The Briefing Room

R. Kelly Covers New Ground On Tour In Africa With Returning Engineer Rob “Cubby” Colby International Fly Dates Commence With Ease Using the DiGiCo RCE (Remote Control Editor)

Diane Gershuny — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:49:28 +0000

Renowned engineer Rob “Cubby” Colby is no stranger to the DiGiCo D5. Colby has worked extensively for many years on major musical tours with Prince, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Genesis, Shakira, and most recently used the DiGiCo D5 with Latin rock sensation Juanes (on a 18-month-long world tour in 2008-09), and global one-offs with American icon Stevie Wonder in 2009. When he signed on for a multi-city tour with R. Kelly earlier this year, there was never any doubt what console would handle the urban R&B singer-songwriter/producer’s multi-dimensional sounds on his first-ever appearance in Africa. Kelly’s performance closed out the inaugural ARISE Africa Fashion Week June 20th in Johannesburg, and continued in cities throughout South Africa and Nigeria, culminating on a headlining performance at London’s Wembley Arena on July 8th.

Once the production and budget were sorted out, Colby knew that [production house] Gearhouse South Africa would be able to provide his console of choice for FOH and monitors. “For me, I’m very familiar with layout of D5 and structure and I think the sound is excellent,” Colby reflects. “It has been extremely reliable for the tours I’ve chosen to have it on, and it’s what I wanted for this one as well.”

Colby was able to layout the D5 using the DiGiCo RCE (Remote Control Editor) offline prior to the tour rehearsals in Sun City South Africa. Comprising 56 inputs for the full band, those included 2 keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and 3 background singers, plus Kelly. Additionally, there were 5 stereo stems of sound effects and video clips to accompany the show. “It’s a very straightforward, live show,” Colby explains. “I like the R&B/funk attitude of the music and it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed to mix. Robert [R. Kelly] is very involved in the production from the programming to the producing; it’s very clean-sounding audio and the band is extraordinarily good. Using the offline D5 editor, I was able to build all of my VCA, effects, label all my inputs, and essentially turn everything on, before I got there. That way, you’re off to a more comfortable start, at least for me. I’m more prepared and I know where everything is. It doesn’t take 2-3 days of production rehearsals to figure out the how you would want to setup the layer/banks of the console because I’ve already done it, prior to arriving for rehearsals.”

Overall programmability was a huge asset for Colby, including recording the shows for subsequent show soundchecks, as well as for archival purposes, using the MADI format from the D5 stage racks. ”That’s what I do with everybody I work with. I had one all the time from 8th Day Sound on Juanes tour and it was a simple, accurate and dependable setup. It’s such a great tool to have. All you have to do is spend the time labelling. No fuss, no muss, you just come off your mic pres. To be able to play back from the show the night before, using the same drum set, the same PA, is invaluable, although most of the time, the artist will still come in and soundcheck every day. That time is mainly an issue for the artist and the monitor engineer to get familiar with the room.”

On monitors is John ‘Elmo’ Sheldon, whose familiarity with the DiGiCo D5 extends to tours with Marilyn Manson in 2004, as well as the Smashing Pumpkins in late 2008. He’s expanded his understanding of its functionality and sonic qualities teaching students on it as an instructor in Full Sail University’s Show Production department.

“I have used these consoles on multiple tours in the past and have really gotten used to how easy it is to mix for multiple artists on stage using in-ears,” Sheldon recalls. “I do a lot of channel splitting for ears and wedges, and the ease of use and the clean sound that this console brings makes it a easy choice for doing a large band with in-ears.”

Sheldon is managing approximately 60 inputs on this tour and finds the onboard functionality of no compare. “I really think the EQ section is the most accurate of any console I have used before. I know when I pull 3db of a given frequency, it is just 3db. I absolutely love the processor channels; I like using these across the ear mixes to give me quick, complete control of their overall sound. I also enjoy having as many control groups (VCA) as I can get a hold of. When running a lot of inputs through the console, being able to not page through banks to get at channels is a great thing, in my opinion. Also, having 2 cue buses when using wedges in combination with in-ears makes it extremely easy to hear as close as possible to what is really happening on stage and what the artist is hearing.”

