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The Catalyst Reaction
Projected Image Digital – exclusive UK distributor for the Catalyst digital media server, the most flexible and powerful product of this genre currently available - has sold several systems in the last few months, all of which are being utilised for a huge variety of projects and applications.
Lite Alternative’s Catalyst has been out on rock ‘n’ roll shows including Keane, Sigur Ros (complete with the ‘Pro’ Upgrade) and the Human League.
Sigur Ros’s tour is interesting, with three projectors, two of them moving, and Catalyst used for video projection and effects, controlled by LD Paul Normandale. On all these tours, video has been integrated with the lighting, often through a single control desk, putting the whole visual show into the hands of one designer. Lite Alternative’s Catalysts have been run by either WholeHog II or Jands Vista lighting consoles.
Lite Alternative’s Jon Greaves thinks Catalyst simplifies projection control and effectively becomes a “lampie”s tool. It enhances creative scope generally by making video control more available to a wider range of acts - through its cost-effectiveness.
LD Vince has used the Catalyst on a variety of tours including Kylie, Phil Collins, Jamiroquai and also The Smash Hits Awards. The Catalyst has been used for supplying content to LED screens or to drive PixelLines LED fixtures. He always uses Catalyst’s video effects combined integrally with his lighting effects, usually using a Hog II or III desk.
On Kylie’s ‘Showgirl’ tour, three Catalysts were used to drive video on three different surfaces including a 30m wide x 10m high SoftLED backdrop, on 32 sq m of Barco MiPix and on 20 sq metres of high res Barco LED.
He likes the Catalyst because it treats video as a lighting source so it provides the same functionality. “The layering really works in constantly optimising the system,” he says.
Foster also likes the fact that he has complete control over video. Before Catalyst, video would be stored on a hard drive and once you’d pressed ‘Go’ that was it. There’s always been flexibility with lighting on tours, but now he has the versatility to change the video at any time too.
Peter Canning of High Resolution Lighting, Dublin has used the Catalyst system on several events including the GSK Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for his client 3 Rock UK; for U2’s corporate hospitality for Bernard Griffin Lighting Design and for the RTE Radio Sales and Marketing Party.
Catalyst has been used for effects like scenic projection and static conference backgrounds and for using the screens as virtual moving lights. On all these events it has been integrated with Vari*Lite moving lights from Cine Electric and controlled by either an Avolites Sapphire 2000 or an Avolites Diamond 4.
“I haven't even pushed the boundaries yet with the Catalyst, but it is easy to operate – even with a huge hangover!” he comments.
Canning initially trained with Projected Image Digital’s Rob Fowler. He wasn’t familiar with the Mac hardware platform prior to this and was a little concerned about the software/graphics elements of the system. Fowler went through it all in great detail. “He was a great instructor,” he says.
“It’s great for preplanning content before getting on site and also allows for quick changing of images that don't work,” he concluded.
http://www.projectedimagedigital.com
4th August 2005
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