< PreviousDecember 2021 news 10 Audient Teaches Music Technology at Ankara Music University The first and only university in Turkey to focus purely on music education, Ankara Music University has invested in a 24-channel Audient ASP8024- HE console for its music technology department. Head of music technology, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdurrahman Tarikçi specified the desk and describes why Audient was the obvious choice: “Every product makes the end user feel secure with their accomplished team and technical service. It is a great advantage that Audient can offer products with similar performance to their competitors, for users with a more modest budget.” With each studio doubling up as a classroom, Dr Tarikçi needed to be confident that the desk would be of good quality and durable, as well as suitable for educational applications. “One of the most important features for us is definitely the integrated patchbay system. Thanks to this, we can explain the signal flow chain in great detail to our students and teach the subtleties of manipulating the audio signal in new and different ways. In addition, it is possible to introduce both analogue mixers and DAW controllers on the same system by using the Dual Layer Control.” The recording studio boasts a viewing gallery that can be transformed into a recording studio when necessary. Integrated screens beam every move the professor makes into the upper room whilst they listen through studio monitors, making it ideal for teaching. The addition of screens in each recording booth and the projector in the main recording room means there is also the capability of recording sound for moving pictures. “The senior students are expected to complete a number of recording projects as a part of the curriculum in order to graduate. As such, dozens of new projects are set to be produced at the end of each year, and this is in addition to the video music works and ongoing film music productions,” explains Dr Tarikçi. The university was founded in 2017 and the campus comprises four faculties, one institute and a vocational school, and takes up 23600sqm in the Turkish capital. Zero 88 Provides Consistent, Flexible Theatrical Lighting Control to the University of Bedfordshire The University of Bedfordshire, a multi-site academic facility including campuses in Bedford and Luton, recently upgraded three of its performance spaces with powerful theatrical lighting control from Zero 88 (a Signify entertainment lighting brand). “We had three different theatrical spaces in need of upgrades, and we wanted a consistent experience across all of them,” explained Jamie Spirito, technician and demonstrator at the University of Bedfordshire. “The smaller Luton Campus theatre needed a powerful, yet straightforward console. Our Bedford Campus Theatre and Studio Theatre needed a bit more refined control capabilities, but with the same product quality and ease of use. That’s why I went with Zero 88 control solutions.” Stage Electrics supplied the university with two Zero 88 consoles, an FLX for the 110-seat Luton Campus Theatre and an FLX S48 for the 125-seat Studio Theatre, both of which run the award-winning ZerOS software. For the larger 255-seat Bedford Campus Theatre, a ZerOS server was installed, along with two 24-channel Zero 88 RigSwitch units. DMX distribution in the facility was upgraded to Zero 88 Gateway 8 and Splitter 8 devices as well. When operational, these spaces host a hectic festival-style schedule, including a myriad of activities performed by students from the University’s various performing arts-related courses. In addition to full- on productions and rehearsals, seminars and lectures also occur in the spaces, requiring quick setup and often a short turnaround for another event the same day. Some of these events, especially in the Luton venue, are run by students, while others, particularly events in the Bedford Theatre, are run by a professional crew. This variety of events and operator proficiency required solutions that could cater to different levels of technical knowledge and experience, while also being intuitive enough for everyone to learn and feel comfortable operating as well. Spirito credits the easy-to-use ZerOS software for delivering this flexible experience. “I devised special ‘speed training’ courses for the FLX consoles that allowed students and staff to grasp the basics in 20 minutes,” adds Spirito. “This has proved to be hugely popular and helped everyone become confident about being able to use the lighting to the best effect for their requirements in a short amount of time.” The Doctor lands in Liverpool National Museums Liverpool has announced that it will be hosting the world premiere of Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science meets Fiction at World Museum from May 2022. This ground-breaking new exhibition will explore the science behind the