At the close of this tour, Colby says he’ll be taking a much needed break for the summer, gearing up for what lay ahead in the fall, which most likely will include another major outing with Juanes to promote a forthcoming album. He’s looking forward to taking out an SD7 this year for the first time, as well, after getting a chance to delve into a loaner in his home studio prior to the Kelly tour. “It’s an unbelievably beautiful sounding console and I’ll definitely be using it on the next tour that I do, not just the one-offs. I feel that it’s probably one of the best sounding digital consoles out there. I think all the digital consoles sound very good; it’s just a matter of how well do you like the way this works for you. For me, I’ve become very friendly with the DiGiCo consoles, and they just happen to be what’s user-friendly for Cubby.”

Sonnet’s Award-Winning 1TB Fusion™ F2 Now Offered With 7,200-RPM Drives for up to 190 MB/Sec Read and Write Data Transfer Rates

Summer McLennan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:21:05 +0000

IRVINE, Calif. — July 2, 2009 — Sonnet Technologies today announced a new, faster 1TB version of its multiple-award-winning Fusion™ F2 portable two-drive RAID SATA storage system that employs 7,200-RPM drives. The fastest storage solution of its kind, the system offers 20 percent faster performance than the original Fusion F2 1TB model with up to 190 MB/sec read and write sustained data transfer rates, and may be bus-powered to enable usage when grid power is unavailable. The diminutive system consists of two 2.5-inch, 500MB drives mounted side by side in a rugged aluminum enclosure, features two eSATA data ports for maximum data throughput, and is designed for use with the Sonnet Tempo™ SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 controller for MacBook® Pro and Windows® notebooks. (more…)

Sonnet Announces $100 Price Drop for the Tempo™ SATA Pro ExpressCard/34

Summer McLennan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:20:06 +0000

IRVINE, Calif. — July 2, 2009 — Sonnet Technologies today announced that it has reduced the price of its Tempo™ SATA Pro ExpressCard/34 to $199.95, a reduction of $100. The fastest 2-port eSATA controller available for ExpressCard slots, the SATA card supports sustained data throughput of up to 200 MB/sec. Unlike most other eSATA ExpressCard adapters, the Tempo SATA Pro supports 4 GB and 8 GB of RAM in MacBook® Pro computers. (more…)

Sony F23 Cameras Recreate History in “Public Enemies,” from Acclaimed Filmmaker Michael Mann

Tom Di Nome — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:10:04 +0000

Universal Pictures’ new action-thriller “Public Enemies” was shot with Sony F23 professional high-definition cameras and captured on Sony HDCAM SR cassettes. Co-writer/director/producer Michael Mann and co-producer/2nd unit director Bryan Carroll had specific HD production needs to realistically capture the look of 1930s America and overcome the challenges of shooting a period piece.

“To do a historical period movie right – especially one forecast as a summer tent pole movie – you need to push the limits on picture quality, detail, depth of field and exposure,” Carroll said. “The F23 was an ace up our sleeve.”

Mann and Carroll, both well known for working with the latest HD technology, chose the Sony F23 cameras to recreate the story of Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp) – the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him a folk hero to much of the public, and the number-one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis. “Public Enemies” also stars Christian Bale (Purvis) and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard as Dillinger’s girlfriend, Billie Frechette.

The production team for “Public Enemies” also featured an A-list team behind-the-scenes, including two-time Academy Award®-nominated director of photography Dante Spinotti and digital imaging technician Dave Canning. The team used the F23 to bring a vivid period in history to life in stunning detail.

A few months before principal photography began on “Public Enemies,” Mann and Carroll tested the F23 on a series of commercials. On one set, it was mounted to a race car driving at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour. On another, it was handheld with the operator running between football players on the practice field to capture the shots.

“The F23’s ergonomics, film-like design and incredible amount of features – such as multi-speed recording, ramping and, of course the 4:4:4, 10-bit quality – proved to be bullet-proof,” Carroll said. “The camera just works and does its job.”

About 95 percent of the movie was shot with the F23, while the Sony PMW-EX1 camcorder handled shots that required a more mobile tool. For example, the compact EX1 camcorder was used to lens the interior of planes and cars during high-speed chases.

