PRODUCTION RESOURCE GROUP
Production Resource Group (PRG) Acquires Paskal Lighting
Armonk, NY — Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology headquartered in New York, announced today that it has acquired Paskal Lighting, a US-based lighting, grip and expendables company.
Founded in 1988, Paskal Lighting has served the motion picture and television industries for over 20 years, with one of the largest inventories of lighting and grip equipment, as well as a fleet of production vehicles capable of accommodating any size production throughout the United States.
Paskal Lighting will operate under its own brand name, as a full member company of the PRG group, with Evan Green continuing in his role as President. “Paskal will continue to service our long time loyal customers as we always have, and will now have the additional support and strength of the PRG organization to further achieve our goals.” Green commented.
“The acquisition of Paskal Lighting brings us a like-minded company dedicated to customer service and solution-based technologies,” said Scott Hansen, President & CEO, Corporate & Trade Show, TV & Film, North America. “Paskal’s expert production teams will add significant depth to our Film and Television division. Both companies will continue to provide the cutting-edge technology and expert support that today’s filmmakers and broadcasters demand.”
“Evan and his staff at Paskal are highly regarded in the industry and we are very pleased to welcome them to the PRG family,” added Jere Harris, PRG Chairman and CEO.
For more information on Paskal Lighting, please visit www.paskal.com.
AbelCine and Ianiro UK Now Dealers for PRG TruColor™ Foton™ Lighting Fixture
Secaucus, NJ—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology, is pleased to announce that AbelCine is now a North American dealer for the award-winning PRG TruColor™ Foton™ lighting fixture for the film, TV and photography industries. AbelCine, a supplier of professional film and digital equipment with facilities in New York City, Burbank, CA and Chicago, IL, has added the Foton to its line of lighting products that it offers its clientele.
Mitch Gross, Applications Specialist and Product Manager for Lighting, AbelCine, said, “When I saw what PRG was developing with the Foton, specifically the concept of remote phosphor technology, it really struck me as very forward thinking and something outside the current norm. It is more power efficient; it is more heat efficient; the trueness of the color is more accurate at the start and will remain more accurate over the lifespan of the light.”
The Foton’s unique incorporation of remote phosphor technology allows it to achieve a CRI of more than 95 with a nearly continuous light spectrum previously unattainable from traditional LED sources. It was designed specifically to eliminate the color-accuracy issues inherent in LED lighting for film and television production. The Foton is also completely flicker-free at any frame rate, silent, waterproof, and generates almost no heat. Power consumption is less than 30 watts and is available in either AC (90-305 VAC) or DC (12-40 VDC) models. The Foton currently matches tungsten sources. Daylight models will be available in early 2012.
Local dimming from 0-100% is achieved with negligible shift in Correlated Color Temperature. The Foton AC unit also allows for output control though an external dimmer. Foton utilizes a bayonet-style system for attachments to alter the beam characteristics. The unit ships with three open-face reflectors, providing 20º, 40º and 60º beam angles in a single-source hard-edged light. With the 20º reflector, the Foton delivers over 400 Lux at three meters. Barn doors and color frames are also available.
In Europe, Ianiro UK Ltd. will be distributing the PRG Foton. “The Foton will be welcomed by everyone from ENG cameramen shooting outdoors in European drizzle to filmmakers facing wintry mountain conditions. Its small size, high output and low power consumption means it will also be a welcome addition for specialist crews working underground, in disaster zones or desert environments,” said Nick Allen-Miles, Managing Director, Ianiro UK.
Both AbelCine and Ianiro UK look forward to being among the first to provide remote phosphor lighting to the creative community. Already recognized by many in the industry as a groundbreaking technology, the PRG Foton was awarded the 2011 Cine Gear Expo Technical Award in the Lighting category.
For more information on the Foton, please visit: www.prg.com/product/foton
About AbelCine
Established as AbelCine Tech in 1989, AbelCine is a leading supplier of professional film and digital equipment with facilities in New York City, Burbank, CA and Chicago, IL. Core services include equipment sales, rental, technical service, digital media services and training. The company is the North American agent for Phantom high-speed cameras, as well as a Sony Solutions Reseller, Panasonic Specialty Reseller, Arri digital camera reseller and the exclusive US agent for Aaton motion picture cameras. The company is also the first Carl Zeiss Authorized Service Partner in the Americas. In 2011, the company launched its rebranding as AbelCine, to reflect its expanded role in the marketplace.
For more information on AbelCine, visit www.abelcine.com
About Ianiro UK, Ltd.
Ianiro UK is a partly owned subsidiary of the Rome Factory and distributes internationally lighting and lighting accessories, camera support equipment, dollies, tracks, cranes and jib arms. Ianiro UK has a network of dealers and distributors throughout Europe that serve the film, broadcast and video industry. Known for the sale and rental of lighting equipment and accessories, while developing at the same time the production of portable fixtures for the industry.
For more information on Ianiro UK, visit www.ianirouk.com
PRG Debuts Best Boy 4000™ Spot and More at LDI 2011
Secaucus, NJ—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), will launch the highly anticipated Best Boy 4000™ Spot Luminaire at LDI 2011, the leading live entertainment technology trade show held in Orlando from October 28 through October 30. Attendees will be the first to see the “all-in-one” Best Boy, a 20,000+ lumen, 700-watt fixture with an all-inclusive feature set and no compromises in performance.
Other products in the PRG booth, #1127, include the PRG V676™ and V476™ Lighting Control Consoles and the new Mbox Director™ application that allows remote control or offline editing of the Mbox EXtreme® media server. Along with PRG’s award-winning proprietary products, will be the ChamSys MagicQ MQ100 Console and ChainMaster ¼, ½ and 1-ton capacity Fixed Speed Motors. In addition, there will be the new PRG Nocturne V-18 LED Video Modules, a product that is quickly becoming the most widely specified LED screen in the industry. This screen offers superior imaging in 18mm resolution that is lightweight, flexible and easy to install.