global hit series Doctor Who and will give fans a chance to experience the Doctor’s adventures from a scientific perspective. Produced by leading experiential design experts Sarner International under license from BBC Studios, this new exhibition plunges fans of all ages into a scientific universe to explore the ways in which science has played a part in the longest running science fiction show in the world, Doctor Who. The eight zones set within this educational exhibition cover a diverse selection of exciting scientific topics while drawing in content from across the full canon of the TV show. Through a range of hands-on immersive experiences and interactive content, visitors can journey through Cosmic Curiosities, while discovering more about the time-travelling Police Box in the TARDIS Tech room, learning about the science behind time travel and whether it really is possible. Or visit the Monster Vault to get up close with some of the weird and wonderful characters that have graced our screens. The exhibition gives visitors the chance to engage with rare, behind the scenes artefacts some of which has been procured from the BBC’s own archive. In picture: Concept drawing, might not reflect final content.Issue: 346 news 11 CODA Audio Releases SPACE HUB CODA Audio has announced the release of its new state-of-the art immersive processor, SPACE HUB. Featuring highly advanced spatial audio algorithms for the positioning and movement of sound objects, Space Hub can render up to 128 audio sources into 128 outputs to create the ultimate 3D immersive listening experience in theatres, houses of worship, live venues and production studios. Set for its official launch at the Tonmeistertagung 2021 event at the CCD in Düsseldorf, SPACE HUB is an integral component of CODA’s SPACE immersive system solution. SPACE HUB was successfully trialled at the recent Utopia Festival electronic music event in Marseilles. CODA Audio’s valued partners, Ambion, Concept Group, L&db, PFL Events, Perfect Live and Sens Opposé supplied systems for all eight of the event’s stages, two of which experienced the full effects of CODA’s revolutionary immersive systems. The response was universally positive, with DJs, producers, engineers, and most importantly, the fans, declaring the audio to be something very special. CODA Audio director of global marketing, David Webster urges the audio community to hear for themselves: “SPACE HUB is certainly central to our move into immersive audio systems, but it shouldn’t be viewed as a single defining product. Instead, it must be seen in the context of the wider SPACE immersive system solution as a whole. The linear phase response of all our loudspeakers is also fundamental to the way we achieve the wave field coherency necessary for a truly immersive experience. We’re looking forward to unveiling this exciting new development where, as always, hearing will be believing!” DirectOut expands the PRODIGY Series with new features With the current system update for the PRODIGY series, DirectOut introduces more new features. Living up to its name, PRODIGY.MP in particular sets new standards as a multifunctional audio processor with AutoMix, MirrorMode and the TruePeak Levelmeter. With AutoMix, PRODIGY.MP now supports the fully automatic mixing of different input signals, perfect for panel discussions or multi- language feeds at sport events. Tweaking of the control parameters helps to meet even complex requirements, for example, particularly reverberant event rooms. With the newly implemented TruePeak Levelmeter, PRODIGY.MP now fulfils the requirements of EBU R 128. The TruePeak measurement allows reliable detection and display of inter-sample peaks. In DirectOut’s own MirrorMode, selected parameters of a mirror unit are automatically aligned with the main unit. Alignment allows immediate switch-over for seamless operation with the matching device configuration in the event of a failure of the main unit. MirrorMode is available for both devices of the PRODIGY Series. PRODIGY.MC is enhanced with Summing Busses, to sum several channels in a simple matrix with adjustable output level. “AutoMix, MirrorMode, TruePeak Levelmeter and Summing Busses are the results of our continuous development for the PRODIGY Series since its launch a couple of years ago,” comments Luca Giaroli, product manager at DirectOut. “And we are constantly extending the capabilities of these devices by addressing the feedbacks of our clients and making the series even more capable to face any kind of audio challenge.”December 2021 12 features AMATA deploys Sennheiser Digital 6000 at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021 Digital Showcase AMATA deploys Sennheiser Digital 6000 at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021 Digital Showcase This August, AMATA, a vibrant performing arts hub within Falmouth University, partnered with the Pleasance