out in 2015 in Berlin and has since become an established meeting place for digital performance arts such as turntablism, finger drumming and controllerism. Last year, the organisers came to Frankfurt for the first time and brought a special version of their programme.

© Mathias Kutt

PROLIGHT + SOUND 2020: SAMPLE MUSIC FESTIVAL CREATES SPECIAL ‘PRODJ SMF’ AREA

Sample Music Festival

During Prolight + Sound, from 31 March to 3 April 2020, visitors can once again expect a top-flight, dedicated section for specialist knowledge, first-hand experiences and opportunities to try out the products in the ProDJ SMF area.

“The products and services in the ProDJ SMF section are aimed, above all, at professional DJs and artists, who are looking for information about innovative tools on the market, as well as trends and techniques. But we are also extending an invitation to all other visitors at Prolight + Sound to experience some spectacular showcases by top artists and to dive into the world of live digital performance,” says Mira Wölfel, director of Prolight + Sound.

“Our mission is to show that music making with turntables, controllers and digital pads is just as creative and artistically ambitious as with traditional instruments. At Prolight + Sound, we reach a specialist professional audience

AES WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT Agnieszka Roginska has begun her term as President of the Audio Engineering Society as of January 1, 2020. Currently celebrating her 20th year as an AES member, Roginska has served in numerous leadership roles within the Society.

“It is an honour and a privilege to begin my term as President of the Audio Engineering Society – the

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Agnieszka Roginska

world’s leading society of audio professionals, creative artists, scientists, educators and students,” Roginska states in her inaugural AES President’s Message.

“One of my goals in 2020 is to build membership and continue to recognize that we are a diverse community of members – whether you are a student just exploring the world of audio, a young

with particular interest in technology, and we are delighted that we are once again working in tandem with Messe Frankfurt, as well as with numerous manufacturers,” says Alex Sonnenfeld, founder and CEO of the Sample Music Festival.

The ProDJ SMF area will be offering a wide range of workshops and hands-on activities on all days of Prolight + Sound in Galeria 0. Additionally, the online portal, DJCity, is offering an open invitation to a networking event on 1 April, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The programme will include a panel of guests from DJ royalty, as well as showcases by Ray-D, and many others.

There will also be a scratch session with the ‘Scratch Buffet’ crew from Mannheim, on 3 April from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Details of Prolight + Sound can be found at: www.prolight-sound.com. Further information on the Sample Music Festival is available at: www.samplemusicfestival.com.

professional entering the workforce and growing in experience, in mid-career maintaining your skills while learning new ones in our rapidly changing industry, or a seasoned professional who wants to give back to the community as a mentor. I look forward to a year of partnership with you, our fellow members and dedicated volunteers, working together with our AES board of directors, board of governors, technical committees, HQ staff, and executive director Colleen Harper. We will continue the momentum and build on the successes started by those who have come before us shaping the future of our Audio Engineering Society.”

Learn more about how you can be a part of the Audio Engineering Society at www.aes.org.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NEXO ANNOUNCES NEW SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR NEXO is pleased to announce the appointment of a new sales and marketing director. Gareth Collyer steps up to this international role, after nearly 11 years as NEXO’s UK sales manager.

Collyer has worked with some of the best-known loudspeaker brands in the industry, including Bose and JBL, in a long career which has taken him from DJ to respected partner for the UK’s top audio consultants and system integrators. He has played the central role in establishing NEXO’s direct sales operation in the UK, which is now one of the most successful and highprofile sectors of the company’s international business. Amongst other recent achievements, he has been instrumental in NEXO’s success in largeformat sporting venues, including the Etihad Stadium

for Manchester City FC, Wimbledon championship tennis, Croke Park in Dublin, and Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

“I’m pleased to be asked to take on this challenge,” says Collyer. “Today’s high-end sound reinforcement business is very different to the one I had when I started work with NEXO. Manufacturers have to assume more responsibility than ever before, in terms of software and processing solutions as well as engineering support for the design and implementation of increasingly sophisticated systems. We need to connect directly and meaningfully with our customers in every market, offering genuine two-way communication in order to improve our products and services. NEXO has a formidable global

Gareth Collyer

network of distribution partners, expert production companies and top AV consultants, and I look forward to working with them all and expanding my horizons.”

NEXO CEO Jean Mullor had this to add. “The NEXO sales line-up has been transformed over the last few months.

With Gareth at the helm as sales and marketing director, we are looking forward to presenting a new NEXO in the coming decade.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ROLAND GREIL DELIVERS FASCINATING DWR LIGHTING WORKSHOP International lighting designer Roland Greil – author of the book Showlicht (2019) and a true luminary in the field of lighting design – delivered a fascinating presentation at the Mosaïek Teatro on the 18th of February.

Ably supported by leading local designer Joshua Cutts (of The Voice South Africa, SA Idols and Eurovision 2019 fame), the packed audience at the Teatro was treated to illuminating presentations that delved into the philosophy behind best lighting design principles, as well as practical tips about how to further professional careers in the tough, competitive live events industry.

Using the extended example of last summer’s Rammstein World Tour (which Greil and his team designed and executed), Greil shared his thoughts on the different lighting principles and techniques that go into creating “goosebump moments” for the audience.

Joshua Cutts and Roland Griel

Covering topics such as pitching to clients, the importance of CAD files and sound pre-programming workflows, Greil – interestingly – pressed the audience to consider the “dramaturgy” of lighting design, and of ensuring that the audience is provided with a “visual narrative” that is appropriate to the music or theatrical work being lit.

Speaking to ETECH magazine after the event, Greil said that this idea – of conceiving of his job as lighting designer as a storyteller, of sorts – was a natural evolution: “You grow into your own style.

My background was always concert lighting, but in the course of my career I have worked in many different industries and on many different kinds of shows – and doing this gives you a completely open mind and a new point of view on your job. A concert is nothing else, in a sense – other than a story. And it’s our job to provide the visual narrative for that storyline. When you start out, of course,

you want to build the biggest lighting rig in the world – make it flash and trash – but, over time, you realise this is only one part of the magic, and finding the right tools and effects for the job is a better strategy.”

For his part, Joshua Cutts decided to focus on sharing tips and words of encouragement gleaned from his own journey as a professional lighting designer: “It was great for Duncan [Riley, director of DWR] to invite me to be a part of today’s presentation. It was a huge honour, and I decided to focus on my experience in the lighting industry in the hope that some youngsters in the audience could relate to the stories and apply them to their own growing careers.”

The presentations concluded with an engaging question-and-answer session in which the audience – many of whom were students of lighting or young professionals beginning to make their way in the industry – put practical questions to the esteemed LDs on stage.

Reflecting on the value of training initiatives such as this, Greil commented: “If our presentations could spark a bit of motivation, spark the passion in the audience and inspire them with some ideas to take back to their own work, no matter how big or small the projects they are working on are – that’s the biggest reward you can get.”

KOI 2020 TO BE ENHANCED WITH NEW AWARDS The Knight of Illumination (KOI) Awards has announced the introduction of two new awards to the Concerts & Events category for the 2020 ceremony. The new awards are being added to the line-up to accommodate the ever-evolving high standards of production in live events.

The new Award for Festival Headliner, sponsored by Ayrton, will be open to submissions for any festival headline set that has been designed with additional packages without relying solely on the use of the preinstalled festival rig. To accommodate the entire festival season, eligible performances will have been performed between 1 January and 31 December 2019, and the closing date for submissions is 30 June 2020.

Long-standing concert and events chair Jess Allan says, “We have seen such incredible growth in festival design over the last few years, with more and more

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designers implementing their own rigs and equipment to put on a spectacle.

Following some of the ground-breaking festival shows that were staged last year, we feel that now is the time to introduce this award.”

The existing Award for Events in the Concerts & Events category will, from 2020 onwards, be split into two separate awards – the Award for Event Lighting Design, sponsored by DTS, and The Award for Event Digital Content. Lastly, for the Concerts & Events category, the existing Award for Video Content, sponsored by disguise, will be renamed the Digital & Video Content Award, and will be open to digital and video content designs from all concert sizes: club, stage and arena.

At last year’s KOI Awards ceremony, video designer Ash Woodward collected the disguise Award for Video Content on behalf of colleague Adam Young who won for their design for Years & Years.

Woodward told KOI backstage, “In other award ceremonies we don’t really get the

recognition because video is usually coupled with lighting or set. It’s great to have our own category at KOI and to be recognised individually.”

At the same time, the Television category will now comprise four awards rather than five, following the merging of the Light Entertainment Award and the Events Award, sponsored by JLL. The two television Awards have been combined after KOI judges noticed a continued crossover between the submissions received for both awards. In one final change for 2020, the Video Content Award will now be the Video Content and Scenic Design, sponsored by Green Hippo, to encourage additional designers to submit.

This year’s ceremony and gala dinner will once again return to the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on 6 September to coincide with the PLASA tradeshow.

Submissions can be made for the UK Awards through the Knight of Illumination Awards website until 30 June.

Visit www.knight-of-illumination.com for more information.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SA GETS READY FOR NEXO NEXO is working with the new generation in South Africa’s technical production community, providing free skills training and access to the latest NEXO sound reinforcement equipment in the country’s major cities.

NEXO sound training, South Africa

With extensive support from the full-service production company Sound Stylists, a long-time NEXO user and dealer, NEXO has collaborated with South Africa’s Academy of Sound Engineering in Cape Town. Together, they hosted a free ETC Training Course encompassing workshops, hands-on and listening experiences, and an overview of NEXO’s line array evolution, from GEO S and D ranges to the contemporary GEO M and STM Series.

Presented by NEXO’s leading training engineer Nicholas Poitrenaud, the three-day seminar was attended by students and teachers from ASE, freelance engineers, house of worship technicians, and audio techs from Sound Stylists.