The PRG Demo Room, #S230G, will offer in-depth demonstrations of the new Best Boy 4000 Spot, the Mbox Director, the V676 Control Console and the new and extremely flexible PRG Rolling Deck. The PRG Commander™ Automation Console that was used for the innovative scenic effects on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and the 2011 Academy Awards will also be on hand. In addition, PRG will show the OHM™ Light, an LED Softlight, and the Foton™ Light, a new fixture that uses innovative cold-phosphor technology for film and television applications.
Be sure to stop by both the PRG Booth #1127 and the PRG Demo Room #S230G and see all that PRG has to offer.
PRG OHM™ Digital Spacelight Now Available
Armonk, NY— Production Resource Group L.L.C. (PRG) announced today that the PRG OHM™ Light is in full production and is now available in quantity for purchase.
The highly efficient LED-based OHM Light, developed by PRG in conjunction with Gekko Technology, is designed specifically to replace the traditional spacelights used on many motion picture and television sets. As a viable color corrected source, the OHM Light has a similar lumen output to a tungsten spacelight, with over 80% reduction in power and HVAC requirements. The fixture can operate on 110-240 VAC, using only 500 watts of power.
“We have shown the OHM Light to many DPs, gaffers and studio managers and have been very pleased with the positive response,” said Brian Edwards, General Manager, PRG Los Angeles. “We are excited to announce the production of the units in quantity and that we now have the OHM in stock. Any project or studio wishing to control costs by saving power will see an immediate and significant operational savings by using the OHM, without sacrificing the quality of light or creative flexibility.”
The OHM actively monitors the light output to create accurate white light between 2,900K and 6,500K, with a CRI rating greater than 92 @ 3,200K. The unit can be easily and precisely tuned to the desired color temperature either locally or remotely via DMX. Powered by Gekko’s kleer colour® technology, the LED arrays incorporate closed-loop optical and thermal feedback to preserve color consistency over the 20,000-hour life of the unit. This ensures an excellent match with other OHM units as well as other traditional light sources. Unlike other spacelights, the color temperature of the OHM will not vary throughout the dimming range and requires no warm-up time to reach the desired color temperature. The OHM can be rigged with a traditional single-point hanging assembly or with a yoke mount for lighting green screens, replacing skypans or operating on a stand. The OHM Light has ETL certification with testing to CE and FCC Class A requirements and is RoHS compliant.
For more information on the OHM Light, please visit http://www.prg.com/product/prg-ohm-light.
Production Resource Group (PRG) Acquires Nocturne Productions
Armonk, NY—June 2, 2011—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology headquartered in New York, has acquired Nocturne Productions, Inc., the leading concert touring video production service company, through PRG’s wholly owned subsidiary, PRG Nocturne Productions Inc. The announcement was made jointly by PRG Chairman & CEO Jeremiah “Jere” Harris, PRG Chief Operating Officer Kevin Baxley, and Nocturne Productions co-CEO Bob Brigham.
PRG Nocturne Productions will continue to serve Nocturne’s clients from Nocturne’s existing location, as well as from PRG’s depots throughout the world. Effective immediately, Nocturne will begin operating under the name PRG Nocturne Productions Inc. with Bob Brigham and Ron Proesel as Co-Presidents and with Paul Becher continuing in his present leadership role as Executive Vice President.
Nocturne is the world’s premiere concert touring video service company with clients such as Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Madonna, Eagles, Van Halen, Metallica, KISS, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Ricky Martin, Janet Jackson, Elton John, Tim McGraw, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nickelback, Kid Rock, NKOTBSB, James Taylor, Sting, Nine Inch Nails, Carrie Underwood, Def Leppard, Linkin Park, Alice in Chains, Blue Man Group, Michael Bublé, Glee Live!, Journey, Earth, Wind & Fire and many others. “PRG and Nocturne share a core philosophy of offering the highest level of customer support combined with providing the latest cutting edge technology. Our companies have been on the same tours and shared clients for years, so combining forces is a logical next step,” said Bob Brigham.
“PRG has been growing our video offerings, primarily in the corporate and large event markets and with Nocturne, we will be able to offer our concert touring clients access to the highest quality video and LED equipment and the best crews,” said Baxley. “Many of our clients want a single source solution with experts knowledgeable across the market sectors and so we will continue to offer both bundled and individual services.”
“Over the years, we’ve admired Nocturne’s strong leadership and their truly innovative production solutions and we feel very fortunate to have Bob, Ron and Paul join our management team,” said Harris.
Production Resource Group (PRG) Acquires SHOWTEC
Armonk, NY—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology headquartered in New York, announced today that it has acquired SHOWTEC Beleuchtungs- und Beschallungs GmbH, the Europe-based event technology company.
SHOWTEC will operate under its own brand-name, as a full member company of the PRG group, with Wilfried Schiefer and Ralf Richrath continuing in their present leadership roles.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Cologne, Germany and subsidiaries in Berlin and Munich, SHOWTEC is a leading supplier of state-of-the-art lighting, audio, plus a broad range of LED equipment to a wide range of market segments including trade fairs and expositions, public and corporate events, concert tours and television productions.
“SHOWTEC has an excellent reputation in the industry for maintaining the highest standards of quality for its equipment and services,” said PRG Chairman & CEO Jeremiah “Jere” Harris. “Their seasoned management team and experienced production staff will add depth to our organization and we are proud to welcome them to the PRG family.”
Wilfried Schiefer said, “This was a logical move for us, as both SHOWTEC and PRG are committed to providing integrated services (audio, video, lighting) to our clients on a global basis. We are particularly pleased that our clients will now benefit from the depth of our combined inventories, including the many innovative PRG proprietary products, as well as the wide geographic reach of PRG.”
