direct from: www.etnow.comRegularsContentsthis monthJobs and CareersWeb DirectoryFeaturesIssue: 299Robert Juliat Lancelot gives satisfaction to The Rolling Stones at new U Arena page 22January 2018De Sisti has now opened De Sisti UK to support the substantial existing and potential customers based in the UK and Ireland.Pantomime season is well and truly underway. White Light is supplying the lighting equipment to a range of pantomimes all across the UK.De Sisti Open UK Sales and Projects OperationCourtroom Drama is Brought to Life by DPApage: 16page: 21page: 20page: 2page: 27pages: 27 to 31Sound designer Mic Pool is using four DPA d:dicate 2011C twin diaphragm cardioid microphones for the judge, witness box and clerks. LIGHTING | SOUND | VIDEORIGGING | STAGING | DRAPESw: hawthorn.bizt: 01664 821 111e: hire@hawthorn.bizAYRTON MAGICBLADE™FX FX optical zoom system - no visible moving parts & fixed transmitting lens. Seven squared 65mm transmitting lenses. 15:1 zoom ratio, beam angle ranges from 3.6° to 53°.AVAILABLE TO HIRENew Stage Management Desk for The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Stage Electrics have supplied a custom-built stage management desk to The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Located in the heart of the Midlands, Wolverhampton’s oldest running theatre, The Grand, is an established theatre presenting a wide range of major touring productions every year. After their stage management desk of 20 years was no longer suitable for their needs, Ray Tizzard of The Grand turned to industry experts Stage Electrics for a custom designed replacement.More on page 8It’s Panto Season for White Light contents this monthJanuary 2018page no.Featurespage : 6page : 8page : 14page : 13News This MonthPages 4-15TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENTRevised in February 2017 Available now from www.etbooks.co.uk16 De Sisti Open UK Sales and Projects Operation De Sisti has made substantial investment in its products, system upgrades and development to ensure users benefit from the technology advances and their significant optical experiences. As part of this investment the company has now opened De Sisti UK to support the substantial existing and potential customers based in the UK and Ireland.18 White Light Up On the Roof at Southbank Centre London’s Southbank Centre’s Hayward Gallery recently commissioned renowned artist David Batchelor to create Sixty Minute Spectrum, an art installation which transforms the Hayward Gallery roof into a chromatic clock using dramatic colour. Having worked on numerous projects at the venue, White Light was approached to provide the technical solutions to make David’s design a reality.19 Aalborg Theatre Chooses Robe The installation of Robe DL series moving lights has helped complex shows to be quickly and efficiently turned around: de-rigged, re-rigged and re-lit on demand. Robe was selected primarily on the recommendation of three lighting designers working regularly in the theatre: Kasper Daugsberg, Stine Fumz and Matthias Hersland.20 It’s Panto Season for White Light – Oh Yes it is! As always at this time of year, the Pantomime season is well and truly underway up and down the country. As one of the leading suppliers to West End and UK touring theatre, White Light is supplying the lighting equipment to a range of pantomimes all across the UK.21 Agatha Christie’s Courtroom Drama is Brought to Life by DPA Setting Agatha Christie’s classic play Witness for the Prosecution in the debating chamber of London’s County Hall proved quite a trial for the production’s sound crew, who had to cope with a variety of issues, not least a notoriously difficult acoustic environment. Yet thanks to the judicious deployment of numerous loudspeakers and a selection of DPA microphones, the challenges were overcome so well that the play opened to four- and five-star reviews and plenty of positive audience feedback.22 Robert Juliat Lancelot gives satisfaction to The Rolling Stones at new U Arena Paris Paris’s newest arena space, the U Arena, threw open its doors in spectacular fashion this autumn when The Rolling Stones performed the final three European dates of their No Filter tour to sold-out audiences of 40,000 people each night. As an inaugural event, it doesn’t get much bigger, and Robert Juliat was proud to be part of it – in its home city – with eight RJ Lancelot 4K followspots playing a key role in the action on stage.24 ABTT Christmas Party 2017 Held at the New London Theatre on December 8th, the event was again sponsored by ETC.co.ukfrom the editordirect from: www.etnow.comEntertainment Technology is published 12 times a year in conjunction with the leading industry portal www.etnow.comEditor: John OffordTechnical Editor: Jackie StainesPublished by: Entertainment Technology Press LtdThe Studio, High Green Great ShelfordCambridge CB22 5EGTelephone: +44 (0)1223 