At the other end of the country, in Johannesburg, a brand-new NEXO P+ Series sound system has been made available to the South African Roadies Association (SARA), to help raise the production skills of young and aspiring audio professionals.

The SARA rig comprises the new P12 point source cabinets, with LS18 subs, and the latest NXAMP4x4Mk2 amplifiers. Whilst the P12 employs a purpose-designed 12” LF Neodymium driver and 3” diaphragm HF driver in a

coaxial configuration, the compact cabinet measures just 531mm x 432mm x 317mm, and can be deployed in vertical or horizontal (wedge monitor) configurations, the LS18 sub bass cabinets brings new versatility to NEXO GEO S12 line array systems and point source cabinets, delivering impressively high SPL. The NXAMP4X4 MK2 amplifier, with dedicated presets for P+ Series cabinets in all horn/flange configurations, combines advanced signal processing with four state-ofthe-art Class D amplifiers to create a flexible, light-weight powering and control solution.

“This sound system equipment will greatly enhance SARA’s training programs and inventory. It will help us to sustain skills development and SARA’s on-the-job training program in the event, technical and production sector for years to come. It will also have an indelible impact on the lives, careers, ambitions and dreams of young South Africans” said SARA’s President Freddie Nyathela. “SARA extends its profound appreciation and gratitude for the support and vision of NEXO.”

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

The houses of worship market is one of the fastest-growing in the entertainment technology industry. By some technical solutions supplier estimates, “up to 80%”of new installations or extensive upgrades are occurring in this vertical – and this trend is only set to continue, as more and more houses of worship look to extend their AV capabilities by adding high-quality audio solutions and video streaming to their production offering.

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In this feature, ETECH reviews some of the best installations emerging from the houses of worship market over the last year (pp. 12-21) – highlighting both South African stories and those from further afield. From comprehensive audio overhauls to striking lighting installations and sophisticated end-toend video solutions, it is clear that the houses of worship market is harnessing the power of entertainment technology in increasingly innovative ways.

We also present some research into the top technological trends for the houses of worship vertical for 2020 (pp. 22-23), and we review some of the technology that has had a strong impact within the southern African market over the past 12 months (pp. 28-32). Scan the QR codes to visit our website and find distributor information.

Finally, there’s time for two expert opinion articles: one deals with controlling sound reverberation in worship spaces (p. 26), while the other (p. 24) keys into the important issue of choosing the right PTZ camera, for those spaces that are looking to branch out into video capturing (and streaming).

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this feature by sending us stories and sharing product information. Our next themed feature, due for publication in April 2020, will be on venues – and we encourage you to submit your stories once again.

FEATURE 12

INSTALLATION STORIES

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TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

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EXPERT OPINION: VIDEO

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EXPERT OPINION: AUDIO

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

Estian Els (Mosaïek Teatro) with Kyle Robson (DWR)

THE MOSAÏEK TEATRO JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA

The Mosaïek Teatro, a large-capacity venue that forms part of the Mosaïek Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg has continued to remain ahead of the pack by becoming the first in South Africa to invest in KLANG’s state-of-the-art immersive in-ear monitoring system to complement their new DiGiCo SD5 mixing consoles.

In October 2019, technical manager at the Mosaïek Teatro, Estian Els and his team took delivery of two DiGiCo SD5 mixing consoles, purchased from DWR Distribution. “Earlier this year, the Mosaïek Teatro hosted the third season of M-Net’s The Voice South Africa, which gave our technical team the opportunity to work on the DiGiCo SD10 console that was used for the show. We all became really comfortable with the technology and, therefore, when the time came for us to invest in new consoles for the Mosaïek Teatro, we decided to go with two DiGiCo SD5s,” Estian explains.

While the team have been very happy with their DiGiCo consoles, they did experience a few challenges with musician’s in-ear monitor mixes. “In the past, musicians were able to log onto our console remotely

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and arrange their own in-ear monitors mixes ahead of Sunday morning worship services. This was no longer possible once we adopted the DiGiCo platform, which created a lot of pressure on our monitor engineer ahead of Sunday services. Our worship band has very limited time to rehearse ahead of services, and we only have fifteen minutes to try and accommodate everyone before we have to go live,” says Estian.

DiGiCo product manager at DWR Distribution, Kyle Robson has been assisting Estian and his team with their new consoles and suggested that Estian consider KLANG’s 3D in-ear monitoring solution as a possible answer. “We looked at a number of products from a range of manufacturers. However, most of them are network-based, and therefore require additional network cables and switchers to run, which was not ideal in our setting. Kyle provided us with a KLANG:fabrik demo unit to see if it would work for us – and it was an instant success with artists and technicians alike,” Estian says.

FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

KLANG:fabrik is a professional personal monitoring system that allows musicians to adjust their in-ear monitor mix to fit their personal preference using an application that runs on any smart device and integrates seamlessly with the DiGiCo SD consoles. What sets KLANG apart from any other product on the market is the fact that, unlike traditional solutions, KLANG makes use of 3D audio technology rather than the traditional stereo mix.

“In a regular stereo mix, transparency is achieved by cutting frequencies, which means the guitars are getting thinner, the keys and pads are losing some body and

presence,” explains Robson.

He goes on to say that “KLANG:fabrik achieves transparency and separates channels in a 3D space around you. As a result, you have more options in comparison to the traditional left, right and louder controls. With KLANG you have vertical (up and down), forward and back, left and right and volume controls to create space and separation between channels. The technology allows for far better transparency in a mix than we have ever been able to achieve in the past.”

“We have a number of very skilled and prolific musicians performing at the Mosaïek, and the response to KLANG has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Estian. “In fact, some have commented that they actually hate it, because they feel that they have been spoiled and never want to work without it again!”

RIVERS CHURCH

JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA The Rivers Church in Sandton has a growing number of congregants, which is always great news for a church. It means their message is being well received and people are enjoying the sermons. Not wanting to overcrowd their church in Sandton, in 2019 Rivers Church decided that it would open a new place of worship in order to maintain the growth and comfort of their congregants.

Their new location, formerly known as Theatre on the Track in Kyalami, needed an overhaul – and DWR Distribution, with the help of The Install Crew, completely stripped and renovated the old technical installation from top to bottom, making it look fresh and professional and adhering to the Church’s aesthetic standards. Edward Helliwell, technical manager from the Rivers Church, was adamant on having a top-notch lighting LED based lighting system, which was supplied and installed by DWR. This includes eight Robe Robin LEDWash 600s, six Claypaky Axcor Beam 300s and four Robe DL4S Profiles.

“The Robe DL4S are used to light up worship leaders and singers, giving them enough light to perform their duties and for

the audience to see them, plus the added benefit of full control to ensure the lighting is not harsh on the eyes,” said Edward. The Robin LEDWash 600 is implemented for the audience and stage lighting to ensure a consistent and practical level of light whilst the Claypaky Axcor Beam 300s in conjunction with Le Maitre MVS Hazer are used for effect lighting and ambience to line up with the venue’s sound and speakers to deliver maximum results for a greater impact of message. In addition, were the inclusion of Longman FacePar 900As and F4 Ups. The completely LED based lighting set up was supported by the use of Prolyte trussing and three Prolyte PLE 250kg double reeved to make them 500kg motors, ensuring the safety of those in attendance. Edward says, “Prolyte is the only trussing I would use in our environment.”

The church makes use of volunteers to help with the lighting and decided on a dot2 core compact console allowing complete control and ease of use. “I’m very happy with what it does and how easy it is to use for the volunteers, making training easy,” he said. “This also helps with consistency.”

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

CITY HILL CHURCH DURBAN | SOUTH AFRICA

Niklas Fairclough is the owner of Northwind, a company which “has two arms: it is both a high-end recording studio that’s been going for 20 years – servicing mostly clients from the US and the UK – and a one-stop-shop for auditorium and electroacoustic design.”

In 2019, Northwind was contracted by Surge Sound to overhaul the Hillcrest campus of City Hill Church. As Fairclough says, the houses of worship market in South Africa is one of the few entertainment technology industry verticals that has seen steady growth over the last few years: “The level of house of worship production in the States, for example, is very high and the streaming of services and sermons has worldwide penetration. So people in this country have watched these feeds and – I am generalising – but they want to up their game and produce on the same level as the US or the UK. It is a capital-intensive process, of course, but this is one of the few niches in the industry where there is demand in the market and money to spend.”

Fairclough, who was trained in Los Angeles and has extensive experience in the houses of worship market, explains: “City Hill didn’t have a clear idea at first, and I sat down with them to come up with the brief. My approach is always to go in and first find out what was wrong with the space – I go in and take a whole bunch of measurements to determine how the building is performing, both acoustically and electroacoustically. What are the symptoms? What is the ailment? After looking at all the metrics from the City Hill building, we sat down and found out how the client

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wanted to use the space – how many musicians would be on stage, what instruments would be used, etc. We also asked them to imagine how the space would be used in five years’ time, to ensure we were providing at least an element of ‘future-proofing’, as well.”

According to Fairclough: “The existing PA was completely inadequate. It wasn’t the right type of speaker for that volume of space at all. It was a pointsource, front-loaded box where the critical distance ended before you even got to the front of the crowd – and they’d had it there for about 15 years.”

Delving into the solution that Northwind provided, Fairclough says: “The space is a 3,500-seater and they wanted to be able to host anything from rock music to hip-hop – there’s a large campus attached to City Hill, so it has the potential to service that youth market really well – and we worked on a design where the focus would be a large-format line array system. A very forward-sounding system – full of power and focused, with great long-throw capability. That’s why we chose the EAW KF740 system for the space.”