PRG Presents the PRG LEA Stage in the Festhalle at Prolight + Sound
Secaucus, NJ — At this year’s Prolight + Sound trade show, April 6th – 9th, the Production Resource Group (PRG) exhibition will encompass the entire main hall of the Frankfurt fairground, Festhalle. The 32,000+ sq. ft. venue will also be the location for the official Prolight + Sound opening evening event and the PRG Live Entertainment Award (PRG LEA) on April 5th. PRG will be providing all the production support for the night’s celebration of the German entertainment industry.
During the entire Prolight + Sound trade show, visitors to the PRG Festhalle exhibit will be immersed in a complete live event production environment that will allow them to experience PRG’s unparalleled ability to integrate complex systems using state of the art technology. Showcased on the 4,300 sq. ft. PRG LEA Stage will be integrated lighting, sound and video demonstrations several times each hour. Attendees at the ‘behind the scenes’ exhibit can learn about the market segments PRG serves and speak with market experts in Corporate & Trade Show, TV & Film, Concert Touring, Theatre, Special Events and Sales & Integration. Also on hand will be representatives from PRG’s Used Equipment and Distribution divisions as well as a Human Resources area for applicants to learn about job opportunities and training programs. Freelance technicians can even submit their information in the form of a questionnaire directly into the PRG database.
PRG will be exhibiting its proprietary products, including the Bad Boy® luminaire, the V676™ control console and Mbox EXtreme® media server. Product experts will be on hand to provide in-depth demonstrations of all products.
The V676 control console offers extraordinary speed, both in programming and responsiveness, as well as innovative interface advancements in hardware layout and software design. The V676 is quickly becoming the console of choice by programmers throughout the industry and was used on the 2010 Winter Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the Emmy Awards, the Oscars and the Grammy Awards, as well as the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest; The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour; and on Broadway on Fela!, The Addams Family and Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark.
The Mbox EXtreme media server is designed to give users powerful and flexible control by working seamlessly with up to twelve layers of content. Users have the ability to transition content on the same layer and have a content resolution of up to 1080p (1920 x 1080).
The 48,000 lumen Bad Boy spot luminaire has been featured on many high profile concert tours, television and film productions including the U2 360º tour, the Jay-Z & Eminem Home & Home Stadium Shows, the 2010 Winter Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and the feature film Iron Man 2.
For more information on PRG LEA, please visit www.lea2011.de/en/inhalt/start_en.htm
About PRG LEA – The Live Entertainment Award has been given since 2006 for outstanding achievements in the event sector of the German-speaking countries. The PRG LEA showcases the people behind the scenes of stage entertainment, e.g., promoters, managers, agents and venue operators. The aim of the presentation is to spotlight the wealth of variety that distinguishes the German event scene in the field of live entertainment.
Production Resource Group (PRG) To Acquire Bytecraft
Armonk, New York—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), a leading global supplier of entertainment and event technology solutions headquartered in New York, has announced that it will acquire the business and assets of Australian-based Bytecraft Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Staging Connections Group Limited. PRG chairman and CEO Jeremiah “Jere” Harris and Bytecraft Managing Director Stephen Found today jointly announced the acquisition, which will be completed by the end of March. Stephen Found will continue in a leadership role with the company.
Founded in 1984, with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, Bytecraft Entertainment has a long history of technical excellence. The company specializes in supplying lighting, drapery, and Superscreen LED systems for large-scale events, as well as theater, television, theme parks, gaming venues and large outdoor sporting events. Bytecraft Entertainment’s clients include: the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Formula 1 Grand Prix, and concert tours for Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Linkin Park, Robbie Williams, Kiss, Cher, and Pink.
“This acquisition will be hugely beneficial to our customers,” said Found. “PRG’s global reach, depth of inventory and technical expertise will provide many opportunities for our existing clients.”
“PRG is a truly global brand,” said Harris. “ With the acquisition of Bytecraft, we will be able to better serve our existing client’s needs in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Bytecraft and PRG have similar philosophies—both companies provide a multidiscipline, integrated product to our clients. With the addition of Bytecraft, PRG continues to respond to our clients’ desire for a single source solution—audio, video, lighting, scenic, rigging and automation—with experts knowledgeable across market sectors.”
For more information on Bytecraft Entertainment, please visit www.bytecraftentertainment.com.
PRG Launches Media Services Group with Acquisition of Pow! Pix
Armonk, New York – Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), a leading entertainment and event technology company, announced today that it has acquired New York-based Pow! Pix. The acquisition marks PRG’s entry into the rental of post-production equipment and services, specializing in on-site editing for live events and other broadcasts.
For over 15 years, Emmy award-winning Pow! Pix has provided equipment and engineering services to clients such as ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO and MTV. Projects include: The Daily Show/The Colbert Report, Olympic venues, the Super Bowl, reality shows, game shows, corporate events such as product launches and numerous documentaries. Post-production facilities in central New York City include seven state-of-the-art editing suites, and two mix rooms – one of which is a Dolby HD 5.1 Surround Sound mix room. Pow! Pix principal, Bob Barzyk will continue with the company as Vice President of Post-production.
“This is a huge opportunity for us. Pow! Pix clients will benefit from PRG’s global reach and massive resources. PRG has frequently provided audio reinforcement, video displays, lighting and other services on the same events where Pow! Pix was providing remote editing and live streaming services, so we are now in a unique position to bundle our services,” said Barzyk.
PRG Vice President Mike Perrone said, “For some time, PRG has been interested in developing a media services division to offer remote editing equipment and services to our live event clients. In addition, our clients increasingly require streaming of their events, which we can now provide. Pow! Pix has an excellent reputation in these areas, as well as in creative and workflow consulting. With the launch of PRG Media Services, we can now offer these services globally or from our post production facility in New York City or from any of our locations in North America, Europe and Asia.”
For more information on PRG Media Services, please visit media.prg.com.