550805Fax: +44 (0)1223 550806Website: www.etnow.comemail: editor@etnow.com© Entertainment Technology Press Ltd.Subscription Rates:Annual Subscription for 12 issues (UK): £27.50Annual Subscription (overseas): £50.00Subject to acceptance, subscription is free to UK based industry professionals.Subscribe online at: www.etnow.com/etmag/Opinions expressed in Entertainment Technology are not necessarily those of the publishers. All rights are reserved and reproduction of any part in whatever form is prohibited without the prior permission of the publishers.etnow.com (entertainment technology news on web) is the industry portal site with news from around the world added daily under various sector headings coupled to an extensive archive. The site also features a books section where titles from Entertainment Technology Press can be ordered online via our secure Sage Pay credit card services.Register forKeep up to date by signing upat www.etnow.com/etexpressWeekly News HeadlinesIssue: 299Entertainment Technology PressLatest TitleCharles John Phipps F.S.A.Architect to the Victorian TheatreThis book is the first in-depth biography of the leading Victorian theatre architect Charles Phipps. His designs dislodged the Victorian theatre from its dependence on the Georgian playhouse and ushered in a new modernity utilising the latest technology in lighting, stage machinery and building construction and his work was a major influence on younger architects, notably Frank Matcham. Shure, ALD, BBC and the Edinburgh International Festival join PLASA Focus Glasgow 2018 seminar programme PLASA Focus Glasgow, Scotland’s dedicated event for entertainment technology, has announced more seminars and workshops for the upcoming show at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) on 17th and 18th January 2018. It is free to register for the show, which brings international brands and expertise to regional professionals working in lighting, sound, AV, rigging and staging sectors.Adlib, one of the longest established technical production companies in the UK, is set to bring big lighting and audio brands to the show, providing a hands-on experience. Newly added seminars will focus on large-scale light and sound design, approaches to mental health, changes to audio bandwidth, and building a successful lighting team.In Adlib’s dedicated demo room, the team will be hosting practical sessions introducing the functionality and workflow of various digital mixing consoles. Allen & Heath will introduce the latest SQ series compact digital mixers, Midas will showcase its M32 console, DiGiCo will present the S-Series and SD12, and L-Acoustics will demonstrate their sensational new Syva Colinear Source Loudspeaker System. The action continues into the evening with a drinks reception from 5pm.New additions to the programme provide technical insights for installations, personnel advice for lighting teams, crucial information for audio professionals, and mental health support for all.The technical director of the Edinburgh International Festival, John Robb, will reveal how his team overcame complex challenges to transform St Andrew Square for the 70th anniversary of the festival. The installation, named The Standard Life Opening Event: Bloom, combined innovative light, sound, and large-scale projections to transform the square into a magical night garden.Following on from two successful seminars at the Leeds and London shows, PLASA and PSA reunite to explore approaches to mental health in the workplace. Occupational psychologist, Susannah Robertson-Hart will share insights she gained whilst helping employees and freelancers at the BBC.Dave Phillips from Shure will provide vital information regarding the loss of the 700MHz band to the mobile sector. He will examine the implications of this and how best to prepare for the challenges ahead. This seminar will delve into best-practice radio frequency coordination, spectrally efficient digital wireless systems, and the future roles of audio professionals in live touring and events.The Association of Lighting Designers will prescribe advice for how to build an effective lighting team, focusing on the importance of associate and assistant lighting designers. In an ever-demanding industry with tighter schedules, the ALD will investigate what the required skills for these roles are, how they differ, and why it is important to encourage production management to recognise these roles as vital team members.PLASA Focus Glasgow 2018, now in its fourth year, remains Scotland’s only show for events and entertainment technologies. For free registration and to find out more about what’s on please visit www.plasafocus.com/glasgowJanuary 2018news4The Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) Launches the 2018 Lumiere SchemeAt this year’s Annual Lighting Lunch, which took place in London on Monday, 18th