Fairclough concludes by reflecting on his working relationship with Surge Sound, which goes back nearly 20 years to 2003: “The reason why I’ve stuck tightly with Surge Sound over the years is that the products are awesome – the build quality is excellent, and the backup, if it is ever required, is brilliant. I never have to call five times to get any info or support that I need – it’s been a great working relationship throughout.”

FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

MASJID US-SALAM – PHAKALANE ISLAMIC CENTRE PHAKALANE | BOTSWANA With strong growth in the Islamic Community and the nearest Jamia Mosque located some distance away, it became necessary to build locally and so the Masjid Us-Salam – Phakalane Islamic Centre was built.

Once construction had started, Prosound Botswana partner 6 Dots was called to a site visit and put forward a proposal for the installation of an audio solution. The building accommodates 300 worshippers, and the Mosque required a main PA to accommodate both worship and lectures conducted in the hall and a further an external system for the “Call to Prayer”.

At first, Pendant speakers were considered, but this was changed to Dynacord DC-TS200W as the column speakers proved to be more suitable for the main worship space.

Bosch ceiling speakers were installed in the washrooms, corridors and the female worship areas, with Bosch amplifiers running the PA system. Overall the job went off with out incident or unexpected challenges which was most gratifying to the team, along with a very happy Iman, Mufti Abdur Rahman Shareef Sahib, who commented, “the PA is serving us well.”

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

CHRISTIAN REVIVAL CHURCH JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa’s Christian Revival Church (CRC) installed a multipurpose AV solution based on the Blackmagic Design ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K and ATEM 1 M/E Advanced Panel.

With more than 90 congregations throughout South Africa, and more than 15 globally, including London, Amsterdam and Perth, CRC was established in 1994 by senior pastors, At Boshoff and his wife Nyretta Boshoff, in Bloemfontein. CRC uses technology to link multiple venues during live services, with video playing a crucial role in the church’s ability to connect with a bigger world and reach beyond its borders.

The new auditorium in Johannesburg, which holds upwards of 5,500 people, required a dual purpose solution. “The system not only needed to be able to broadcast a live stream but also handle our in-house audiovisual needs,” said Francois Griesel, the chief broadcast engineer for CRC. “Whatever

we implemented had to be cutting-edge technology, mirroring our mandate to cater to the modern person.”

The complex relies on a workflow featuring three Blackmagic URSA Broadcast for acquisition and an ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K switcher for vision mixing.

“Using the Blackmagic SDK, we were also able to develop a custom graphics solution, based on two high-spec PCs equipped with DeckLink Duo I/O cards. This allows us to overlay graphics such as hymn lyrics and messages for the congregation as part of the program mix,” explains Francois.

“With such huge auditorium spaces, the immersive nature of video makes each person feel part of the CRC community, and the live streaming augments this even further to bring congregations together across continents,” concludes Griesel.

OLIVE TREE CHURCH DURBAN | SOUTH AFRICA

Stephen Bagwell Praise, music, dance and a love for people are and Nick Barnes just a few of the ingredients that make Olive Tree Church in Florida Road, Berea a beacon of light and hope. Officially established in 2008, the gospel-centred church has a vision not to build a big church, but to pastor a big city and they have various branches scattered throughout Durban.

The new gear, consisting of an SD9, D2 rack and Orange Box, Relevant to the community with an excellent worship team, the was initially sent down to Durban, where DWR’s Nicholas Barnes church recently invested in a DiGiCo SD9 with D2 rack and an got the system up and running. It was followed up with training Orange Box, purchased from DWR Distribution.

by Robson.

Stephen Bagwell, technical director at Olive Tree has been Stephen says that working on the SD9 has been a treat. with the church since 2014. Kyle Robson of DWR recalls “When I “DiGiCo’s workflow has become second nature, and the started working at DWR Distribution in 2016, we did our first flexibility of the console has really impressed me. I have serious DiGiCo training sessions around the country and Stephen was processing power on any input, bus or output, and I no longer there. He was so determined that he would one day have a have to say, ‘If only I could just…’ My creativity is my DiGiCo console, and now his dream has become a reality.” only limitation.”

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH PENSACOLA, FLORIDA | USA

In 2019, Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, made the decision to upgrade both their stage and house lighting systems in their main sanctuary, a huge undertaking that meant replacing over 600 lighting fixtures. “We decided to replace every tungsten light that illuminated in the room with an LED fixture,” said Bobby Taylor, tech director and director of communications at Olive Baptist Church, “and for the stage lighting project chose a full complement of Elation LED fixtures.”

Olive Baptist Church was founded over 125 years ago and has grown into one of the largest Baptist churches in America.

Taylor decided to go with an assortment of LED moving heads,

OAKS BAPTIST CHURCH GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS | USA

Oaks Baptist Church approached Videotex Systems looking to update their aging video switching system and projectors in the Sanctuary.

They needed a system that would be effective, functional and reliable for many years to come. The video switching system that was in place at the time was a combination of analogue and digital and was no longer working properly. The video outputs to the three projectors in

choosing a pair of award-winning Artiste series fixtures – the Artiste Picasso and Artiste DaVinci – along with Dartz 360 and Platinum 1200 Wash units. “The choices that we made were based not only on the performance of the fixture but the fact that they are easy to maintain,” he comments.

the Sanctuary were analogue. In addition, there was no way to control the projectors as cabling between the control deck and the remotes had lost integrity. Finally, the frequent video outages were not only affecting the church services, but they were also affecting the video flow to the outer classrooms and hallways.

Some benefits of the solution – which featured ATEN technology, such as the VM3909H 9x9 4K HDMI HDBaseTLite Matrix Switch – included ease of installation – after installing the switcher and a quick upgrade to the firmware of the receivers, the signal flow immediately picked up and was displayed on the outputting projector; functionality and ease of management – with the Web GUI interface it was an easy process to turn on the Seamless Switch function, monitor and adjust the input and output resolutions, and control and manage the switcher; and future system expansion – ATEN’s VM3909H has the additional inputs and outputs that will allow the church to add additional sources or output to new display end points in the future.

SHARJAH GRAND MOSQUE SHARJAH | UAE

More than five years in the making, Sharjah Grand Mosque opened its doors in 2019, becoming United Arab Emirates’ secondlargest mosque. The building occupies 185,806 square metres with a capacity to accommodate over 25,000 worshippers.

To make the prayers available to all faithful, even if they couldn’t attend sermons, the Sharjah Government Planning Department appointed the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) as a consultant to implement a modern and innovative Broadcast System to cover the events within the mosque. The SBA again approached Broadcast Solutions ME to deliver a broadcast system that includes several cameras, an impressive control room and consultancy.

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To fulfil the customer’s demands, Broadcast Solutions approached Ross Video which in return offered a white version of its PIVOTCam compact camera (12 of which are used around the mosque) and added the full broadcast equipment to the mosque’s impressive list of hard- and software tools. To not spoil the delicate and artistic impression of the mosque’s interior, Broadcast Solutions built a camera mount to ensure the cameras could be fixed discreetly around the prayer hall and building without standing out. The control room, located in the building’s first floor, is used to manage the cameras and to edit, store and air the content created.

FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

CHRISTIAN FAMILY CHURCH JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA

The Christian Family Church (CFC) Johannesburg, situated in Parkhaven, is a flagship worship venue for CFC International, a wellrespected Christian fellowship based in South Africa. Founded by senior Pastors Drs. Theo and Beverley Wolmarans in 1979, the organisation has grown from a handful of congregants to a worldwide community of more than 150,000 followers over the past 40 years.

CFC Johannesburg serves as a flagship worship venue for CFC International and comprises five (5) auditoriums that can accommodate up to 6000 people, a Mother’s Room, and a play facility called Children’s World, that accommodates 1600 children on a weekend. In addition, the foyer area has been transformed into a family-friendly space called CFC Mall, which offers food outlets, a coffee shop, a bookstore and a Welcome Centre.

“As you enter the building, the first thing you will notice is our awesome CFC Mall, where you can expect to be greeted by many friendly faces. This is a great area for meeting up with your friends and family for a coffee or a quick bite. We also have a Welcome Centre in this space, where you can meet someone from the church and have any questions answered. We love meeting new people, and there is no reason why anyone should have to be alone, especially not at church,” says Pastor Theo.

In line with their vision to provide an exceptional worship experience, CFC Johannesburg recently upgraded the entire foyer area surrounding the auditorium to coincide with the church’s 40th anniversary.

DWR Distribution was tasked with the technical audiovisual aspects of the project, with the brief to update the space to achieve a modern look and feel, while creating a user-friendly system that would allow the facility’s technical team to control all of the audiovisual components from a centralised point,” explains Richard Smith, who serves as DWR’s project manager for the project.

The DWR team were tasked with deploying an integrated audiovisual system throughout the 70m space. The project included the design and installation of recessed lighting in the ceiling and bulkheads throughout the CFC Mall, which was overseen by DWR’s architectural lighting specialist, Johnny Scholtz. The project also called for the installation of multiple LED displays, which are being used for digital signage and to display content such as satellite television broadcasts and live feeds from the main auditorium, which DWR’s Schalk Botha oversaw. For the audio solution, Richard Smith

specified Quest MXC601 ceiling speaker and MXS10 subs.

“The control aspects of the installation were central to the brief that we were given by Pastor Simon Roche, who served as project manager on behalf of CFC, as well and Angelo Rizzari the facility’s technical Audio and Visual manager,” explains Richard. “The technical team at CFC have had problems with their existing control system, and it was, therefore, important to Angelo and his team that the lights, audio and displays were integrated on a single system, which they wanted to be able to access and control using a simple, wall-mounted touch panel.”

Richard and the team started with network infrastructure and created a new digital backbone to enable all content to be run as AV over IP. “All of the components in the system have been migrated to the network, and we replaced outdated components to ensure that the entire system is forward compatible,” says Richard.