“There’s a combination of a handheld, very close approach to the faces of the actors, all shot with long lenses,” Spinotti said. “But in the same set-up, we really captured at least one side of the scene. That offers a real-time immediacy and a sense of witnessing whatever is happening, which was a very important part of the way we shot this film.”

Complementing the F23’s use to achieve a realistic look was Sony’s HDCAM SR™ digital videocassettes. These cassettes are designed to fully maximize the benefits of 4:4:4 RGB recording technology. The PMW-EX1 camcorder recorded to Sony SxS PRO™ memory cards.

Carroll and Mann also used Sony professional HD cameras on previous collaborations, including “Collateral” and “Miami Vice.”

“We’re extremely proud of our technology relationship with Bryan and Michael,” said Rob Willox, director of Sony Electronics’ content creation group. “They use their talent and imagination to get the maximum potential from our cameras, and on ‘Public Enemies,’ the F23 proved to be the perfect complement to their creative vision.”

LaCie Breaks New Ground with Their Biggest Storage Solutions

ajones@lacie.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:49:12 +0000

* 2U 19” rack-mounted DAS, NAS, iSCSI, or FC SAN

* Designed for corporate IT and post-production companies

* Extensive storage scalability from 6TB to 60TB per system

* No downtime with redundant hot-swappable elements

* LaCie Advance Care Option included

* Mac, Windows, Linux environment ready

PARIS, FRANCE (DATE) – Today LaCie announced the general availability of the LaCie 12big Rack product range – an enterprise class 2U rack-mounted portfolio, targeted at corporate IT users and video professionals. The LaCie 12big Rack Fibre, LaCie 12big Rack Serial, and LaCie 12big Rack Network, provide (respectively) SAN, DAS and NAS storage solutions that are designed to target the most demanding uses through their performance, customization, minimized downtime and ease-of-use. The range features multipathed 4x 4Gb/s fiber channel connections, dual Mini SAS connection (SFF-8088) or dual 1Gb/s Ethernet connection – making the 12big Rack portfolio a comprehensive storage range.

“I’m very pleased to introduce the 2U rack product range, a natural evolution to LaCie’s 20 years of experience with professional storage solutions. The new portfolio is complementary to LaCie’s existing high end storage, and allows LaCie to support a wider range of professional applications from Corporate IT to content creation and post-production companies,” said Minh Le, LaCie’s Marketing Director. “The LaCie 12big Rack product range provides the highest performance, data security levels, and minimized downtime, with no tradeoffs. We’re now offering our customers a comprehensive, customizable and expandable enterprise solution – starting with 6TB and scaling up to 60TB per storage system.”

Built with Enterprise Class SATA disks, the LaCie 12big Rack product range will ensure data is always available through the redundancy of power supplies, cooling units and a dual-controller option for the LaCie 12big Rack Fibre and the LaCie 12big Rack Serial. The range also offers multiple RAID levels for data protection, from RAID 0, 1, 10, 5 and 50, up to RAID 6 – the 12big Rack storage systems will keep the most critical data safe against two-disk failure. Additionally, the LaCie 12big Rack Fibre’s Advanced Power Management feature and disk verify feature help ensure archived data is duly available upon the customer’s request.

While data security and integrity – even over a long period – is ensured, together with significant power saving features, the 12big Rack portfolio doesn’t compromise on performance. The LaCie 12big Rack Fibre supports a dual Active/Active controllers option and allows up to six streams of 4:2:2 uncompressed HD video. As such, the LaCie 12big Rack Fibre enables video-intensive users to edit uncompressed video streams on storage networks; the LaCie 12big Rack Serial is able to achieve similar performance as direct attached storage. Alternatively, the LaCie 12big Rack Network supports link teaming (IEEE 802.3ad) of its dual gigabit connections, allowing users to host critical backups, file sharing or archiving.

Every storage enclosure is expandable through Mini SAS (SFF-8088) connections, and can support up to four daisy-chained 2U expansion enclosures depending on the 12big Rack product. Available with an impressive list of compatibilities, in terms of fibre channels switches, fiber channel HBAs, and RAID controllers, the LaCie 12big Rack portfolio has been designed to offer a diverse feature-set and comes with the LaCie Advance Care Option to provide customers with extra peace of mind.

For more information regarding specific features and capabilities, please visit http://www.lacie.com.

