PRG’s GroundControl™ Followspot Wins Emmy
PRG Honored for Development in Broadcast Technology
LOS ANGELES – OCT. 4, 2018 – Production Resource Group LLC, (PRG), the world’s leading provider of entertainment and event technology solutions, announces it won a 2018 Engineering Emmy Award for its PRG GroundControl™ Followspot System. The award is presented to an individual, company or organization for engineering developments that considerably improve existing methods or innovations that materially affect the transmission, recording and reception of television. PRG is one of five award winners of the 70th Engineering Emmy Awards.
“We are extremely excited and proud that our innovative GroundControl Followspot System has been recognized by the Academy,” said Jere Harris, Chairman and CEO of PRG. “In a category that has seen little change in 30 years, this product is revolutionizing how designers light shows and it is also life changing for spot operators.”
PRG’s GroundControl Followspot System allows a followspot operator to remotely operate a high output automated luminaire as a followspot from up to 2,000 feet away. Designers have total creative freedom to put followspots in previously unusable places or avoid complex rigging. With the GroundControl Followspot System, the operator is on the ground, so the physical footprint of the luminaire is significantly smaller than a conventional followspot. Because of this small footprint and low weight, followspots can be placed in a wide variety of positions. The GroundControl Followspot System consists of specially customized PRG luminaires which include a built-in camera and can be flown or mounted in locations around a venue which would not normally accommodate a followspot. In addition to the safety benefits, the GroundControl Followspot System reduces trucking space, saves operator time, allows for a single operator to control multiple follow spots and minimizes “seat kills” – the need to remove seats to create traditional followspot positions.
“It’s always been in PRG’s DNA to develop products that are creative solutions to unique production challenges,” said Chris Conti, Product Manager for PRG.
Introduced in 2016, the GroundControl Followspot System was quickly recognized with industry awards and was integrated into TV, live music and corporate productions. The technology has been used on a variety of TV productions including live shows such as “Primetime Emmy Awards,” “Grammy Awards,” “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” and other productions including “The Voice,” “Dancing with the Stars”, “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Spin the Wheel,” and many more. It has also been used for concert tours by artists including Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Drake and U2.