Contact us via email: media@prg.com or phone: +1 (212) 589-5499
Production Resource Group Acquires EML Productions in Europe
Armonk, NY – Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), a leading supplier of entertainment technology services headquartered in New York, has acquired First Events BVBA. A major Europe-based entertainment technology company, First Event’s holdings include EML Productions NV in Belgium, EML Productions Holland BV in The Netherlands and Sound and Light Productions S.L. in Spain. PRG Chairman & CEO Jeremiah “Jere” Harris and EML Director Jan Van Malder made the joint announcement of the acquisition through MEL Holding BVBA, a subsidiary of PRG.
This acquisition will extend PRG’s European presence into new territories, including the Netherlands and Spain, as well as significantly reinforce their existing activities in Belgium. “Today, PRG’s local presence in mainland Europe gets even stronger,” noted Harris. “With EML joining PRG, we will continue to provide our services globally with an emphasis on local support.”
Founded in 1979, EML has grown considerably over the past 30+ years providing lighting and sound services for a wide range of markets, including concerts, tours, festivals, fashion and trade shows, corporate, and special events. EML’s outstanding reputation in these markets is thanks to an internationally-recognized team of experts as well as the high quality equipment offered, including a large inventory of automated luminaires (featuring Vari*Lite products) and a wide range of audio solutions.
“I am confident that this acquisition will create a great opportunity for both PRG and EML as well as for all of our customers who will now have access to the wide range of services offered by PRG,” Van Malder stated. “Like PRG, EML has built its reputation on offering the very highest level of customer support combined with the latest cutting edge technology.”
For more information on EML, please visit www.eml-productions.com
PRG Names Ian Clarke Chief Technology Officer
Armonk, New York – Production Resource Group (PRG), has announced the promotion of Ian Clarke to Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Clarke is currently serving as Head of Technical Services, in Birmingham, UK.
Clarke began his entertainment industry career as a stagehand in Plymouth, UK. In 1984 he joined Light & Sound Design Ltd. (LSD) as a touring lighting technician working throughout Europe. After a break, during which he graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in electronic engineering, he helped pioneer the development of the company’s Icon series of moving lights and hoist control system. He also managed the team of engineers responsible for the Icon M lighting fixture, which was the first luminaire to be based on digital projection technology.
Since PRG merged with VLPS in 2004, Clarke has been involved in the design of the Mbox Extreme® range of media servers, the Bad Boy® luminaire and more recently the LED-based OHM™ fixture. In 2009, he was made Head of Technical Services, based in Longbridge in the UK. In his new role, he will be based in Dallas, Texas.
“Ian is an industry veteran with unmatched experience. PRG has a strong commitment to product innovation and the development of integrated entertainment technologies, which will continue under Ian’s direction, “said Jere Harris, PRG’s Chairman and CEO.
“There is no one better qualified than Ian Clarke to lead PRG’s technology group,” said Rusty Brutsché, Vice Chairman, PRG. “He has been a valuable member of our R&D team and has a long history developing successful products.”
PRG Acquires Innovative Event Production
Armonk, New York — Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), a leading entertainment and event technology company, announced today that it has purchased Washington, DC-based Innovative Event Production (IEP). The acquisition reinforces PRG’s position as the foremost provider of client services, equipment and technology solutions in the entertainment, meetings and events industry.
For over 15 years, IEP has provided equipment and services to the event industry, including Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, government agencies and non-profits. Patrick Hand, IEP’s Chief Executive Officer, and Kevin Ponchock, IEP’s President, will continue in their leadership roles with the company.
“IEP has always been a full-service multi-discipline company, just as PRG is, so it is a great fit for us. In joining forces with PRG, our clients can benefit from expanded product offerings and a wider geographic reach. We look forward to growing PRG’s presence in the corporate events market,” said Hand.
PRG’s Scott Hansen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Corporate and Trade Show Americas, said, “IEP’s seasoned management team and experienced production staff will add significant depth to our Corporate and Trade Show division and give us an enhanced presence in the Washington, DC market and surrounding area. With the addition of IEP, PRG continues to respond to our clients’ desire to purchase a single source solution — audio, video, lighting, computers and staging — with experts knowledgeable across market sectors.”
For more information on PRG, please visit prg.com.
PRG Project Receives Thea Award
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has announced the 17th Annual Thea Award Recipients. The awards, for the themed entertainment industry, celebrate excellence in the creation of compelling places and guest experiences.
Science Storms, Museum of Science & Industry, Chicago USA will receive the award for Outstanding Achievement. PRG worked on two of the massive interactive elements in the exhibit—a 40-foot tornado and a 20-foot avalanche disk. For more about this project, click here
PRG and Macy’s Reveal a New Holiday Window
Macy’s will unveil a new window display today at the Herald Square flagship store. PRG was hired to build the design which encompasses six Broadway-facing windows. Click here to read more and see a video about the build.
PRG Helps to Make the JayZ/Eminem Shows Great
PRG provided equipment and services for the recent JayZ/Eminem shows in Detroit and New York.
Click here for more info about the shows.
PRG and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games
Read about PRG’s involvement in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games. The opening ceremonies included the world’s largest floating stage. Click Here
Gekko Technology Wins Two Awards at IBC2010
New Windsor, New York — At this year’s IBC2010 exhibition in Amsterdam, Gekko Technology, a leading provider of LED-based luminaires for film and television that are distributed in North America by Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG), received two awards recognizing their innovation in technology.
Gekko’s kleer colour® LED-based multichip array technology received an International Association of Broadcast Manufacturers Award for Excellence in Design & Innovation. The IABM’s prestigious awards are given for design, innovation and recognition of products and solutions that significantly aid the evolution of the broadcast and media technology worlds.
“Our kleer colour technology adds precise control of color temperature without the need to gel the fixtures,” noted Gekko’s founder and Managing Director David Amphlett. “Using software control, kleer colour is capable of generating high quality whites as well as different colors and a closed feedback loop ensures color stability across varying ambient temperatures.”