The team decided to specify Extron control and transmission for the main automation system. “We needed a system that could be easily upgraded and was cost-effective over the long-run, and Extron’s range ticked all of the boxes,” he says.

An Extron XTP Crosspoint 3200 chassis was chosen for main video matrixing, with three Extron DMP128 AT processors for audio processing and routing. “We used an assortment of DTP and XTP transmission senders and receivers to send a signal to the various venues, mostly via CAT5 and CAT6 cables. However, the main feeds from the auditorium to the venues that would be streaming services are connected via fibre, with redundant CAT6 lines,” Richard explains.

Controlling the routing, pre-sets, and scheduling is an Extron IPCP Pro550 Link Processor and a TLP Pro 1720PTG touch panel. “This system was integrated into the church’s network, and secondary control is achieved using the Extron control app on an iPad, which technician can access from anywhere in the building.”

“DWR is well established as a service provider of choice when it comes to technical services for the live events market,” says Duncan Riley of DWR. “The installation at CFC Johannesburg serves to demonstrate that our team is extremely versatile, and is able to design, implement and service a broad range of AV solutions across verticals. As the AV and IT sectors continue to converge, DWR is committed to remaining ahead of the curve, and I am extremely proud of our team for delivering this cutting-edge AV solution for CFC Johannesburg.”

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

ST. ALBAN’S COLLEGE PRETORIA | SOUTH AFRICA

When St. Alban’s College in Lynwood, Pretoria were looking to build their new chapel, they were looking to audio visual contractors that were able to understand the authenticity of the venue, maintain historical value to the building and provide a functional, high performance as well as aesthetically pleasing audio and visual solution.

Wild & Marr, through the dedicated service and support to the college provided by HNR Technologies, were awarded the opportunity to provide a complete turnkey solution.

The scope of work required high quality audio in a very acoustically challenging environment, while adhering to strict guidelines so as not to disturb the architecture and interior design. In order to get the required result, the audio system comprised of 2x JBL CBT1000 column array speakers, complimented with 2x JBL CBT1000 LF Array Units.

With the flexibility of CBT1000 speaker settings, even coverage of the lower and upper balcony was achieved, with minimal impact from acoustic challenges, using only a single JBL CONTROL-28-1 speaker for

side fill on an upper side balcony. The CBT speaker systems were powered by Crown Xti-6002 power amplifiers, with a Crown XLS-1002 power amplifier for the single side fill.

Inside the control room, two JBL LSR-308 monitor speakers were deployed for close monitoring and reference within the room, as well as a Soundcraft Si-Impact digital mixing console with remote stagebox for use in function scenarios, as well as simple service and assembly.

Microphones within the venue include Shure BLX-R wireless handheld and bodypack systems, along with Microflex podium microphones. All equipment processed and managed via BSS Blu series DSP and control, managing audio as well as switching video.

In terms of visuals, St. Alban’s college opted to implement a combination of Sharp 65” and 55” professional displays, outputting full HD with KanexPro CAT distribution and matrixing. Using the additional functionality of the BSS Blu audio DSP, full switching controlled via the BSS control panels.

RHEMA SOUTH FAMILY CHURCH JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA As an AVID Elite Partner, Jasco is able to offer its clients technical support for hardware solutions like the Nexis. This is why when Rhema South Family Church approached Jasco about their requirements, Nexis Pro was identified as the ideal solution.

Avid NEXIS is the world’s first software-defined storage platform that enables true storage virtualisation for any media application. This powerful system delivers unrivalled media performance, scalability and reliability to accelerate production in the most media-intensive environments.

“Collaboration is key for any creative team, and having a central way to collaborate was something we had always been missing,” says Martin Naude, technical manager at Rhema South Family Church.

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Naude continues: “Our objective when looking for a shared storage solution was to find something that was easy to use and maintain, whist offering great storage capacity and speed for our users. Not only did Avid NEXIS exceed this expectation, but allowed our creatives to focus more of their time and energy on creating amazing content, as well as collaborating on projects, big or small.

“Since its installation, we have not had a day of downtime or maintenance. That’s thanks to its incredible software interface allowing us to make changes to our workspaces (including resizing and renaming) all in real-time without the need to go offline. We couldn’t be happier with how NEXIS Pro has helped our team go to new heights, and achieve much more than we previously thought possible,” Naude concludes.

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FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

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SERVICE AS PRODUCTION

Of all the entertainment technology sectors, houses of worship is arguably the fastest-growing, as churches and other religious spaces look to reinvent themselves as dynamic, interactive venues with cuttingedge AV technology. This trend, of viewing the traditional service, instead, as a production, is a natural way for houses of worship to compete with secular forms of entertainment such as live music events and has farreaching implications for the technology industry. Houses of worship have invested in a wide range of technologies, including new PA systems (the bigger venues often going for line array systems); professional-level microphones and monitoring solutions; LED screens and/or projection technology; and video capture technologies.

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VIDEO STREAMING

Although video capturing tools are essential for enlivening services – as the congregation can see the ‘action’ on stage more closely, as well as images of themselves on screen – perhaps the greatest advantage of a rigorous video capturing system is the ability to stream or broadcast the service online. This is the single biggest factor in the recent explosion of ‘mega’ houses of worship (particularly from the US), as congregants around the world can tune in and choose worship from the range of various VOD services afforded to them. This may require investment in a solid AV over IP backbone, though there are companies – such as Living As One – that specialise in creating technology to help houses of worship stream and manage online content and playlists.

FEATURE HOUSES OF WORSHIP

TRENDS FOR 2020

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SATELLITE SPACES

Related to the explosion of streaming in the houses of worship market is the consolidation of congregations and the emergence of ‘satellite’ worship spaces. Simply put, a church or mosque’s ability to stream content online helps them to create a faithful audience – even if that audience is not close to the central venue in a geographical sense – and what this has resulted in is a proliferation of ‘satellite’ spaces, or the same church moving into new venues (often different cities but even sometimes across international borders). These satellite venues often function as ‘broadcast zones’, allowing houses of worship to exponentially increase their following with relatively minimal extra investment – an idea that savvy systems integrators have cottoned onto and will often present as part of their proposed (long-term) AV solution.

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MULTI-FUNCTIONAL VENUES

Perhaps the greatest technological trump card in the houses of worship market concerns the issue of risk and return on investment. Cutting-edge AV technology is expensive – and, when overhauling traditional spaces such as churches to make them futureproof and online broadcast-ready – the initial capital outlay can be eye-watering. However, houses of worship are perhaps uniquely positioned in that they can rely on at least two revenue streams to offset these costs: they have a loyal support base, the worshippers, who often help to fund the church through tithings and donations; and they also have a venue replete with cutting-edge AV technology for anyone who wants to host events, conferences or concerts. Expect, as houses of worship continue to invest in technology while other venues lag behind, that these venues will become more multifunctional in nature.

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EXPERT OPINION VISUAL

HOW TO CHOOSE A PTZ CAMERA

BY PAUL RICHARDS, PTZOPTICS

Have you ever stopped to wonder how many churches are live streaming around the world on any given Sunday? It’s astounding how important online communications have become for many churches who share the message of God with online video.

Churches from around the world have been live streaming regular services and special occasions for many years, but the announcement of Facebook live streaming in 2016 was probably the start of a major push that has made live streaming for churches a top priority. If you take a moment to watch Facebook on a Sunday morning you may notice that many local churches in your area are able to produce a live video stream that transports viewers from the social media website into an interactive experience. Creating a window through popular online websites into houses of worship can lead to incredible new beginnings for generations young and old.

Most churches start their live streaming journey using a mobile phone or iPad with a Wi Fi internet connection. This simple form of live streaming is made accessible with the free YouTube or Facebook apps which can access a phone or tablets camera and microphone. Sure, the quality is somewhat poor depending on the location of the device, but it becomes a building block for the leadership to start to conceive what is possible with church communications and outreach. Many churches have large spaces and audio systems that are built to enhance the message of their leaders as they speak. Church pastors often have microphones that help amplify their voice throughout the

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church and help those who may be hard of hearing to follow along. Most of these audio systems can be used with affordable live streaming solutions. Most churches already have the most difficult part of the live streaming system already in place which is the audio system. Connecting this audio system to a live streaming computer can allow viewers online to able to experience the broadcast as if they were at church.

Now you might be thinking, why would our church want to accommodate viewers at home? Shouldn’t our members be encouraged to attend church in person every Sunday morning?

Well, the first thing to understand is that live streaming your church services will not decrease church attendance. In fact, spreading your churches message online will likely increase attendance for members young and old.

Because churches are large spaces, many church media directors rely on professional audio and video technicians to install and setup live streaming systems. The good news is that many churches already have ideal audio systems put into place that can be used with the live streaming system. Therefore, the church only needs to invest in some additional cameras to pair with their existing audio system in order to provide a television quality experience for viewers at home.

EXPERT OPINION VISUAL

Paul Richards

SO, HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A PTZ CAMERA FOR YOUR CHURCH? Well, the first thing you need to consider is optical zoom. Because churches are large spaces it’s important to think about the distance from the mounting location to the farthest object you would like to zoom in on.

The next thing to consider is your video connectivity options.

Most professionals do recommend SDI cables because they are known for reliability. Another important aspect of choosing a PTZ camera is providing the device power and remotely controlling the camera. Fortunately, some cameras – such as all PTZOptics SDI and NDI cameras – support power over ethernet (PoE), meaning you can run a single Cat-5 cable for power and control of the camera. If you use an NDI camera model you can actually skip using an SDI cable, because NDI provides high-quality video over ethernet as well.

Finally, you need to consider a mounting location. Many churches decide to use white cameras with matching white wall mounts in order to maintain the decor aesthetic. Ceiling mounts can also be used if your church has a good location for them.