December, the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) announced that 2018 would herald the first full-year Lumière Scheme, which will run in continued partnership with Chichester Festival Theatre. The scheme underlines the ALD’s steadfast commitment to emerging talent, enabling them to work in mainstream theatre with established lighting designers, fostering important relationships with those whom they may work again as assistants or associates on future projects. They will receive first-hand experience of the collaborative nature of creative teams together with knowledge of how various departments work together, creating further opportunities in the industry as they develop their careers. Having previously run two successful six-month pilot schemes, the intention is to build up to three Lumières per year. ALD Chair Johanna Town explains how this step will develop the role and status of the lighting designer: “Every year that we run the Lumière Scheme in three venues, it means that there will be at least 36 shows happening in the UK with a paid assistant working on them. Surely the producing managements will start to take notice, so that lighting designers can have the support we need to make better art… and with investment in people.”The Lumière Scheme is designed to transform the working life of a lighting designer through opportunities and connection. As a successful participant of the pilot scheme, Rachel Cleary states: “Having now come to the end of my period as a Lumière, I cannot believe how lucky I am to have been part of this wonderful new scheme. Being able to work on a variety of different shows and with so many amazing people has been such a fantastic opportunity!”The successful applicant of this year’s Lumière Scheme will, amongst other qualifications, be based in the UK, be a fully-paid member of the ALD, have lighting design experience, demonstrate a solid understanding of lighting and the production process and possess a strong commitment to developing a career as a lighting designer. The scheme will start on April 27th, 2018, working at Chichester Festival Theatre for six months before spending the second half of the project being mentored directly by a selected group of well-known LDs. The closing date for applications is 6pm on January 31st 2018.For further information and to apply for the ALD’s 2018 Lumière Scheme, head to https://www.ald.org.uk/training/the-ald-Lumière-scheme.In picture: Lumiere, Rachel Cleary, with the Chichester Festival theatre teamAvolites gives the magic Tiger Touch to CinderellaOh no they didn't! Oh yes they did! The lighting team at The Grand Theatre Blackpool is using an Avolites Tiger Touch II console to control the magical light show for the historic theatre house's star-studded pantomime performance of fairy-tale classic, Cinderella. The show marks the 21st anniversary of production company, UK Productions, one of the country's leading musical theatre and pantomime production groups. On board for this year's celebratory performance was lighting designer Andy Webb, who has worked with UK Productions for the past three years on their festive Blackpool shows. Last year, Webb introduced The Grand Theatre's lighting team to the Avolites Tiger Touch II as the production console for Aladdin, and this year he has specified the console again for Cinderella. "It's nice going back to a venue and a house team that you're familiar with," says Webb. "This helps with designing and allows me to push the envelope creatively. For Cinderella, one of the key scenes is the transformation of the pumpkin into the crystal carriage. We even have real Shetland ponies to add into the mix, so lighting is about being aware of how to best exploit those visual moments." Full story etnow.com Production News4Issue: 299news5 Visit our new website …www.rubberbox.co.ukPortable PowerStandard or bespoke boxes for outdoor useT. +44 (0)1282 677910 E.info@rubberbox.co.ukABTT Fellowship 2017This year the Association of British Theatre Technicians honoured Dr David Wilmore by bestowing on him an ABTT Fellowship. Dr Wilmore is a leading consultant for historic theatres and the only person in the UK to hold a PhD in 18th & 19th century Stage Machinery.At a packed Christmas Party, held 8th December 2017, at the New London Theatre, generously supported again by ETC and Really Useful Theatres Group, ABTT Fellow, Iain Mackintosh, paid tribute to his old friend and colleague, enthralling all with tales of their encounters over the years.Although originally educated as a geologist at Newcastle University, an opportunity to restore the 19th century stage machinery at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House led to a fascination for old theatres – the three-year project also creating the ideal material for research towards David’s PhD at Hull University.Completion of his thesis was marred by the news on Christmas