In addition, Gekko’s kezia 50 and 200 hard-source LED luminaires, both of which incorporate kleer colour technology, received a Pick Hit award from Broadcast Engineering magazine. The judges for this award are readers of the publication who are also working professionals in the broadcast industry. “Film and television lighting directors are increasingly progressing to LED-based systems for reasons of consistent performance, inherent robustness, cool operation and outstanding power efficiency,” commented Amphlett.
PRG distributes the full line of Gekko Technology’s energy efficient LED-based luminaires as part of the wide range of cutting edge technology and services that PRG provides the film and television industry, including many
proprietary product innovations including the brand new PRG OHM™ light which uses the kleer colour technology and is a 1-to-1 replacement of traditional spacelights with significant energy savings and unprecedented versatility of color temperature control.
PRG has supplied products and services including lighting, video, motion control and audio to many of today’s high profile films and television shows including Iron Man 2, Get Him to the Greek, Quantum of Solace, Mamma Mia, Star Trek, Desperate Housewives and Dancing With The Stars, among others.
PRG Provides Support for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games
New Windsor, New York—Marina Bay, in the heart of Singapore, was the location for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which took place from August 14 to August 26. Creative director Ivan Heng, show producer Vernon Teo, and the artistic team that included lighting designer Koert Vermeulen of ACT Lighting Design, presented the ceremonies, which took place on the world’s largest floating platform stage with the Singapore skyline as the backdrop. Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC, said, “It was a combination of pure emotion and technical perfection in a unique setting.”
Production Resource Group (PRG) supplied the lighting and rigging equipment and technical services for the opening and closing ceremonies for this inaugural event. Vermeulen, designing his first Olympic ceremonies, was very pleased that PRG was awarded the project. He said, “This is something I could only do with PRG. They really help to solve challenges and they have an amazing amount of resources. In only two to three days they can turn around a massive amount of fixtures, which at one moment on this project was so crucial. That is the evidence of why they are the biggest company in the world for our industry.”
PRG provided a team of fifteen technical specialists who were responsible for the installation of the ceremonies lighting package with over 1,900fixtures, including the PRG Bad Boy® automated spot luminaire. “It was my first choice for the backlight. It has a great output and an incredible zoom range,” Vermeulen said.
An additional twenty PRG technical specialists travelled to Singapore to take care of the rigging and lighting at the other 18 venues, including field of play broadcast, for which PRG also provided the lighting. Lighting Designer Mike Gorman handled the lighting duties for all of the sporting venues.
The artistic and technical teams presented an unforgettable Olympic ceremonies experience for the 27,000 spectators and estimated two billion broadcast viewers. For Vermeulen, PRG was a big part of that effort. “Working with PRG was a very, very good experience,” he said. “It was really thanks to PRG that I was able to be on time and on budget without compromising the design.”
SAP’s Premiere Event Supported By PRG in Frankfurt & Florida
New Windsor, NY—SAPPHIRE NOW, a yearly global business event presented by SAP, the world’s leading provider of business software, was held simultaneously in Frankfurt, Germany and Orlando, Florida. The events highlighting SAP’s innovative business solutions were linked in real-time online and streamed between venues. Production Resource Group (PRG) supplied the lighting systems for both venues.
Utilizing a single provider for both events ensured that continuity could be easily achieved. It also guaranteed that Lighting Designer Paul Palazzo received the highest quality equipment and support for the simultaneous events. Palazzo, the LD for ten previous SAPPHIRE events, supervised the Frankfurt setup while working on-site in Orlando. “I designed the template, the whole concept of the thing and told them how to implement it from 5,000 miles away,” he said. At Messe Frankfurt, Palazzo’s design was implemented by Habegger AG, under the technical management of Eventrix AG. PRG worked closely with Habegger to provide the 170 tons of lighting and rigging technology, including 140 automated fixtures, over 2,000 conventional fixtures, close to 14,000 feet of truss and 550 motors.
The producer for the Orlando event was Joe Venturella, President of i4D Event Services, Inc. “The design approach this year emphasized SAP’s successful transformation into an agile, innovative company,” Venturella explained. Working with Palazzo and Production Designer Dana Christensen, the team created an open environment for 322 interactive demonstration stations and 269 exhibiting partners on the conference floor, as well as a 7,000-seat keynote space, satellite theatres, two TV studios, lounges and session spaces.
For the Orlando event, PRG provided the complete lighting package including 250 automated fixtures and over 3,000 conventional fixtures. PRG also supplied 740 chain hoists and over 15,000 feet of truss to rigging contractor Kish Rigging.
Palazzo noted, “The biggest challenge was just getting the sheer volume of the show accomplished in the timeframe allowed. PRG has always been very flexible; they understand what I need.”
Venturella agreed, “PRG has always been really great. Partnering with a global company such as PRG gave us the tools and resources to execute innovative ideas without compromise due to resource limitations. PRG’s support was exceptional.”
PRG’s Mbox EXtreme Populates Jay-Z Urban Landscape
New Windsor, New York—July 7, 2010—Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 tour brings together the artist’s urban edge, innovative video technology and live camera content creation that keeps Screens Director Drew Findley and Video Director Dirk Sanders on top of their game. The city skyline video wall set, designed by UVA’s Matt Clark, offers multiple video surfaces to create compelling imagery throughout the show but the real technical magic is in the complex video system. Sanders and Findley take full advantage of the capabilities afforded them by combining the Control Freak Encore DMX Bridge system with the PRG Mbox EXtreme® v3 media server. Production Resource Group (PRG) provided a five-server system for the tour which has played arenas and stadiums around the around the world.
Sanders, who manages all the live camera feeds from backstage, explained the flow of the video system. “I am responsible for the cameras and the line cut which in turn becomes a source that Drew uses for content. Drew then controls the output of the Control Freak system and the Mboxes,” he said. “The Mboxes, the cameras and the director’s line cut, are inputs into the Encore System. Encore’s output is what goes to the screens. At front of house, Drew blends the content with the cameras to create the looks and effects.”