Availability

LaCie 12big Rack products will be available in various models through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+ and LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of $5,490.00 (excluding VAT).

About LaCie

Located in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is listed on Euronext under FR0000054314 (LAC). For more information, visit www.lacie.com

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Contact LaCie

Press Inquiries: Kimberly Myers, 503-844-4578, kmyers@lacie.com

Sales Inquiries: Direct Sales, 503-844-4500 option 2, sales@lacie.com

Reseller Sales, 503-844-4500 option 3, sales@lacie.com

1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending upon operating environment (typically 5–10% less).

HP Introduces First Professional Workstation with Six-core AMD Opteron Processor

kiley.wiedeman@ar-edelman.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:09:42 +0000

PALO ALTO, Calif., July 1, 2009 – HP today announced the immediate integration of the highly anticipated Six-Core AMD Opteron™ 2400 Series processor into the award-winning family of HP Workstations.

Ideal for high-end workstation applications in fields such as engineering, 3-D digital content creation, oil and gas, and science, the HP xw9400 Workstation taps the power of the new AMD Opteron processors to deliver higher productivity, especially for multi-threaded applications, multi-tasking and mega-tasking environments.

With the built-in engineering advantages of HP’s highly tuned workstations, the HP xw9400 Workstation can accommodate up to two Six-Core AMD Opteron processors – for a total of 12 cores – each of which offers up to 34 percent more performance per watt(1) over the previous-generation quad-core processors.

“HP understands the immense pressure its customers are under to deliver more return on investment in a shorter period of time,” said Jeff Wood, director, Worldwide Marketing, Workstations, HP. “By providing the most extreme combination of technologies – up to 12 cores in one workstation – HP continues its commitment to bringing customers leading-edge technologies.”

AMD HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology (HT3) increases interconnect rates from 2 gigatransfers per second (GT/s) up to a maximum 4.8 GT/s, allowing the entire system to provide superior performance. Additionally, the HP xw9400 can be configured with the ATI FirePro V7750 3-D workstation graphics accelerator.

“The Six-Core AMD Opteron processor delivers top-line performance with no compromise in feature sets across the product line,” said John Fruehe, director, Business Development, Server Workstation Business, AMD. “Including the Six-Core AMD Opteron processor and ATI FirePro V7750 3-D workstation graphics accelerator in the powerful HP xw9400 Workstation offers customers an optimal combination of computing performance and high-end graphics capability.“

The HP xw9400 Workstation is registered as an Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT™) Gold product, the highest rating available. All HP workstations are more than 90 percent recyclable by weight and incorporate a tool-less chassis design for quick and easy upgrades by hand. The HP xw9400 workstation includes an 80 PLUS power supply, which is substantially more efficient than a standard power supply, reducing both overall energy usage and the amount of waste heat released into the environment.

Companies use HP Workstations to design everything from running shoes to race cars, animated characters to deep-sea submersibles, and to manage everything from billions of dollars of tradable securities to mission-critical IT environments.

The HP xw9400 Workstation starts at a U.S. list price of $1,899(2) and is available for purchase at www.hp.com/go/workstations.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, provides printing and personal computing products and IT services, software and solutions that simplify the technology experience for consumers and businesses. HP completed its acquisition of EDS on Aug. 26, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.

(1) AMD Opteron processor Model 2435 (SPECpower_ssj 2008 overall 1,297 ssj_ops/watt; 501,246 ssj_ops at 287 watts at 100 percent target load) compared to AMD Opteron processor Model 2382 (SPECpower_ssj 2008 overall 970 ssj_ops/watt; 376,878 ssj_ops at 272 watts at 100 percent target load). ZT Systems 1224R Datacenter Server, HT1, 16GB (4×4GB DDR2-800) memory, 80GB SATAII SSD, 400W Sparkle Power Int’l LTD SPI4001UG power supply, Microsoft Windows® Server 2008 Enterprise SP1 64-bit.

(2) Estimated U.S. list price. Actual price may vary.