Theatre Trust to become a satellite venue for the Edinburgh Fringe, presenting a digital showcase as part of Pleasance’s Edinburgh programme. Emulating the success of live streams done by the National Theatre and the Royal Opera House, AMATA transformed its largest studio into a partial TV studio format so that the shows could not only be performed live, but also live-streamed at the same time. As the sound aspect of each performance had to double up as both show sound and broadcast sound, Sennheiser Digital 6000 was chosen as the perfect solution to these diverse requirements due to the system’s “incredibly quick setup time, ease of use, the ability to program the transmitters on the fly and, most important of all, its really clean sound.” “AMATA‘s initial live-streamed performances took place in the 2021 spring season and we wanted to build on that success. As the plans for the Edinburgh Fringe were being developed, it was clear that live streaming was going to be a big part of their 2021 offer,” says Collin Chivers, director of broadcast Ed Festival AMATA, Falmouth University. “AMATA approached the Pleasance Theatre Trust, who had also been developing live-streamed shows during the pandemic, and the Edinburgh Fringe Digital Showcase was born.” With financial support from Arts Council England, this enabled AMATA to work with six companies, three Cornwall based, and three non-Cornwall based, to develop their work for online audiences. Having had experience working on a digital performance programme in autumn 2020 and spring 2021, live-streaming theatre and music performances from the AMATA studios, the team was ideally positioned to deliver both live and digital elements of this year’s diverse festival programme. “In fact, our technical producer has worked on the live-streams for the National Theatre, and the director of broadcast has also worked on the live-streams for the Royal Opera House. Both now live in Cornwall and work for Falmouth University and AMATA,” adds Chivers. One show was held each week in the first two weeks, followed by two shows per week for the remaining two weeks over the entire one month of the festival. “This was because, as part of the scope of the project, we invited companies that had never been involved in a live-streaming event before,” explains Chivers. “So, it involved a lot of rehearsals for the productions in order to adapt the shows to a live-streaming format whilst maintaining the ‘live’ stage essence of the show, given that they were performed in front of a socially distanced audience of around 26 people, chosen from a large Issue: 346 features 13 number of applicants by a ticket raffle.” From a technical perspective, on average the team had six cameras involved with each production as well as the sound, video and lighting required for each show. “The lighting, video mixing and sound control were all done in front of the audience, which made for an incredibly interesting and interactive environment for audience and performers,” Chivers reminisces. As the sound element had to serve both as the show sound and the broadcast sound, the team had to choose a system that would be highly versatile and be able to cope with specs that had to be changed repeatedly, depending on each show. Additionally, at the end of each performance there was a Q&A session with the actors and directors involving both live and online audiences across different platforms. “This required an incredibly quick changeover of sound from that of the show. Sennheiser’s D6000 system was the perfect solution to these diverse requirements with its incredibly quick setup time, ease of use, the ability to program the transmitters on the fly and, most important of all, its really clean sound. We had several remarks from the audience, both live and online, of how good the sound was, with the D6000 system allowing us to maintain exceptional sound quality over the entire spectrum of performances,” says Chivers. Speaking of the support received from Kevin Gwyther-Brown, business development manager, Sennheiser, Chivers notes how incredibly important it was to be able to receive direct guidance from a industry- leading audio specialist like Sennheiser, especially in a university where the student contact and learning experience can be very beneficial for both the company and student. “From the first time I called Kevin about our project and the possibility of Sennheiser being involved, he and the guys at Sennheiser have been fantastic and incredibly supportive. We were not sure at first if the D6000 system was the correct system for us, as we thought that we may need a larger number of channels and mic swapping to overcome some of the inherent problems that we faced. But after speaking with Kevin, we were convinced it would work for us, and he even took the time to do an ad-hoc training session with our second-year technical students over the course