Day 1985, that a fire at the venue had resulted in severe damage to the fly tower and the historic stage machinery. It led to the formation of David’s consultancy practice, Theatresearch, the first project being to once again restore the theatre. Although primarily known for his work in theatre, throughout his 40-year career David’s invaluable knowledge has made his services sought after for both period television and film productions. In addition, and in parallel to his consultancy practice, he has been a prolific writer and publisher.On receiving his Fellowship, David spoke to the assembled guests, saying: “This is fantastic. It’s been an extraordinary journey from geology to being here today, being involved and meeting so many fantastic people in theatre. Words fail me and I’m really moved to have this honour and thank you ABTT. Having been Chairman of ABTT, taking over from John Faulkner, who did a fantastic job in turning the ABTT round in important, if not difficult days, we’ve moved on since then and many chairmanships later, the ABTT continues to grow and be an industry leader. That’s important and really why we are here today. But, looking around, the other thing to say is just how many people that I know and that I have worked with over the years are here today – so many of you aren’t just colleagues in the industry but also life-long friends. Thank you.”The full list of 20 living ABTT Fellows now reads as follows: David Adams, Ian Albery, Peter Angier, Jason Barnes, David Blyth, Tony Bond, William Dudley, John Faulkner, Tim Foster, Roger Fox, Chris Higgs, Geoffrey Joyce, Iain Mackintosh, Richard Pilbrow, Peter Roberts, Paul Sadler, John Simpson, David Spink, Mark White and David Wilmore.Those previously appointed ABTT Fellows but now deceased: Fred Bentham, Richard Brett, Roderick Ham, Ethel Langstreth, Maurice Marshall, Francis Reid and Ken Smalley.In picture: Robin Townley, ABTT CEO with the newly honoured Dr David Wilmore and Iain Mackintosh.www.abtt.org.ukJanuary 2018news6Doughty Engineering and Ridge & Partners LLP Light Up Famous BBC Mast at Alexandra PalaceDoughty Engineering has worked alongside property and construction consultants Ridge to provide a permanent lighting installation for the transmitter mast at Alexandra Palace.Renowned worldwide as the birthplace of television, Alexandra Palace remained the major production centre for BBC television from 1936 until the early 1950s, except during the Second World War. While no broadcasts now take place from Ally Pally, as it is affectionately known, the transmitter mast is one of the most iconic landmarks on the north London skyline.To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first television broadcast, Alexandra Palace wanted to light up its iconic telecommunications mast and Ridge was on hand to provide its electrical engineering and lighting design skills. Andrew Selwood, associate at Ridge explained: “Working alongside Architainment Lighting, we came up with an outstanding temporary lighting installation, which lit the predominant side of the mast from base to tip in full glorious changing ‘technicolour’. We used Doughty tripods and the system could be powered from a local 13A domestic socket and disconnected when the building was unoccupied.”So successful was the temporary installation that Alexandra Palace asked Ridge to put a more permanent solution in place. Andrew continued: “The installation was restricted by a tight budget, the fact that the building is Grade II listed and the inability to fix through the flat roof. We agreed that the Doughty tripods, which had been used to date, were the best solution, but they were not rated for external use. Having researched the possibility of an off-the-shelf solution, I got in touch with the team at Doughty to see if they could lend their expertise to the project.”Dan Phillips, project sales co-ordinator at Doughty, added: “Having talked through the issues with Andrew, we knew that the existing tripods worked and that what they really needed was a permanent, externally rated set of tripods to replace the temporary ones.”Andrew attended Doughty’s offices in Ringwood, Hampshire with the proposed light fitting (weighing in at 26kg) and technical drawings supplied by the manufacturer to talk through the bespoke solution. The final fixings and mounting height replicated that of the temporary tripod and the two tripods were ‘made-to-measure’ for the installation.Andrew added: “This project presented us with both budget and timescale challenges, but working with Doughty has been a good experience from start to finish. The entire team enjoy their work and are passionate about what they do and their genuine interest in a small value order set our design team at ease. Doughty was immediately interested in working on this landmark project and that showed throughout the process.”The tripods were mounted in