Remember that most cameras should be mounted above eye level, but not too high up. You want viewers to feel like they are part of the audience – but you also have to make sure the actual in-person audience doesn’t stand in the way of the camera view. Pole mounts are another option that allow you to capture a nice angle from within your church.

The last step is controlling your PTZ cameras. Many cameras will come with custom-built app support – such as PanTiltZoom from PTZOptics – but other options include an IP joystick controller; from within OBS, Wirecast, vMix, and NewTek Tricasters; and even software integrations with your favourite video production tools.

To download a free copy of the book Helping Your Church Live Stream by Paul Richards, scan the QR code below:

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EXPERT OPINION AUDIO

KEEPING SOUND UNDER CONTROL Controlling amplified sound to reduce reverberation and ensure intelligibility is one of the major

The Missouri Baptist Convention uses a Martin Audio WPC system

challenges faced by houses of worship all over the world, writes Dom Harter

When you talk to anyone about the problems they face with worship audio, reverberation is always near the top of the list.

The main issue is that most houses of worship have been designed as large, high-ceilinged spaces, filled with reflective surfaces. The result can be beautiful to look at, but highly reverberant. While this produces great sound for unamplified music and speech, as soon as you add in a conventional sound system, the amount of extra energy bouncing around the venue severely reduces the intelligibility.

Over the years, several methods have been used to try and tackle this issue. One solution has been to throw more loudspeakers at the problem. The logic behind this is adding in more direct sources will overpower the echoes and reflections heard by members of the congregation and therefore boost intelligibility. However, this succeeds in adding a lot more acoustic energy into an already reverberant space.

More recently, beam steering has been adopted as a popular solution. This can be achieved either electronically or manually, and essentially calls on column loudspeakers to create beams of sound that can be directed away from the walls and ceilings so that more of the energy is focused on the congregation.

However, these systems can also produce unwanted vertical sidelobes in the audio band, adding to the reverberant energy and consequently impacting intelligibility.

A third approach is optimisation. This is a technique that was created by Martin Audio with the launch of the pioneering

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O-Line micro line array back in 2007 – a solution that is still popular in worship circles today. Building on this came the MLA family, a controllable loudspeaker series that was developed so that a touring PA could be tuned to a different room every night.

The system ensured even sound levels across a venue while making sure that the speakers were avoiding reflective spots such as balconies. The ability of FIR filters to manipulate magnitude and phase of the audio signal independently of each other is a key component in how this is achieved.

The ability to consider the whole space when controlling audio is an important consideration for many worship audio designers. So it is no surprise that these optimisation capabilities caught the attention of the international worship community with the MLA Compact and MLA Mini proving to be a popular option in the US. The latest iteration of optimisation is based around the constant upgrades and enhancements to the DISPLAY 2 software combined with the realisation that the DSP technology didn’t necessarily need to be inside the loudspeakers. Moving the processing power into the iKON family of amplifiers, with the launch of the Wavefront Precision series in 2017, ensured that optimisation could now be a feasible option for more installations. By putting the processing in the amplifiers, the solution became scalable, ensuring that houses of worship can consider both the desired end result and the available budget.

This scalable resolution concept means that users can choose

the number of amplifiers they require for the solution, and increase this over time as more budget becomes available if they wish to enhance the overall performance. This means a house of worship could get immediate acoustic benefits from an installation at the minimum resolution, and then invest again when it has more budget to increase the number of amplifiers and further improve the acoustic environment. Equally, if the project didn’t require the highest resolution of the top-end system, this doesn’t need to be purchased and funds can be allocated elsewhere.

Scalable resolution is ultimately about reducing the barriers to get a much better result for everyone. And then allowing the user to decide how much electronics both the application or indeed the client can afford and tailor the response of the PA to it. This flexibility has been one of the main reasons for its popularity in the worship community.

Whichever option a house of worship goes for, it is essential that if you are adding amplified sound into a reverberant space you have some way of controlling it. Making sure that your acoustic energy is being directed towards the congregation will result in a better comprehension of the message that you are trying to spread.

Dom Harter is the managing director of Martin Audio. For more information, please visit www.martin-audio.com.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

EASTERN ACOUSTIC WORKS (EAW) KF740 3-WAY LINE ARRAY MODULE The KF740 line array system is optimised for the widest-possible range of touring and installation applications.

AUDIO SPEAKERS

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The KF740 delivers the premium, high output, 3-way performance that is the hallmark of the KF Series in an extremely compact and easy-to-use package. Dual 2.5-in voice coil HF compression drivers and dual 8-in Concentric Summation Array (CSA) loaded MF transducers are integrated through a common horn that occupies the entire face of the enclosure.

The astounding pattern control offered by this configuration is extended down to 160 Hz as the MF devices are transitioned to a spaced array of four 2.5-in voice coil 10-in woofers. The pair of LF devices integrated within the MF/HF horn combined with the pair of side-mounted devices provides as much as 18 dB of off-axis rejection.

EAW Focusing delivered via UX series processors precisely transitions from one system subsection to another while maintaining nearly perfect 90-degree control.

L-ACOUSTICS KIVA II LONG THROW MODULAR LINE SOURCE The Kiva II is a new ultra-compact modular line source, adding 6dB of max SPL versus its predecessor, maximised amplifier density with 16 ohm impedance, and a new sturdy cabinet.

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Despite its ultra-compact format, the Kiva II features L-Acoustics’ Wavefront Sculpture Technology (WST), giving it a long throw capability and delivering even SPL from the front row to the back of the audience.

Its coplanar transducer arrangement and new K front grill generate a symmetric horizontal coverage of 100 degrees without secondary lobes over the entire frequency range.

Weighing only 14 kilograms, the product’s elegant lines and flush-fitted rigging allow it to melt into any architecture, making it a natural fit for installations in performing arts centres and houses of worship, as well as special events demanding minimum visual obtrusion.

Fully compatible with L-ISA multi-channel configuration installations.

DYNACORD TS 200W FULL-RANGE CABINET SPEAKERS The TS 200W from Dynacord is an extremely compact, two-way high‑performance loudspeaker, with a nominal power handling capacity of 300W/RMS, suitable for a multitude of highly demanding tasks.

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Its high SPL and precisely-controlled coverage pattern make it a prime candidate for tasks far more challenging than any you would associate with a box of its size.

Whether deployed in mobile applications as a medium‑sized FOH system in combination with passive or active subwoofers, or full‑range as a fill or delay in larger systems, the TS 200W displays its outstanding acoustic and mechanical performance to impressive effect.

Features a DH-3 titanium diaphragm driver, rotatable CAD optimised 90 x 40 CD horn and neodymium DND 6130-16 woofer, while its weight of less than 10 kilograms represents a dramatic advance in lightweight engineering for this class of speaker.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

DIGICO SD-9 DIGITAL CONSOLE

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SOUNDCRAFT SI IMPACT DIGITAL CONSOLE

Coupling the speed and efficiency of DiGiCo’s renowned workflow to the lightweight, small-footprint construction of a desk that fits every application, the fully integrated SD9 is as effective on the road as it is in a theatre, conference centre or house of worship.

Built for efficient and familiar operation, the SD9 work surface puts 24 touch-sensitive, motorised faders at your fingertips plus quick access function buttons within easy reach. A 15-inch, high resolution back-lit TFT LCD touchscreen provides ease-of-use and at a glance operation.

Boasting 96 channels at 48kHz/96kHz, the SD9 delivers a wealth of functionality. Standard channel processing (inputs and outputs) includes channel delay, single and multi-channel presets, hi- and lo-pass filters @ 24dB/octave, four-band parametric EQ with band curve selection, dual insert points and DiGiCo’s DYN 1 (compressor, de-esser or multi-band compressor) and DYN 2 (gate, compressor or ducker).

Drawing on over 40 years experience in live sound mixing, Si Impact brings the latest digital mix innovations together with the unrivalled sound quality of Soundcraft.

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AUDIO CONTROL

Compact in size but big on features, the DiGiCo SD9 brings the strength of Stealth Digital Processing and floating point Super FPGA technology to an accessible price point.

Designed to be as simple as an analogue mixer, but offering radical workflow enhancements, the Si Impact delivers digital live sound mixing and recording for those who refuse to compromise on audio quality.

FaderGlow illuminates the fader track in different colours to provide at-a-glance status information on precisely what the fader is controlling – aux sends, FX sends or even the graphic EQ that’s available on every bus. Each fader channel also features a clear multi-colour LCD display – giving ‘at a glance’ information on levels and offering a fully customisable ‘scribble strip’ to name your channels.

The Si Impact console is packed with DSP power from acknowledged experts in digital FX. That means studio-grade reverbs, delays and modulations from Lexicon, legendary dbx dynamics and industrystandard BSS graphic equalisers.

KLANG KLANG:FABRIK MONITORING SOLUTION Combining the fastest convolution algorithms and 3D audio technology, KLANG:fabrik makes interactive 3D personal in-ear monitoring sound for musicians possible. It combines the latest and finest HD audio algorithms with a multitude of flexible audio interfaces (i.e. MADI, Dante, compatible to ADAT) in order to work with professional mixing desks and stage boxes of any kind.

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Up to 16 musicians receive their individual 3D mixes with one KLANG:fabrik. If your band needs more mixes, simply daisy-chain multiple devices It connects to your professional mixing desks via optional Dante modules with a maximum 64 input channels.

Two optional analogue zero-latency input channels can be mixed individually to each of the 16 analogue outputs, and – additionally – the KLANG:fabrik system offers redundant power supplies.

KLANG:fabrik is, at the same time, a fully flexible audio network router of up to 128 MADI inputs, 64 Dante inputs and 32 ADAT compatible inputs to up to 64 MADI outputs, 64 Dante outputs and 32 ADAT compatible outputs.