Findley believes that this video system provides the maximum creative flexibility. “Every song is approached differently. From front-of-house, I can select what outputs are routed where. Our Encore system has 12 layers; I can take one layer and make it an Mbox and make another layer a camera. I can have multiple media servers on one surface. The power of multiple Mbox media servers is a big advantage, especially when it comes to doing effects with live cameras. There are quite a few camera effects where I need the same camera on three to five layers, all with a little bit of a different effect layered on top. If I used a single Mbox I’d be using all the processing available to get a 1920 by 1080 camera output. It becomes really useful for me to take an additional media server and put it on a layer in Encore to create a ‘content background’. I can take another Mbox and have that one do an effected camera-look. I use keying effects inside the Encore to composite the images from the multiple Mboxes. I can even take yet another Mbox and feed that back to Dirk so that he can use that content in some of his side screen cuts where he wants to mix in with some of the camera looks.”
“Drew uses my camera cuts through the Encore and Mboxes in a number of creative ways that are heavily effected,” noted Sanders. “By communicating constantly during the show I know where he is going next which allows me to get the shots set up that will work for best for each effect.” Sanders added, “It gets a little wild. Mbox has fantastic live capture capabilities so we can get cameras to the screen through Mbox and do effects directly on them. The Mbox has been really reliable and road-worthy. It has allowed the design to progress as the show has progressed.”
“Crossfading on the same layer allows me to write looks and cues without having to know exactly what look I am coming from or what look I am going to,” said Findley. “Being able to set a crossfade time while I select the video files gives us a live element to the show, just like the lighting.” Mbox has native HD-SDI, SD-SDI and DVI outputs built-in, avoiding the altered color and added frame delay caused by convertors required most other servers to format the video. In addition, it has true genlock. With other media servers you must use a convertor to genlock the output for synchronization. Mbox actually uses the genlock signal to alter the output from the computer insuring that multiple Mboxes will all draw the same frame at the same time. In addition, Mbox has native SMPTE Timecode inputs, so locking video files to SMPTE is as simple as plugging in the audio line, renaming a file and setting the play mode.
Findley’s favorite Mbox feature on the Blueprint tour has been Virtual Screen crops. “This feature is somewhat hard to explain but extremely cool if you have a number of video surfaces that will use one Mbox for playback,” he noted. “I was able to create screen crops for every tower, face of a tower, and groups of towers so I can instantly target content and cameras wherever I need them. I can define my ‘screens’ and then on a per-layer basis decide if a piece of content will playback on the whole output or just in one screen. Later I can redefine the screen layout and all my programming will update, meaning I can move my screens around in the pixelmap and I don’t have to reprogram.”
Findley has been pleased with PRG’s support throughout the tour. “PRG has upgraded the Mbox computers and the graphics cards so I am able to do quite a bit more now with the same software. The Mbox is the most complete media server solution out there and PRG’s support has been over the top throughout the tour.”
PRG Distribution Provides ChamSys MagicQ Consoles for the WWE
Dallas, Texas—For World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Production Designer Jason Robinson chose the ChamSys MagicQ 100 Pro lighting control console. Previously, Robinson had used two other consoles, but the MagicQ had the versatility and features he needed for the grueling pace of the WWE. The WWE tours year-round with live events in two cities per week, where they tape four hours and broadcast two hours of live TV. In addition, they do twelve arena shows for pay-per-view events and the massive annual WrestleMania stadium event.
“For all these different shows we take our ChamSys systems; it is not just recording a show and programming a show, but having a console that can expand and contract to whatever show we are doing and changing to completely different shows throughout the day,” said Robinson. “The ChamSys console has handled it fantastically, it has been rock solid.”
Robinson’s team, Lighting Director Jeff Wilkin, Programmer Anthony ‘Geddy’ Kordyjaka and Programmer John Buck, each work on a pair of ChamSys consoles controlling everything from standard single channel dimmers, moving lights and LEDs to multiple DMX universe needs. The built-in bitmapping of the ChamSys is a particular favorite feature. Of Buck’s use of ChamSys as media server, Robinson said, “Programming the video to the LED walls and units is something new to the WWE. Our ability to handle all of that and have a stable console that performs for us every day has been huge.”
PRG Distribution North America supplied six ChamSys MagicQ 100Pro consoles to Upstaging, Inc., the lighting supplier for the WWE tour. John Huddleston, Managing Director of Upstaging, Inc., said, “Jason Robinson is a real pro; he knows what he wants and is very creative. I think the MagicQ is a great desk. It is versatile and it is easy to use. The gear has to be first class on the WWE tour, and the ChamSys has been just that. Also, the support from PRG Distribution has been really very good.”
Robinson added, “It has been fantastic working with PRG Distribution; 24 hour service, anytime we need help or a problem, within hours we have whatever we need. They are on top of everything. Right from the start when we changed to the ChamSys, they were at Upstaging whenever we needed them.”
For more information on PRG Distribution, please visit www.prgdistribution.com.
About PRG Distribution North America—PRG Distribution distributes entertainment technology product lines from leading global manufacturers to dealers in North America, Europe and Asia. PRG Distribution North America stocks and distributes these products and parts from a dedicated warehouse in Dallas, Texas to dealers across the US and Canada.
PRG’s Proprietary Technology is the Right Match for Iron Man 2
New Windsor, New York—During principal photography, Director of Photography Matthew Libatique, ASC and Gaffer Mike Bauman turned to PRG for help with two of Iron Man 2’s largest setups. Making their feature film debut, twenty PRG Bad Boy® luminaires were a key part of the massive setup at Sepulveda Dam, the location used for the exterior of the Stark Expo. For the impressive interior sequences of the Stark Expo and the Hammer Expo, PRG provided a large LED video wall with content controlled by the PRG Mbox Extreme® v3 media server.
Bauman worked closely with PRG, testing gear for the complex setups. “We brought the Bad Boy in really, really early in the process to test it,” he said. “PRG really addressed our needs with this light and they made some custom glass for us. That was a huge benefit to us, because I don’t think that we would have gotten that kind of attention from a lot of other vendors.”