December when the final commissioning took place.www.doughty-engineering.co.ukHawthorn Plug In for Status Quo TourIconic rock band Status Quo have hit the road once again for their latest tour Plugged In – Live and Rockin’. Following huge demand from fans, the band decided earlier in the year to upgrade their planned Aquostic shows and plug back in for an all-electric UK tour. Having supported the band for several years, full technical service provider Hawthorn has once again supplied lighting equipment for the hugely anticipated performances.Following the tragic death of Rick Parfitt in December last year, the legendary band is now made up of founding member and lead guitarist Francis Rossi, alongside Andrew Bown, John ‘Rhino’ Edwards, Leon Cave and Richie Malone. Keeping the flag flying, the band kicked off this year’s tour with Aquostic performances in Europe before returning to the UK for the electric shows. Now finished in the UK, the band, along with Hawthorn’s lighting kit, has headed back overseas for the next leg of the tour. Having never taken the ‘Aquostic’ show to Europe, the decision was made to keep these performances in the original format. The tour closed in Nürnberg, Germany on 21st December.Working closely with Ewan Cameron, Status Quo’s long-standing lighting designer, the concert touring division at Hawthorn drew upon its vast range of hire stock to supply lighting to specification. This included Martin MAC Viper Profiles, Aleda BEYE K10 and K20s, Mac Aura XBs and Hawthorn’s new-to-stock Ayrton MagicBlade FX fixtures.Full story etnow.com Production Newswww.hawthorn.bizFour ESTA Standards in Public ReviewFour documents are available for public review on ESTA’s TSP website. One is an existing standard that is being considered for reaffirmation, while three are new standards. All are available for review at http://tsp.esta.org/tsp/documents/public_review_docs.php, and the review is free.In alphanumeric order, they are:BSR E1.4-2, Statically Suspended Rigging SystemsBSR E1.4-3, Entertainment Technology – Manually Operated Hoist Rigging SystemsBSR E1.35, Lens Quality Measurements for Pattern Projecting Luminaires Intended for Entertainment UseBSR E1.51, The Selection, Installation, and Use of Single-Conductor Portable Power Feeder Cable Systems for Use at 600 Volts Nominal or Less for the Distribution of Electrical Energy in the Television, Film, Live Performance and Event Industries in CanadaE1.51 is intended to offer guidance, in the context of applicable standards and regulations in Canada, on how to select, install, use, and maintain single-conductor portable feeder cables used to supply power for television, film, live performance, and special events in Canada. Comments are due no later than 15th January, 2018.Martin Audio Offers EASE Focus 3 Compatible Measurement DataMartin Audio has announced the availability of GLL loudspeaker measurement data compatible with EASE Focus 3 for many of its point source loudspeakers.EASE Focus 3 from AFMG Technologies is an acoustic simulation programme for 3D modelling that enables the user to define audience areas, section views, and receiver locations flexibly, while calculating sound coverage and frequency response immediately.Dan Orton, Martin Audio’s product group manager, commented: “Martin Audio’s runaway success with the likes of CDD series and BlacklineX has accelerated our installation market share, and now that we and our customers have the ability to model our point source boxes in a 3D environment it will help ensure that this trend continues.”The GLL loudspeaker data compatible with both EASE and EASE Focus is available to download from the Martin Audio website.January 2018news8Maestra London Announces Four New Team MembersFast growing London and Dubai-based event technical design and production specialist, Maestra, has welcomed four new team members in London.Justin Hammond, managing director of Maestra London, commented: “We are delighted to welcome everyone on board, and have been really impressed with the calibre of people interested in making a commitment to working with Maestra at this very exciting time in our development.”Lizzie Bishop joins as senior project manager, Alice Dapling comes on board as a senior production designer, Sirajuddin Mohammed is focused on the financials and accounts, while Jenny Bumanglag strengthens the operations division. She graduated from the University of Birmingham then started off her career in events as an events co-ordinator for Wise Productions, specialising in delivering technical production in unique London venues such as palaces, art galleries, museums and skyscrapers.Alice Dapling studied interior architecture at Cardiff Metropolitan University (UWIC) and worked in an architectural practice before moving to London in 2012, where she worked at Event Concept for over five years before joining Maestra. Here, she