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

ROBE DL4S PROFILE FIXTURE

LIGHTING

Extending the possibilities of the playful, colourful DLS Profile, the DL4S from Robe is equipped with an enhanced version of the RGBW LED module for brighter saturated colours and more powerful output.

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To magnify the already perfectly smooth colours, fades and dimming, the DL4S features innovative LED driving system for improved, extremely high definition dimming curve for all R, G, B, W colours, with 18 bit resolution.

The DL4S adds a system of four fast, smooth, framing shutters within the optical path design of the proven DLS Profile format. There is individual control of each shutter blade position and angle, together with rotation of the complete framing module.

The enhanced Robe RGBW LED light source reproduces both rich and pastel colours at output levels normally associated with 1200 W discharge fixtures, as well as pure whites at preselected 2700, 3200, 4200, 5600 and 8000 kelvin colour temperatures.

ELATION PROFESSIONAL ARTISTE PICASSO LUMINAIRE FIXTURE The Artiste Picasso is a full-featured innovative theatrical-grade luminaire featuring a new 620W 6,800K Cool White LED engine with advanced optics that deliver over 23,000 total lumen output, ultra-wide and fast 7° to 55° zoom, a full CMY colour mixing system producing a full spectrum of shades from pastels to rich saturated colours.

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More features include linear CTO colour correction; six dichroic colours including a high 87 CRI filter; seven rotating/indexing glass and seven static-stamped metal interchangeable gobos, four rotating full blackout framing blades with +/- 45° individual blade rotation; and full 360° bi-directional animation wheel.

Adjustable LED refresh rate and gamma brightness for flicker-free operation for video capturing and silent fan mode for noise-sensitive applications.

DMX, RDM, Art-NET, and sACN protocol support, featuring Elation’s E-FLY internal wireless DMX transceiver.

ETC COLORSOURCE 40 AV LIGHTING CONSOLE From patching to performance, ColorSource consoles enable you to navigate and program quickly. The multi-function on-board touchscreen provides not only a customisable stage map but also colour and parameter controls, a full palette system, effects manipulation, and the Playback Toy live busking controls.

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The on-board faders can be used as direct channel controls or as playback faders. For pre-programmed shows, ColorSource consoles include comprehensive cue stack functionality.

ColorSource AV consoles retain all standard ColorSource features, but add sACN and Art-Net networking, OSC, audio input/output and an HDMI video connection.

Use the video output for an external status display monitor or as part of an integrated AV setup with sound and image cues. Use the ColorSource offline editor to prep patches, write cues and program effects before arriving at the venue.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

Pixel Plus offers innovative, multi-functional LED display solutions where picture quality is no compromise. These cost-effective, high-performing magnesium LED displays are purpose-built for indoor installation applications.

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The Pixel Plus Xcell-i panel is tailor-made for indoor retail, corporate and house of worship installation applications, featuring a compact, light, portable and multi-purpose cabinet, allowing easy assembly and multiple mounting modes.

Key features include high contrast and high refresh rate (making it suitable for filming environments), excellent greyscale and 14 to 16-bit processing depth.

Aviation-grade magnesium allow construction allows for supreme heat dissipation, while the innovative design allows for easy front or rear maintenance.

Available in a variety of pixel pitches, ranging from 1mm to 4mm.

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DISPLAY

PIXEL PLUS XCELL-I LED SCREENS

ABSEN PL 2.9 INDOOR LED SCREENS The Absen PL series represents the optimal way to configure 2mm high performance indoor displays – perfectly balanced for extreme contrast and high pixel protection.

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Featuring Absen’s patented UltraBlack technology: with small-sized, non-reflective LEDs, combined with matte and super black mask, the PL2.5 Pro has a superior contrast compared to other LED products.

Auto-Lock and Auto-Eject systems are integrated into an advanced stacking system: simply drop, pop and lock ground support for quick and easy floor installation.

With wide viewing angles (140/120 in horizontal/ vertical planes), a refresh rate of 3840 Hz and 1000 nits of brightness, Absen PL series screens are suited to house of worship applications where video capturing is also desired.

EPSON PRO L1405U LASER WUXGA 3LCD PROJECTOR The Pro L1405U large-venue projector from Epson combines a laser light source, inorganic components and 3LCD technology for powerful, uncompromising images.

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Ideal for events staging, auditoriums and sanctuaries, this sleek, black projector features native WUXGA performance with Epson 4K Enhancement Technology.

Offering extraordinary colour brightness, Epson 3LCD projectors ensure brilliant images by delivering 8,000 lumens of colour brightness and 8,000 lumens of white brightness. The L1405U’s laser light source also provides 20,000 hours of virtually maintenancefree operation.

Finally, its exceptional integration capabilities include diverse connectivity such as HDBaseT and nine optional powered lenses with lens shift and lens memory. Combines HDMI, ethernet and RS-232 into one cable and allows for the transmission of uncompressed digital video signals.

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HOUSES OF WORSHIP TECHNOLOGY

BROADCAST

AVID NEXIS STORAGE PLATFORM Avid NEXIS is the world’s first software-defined storage platform that enables true storage virtualisation for any media application. This powerful system delivers unrivalled media performance, scalability, and reliability to accelerate production in the most media-intensive environments.

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Get on-demand access to a shared pool of centralised storage that can be quickly provisioned and repurposed.

Tailor and tune each workspace’s capacity, performance, and drive protection to the project and client and conveniently manage the system through the Avid NEXIS Management Console.

With 9.6 TB, 19.2 TB, and now 38.4 TB of flash SSD storage available for Avid NEXIS|E2 SSD engines, you get the access speed, increased throughput and reliability you need to accelerate 4K mastering workflows.

Powered by the common Avid NEXIS|FS file system, Avid NEXIS easily scales to accommodate the smallest teams to the largest media enterprises, offering up to 6.4 PB of total storage and more than 25 GB/s of bandwidth in a single system.

ATEN VM3909H 9X9 4K HDMI HDBASET-LITE MATRIX SWITCH The VM3909H 9x9 HDMI HDBaseT-Lite Matrix Switch from ATEN extends uncompressed 4K and Full HD digital video, audio, IR and power via HDBaseT technology through a single Cat6a cable up to nearly 300 feet.

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Supports nine HDMI inputs and nine mirrored HDMI and HDBaseT outputs, while in-built HDBaseT anti-jamming resists signal interference during high-quality video transmission.

When combined with VE805R receivers (available separately), it supports both ATEN Seamless Switch technology and video wall functionality. The Seamless Switch technology employs an FPGA graphics processor to ensure continuous video streaming, real-time control, and stable signal transmission across all sources. The video wall functionality allows you to create 18 video wall profiles for custom screen layouts through an easy-to-use web interface.

EDID Expert selects optimum EDID settings for smooth power-up, high-quality display and use of the best video resolution across different screens, while its bi-directional IR channel ports support full frequency IR signals from 30 to 60 kHz. Includes multiple control methods such as system management via front panel buttons, IR, RS-232 and Ethernet (Telnet/web GUI) connections.

BLACKMAGIC DESIGN ATEM 4 M/E BROADCAST STUDIO 4K Get one of the world’s most compact and advanced switchers with the new ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K from Blackmagic Design. ATEM live production switchers have all the features you need for the most innovative live concerts, sporting events, theatre productions, worship services and more.

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An incredibly high performance live production switcher designed to work with the latest formats and high frame rates, all the way up to Ultra HD 2160p59.94.

Includes 16 next-generation ATEM Advanced Chroma Keyers with four per M/E, perfect for advanced work and virtual sets. As the most advanced ATEM switcher, this model also includes the latest technology and features such as 2 Ultra HD multi viewers, full 2D DVE, built in SuperSource compositing engine with 4 picture in picture DVEs and full re-synchronization on each 12G-SDI input.

The multi rate 12G-SDI connections automatically switch between all HD and Ultra HD formats up to 2160p59.94 with a single BNC cable.

Even if you’re not working in Ultra HD now, the ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K has all the power and features for high-end live production work, while being Ultra HD ready the instant you need it.

PROLIGHT+SOUND PREVIEW

STAR LIGHTING DESIGNER MIKKI KUNTTU TO GIVE THE KEYNOTE SPEECH AT PROLIGHT + SOUND 2020 The 25th anniversary edition of Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt am Main (31 March to 3 April 2020) will

“For all of us in the entertainment industry Prolight + Sound is the top event of the year and it’s a great honour to be invited for a keynote.

I’m very happy to deliver a speech about a project so dear to me, where the elements of lighting design, set design and screen content came together in a very special way,” says Kunttu.

offer a highlight for all professionals from the lighting-technology sector right on its opening day.

Award-winning lighting set and content designer Mikki Kunttu will give a keynote speech at the show.

In this lecture, the designer will offer insights into his work and milestones of his career whereby particular emphasis will be given to his internationally acclaimed work on the Swan Lake ballet at the Royal Danish Ballet. The initiator of the lecture and organisation partner is Lightpower GmbH, which will be represented by an extensive presentation at Prolight + Sound.

The keynote lecture will be given at the Theatre + Light Stage in Hall 12.0 at 16.30 hrs on 31 March 2020. Afterwards, Mikki Kunttu will answer questions from the audience. “We are proud to welcome one of today’s most influential personalities for the creative use of professional event technology as our keynote speaker”, says Prolight + Sound Director Mira Wölfel. “With his innovative ideas and readiness to branch out in extraordinary directions, Mikki Kunttu has generated valuable impulses for the sector over recent years.”