AMD Opteron and AMD HyperTransport are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; any statements regarding anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its customers, suppliers and partners; the achievement of expected operational and financial results; and other risks that are described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2009 and HP’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2008. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

© 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

RENEGADE ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIPS

stefen@maroonpr.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:33:58 +0000

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – Renegade, an advertising and production agency with in-house facilities, is proud to announce that GREY ADKINS has been selected to receive the Renegade Spirit Scholarship in honor of Jennifer Leo Stine. LINDSEY GILES and MELISSA K. LONSDALE have been selected to receive the Susan A. Watkins Scholarship, which was created by Renegade CEO and President Tim Watkins and his wife Susan.

Adkins recently graduated Towson with a bachelor’s degree in electronic media and film. He was selected for the award because of his strong passion for film and production. Prior to enrolling at Towson, Adkins served four years with the United States military. The scholarship money allowed him to produce some of his films while in school.

“We’re very proud to present Grey, Lindsey and Melissa with these scholarships,” said Tim Watkins. “We believe in helping talented individuals reach their goals. We hope that these scholarships will help aid Grey, Lindsey and Melissa on their way to promising futures.”

The Renegade Spirit Scholarship in honor of Jennifer Leo Stine was created in 2000 and is given annually to individuals that have shown ambition, commitment to education and resemble the spirit of Renegade – creativity, purpose and persistence. The scholarship is named after Renegade Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Jennifer Leo Stine, who graduated Towson in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications. Stine is also a member of the Towson University Executive Club.

“I have always valued the internship program at Renegade. I was hired after my internship and I really believe in giving back,” said Stine. “Towson University has given a lot to Renegade and students alike. A number of our past interns we’ve hired have become employees upon graduation.”

“The Renegade Spirit Scholarship is one of our favorite scholarships to give, not just because the award amount is generous but because it allows us to pick a student who demonstrates the “Renegade” Spirit,” said Jennifer Lackey, the scholarship coordinator for the department of electronic media and film. “Many students drawn to our department have the kind of drive and non-conformity that doesn’t always get recognized, so it’s very important to us and very beneficial to our students here at Towson University to have the Renegade Spirit Scholarship.”

The Susan A. Watkins Scholarship was created last year and is awarded to students showing excellence in the field of occupational therapy/occupational science. Tim and Susan have been active and committed members within the autism community and have worked to promote education and awareness. They felt that this scholarship was another way to give back. The award is typically given to candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to children with disabilities. Melissa Lonsdale and Lindsey Giles are both students in Towson’s Occupational Therapy Program.

Lonsdale is an incoming Towson senior and majors in occupational therapy. She has shown a strong dedication to academics, earning a place on Towson’s Dean’s List.

Giles, an Abingdon native, earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Penn State University before currently pursuing a master’s degree in occupational therapy at Towson. She is scheduled to complete the program in 2010 and has shown incredible drive for excellence during her academic career.

ABOUT RENEGADE (www.GetRenegade.com)

Based in Hunt Valley, Md., Renegade is an advertising agency with in-house production and post production facilities. Clients of Renegade include: Comcast, Time Warner, DEWALT, Ripken Baseball, Hair Club for Men and Women and Towson University. Renegade offers its clients a wide variety of services, including Strategic Planning, Creative Development, Production, Post Production, Motion Graphics, Interactive, Training, Design, Print Design & Fulfillment and more. In its 25,000 square foot facility, Renegade houses a 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art studio that features a 3,000 square foot sound stage and six HD edit suites. Renegade’s Agency Confessional Blog can be found at http://adagencyconfessional.blogspot.com/

# # #

CONTACT(s):

Chris Daley

Maroon PR

410-442-1221

Chris@MaroonPR.com

Taylor Armstrong

Renegade

410-667-1400

tarmstrong@getrenegade.com

Blackmagic Design Support for OpenGear with 8 New Converters

Victoria Battison — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:19:11 +0000

Blackmagic Design announced support for the OpenGear™ standard for rack mount converters and processing products with the introduction of 8 new OpenGear converters at NAB 2009.

These converters’ features are virtually identical to Blackmagic Design’s popular Mini Converter range, and the new OpenGear Converter range include models for analog video, HDMI, audio and optical fiber to and from SDI.

Installable in any OpenGear standard rack mount enclosure, all converters support OpenGear’s DashBoard network based control and include USB ports for any future firmware updates. All converters will autoswitch between SD, HD and 3 gb/s SDI.