joins two other experienced and highly imaginative designers and will be producing creative concepts and design proposals including CAD visualisations and renders, 3D modelling, developing pitches, sourcing props and furniture, and creating visual content and graphics.Jenny Bumanglag has been passionate about live events since she was very young, transfixed by watching them on TV, and visiting the theatre and many music concerts where she loves the drama and vibes! Always wanting to work in this industry, she chose to study a degree course in live events and TV at the London College of Communication. A recent graduate, Jenny’s university projects included producing live talk shows, creating set models and hosting fundraisers for awareness campaigns. She also loves being hands-on with arts and crafts.Before arriving at the Maestra London office and warehouse space in Greenwich, Sirajuddin Mohammed worked as a volunteer for Buckinghamshire NHS Trust in the accounts department where he cut his teeth in learning everything from bank reconciliation to maintaining ledgers. He also volunteered at the Langdon Foundation which helps enable Jewish people with learning disabilities to lead independent and fulfilling lives, again in the finance department, reporting to the financial controller helping to prepare budgetary reports.Siraj came to the UK in 2012 to study for his Masters in international finance at the University of Westminster and graduated in 2013. Before then, he studied Mmathematics to undergraduate and graduate levels in India, so he knows a thing or two about numbers!In picture: Jenny Bumanglag, Lizzie Bishop, Alice Dapling and Sirajuddin Mohammed.New Stage Management Desk for The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Stage Electrics have supplied a custom-built stage management desk to The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton. Located in the heart of the Midlands, Wolverhampton’s oldest running theatre, The Grand, is an established theatre presenting a wide range of major touring productions every year. After their stage management desk of 20 years was no longer suitable for their needs, Ray Tizzard of The Grand turned to industry experts Stage Electrics for a custom designed replacement.Stage Electrics’ Paul Lucas liaised with The Grand to establish the requirements of their new stage management desk. Once specifications and drawings were signed off and an inspection of the existing infrastructure was undertaken, the Stage Electrics in-house team then went into production of the desk.The facilities of the desk are a Theatre Cue 16 channel cue light master station, 12 individually addressable cue light outstations, four 8” flat screen video monitors, an Altair dual channel comms master station, dimmable LED task lighting, a bespoke control panel with control for show relay speaker, show relay muting, paging, a digital clock and stopwatch as well as a multicore cable to connect the new desk to the existing building infrastructure. The whole stage management system was built into a flightcase that cleverly transforms into a traditional SM desk shape.The new stage management desk was delivered by Stage Electrics’ own Steve Chappell who commissioned it to work with the existing building structure. The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is ‘thrilled’ with this ‘major improvement’ to their stage management system.www.stage-electrics.co.ukDoughty’s Articulated Carriage a winner at Taunton CollegeDoughty dealers Chinnick Theatre Services experienced a ‘light bulb moment’ when they first saw Doughty’s new Studio Rail Articulated Carriage at PLASA London in September, realising it was the perfect piece of kit for a job they were working on at Richard Hewish College in Taunton.“We were approached by Halsall Construction in Bath and asked if we could quote for a lighting grid at the college,” explained Clive Chinnick. “We were sent a photo of the internally wired theatre grid that had been in place previously. However, it was in a classroom setting which made very little sense to us. Then we were sent through the specifications for the project, and one of the requests was for a socket to be placed every 200mm. We realised we needed to visit the college to try and better understand their needs.”On visiting the college, Clive discovered that the project had nothing to do with drama as he was assuming. Instead the lighting grid was required in an art block. The client wanted some frames from which students could hang their pieces of artwork with some lighting points, in a gallery style. The 8ft by 4ft frames would be fitted with panels and a hinged top that could be lifted, allowing the students to pin their artwork on the boards or to hang them on the grid and then position them. However they wanted to achieve this on either side of a walkway with the option of being able to push the