Intensity at long distances was critical for the Sepulveda Dam setup. “There was just a massive amount of area that had to be dealt with and we only had a few days for shooting there, so we had to really move very fluidly,” Bauman explained. “The Bad Boy certainly is the brightest light that you can get with the biggest amount of throw. They became an incredibly helpful element and were an incredible time saver.”
John Crimins, Additional Lighting Programmer, handled the lighting at the dam and agreed with Bauman about the Bad Boy fixtures. “The main challenge was getting backlight to throw 300ft across the set,” commented Crimins. “The Bad Boy was the superstar unit of that set. Any other unit we could put up on those walls for backlight wouldn’t work, even the 20kW’s up there fell off a lot at that distance. The punch of the Bad Boy worked out really well.” Crimins added, “I think that the Bad Boys are a great choice for film work.”
For the interior expo sequences, the film used an LED video wall instead of a green screen for the background content. The enormous curved Pixled F-11 screen was provided by PRG. Used in two separate configurations, the screens measured 70ft x30ft and 80ft x20ft. Bauman asked Lighting & Media Programmer Joshua Thatcher to choose the media server for the setup. Bauman explained, “The Mbox ended up becoming a critical player because of its use of layers, which really saved us. There was a lot of visual artwork that was getting delivered at the last minute; literally the last minute, 20 minutes before we were going to roll for that sequence. In the Mbox, Josh separated the art into layers and was able to quickly manipulate it and make it work for the screen. For the Hammer sequence, almost all of the content was created in the Mbox. The Mbox performed flawlessly. I went into this not wanting to like the Mbox; but it really blew me away.”
Thatcher agreed, “One of my concerns was that I needed the layer capabilities because on films you don’t have a lot of programming time, it has to get put together and go. With PRG’s Mbox, I got twelve layers and I could crossfade on the same layer. The layers were significant in the Hammer portion where I had to separate compiled composite content into individual pieces so I could move lettering around on the fly. It is really about finding the right tool for the job. The Mbox performed well; it definitely has a place in film work.” As far as the overall support he received from PRG, Thatcher added, “PRG is a big company but when I was dealing with the Mbox, I got one on one treatment. They got me the gear as early as I needed it and I had the personal support I needed. They took care of me very well.”
Lighting Programmer Scott Barnes, who was tasked by Bauman to layout the massive moving light rigs of the Stark/Hammer expos, worked closely with Thatcher and agreed with his assessment of PRG. “PRG is great,” he said. “The cool thing about PRG is the army of guys that are just there to help you, either at the shop or coming to the set or location. There was just a lot of support. There is never a ‘no we can’t do that’, it is always ‘yeah, we can do that; we can make that happen’. It is easy working with those guys.”
Bauman agreed, “It was the first time that I had really worked with PRG in depth, beyond renting some moving lights. They were always very accommodating. Their support was very good and it really worked out great.”
For more information on PRG, please visit prg.com.
About Production Resource Group—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology to a wide range of markets, including corporate and automotive events, concerts, special events, theatre, television and film, trade shows, and installations, such as theme parks, museums, retail stores and performing arts centers. PRG provides integrated services and equipment, including audio, video, lighting, rigging, staging, and scenery and automation systems for these markets from more than 31 offices in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
PRG Debuts Gekko’s kezia™ LED Fixtures at NAB
Los Angeles, CA—Production Resource Group (PRG) launched the Gekko Technology kezia™ range of LED spot luminaires at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas in April. PRG is the US distributor for Gekko Technology, a world leader in LED lighting systems for film and television. “We had strong interest in the Gekko equipment range from attendees at the 2010 NAB convention in Las Vegas,” says Brian Edwards, General Manager of PRG’s Los Angeles office. “The kezia received very positive reactions. Our clients, in both television and film, are very interested in maintaining high quality in their lighting as well as reducing energy consumption and the Gekko range of luminaires meets their energy needs while maintaining the desired color temperature required for proper imaging.”
The kezia, available in two models, are hard-source LED spot luminaires that offer high quality, tunable white light which eliminates the need for color correction required by other LED sources and significantly reduces the power required for lighting. The kezia unit uses Gekko’s kleer colour® LED array optimized for film and video image capture, with color temperature presets calibrated at 2,900K, 3,200K, 5,600K and 6,500K. It incorporates Gekko’s color-feedback system, which ensures consistent color temperature as ambient conditions change and as the unit ages. Unlike other lighting products, the color temperature remains constant as the light is dimmed. It also ensures that you will get the same consistent white light every time, even when using numerous kezia units.
The kezia are much more efficient than tungsten fixtures. The kezia 50 is equivalent to a 250W tungsten unit but it consumes only 50W of power; and the kezia 200 is comparable to a 1000W tungsten unit but it consumes less than 200W. Operating with a fraction of the power required by traditional lighting, kezia also produces significantly less heat and has no requirement for color correction filters. Interchangeable lenses allow either luminaire to be operated in fixed-focus mode with 20º, 60º or 80º beam angles. Unlike wash fixtures that use LEDs, the kezia spot luminaires can be accurately cut with barn doors, just like a standard tungsten light. The kezia 50 and 200 hard-source LED spot fixtures are both operable under local or DMX control.
“Our LED lighting systems deliver a uniquely powerful combination of creative freedom, accurate color temperature control and energy efficiency,” said David Amphlett, Managing Director of the UK-based Gekko Technology. “At NAB, what impressed visitors most about the Gekko products was our ability to achieve exactly the effects they require, quickly and reliably. Our systems can achieve extremely accurate color within the white spectrum and dynamic color effects that lighting directors find exciting and very usable.”