Blackmagic OpenGear Converters include powerful processing that can be upgraded via the USB port on the front of each card. The SDI to Analog model features a high quality HD down converter that supports letterbox, anamorphic 16:9 and center cut 4:3 modes.

Because Blackmagic OpenGear Converters fully support the OpenGear rack standard, they are compatible with a wide range of third party equipment from OpenGear partners worldwide.

First shown at NAB 2009, these converters allow facilities to build larger rackmount installations without being locked into a proprietary rack standard. This product is suited to production facilities or mobile production trucks where rackmount devices are in use and where the facility standardizes on the use of OpenGear for greatest compatibility.

The products are shipping immediately at USD $495 each from authorized Blackmagic Design resellers worldwide.

The OpenGear Converters will allow users to build larger facilities where most equipment is rack mounted.

OpenGear Converter Models:

• SDI to Analog - Converts SDI to component/s-video/composite and AES/EBU or analog audio.

• Analog to SDI - Converts component/s-video/composite and AES/EBU or analog audio to SDI.

• SDI to HDMI - Converts SDI to HDMI video and audio.

• HDMI to SDI - Converts HDMI video and audio to SDI.

• SDI to Audio - De-Embeds from SDI to 4 ch analog or 8 ch of AES/EBU audio.

• Audio to SDI - Embeds 4 ch analog or 8 ch AES/EBU audio to SDI. Includes sample rate converters.

• Optical Fiber - Converts SDI to optical fiber SDI and optical fiber SDI to SDI. Bi-directional.

• Sync Generator - Outputs 10 black burst or tri-sync reference outputs.

For further information, please visit www.blackmagic-design.com.

DANISH PARLIAMENT VOTES FOR SSL GRAVITY

Nicole Smith — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:28:56 +0000

Gravity Provides Advanced Features and Ease of Use for New Danish Parliament TV Asset Management System

BEGBROKE, OXFORD, UK — A state-of-the-art SSL Gravity MAM (Media Asset Management) system coupled to a Snell automation system will be instrumental in bringing Danish Parliament TV to the digital terrestrial network when national digital switchover occurs on November 1, 2009. (more…)

Stage Research To Present SFX Super-Session, Summer ‘09 Stagecraft Institute Of Las Vegas

David Steinberg — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:27:06 +0000

Stage Research, show sound and lighting software designers, will be providing a day of SFX training to students on July 15th at the Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas (SILV) Experience-Based Technical Theatre Training Program (now in its 3rd year).

The information-packed, 8-week (June/July) 2009 course curricula will cover every aspect of stage-show arts and sciences, from drafting/CAD and rigging to sound, special effects and more.

The core of the program will feature heads-up, hands-on SFX software training with Stage Research’s own Carlton Guc. This session will explore the depths and mechanics of SFX (staged music-and-sound playback technology), as well as the diverse applications it’s suited to. Also to be introduced is the new ShowBuilder 6 with an emphasis on designing the Sound System.

From Broadway and concerts to exhibits and events, SFX (now in its re-worked version 6.2) brings ease, convenience and flexibility to the design and production of memorable live-show soundtracks worldwide.

SILV’s Sound Technology SFX class (laptop required) includes literature, software and lunch. Worth 3 college credits, it promises to be an exciting venture into what makes this premium software tick, literally and figuratively. If you aren’t enrolled, see you next year!

About SFX

SFX is found at all levels of theater from academics to the pros. Professional theaters use the software to create reliable and enriched soundscapes and it has been employed in many award-winning shows, including several Tony Award winners. The academic stage (elementary education through college) and amateur theater appreciate SFX for the high quality of shows it can create and because it can be easily run by novice operators. Students using SFX get the added benefit of learning the software they will most likely work with when they enter the theatrical job market.

SFX 6 provides features that no other product can. It enables designers to refine and create effects on-site rather than having to shuttle back and forth between a studio and performance space. This affords the freedom to optimize sound designs for the acoustics of the space and other components of the performance. SFX 6’s newly rewritten audio engine frees the need for an OS playback engine for hassle-free mixing and placement of audio. SFX 6 features an intuitive user-interface and can be programmed to run complex events with little or no user input.

About Stage Research

Stage Research is the developer of SFX, SoftPlot, LightFactory, ShowBuilder and other audio and lighting software. For more information, call 888-267-0859 or visit www.stageresearch.com.