of the day, which they really enjoyed,” Chivers notes. The timing of the shows could not have been better for the students, according to Chivers. AMATA runs a two-year accelerated (Hon) degree in Technical Theatre Arts, which means that it is also taught in the summer months, so the students were available to participate in the project. Other students came from the School of Film and Television (SOFT), which offered a unique experience of mixing groups of students from different environments and giving them first-hand experience of the differences between the two art forms, “and not just in light of the technology, but also of performance art,” says Chivers. “Live-streaming of theatre is not just about following a performance, nor is it about a performance for film. It is a collaboration of two art forms which brings a unique perspective of interactivity between live and on-line audiences, each one seeing a different point of view. When directed with this in mind, it can produce a new vibrant art form that I hope the theatre industry will continue to explore and expand,” says Chivers. According to Chivers, the students who were involved in these projects will find themselves well equipped to work in such a collaborative environment in the future, offering them with the potential to be part of developing this genre and leading theatre into a new, worldwide performance art. “I am very proud of the team of technicians and students that took part and worked in an incredibly professional manner throughout the showcase. Without such a great team of committed and passionate individuals we would simply not be able to execute the project to such a high standard,” he adds. And how instrumental was Digital 6000 in the overall success of the Digital Showcase at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021? Chivers leaves no room for doubt on that. “Quite simply it meant everything; from making changeovers faster and simpler to reducing the number of channels and increasing the production values, exceeding expectations in the quality of the sound,” Chivers concludes. “I know the D6000 systems are very popular and now I see why. Without such a system during this project we would have not had time for our coffee in the morning!” photos: James Scarle and Josh HookerDecember 2021 14 features Royal Opera House London chooses Artiste Picasso for FOH moving head solution The Royal Opera House in London has chosen Elation Professional’s Artiste Picasso as the prestigious performing arts venue’s new front of house moving head lighting solution. Available to both The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, the theatrical-grade LED profile luminaire met the world-class venue’s exacting standards and has already been used to light several performances. Technical solutions specialist White Light Ltd (WL) sold the fixtures to the venue. The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and performing arts venue of the highest calibre. Located in Covent Garden in central London, it houses The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, world-leading companies with rich histories of acclaimed performances. The ROH is also home to an outstanding technical team, who work with cutting-edge technologies to enhance every aspect of its world-class programme. One category of luminaire that the technical team at ROH has had frequent requests for is a moving head in the front of house position. Simon Bennison, lighting associate/deputy head of lighting at the Royal Opera House, explains: “As lighting demands have progressed, many European houses have integrated moving heads into their set-ups and we started to get increasing requests, particularly over recent years, for bright, flexible moving head fixtures in the FOH area. We have experimented with different units but run into perpetual issues of sightlines, lack of space and unit noise.” It was the staging of Munich Opera’s production of the Handel opera “Agrippina,” where the ROH received a specific request from lighting designer Benedikt Zhem for the placement of moving head LED units front of house. In an effort to meet the designer’s wish, the team at the ROH carried out research into a possible solution. Prior to the “Agrippina” run, Bennison had the opportunity to see Elation’s Artiste Picasso in use at the National Theatre in Oslo, one of Norway’s most prominent venues for dramatic arts. “I was privileged enough to work quite closely with Ryan Bourne and the lighting team at the venue, and able to see the lights in action. It became apparent that even in a relatively compact space the noise in the auditorium was minimal and the unit showed potential for use in London.” After arranging an on-site demo through Elation’s exclusive UK distributor, Entedi, ROH chose the unit for the “Agrippina” production based on its size, minimal ambient noise, high light quality and flexibility. “We