In addition, the Gekko karesslite® 6006 and karesslite 6012 Dual (daylight/tungsten switchable version) were also on display in the PRG booth. The karesslite 6012 is based on a 6×12 emitter measuring 23.6”x11.8” while the karesslite 6006 incorporates a 6×6 emitter array measuring 11.8”x11.8”. Power consumption is correspondingly halved to 40W, allowing more than three hours of continuous operation from a single rear-mountable V-Lock battery. The karesslite 6006 can be used as a single soft light source or combined with additional karesslites into a larger multiple light source. Available as daylight or tungsten, the fixture has on-board dimming as well as built-in DMX.
For more information on PRG and Gekko Technology, please visit prg.com.
About Gekko Technology Ltd.—Gekko Technology designs and manufactures LED lighting products for the global film, television and photographic industry. Gekko is committed to supporting users with innovative products, including unique functionality and the advantages of minimal weight, low power consumption and long life. High component quality and build quality are key drivers. Gekko Technology products include kisslite®, lenslite®, kicklite® and george™. Credits include Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Death Defying Acts, Mamma Mia, Golden Compass and television drama such as Desperate Housewives, Waking the Dead, New Tricks and The Commander.
About Production Resource Group—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology to a wide range of markets, including corporate and automotive events, concerts, special events, theatre, television and film, trade shows, and installations, such as theme parks, museums, retail stores and performing arts centers. PRG provides integrated services and equipment, including audio, video, lighting, rigging, staging, and scenery and automation systems for these markets from more than 31 offices in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
PRG takes the field at Super Bowl Halftime
New Windsor, New York—When the legendary rock band The Who took the stage at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL for the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show, it was the culmination of months of hard work and collaboration. “The Who is an iconic rock band known partly for a very distinctive and recognizable visual style,” commented Lighting Designer Al Gurdon. “There is a pre-existing visual ‘vocabulary’, which can inform and support the design approach.” Production Resource Group (PRG) provided the lighting package and crew for the Halftime show, one of the most intense twelve minutes in live entertainment.
Gurdon, Production Designer Bruce Rodgers and Screens/Graphics Producer Lee Lodge collaborated on the NFL Network Production with executive producer Ricky Kirshner and director Hamish Hamilton, translating that vocabulary into an integrated, cutting-edge design. “I wanted to develop the visual impact of the stage floor itself, and extend that out into the audience in a three-dimensional way,” Gurdon explained. “I wanted to create a background for camera close-ups and have the audience and the stadium itself be part of the spectacle and the set.”
Gurdon’s lighting programmer for the event was industry veteran Michael “Oz” Owen. Due to the severely limited rehearsal time on-site, Gurdon and Owen spent five days at PRG Essential Lighting’s pre-visualization studio in London, programming the show. Owen also worked with Video Content Programmer Jason Rudolph to insure that the lighting and the LEDs in the stage floor were completely synchronized. Owen and Rudolph both used PRG’s Virtuoso® control consoles. “I always prefer using a Virtuoso,” Owen said. “In Miami, I had three; one in the band/stage rehearsal tent, one in the ‘design’ cabin and one front of house. With PRG, I feel really comfortable because there is always plenty of support.”
Rudolph added, “I used the Virtuoso because it made it so easy for Oz and I to sync our cue lists. He could export his cue timings, and I could import them directly into my show and edit them as needed.” PRG also engineered a HTP (Highest Takes Precedence) data merge for the lighting and the video systems. “The merge,” explained Rudolph, “was there so that we could control the color blocks either via the media server doing pixel-mapping, or from Oz’s Virtuoso console. It gave us more programming options.”
In addition to Gurdon and Owen, the lighting team included Lighting Directors Rich Gorrod, Bob Barnhart and David Grill. Peter Radice provided additional lighting programming. Full Flood Inc. coordinated with PRG on the lighting equipment and crew. The PRG technicians supervised the volunteers who were responsible for setting up the lighting on the field. Several members of the PRG crew have participated in as many as ten Halftime shows.
Gurdon was very pleased with the results. “We had a very good rig, with no reliability problems at all. You need to know you can rely on things working. PRG was great; I work with them all the time and I find they provide great service and great crews. I always know PRG will deliver; I couldn’t ask for more from them.”
For more information on PRG, please visit prg.com.
About Production Resource Group — Production Resource Group, L.L.C., (PRG) is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment and event technology to a wide range of markets, including corporate and automotive events, concerts, special events, theatre, television and film, trade shows, and installations, such as theme parks, museums, retail stores and performing arts centers. PRG provides integrated services and equipment, including audio, video, lighting, rigging, staging, and scenery and automation systems, for these markets from more than 31 offices in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
PRG Acquires Denver-based Davis Audio Visual
New Windsor, NY—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) and Davis Audio Visual (Davis), a Denver based company, today jointly announced PRG’s acquisition of Davis. The acquisition reinforces PRG’s position as the foremost provider of client services, equipment and technology in the entertainment, meetings and events industry.
Davis, one of the oldest and most respected AV companies, provides all aspects of audiovisual and computer management services for associations and corporations throughout North America and Europe. “Davis’ resources and expertise in meetings and convention services, particularly their proprietary presentation and speaker management system, adds depth to our Corporate and Tradeshow Services division and gives us an enhanced presence in the Denver market,” said Scott Hansen, Senior Vice President, PRG. “With the addition of Davis, PRG is continuing to respond to our clients’ desire to have a single source solution—audio, video, lighting, and staging—with experts knowledgeable across market sectors.”
“We are delighted to be able to offer the full range of PRG products and services to our customers and we look forward to helping grow PRG’s presence in the meetings and convention services market,” said Tim Dyer, president of Davis. Dyer has been named general manager of PRG’s rental facility in Denver.
For more information on PRG, please visit prg.com.
About Production Resource Group—Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment technology to a wide range of markets, including concerts, corporate events, theatre, TV and film, special events, and permanent installations, such as theme parks, museums, retail stores, and performing arts centers. PRG provides integrated services and equipment including lighting, audio, video, scenery, and automation systems for these markets from more than 31 offices in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.