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Blue Man Group Employs NSP for Highest Computing Power
Since the beginning of May 2004 blue has become the dominant colour in Berlin´s Theater am Potsdamer Platz as the US Blue Man Group gives performances in Germany´s capital. During their cult-performance shows, MA Lighting´s network signal processors (NSP) will have to had pass some stiff tests, and they are part of the lighting equipment that also includes grandMA lighting consoles.
Originally only 4.000 DMX lines were planned for the lighting design of the shows in Berlin, and these could have been controlled by one lighting desk. However, during the preparations for the production, which also contain some special Berlin scenes, the demands on the control desks became ever higher. In total, approximately 130 different versions of moving lights, an integrated video control via four High End Catalyst media servers and eight High End Catalyst DL-1 projectors, complete with a total of 728 circuits, a quantity of 50 Atomic Strobes from Martin Professional plus colour changers, etc. now have to be controlled within the production.
The maximum capacity of 4098 channels was reached quickly, and soon nearly 5000 were required, which could not be done with only one console. The use of a second console would mean a disadvantage for the lighting designer, as he would not have direct access to all effects and lighting. In addition, due to the internal DMX wiring it was absolutely necessary to plan more than eight DMX lines. Every year the ‘Berlinale’ also takes place in the Theater am Potsdamer Platz and the highest flexibility had to be achieved without making any modifications tn the existing wiring.
This was the main reason why production manager Marc Brickman, his associate production designer Marc Janowitz and his programmer Marcus Krömer decided to use MA Lighting´s new network signal processor (NSP). With this it was possible to retain the previous system planning and add only the NSPs to combine with the complete lighting equipment that was provided by Flashlight of the Netherlands.
The NSPs are not only able to change the MA-Net or ArtNet protocol in four divided DMX 512 universes; they also calculate these parameters and enlarge the number of channels of the console. The operator had the opportunity of working with a maximum of 64 DMX lines via only one console, although within the Blue Man Group production in Berlin 12 DMX lines are used. Now it was possible to work with the existing wiring of the theatre which means that at the same time the DMX signal can be used at those places in the theatre where it is required. New ethernet switches were built-in to support the NSP’s fast transmission of 100mbit. Four NSPs are in permanent use: two which are located in the engine room are only calculating and provide the Catalyst Media Server as well as the complete stage area with DMX signals. One additional NSP is placed on the floor in front of the stage and is responsible for all moving lights in the hall and different other DMX devices. The fourth NSP in the switch tower is mainly used as booster and divides the DMX signal in the single dimmer rooms and the internal wiring. The last NSP is a spare one just to be on the safe side.
The maximum quantity of parameters for a grandMA network including NSPs is 16.384 (64 DMX lines) – at constant fast transmission and performance, and the new grandMA 5.0 software guarantees this. Together with the installation dimmer dimMA and the NSP, MA Lighting offers a complete integrated system, from one manufacturer, which enables the cooperation between control, dimming and network technology. In Berlin two grandMA consoles are used in a multi-user network. For two weeks Rik Shoutsen, a programmer from the Netherlands, worked with the second grandMA and was responsible for complex video sequences that had to be filed and later integrated in the show by Marcus Krömer. After this period the complete equipment was programmed by Marcus Krömer and the second console was then used to train the operator who works for the theatre.
During the pre-prémieres one console which is placed in the engine room controls the show and in parallel changes can be programmed on the second console “live” during the show. During the regular performances one grandMA is used as master desk and another grandMA light as true tracking backup.
“Our decision to work with the NSPs helped us to make our job much easier,” says Marcus Krömer. “One of the most important features is the direct access to all 12 DMX lines in absolute real-time performance when both consoles are used in a multi-user network. Moreover the constant fast transmission of the system with such a high number of channels is also impressing. By using the different worlds specifically it was possible to prepare different things on both consoles independent from each other. During the pre-premiéres the grandMAs could be located at different places in the audience room and we had the chance to make final modifications “live” and directly from the box or the 2nd gallery in the theatre. This is something very important I could also have used for former productions.”
7th June 2004
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