brought the Picasso in for Agrippina and it was very strong,” Bennison recalls. “The lighting designer was really pleased with the light quality and the results for the show.” During the course of the “Agrippina” run at ROH they were also able to use the lights on other pieces, most notably on “La Bohéme” and the opera “Alice’s Adventures Underground.” Still faced with requests for moving fixtures front of house and a positive experience on “Agrippina” the decision was made to seek a FOH moving head fixture for permanent installation and further research for a suitable solution commenced. “We went through quite an exhaustive process with shoot-outs and demos from a lot of manufacturers,” Bennison states. “But when we chipped away at the bits of criteria, overall the unit that was most suited for our needs was the Artiste Picasso and its low decibel level was very hard to beat. We chose the units specifically to preserve the visitor experience in terms of background noise levels.” Additionally the quality of light – the colour temperature and colour quality – was also a determining factor. “It has a really clear, flat, good quality beam.” The decision by one of the world’s leading opera houses to invest in a new, state- of-the-art moving head was significant. The team at the Royal Opera House was also aware John Froelich at another of the world’s great opera companies, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, had chosen Elation Artiste series units for its new repertory plot, an acquisition that provided a degree of reassurance for going in the right direction. Part of Elation’s award-winning Artiste series, the Artiste Picasso has found service on concert tours, special events, theatre and television. Housing a 620W white LED engine, it produces a powerfully crisp output of 23,000 lumens and includes theatrically useful design features like graphics, animation wheel, zoom and framing. The Picasso units, delivered by WL in August and fitted with custom gobo templates prior to rigging, complement the existing arc source moving heads and LED wash light movers to provide increased flexibility in the venue’s front of house positions. WL, who has worked closely with the venue for many years, also provides after sale support when needed. Cally Bacchus, managing director at Elation’s distribution partner Entedi, states: “The team at the ROH is an elite group with exceptional technical knowledge, who maintain incredibly high standards at what is one of the most prestigious theatres in the UK. When they contacted us regarding the Elation units, we were very happy to arrange a demonstration, believing as we do that the Artiste Picasso product is fast becoming an industry standard LED moving light profile fixture. It is exciting to receive such an overwhelmingly positive response from this highly respected establishment.” photos: Clive Barda www.elationlighting.comIssue: 346 features 15 Multimedia Unity: German Unity Day staged with Ayrton Perseo Beam and Domino-S On 3 October, 200 drones took to the skies above Burg Giebichenstein in Halle (Saale) and assembled themselves into symbols and catchwords of German Unity. The exclusive multimedia drone show by Jens Hillenkötter and his company JH Technology Arts was the highlight of the closing celebrations for German Unity Day, which were broadcast live on television. One floor further down, in the inner courtyard of the castle ruins, numerous moving lights from Ayrton set the scene for the multi-layered live setting in parallel. “The castle ruin is a very special location and combines the historical with the digital, because the whole show is designed to be followed via TV or digital streams,” says Jens Hillenkötter, who has already been responsible for numerous sensational light and drone shows in recent years. “The lighting design plays an elementary role here, because we not only have various camera formations for the broadcast, but also live musicians and orchestras in the show, which all have to be set in perfect light. We want a big look that makes its impact even from a distance.” In total, the experienced lighting designer relied on 64 Ayrton Perseo Beam, as well as 14 Ayrton Domino-S, IP65 moving lights placed throughout the winding castle ruins as well as along the large bridge at the foot of the castle. “We needed fixtures that were not only compact, lightweight and weatherproof, but also offered a tremendous amount of flexibility, because with this show and this setting, it was clear from the start that there would always be changes. What is a beam fixture today, I might need for an open white wash tomorrow.” In the course of a large lighting shoot- out in the run-up to the show planning, Jens Hillenkötter and his team had the opportunity to compare all potential manufacturers. The underlying question was: what is the ideal tool for each specific use? “The Perseo Beam convinced