MIKKI KUNTTU: SPECTACULAR DESIGNS Finnish designer Mikki Kunttu has been active in the field of theatre, live-entertainment, television and visual arts since the end of the 1990s. In the course of his career, he has created the designs for over 100 modern dance productions. Moreover, Kunttu is also renowned for his work in the tour and concert sector with designs for artists such as Nightwish, Michael Monroe, Hanoi Rocks and Apocalyptica. For television, he was an influential member of the design teams for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, 2013 and 2016. Kunttu has also cooperated on visual-art projects, as well as lighting and projection installations, such as Reflections, Oratoribus and Grace for Helsinki’s Season of Light Festivals from 2009 to 2011. He is the joint founder and initiator of the festival together with the City of Helsinki.

Mikki Kunttu has received numerous awards in the course of his career. They include the New York Dance and Performance Awards (‘Bessie Awards’) in 2006 and the Koura Award of the Finnish Broadcasting Company in 2007. At present, he lives in Canada, where he has created designs for Cirque du Soleil’s ALEGRIA – In a New Light, Scalada: Stelar and Vitori.

Kunttu is also the production designer (sets, lighting and video) for Finnish National Opera’s new production of Wagner’s Ring. The first of the four operas, Das Rheingold, opened in August 2019. The next ones are set to follow during 2020 and 2021.

All Prolight + Sound visitors and journalists are invited to the keynote lecture.

Full details about Prolight + Sound and ticket booking can be found at www.prolight-sound.com.

33

LIGHTING

MARIUS COETZEE (LD) INVESTS IN HIS FUTURE WITH VECTORWORKS SPOTLIGHT Marius Coetzee is a freelance technician that is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the

country’s most promising up-and-coming lighting designers. He has worked extensively with some of the country’s leading technical service providers to deliver professional lighting design, from plot to operation, for a wide range of corporate and entertainment events in South Africa.

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LIGHTING

Recently, Coetzee upgraded to the newly released Vectorworks Spotlight 2020 software for entertainment design from DWR Distribution, the local South African distributor. Vectorworks is considered to be the leading CAD software for the technical entertainment industry and is deemed to be an international standard by the world’s most prominent production and technical entertainment services professionals.

The Vectorworks Spotlight 2020 software package represents a sizable investment and is considered costly, even for some of the bigger players in the market. Over the past few years, Coetzee has set himself apart as a serious lighting design professional and is optimistic that this investment will enable him to deliver at a world-class level for his clients as an independent LD. Vectorworks product representative at DWR Distribution, Dylan Jones, states: “I have enormous respect for Marius as a freelance engineer. It is truly admirable to see him make such an ambitious investment in his career by buying Vectorworks. His purchase will open more doors and will hopefully help him to land more work with new and existing clients in the future.”

Coetzee shared his experience with Vectorworks Spotlight 2020 in a recent interview.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO PURCHASE VECTORWORKS SOFTWARE? I am deeply invested in establishing a long-term career as a lighting designer, and I therefore feel that it’s a priority for me to get to know and work using products that are considered the industry standard.

Vectorworks Spotlight, without doubt, falls into this category, especially for those working on large-scale productions both locally and abroad.

Using Vectorworks also makes it easy to collaborate with other companies already using the software. When you are using different CAD software, it is sometimes difficult to convert files to make them cross-compatible, and information is often lost in the process. This is much easier when both parties are on Vectorworks, as the software has been designed to be as flexible as possible, and you are able to import and export a wide range of files that have been created using a number of software packages.

HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO USE VECTORWORKS SPOTLIGHT? Currently, I’m using Vectorworks to design lighting rigs and produce lighting plots. The software also helps enormously with the administration side of the business, as I am basically able to automate most of my paperwork. The Vectorworks Spotlight package has an enormous range of functions and applications and I’m looking forward to expanding my use of the software in the months ahead.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING ABLE TO DO 3D RENDERS IN VECTORWORKS? One of the biggest advantages of being able to produce 3D renders of a show design ahead of an event is that you are able to show your client exactly what you will be delivering, and make changes based on their feedback before you have placed a single fixture on the a rig.

There are a number of effects and camera angles that you can apply to 3D renders in Vectorworks, which produces a fairly accurate virtual representation of your show design, and the client is able to get a good idea of the look and feel of their event.

There are a number of software packages and applications that make 3D renders possible, and I use a range of them. However, one of the advantages of using Vectorworks is that you don’t have to go out of the software to transform a plot into a 3D render, which makes it quick and easy to make a small change and immediately see the results.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY CHALLENGES WITH THE PRODUCT? I have been working with CAD software packages for some time, and while Vectorworks has been a learning curve, I have not found it difficult to navigate the programme.

There are a number of features that I have not yet touched on, and I am still in the process of discovering all of its capabilities and adjusting my workflow accordingly. Anytime that I have come up against something that I have not been able to solve myself, I am able to contact Dylan Jones at DWR, and he has always been able to assist.

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LIGHTING

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED IN THE FUTURE? Nothing is perfect; however, the 2020 version of Vectorworks has already introduced some of the changes that I would like to see with the software.

With the invention of the new GDTF (General Devise Type Format) and MVR (My Virtual Rig) standards, Vectorworks now supports exporting MVR files with both fixture and scenery data. One of the things that has remained a challenge with CAD software is exporting your files between platforms, and this development is going to make the process seamless.

I have tried the export process on the new MA3, and it already presents a huge improvement on the MA plugin for Vectorworks. As the technology matures in the years to come, I think that it is going to make a world of difference.

WHAT ARE THE BEST FEATURES IN YOUR EXPERIENCE? There are a number of features that have really made a huge difference to my workflow. Thus far, the most impactful is the fact that I no longer have to manually input data or physically count quantities on a plot, because Vectorworks does it all for me.

I am also able to use the impressive onboard product and symbols libraries, which means that I don’t have to search for, import or manually insert data. The Vectorworks Spotlight 2020 package has all the symbols, instruments and product information libraries that one needs, and if I want it to look different it is easy enough to tweak an existing symbol, which saves a lot of time as I no longer need to go and find these items and import them or create them all from scratch. One of the best features from a workflow perspective is the automated reports, which streamlines the whole work process beautifully. The software is also very accurate – and you can go down to the smallest millimetre in your planning – which is very important and saves a lot of time when you get to the site.

HOW HAS VECTORWORKS AFFECTED YOUR WORKFLOW? The Vectorworks Spotlight package facilitates the pre-production planning process and allows for seamless collaboration between all the

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technical and production teams. I am able to use the software to plan my lighting rig to the very last millimetre ahead of a show, and I am then able to pull automated reports that I can supply to the relevant technical services company without having to sit and count every piece of truss and lighting fixture used.

In my experience, Vectorworks serves as a very comprehensive planning solution for lighting designers and has the potential to save time, improve accuracy, and reduce the margin of error during the design and planning phase of a project which, in turn, increases the odds of delivering a seamless end-product for the client – which is always the ultimate goal.

HAS PURCHASING VECTORWORKS HAD AN EFFECT ON YOUR FREELANCE CAREER? My primary motivation for buying Vectorworks was to make my life easier as a lighting designer. I do, however, think that it will have a positive effect on my career growth because my clients appreciate being able to collaborate with me using an industry-standard platform.

I also feel that being proficient in Vectorworks will enable me to broaden my service offering to include lighting plots, lighting design, quality renders, 3D renders, pre-production collaboration, planning and consultation services, in addition to actually running the lighting rig for events.

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL FUTURE? I really enjoy the flexibility of working as a freelance lighting designer, and I am very invested in developing my craft to the highest standards that I can achieve. I have a lot of experience in the corporate events market and am confident that, as I gain more experience and broaden my skills-base, I have a lot to offer the industry. That being said, I started my career as a musician, and I still really enjoy being able to light shows for the entertainment industry and am hoping to have the opportunity to work on more performance and entertainment productions, in addition to the corporate work that I do, in the future.

Marius Coetzee is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. If you would like to see some of his work, view his profile on Facebook or email him at mariusctzdesign9@gmail.com.

DREAM SETS DELIVERS ON A MASSIVE SCALE FOR SCANIA SOUTHERN AFRICA

STAGING

Scania, a leading global manufacturer of trucks and buses, recently launched its new product line for the African market at a much-anticipated launch event, held at Montecasino in Johannesburg.

Blue Moon brought on board Dream Sets, one of South Africa’s prominent set and technical services companies, to manufacture the set and exhibition areas and to deliver technical services for the event. Toni Van Oostenrijk of SpaceCadet, who took the lead role in designing the look and feel of the set for the event, drew inspiration from the front grill of the new Scania trucks, which he worked into the design of the bar and reception area. “When we first proposed this idea to the client, they seemed a little sceptical. However, as with so many of Toni’s designs, as soon as they saw it, they instantly fell in love with the concept,” says Dream Sets project manager, Billy van der Merwe.

Van der Merwe explains how Dream Sets, together with their partners, managed to conceal and then dramatically unveil three full-sized trucks inside a dome structure by using some very creative stage design.

The event was hosted in one of Gearhouse In2Structure’s 6 Bay SupaDomes, which spans an impressive 36 meters by 72 meters long, and is one of the most robust and expertly engineered structures of its kind in the world. Designed and manufactured in South Africa, In2Structure’s Supa Dome boast a load capacity of three tonnes per arch for rigging, which provided Dream Sets with all the capacity they needed to load in an impressive amount of lighting and audio equipment, in addition to a number of LED screens and set pieces for the event.

The Scania launch event comprised several phases, starting with a heritage walk, which provided visitors with the opportunity to amble through an exhibition space leading into the cocktail area. The exhibition was achieved using back-lit lightboxes with images of Scania trucks printed on fabric. The stations were designed to celebrate the company’s long history of innovation, from the first vehicles that date back to the late 1900s through the decades to the present. “Plinths were placed in front of each of the lightboxes and objects representing each decade were displayed to create a tangible sense of nostalgia and an appreciation for technological advancement, which is a driving force behind Scania’s identity as a company,” van der Merwe explains.