panels completely out of the way.A couple of weeks later, Clive attended PLASA and stopped by the Doughty stand where he was captivated by the new Articulate Carriage that was running around the periphery of the stand. “I had a good chat with Dan Phillips, Doughty’s project sales co-ordinator about how nifty this new piece of kit was. Having already identified Studio Rail as the means to hang the frames, this carriage could not only go around corners, it had an excellent brake on it and a higher weight loading – much better than the standard six-wheel carrier in this application.”Clive continued: “Immediately I said to Dan “I want those,” to which Dan responded “We’ve only just launched them.” Dan said he could probably get us the 16 that we needed and he was good to his word. The frames went in on the 12th October and the entire system worked brilliantly first time. We’re really proud of this project and of course our client and the staff and students at the college are excited to have such a flexible gallery space for their course work.”www.doughty-engineering.co.uk7news9Issue: 299HSL Appoints Two New Theatre SpecialistsHSL continues to strengthen its dedicated theatre and performing arts division with the appointment of Ben Payne as key account manager (theatre) and Jo Sunners as business development manager (theatre). Both join HSL after working together for 18 months at another rental and production company. They will be based in London and the scope of their work at HSL will focus on supporting and developing this specialist sector.HSL MD Simon Stuart commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Ben and Jo who are fantastic people, well respected, highly knowledgeable and have a vast amount of shows under their belt. In addition to sharing HSL’s core values of passion and commitment to outstanding service, their great synergy and colleagueship is ideal for our ever growing family.” Ben comes to HSL with 15 years theatre touring experience which has included lighting and teching shows worldwide, from small, cool experimental works to substantial local and regional productions, site specific spectaculars and West End blockbusters. He brings an extensive knowledge and understanding of both the commercial and creative aspects of the theatre industry to the HSL equation, plus a vast practical experience gained over this time and will be heading up HSL’s theatrical-based work in and around London.Jo graduated from the acclaimed Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance with a degree in lighting design. Since then she’s cut her industry teeth working for several companies in a number of different roles. For the last 12 months Jo has been concentrating her time on client-focused account management and business development, and will be bringing these skills together with her talent for communication to the new role at HSL.Ben Payne comments: “I’m really excited to be joining HSL! It’s a dynamic growing company with lots of ambitions and energy, together with a clear brand-building strategy for medium and long term futures. “It’s a great honour to be asked on-board the team to co-ordinate a constantly increasing volume of theatrical-orientated productions on all levels. With so many excellent projects already in the pipeline, I can’t’ wait to get started.”Jo Sunners adds: “HSL has an excellent reputation industry-wide, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such a diverse and vibrant team and looking forward to building lasting and meaningful relationships with new and existing clients.”In picture: Ben Payne and Jo Sunners with Simon Stuart.City Theatrical DMXcat Now Available in Seven LanguagesCity Theatrical’s DMXcat multi-function test tool is now available in seven languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese and English. DMXcat was translated in partnership with multilingual lighting professionals to ensure that technical and industry terms were captured appropriately in every offered language. Based on the user’s smartphone language settings, the suite of mobile applications will automatically update its written content to Spanish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, or English if the others are not selected. Translations are now live for iPhone, Android, and Amazon Fire.City Theatrical‘s DMXcat multi-function test tool makes it easy for anyone to control, analyse or test any DMX lighting fixture, whether it’s a simple LED PAR or a complex moving light. The system consists of a small hardware dongle and a suite of mobile applications.Together, they combine to bring wireless DMX and RDM control plus other useful functions to the user’s smartphone. The DMXcat solves the problem faced by all users of modern lighting equipment – how to turn on and test DMX lighting gear without using a complicated lighting console.Full story etnow.com Equipment NewsNext >