us above all with its compactness, especially when you consider that this is an outdoor lamp. In addition, it has a nice, defined beam and can also produce a soft fading light when needed.” Hillenkötter used the Perseo Beam again and again for the live musical acts on site for example, for singer/ songwriter David Vidano, who switched between two stages during the show. Jens Hillenkötter was equally impressed by the large zoom range of the Ayrton Perseo Beam. “I immediately noticed that the fixtures have a homogeneous beam without a hotspot, as you often find elsewhere.” Wherever Jens Hillenkötter needed even more light output or wanted to achieve break-up effects, the Ayrton Domino-S were used, which with their large and defined zoom range and precise optics additionally provided structure in the lighting design. “In addition, the shutters were a great help in acute-angled lighting situations to avoid shining out of the castle everywhere.” Ayrton is distributed exclusively in Germany by Lightpower GmbH. photos: Saxony-Anhalt State Chancellery Thomas Meinicke / Alexander CevolaniDecember 2021 16 features Audiologic works with Handy AV to install a future- proof audio system at GAMA Healthcare HQ Audiologic, the award-winning provider of professional audio solutions, has announced that in partnership with Handy AV, they have delivered a state-of-the- art audio system for GAMA Healthcare’s brand-new office space, from concept and design through to completion. GAMA Healthcare, a company founded in 2004, is a leading supplier of disinfectant products to hospitals around the world. It is a dynamic, innovative company at the forefront of infection prevention technology. It specialises in the manufacture and distribution of revolutionary IPC products and the provision of exceptional aftercare support. In order to support its rapid growth, GAMA has recently invested in a revolutionary office space, known as the new ‘Infection Prevention Solution Super Hub’ headquarters, located in the centre of Hemel Hempstead’s business district. The space has been designed from the ground up with modern working in mind, utilising the latest in AV Technology. Handy AV, an audio-visual equipment supplier, was approached by GAMA Healthcare about the project, commissioning the company to design and install audio visual equipment for their entire new office space. Audiologic was asked to look at the spatial and audio design element of the project, seeing the project through from concept to completion. Audio was at the forefront of what GAMA wanted to achieve with the project, both in terms of quality and flexibility. The higher value spaces, such as the boardroom and the central hub, needed to be aesthetically pleasing to be in keeping with the rest of the building, as well as servicing the purpose of delivering easy communication for participants both in the room and remote. Guy Braverman, co-founder and CEO, GAMA Healthcare comments: “We Issue: 346 features 17 wanted a large central hub so that we could host the full company for important updates and town hall meetings. Critical to that was to have the best technology, both for video conferencing, as well as amazing audio. I have been to so many office spaces that have tinny audio and you are unable to hear people. We wanted the best microphone systems so that we could have presenters standing at the podium at the bottom presenting to people on the staircase and also the balcony. It feels like we are all together in the same room, I am really impressed with all of the technology.” Ben Spurgeon, senior application engineer, Audiologic comments: “The whole space is built around the Q-SYS Eco-System, more specifically, a redundant pair of QSC Core 510is which are monitored and managed by the QSC Reflect platform. Designed as a fully networked solution, each space has dedicated networked hardware utilising both Q-LAN and Dante audio over IP protocols. This makes both scalability and flexibility incredibly easy. The main space, which doubles up as a town hall meeting environment, features a dual projection system and voice reinforcement, all controlled by an incredibly intuitive Q-SYS UCI on a TSC- 80W-G2 touchscreen. The entire control environment also lives within the Q-SYS platform, without any additional hardware, this makes the programming incredibly easy by opting for IP controllable devices throughout the building. Within the town hall space we have used the Sound Tube IPD pendants, which are both PoE and Dante, making single cable deployment simple. The space also has a fully functioning hospital environment which allows for in-depth training both in person and remote. Here, we are using VC hardware alongside wireless camera streaming to give an incredibly interactive experience. We also have a more traditional boardroom and divisible training space which can be used for in- room video conferencing and bring