Toni van Oostenrijk took the lead role in designing the look and feel of the set for the event and drew inspiration from the front grill of the new Scania trucks, which he worked into the design of the bar and reception area. “When we first proposed this idea to the client, they seemed a little sceptical. However, as with so many of Toni’s designs, as soon as they saw it, they instantly fell in love with the concept,” says van der Merwe.

Once organisers were ready to open the main gala event, guests were welcomed into an impressive dinner and entertainment space, that was initially concealed using screens and an LED video wall. Once inside, they were invited to enjoy a meal and some live entertainment amid keynote addresses by Scania senior management. Dream Sets built a fully functioning stage for performances – which does not seem like an extraordinary endeavour until you realise that the structure was actually being used to conceal the trucks awaiting the moment of reveal. “We constructed the stage using blocks on wheels and a solid wall that was used to screen the space beyond the stage, where the Scania trucks were on exhibition,” van der Merwe explains. He goes on to point out that the tetras-like boxes were on wheels and therefore could be moved into position to reveal the truck showroom space behind the stage at the right moment.

To create the appropriate mood and add the required drama to the reveal, Dream Sets made use of their extensive inventory of event lighting inside the venue. “Our entire lighting inventory was in the dome, including our Robe LEDWash 800s, the ColorSpot 700s and the 150s, with a few additional fixtures. We also worked closely with LaserX, one of the leading providers of laser technology for the eventing industry in South Africa, to create an innovative and impressive laser show during the climactic reveal.”

“There were a number of challenges that we had to overcome to make this event happen the way that we envisioned it,” van der Merwe points out. “Logistics are always going to be a test on an event of this size, which was further complicated by the fact that we had to manoeuvre around full-sized trucks that were an integral part of the set and event design in a confined space. We also had to contend with the fact that Montecasino is one of the busiest venues, in one of Johannesburg’s most intense business and residential areas.” Van der Merwe credits the amazing teamwork and open communication between stakeholders as central to the success of the launch. “We are very proud to have delivered an event that has been recognised as one of the best the global launches of the New Truck Generation by Scania, and we would not have been able to achieve these high standards without everybody’s passion, commitment and attention to detail!”

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PROFILE

INTERVIEW WITH RIGGING EXPERT

RUUD DE DEUGD Ruud de Deugd is an internationally-renowned expert in the entertainment industry, with more than 15 years of experience specialising in rigging and structures for events. De Deugd recently teamed up with DWR Distribution to host a six-day rigging training course, which was held at DWR’s Johannesburg offices from 10 to 15 February.

De Deugd shared a little of his professional background, passions and interests with us in the following interview.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY? My real first experience with the entertainment industry was in 2002. I had already done some amateur audio engineering while at high school, but at the start of 2002, I dropped out of school and decided to start working.

As a young and reckless teenager, I went to Ahoy Rotterdam (big indoor event location) during the load-in of a big event (GrolschLive38). I asked if I could help the audio company for free to gain experience. And that is where it all started. That event blew my mind away: the energy, the synergy between different disciplines and most of all the emotion that was created during the show.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY? After the experience at GrolschLive38, I went to the Studio Audio Engineering College in Rotterdam NL and started working as an all-round AV technician for a wide range of events. I worked mainly as an audio engineer, but also worked as a lampy and did some rigging jobs. However, after some years fulltime in the event industry, I decided to go back to school and started my studies in mechanical engineering and worked part-time in the entertainment business, and eventually earned my degree in mechanical engineering. I then started working as an engineer at the truss manufacturer Prolyte.

After a couple of years working for Prolyte, I started my own

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PROFILE

company T&E Support. An independent engineering office for the event industry, specialised in rigging and structures. T&E Support is well-known for its unique combination of theoretical and practical knowledge.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE FIELD?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR CAREER THUS FAR?

Start with the basics, experience the business from ground level and grow from there by gaining competence in the discipline that gives you goosebumps! But be aware, once this industry gets you, it becomes a lifestyle.

Actually, every project can be seen as a highlight, with its own vibe. The biggest highlight is just to get involved in creating emotions with people worldwide and to help to make that show happen safely. From being a sound engineer at a very small wedding to being a supervising engineer/rigger for a show of 300.000 people – every single gig is special in its own way.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO DURING YOUR TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME? From technical challenges and commercial challenges to cultural and language barriers, challenges are always there.

But in the end, there is always one goal: creating a safe, amazing show or a mind-blowing experience. And please understand that the equipment used can be the highest- level and most expensive tech – but in the end, it is about a group of people, everyone with their own competence in different fields, that will determine the success or failure of a show.

In previous training courses that I have done in SA, I experienced the interest of people and the vibe for sucking up knowledge, from newbies in the business to people with years of experience.

The slogan of DWR – “it is all about people” – is not simply words.

DWR creates that vibe and experience, no matter who you are, and I’m pleased to be part of that.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR INTERESTS/ HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF WORK? I always tell people that my biggest interest/hobby is my family.

Just being home, in a quiet place, enjoying the kids playing brings you down to earth again. And second comes work, although my family probably thinks differently at times.

“Actually, every project can be seen as a highlight, with its own vibe. The biggest highlight is just to get involved in creating emotions with people worldwide and to help to make that show happen safely. From being a sound engineer at a very small wedding to being a supervising engineer/rigger for a show of 300.000 people – every single gig is special in its own way.”

– Ruud de Deugd, rigging expert

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TECHNOLOGY DISPLAY

LED MARKET: FIGURES AND FORECASTS VALUE OF GLOBAL LED INDUSTRY (IN BILLIONS $US) 10 8 6 4 2 0 2018 2020 2022 Demand for extremely narrow pixel pitches (<1mm) will be one of the key drivers of technological development in the industry.

1.2 to 1.6mm

The growth of the LED industry looks set to continue at healthy rates, as screens become cheaper to produce, easier to install and more reliable to operate.

VALUE BY PIXEL PITCH (IN MILLIONS $US) 2500 2000 1500 1000

1.7 to 2mm

500

2.1 to 2.5mm

0

< 1.1mm

2018

STUDIO MARKETS (including broadcast)

2020

2022

EXHIBITION MARKETS (including retail)

4% 4%

1%

31%

Despite widespread LED penetration in the broadcast market, there is still both vertical and horizontal room for growth as price-points drop and energy efficiency increases.

92% 68%

LCD

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DLP

LED

LCD

DLP

LED

SOURCE: Steve Scorse, CEO of Unilumin UK Ltd. Presentation delivered at Integrated Systems Europe, 2020.

ETC Source 4WRD II 4 great options

3 array options TUNGSTEN 80+ CRI

FULL FIXTURE

PAR

PARNEL

RETROFIT TUNGSTEN GALLERY

2 types of dimming control

4

With Source 4WRD options available, in both original and daylight arrays, in 120V and 230V, you will never be at a loss for great white light.

DMX AC line dim

HOUSES OF WORSHIP

n

HOSPITALITY

UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS THEATRES

n

CLUBS

CAFETORIUMS

n

n

L70 rating of 14000

EXHIBITION CENTERS

12000

DAYLIGHT GALLERY 90+ CRI

45,000 hours

RETAIL

MEETING ROOMS

n

90+ CRI

Source 4WRD II vs Incandescent Lumen Output

10000

0 replacement

lamps required in inventory

8000 6000 4000 2000 0

575 W 120X

575 W 230X

750 W 120X

750 W 230X

1500 hr long life lamps

The amount of light you get for the power you use is outstanding.

Expect ultimate efficacy, or lumens per watt with every Source 4WRD fixture.

visual environment technologies | etcconnect.com

120 V/230 V Source 4WRD II

Calvary Church - Napierville, IL Calvary Church - Napierville, IL Calvary Church - Napierville, IL

ENGAGE YOUR CONGREGATION ENGAGE S O U N D S O L UYOUR T I O N F OCONGREGATION R HOUSES OF WORSHIP ENGAGE YOUR CONGREGATION SOUND SOLUTION FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP SOUND SOLUTION FOR HOUSES OF WORSHIP

L-Acoustics systems are renowned for their uniform, full-range, natural sound. Our flexible, lightweight systems project crystal clear sound to your congregation, avoiding reverberant architecture. From the front row to the very back, your worshippers will never miss L-Acoustics systems are renowned for their uniform, full-range, natural sound.

Our in flexible, lightweight systemsLetproject crystal clear the message.

Generous power ensures each congregant has the feeling of being the heart of your music. our sound systems sound to your congregation, avoiding reverberant architecture.

From the front row to the very back, your worshippers will never miss help you achieve maximum engagement for your house of worship. www.l-acoustics.com L-Acoustics systems are renowned for their uniform, full-range, natural sound. Our flexible, lightweight systems project crystal clear the message. Generous power ensures each congregant has the feeling of being in the heart of your music. Let our sound systems sound to your congregation, avoiding reverberant architecture. From the front row to the very back, your worshippers will never miss help you achieve maximum engagement for your house of worship. www.l-acoustics.com the message. Generous power ensures each congregant has the feeling of being in the heart of your music. Let our sound systems help you achieve maximum engagement FOR for your house of worship. www.l-acoustics.com OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR SOUTH AFRICA:

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DWR Distribution: Block C, Unit 1, Kimbult Industrial Park, 9 Zeiss Road, Laserpark, Honeydew, 2170, Johannesburg Tel: +27 11 794 5023 | Fax: + 27 11 794 5702 | sales@dwrdistribution.co.za | www.dwrdistribution.co.za | Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the people

11/01/2018 17:47:40

Advertising Houses of Worship II_210x297_worshipAVL.indd 3

11/01/2018 17:47:40

Advertising Houses of Worship II_210x297_worshipAVL.indd 3

11/01/2018 17:47:40