your own device functionality for maximum flexibility. These spaces utilise the Shure MXA910 beamforming array microphone for audio capture as well as the Shure MXW wireless microphones.” A building this smart required a comprehensive management platform allowing for real time visibility and remote access whenever required. Ben Spurgeon continues: “QSC Reflect Enterprise Manager allows us to access and update the designs, operate UCIs and support the system without ever needing to send an engineer to site. The real time alerts mean we can be incredibly proactive with our support and ensure there is minimal downtime for the end user. By opting for a fully networked approach it made scalability and control simple by adding on the cloud management platform, it gave us all of the off-site access we need to properly support a system.” “We are so lucky that we used a great company to give advice about the best technology. Hybrid working is really helped now by the amazing technology behind it,” says Guy Braverman, co- founder and CEO, GAMA Healthcare. Ben Oram, chief technology officer, Handy AV: “Working with Audiologic has been great from start to finish, I couldn’t recommend them highly enough. They came on site with us to do the initial site survey and saw the project through to the commissioning and completion of the project.”December 2021 18 features Astera for Lotus Emira Launch Video Lighting designer Nick Jevons is known for his innovative and fresh approaches to lighting stages, environments, artworks and other objects, so when asked to light a special video celebrating the launch of the new Lotus Emira sports car, he immediately reached for Astera Titan Tubes to create the desired effects. Nick was asked onboard by technical co- ordinators Anna Valley who were working for producers, Blueprint Partners. The filming was directed by Mark Anand and the location was at the Lotus factory and test facility in Norfolk and was divided into two sections. The first took place in a pop- up studio built in one of the factory spaces which was to get an assortment of amazing hero shots of the car. The action then shifted to the test track, where the vehicles were filmed in action and tearing up some tarmac as they were put through their paces. Nick specified four Astera Titan kits comprising eight tubes each, which were supplied by lighting rental company Lite Up together with the rest of the lighting equipment used. In the studio, Nick created a lightbox on trussing hung from the roof using a grid of Asteras, with more individual Tubes strategically positioned under the car to up-light, add depth and accentuate the distinctive streamlined Lotus curves and contours. More Titans down the sides of the car proved great for the tracking shots. “The quality and the texture of the output is ideal for lighting vehicles,” commented Nick who was able to achieve the exact effects that Mark wanted with the lighting. On the track, it was a totally contrasting environment, but Nick illustrated the massive flexibility of Astera’s generally by completely re-purposing the very same Titan Tubes. He and the crew built six six-metre wide by four-metre-high goal posts, each of which was edged with six Titan Tubes – three per goal post leg – to highlight the car as it elegantly sped through the improvised arches. “They are so versatile and such a great product,” enthused Nick about the Titan Tubes, adding: “Being able to use these equally effectively in both a studio set up and the open-air shows that it is not just a great product aesthetically, it really offers fantastic value!” In the studio, the Titans were run wired, and controlled via Nick’s own Avo Quartz console. On the track, he took advantage of Astera’s reliable wireless operation, utilising the local control on the back of the units to set the colours. In the studio, precise colour control was required to get the exact right temperature whites for the cameras, while on the track things were a little funkier, using static versions of the launch’s blue and yellow colours on the Tubes, another effect that replicated nicely on camera. “To have that level of colour control and be able to utilise the same fixtures in both scenarios is simply brilliant,” stated Nick. “There’s always a solution with Astera, from the rigging of the fixture with all the neat options that come with the kits, right through to the flexible control through a console, via the AsteraApp or stand-alone.” He also appreciates the brightness and intensity of the Titan Tubes, and in fact all Astera products. Nick recently worked on a TV drama which was lit extensively with Astera AX3 LightDrops for key lighting and set practicals. “Astera is right up there among my favourite fixtures,” he declared! The Lotus Emira shoot took place over five days with three days dedicated solely to the shooting of a very special car for many reasons but especially as it marks the end of an era for the manufacturers with their last ever internal combustion engine powered vehicle. photos: Nick JevonsIssue: 346 features 19 Robe Holds the Strings at Ljubljana Puppet Theatre Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno Gledališče Ljubljana) is famous for both puppet productions and live acting dramas, musicals, and other performance entertainments in and around its various spaces, which are also available for business events. The 200 capacity Saint Jacob’s (Šentjakobsko) Hall auditorium has recently re-opened after a complete eight-month renovation plan. This latest technical upgrade has included the installation of 16 new Robe T1 LED Profile moving lights in the Saint Jacob’s (Šentjakobsko) Hall. They join more recent Robe purchases across the venue’s other four performance spaces including The Tunnel which burrows into the hill beneath Ljubljana Castle and has 12 CycFX8s which are perfect for lighting the long corridor audience areas. The 180-seat St Jacob’s Stage, the Main Stage, Small Stage and the Stage Under the Stars located on the top floor with a glass roof up to the night skies all share 12 x LEDBeam 150s and nine LEDWash 300+s which can be moved around for different shows as needed. The Robe fixtures were all selected by technical manager Jure Žnidarši and his team, and based on their performance, features and the success of the theatre’s longer-term investments in Robe which started in 2011 with ColorSpot and ColorWash 250 luminaires which were specified by the LD for a puppet show that played on the Stage Under the Stars. With the Saint Jacob’s (Šentjakobsko) Hall refurbishment, Jure and his colleagues knew that anything new needed to be LED, and they are adopting the technology for all the obvious reasons. In this instance, they specifically wanted a light with excellent additive colour mixing. Having seen the T1 Profiles in action during open days and other events and demonstrations organised by Robe’s Slovenian distributor, MK Light Sound, they were all confident that this was the right choice. The T1 Profiles have already made a huge difference to how shows and performances can be lit. “The fixtures are quick to programme and bring a huge flexibility to the stage that we simply didn’t have before,” Jure, explaining that the theatre has stayed running as a covid-safe rehearsal space throughout most of the pandemic and has also been busy preparing various shows for when they fully re-open later in the summer. Lighting is at the essence of any puppet show. It helps convey the narrative and creates numerous special effects making the figures come alive and assume their characters. It is as vital there as for live acting shows, and profile lights are equally important to both genres of performance as well, particularly as front light in puppet theatre. “Profiles have to be super-accurate, reliable and return to the same positions every time without fail, and that’s why we chose the Robe T1s,” stated Jure, adding that Robe has proved a “stable and reliable” choice over several years, and they look forward to many more. All the Robes have been delivered by Robe’s Slovenian distributor MK Light Sound, and Jure also mentions the “excellent” working relationship, service, and backup they have with the distributor as another good reason for selecting Robe. In a standard year, Lutkovno Gledališče Ljubljana under the direction of Uroš Korenčan and creative direction of Ajda Rooss will stage around 1200 shows including 16 premiers. Around 900 will be puppet-based, approximately 200 will be standard drama / musical and another 100 will be corporates and events. The theatre’s current building nestling at the bottom of the Ljubljana Castle hill was built in 1899 as a theatre and became home of Lutkovno Gledališče in 1984. It was very successful and grew massively, taking over the entire building in 2012, and it now supports a substantial operation. The full working crew includes around 42 technicians working across all five stages, puppet, set, scenery and costume workshops, plus all the commercial and administration staff and another 30 working actors and puppeteers. The smallest puppets are 12cm in height and perform on a 20 x 30cm mobile stage, which is in addition to the five somewhat larger fixed performance spaces. Lutkovno Gledališče is a much-loved – locally and internationally – element of Slovenia’s vibrant capital city’s cultural fabric, and right at the heart of its community. Even during the pandemic, they have delivered around 900 puppet performances as school tours around Slovenia have continued, and in May the Theatre re- opened with “The Wizard of Oz” directed by Yulia Roschina with lighting by Jaka Varmuž, which is also the first production playing back in the Saint Jacob’s (Šentjakobsko) Hall and using the new Robe T1 Profiles. photos: Mankica Kranjec www.robe.czNext >