News Blog

For the third year running, PRG has worked with Imagination to supply lighting, rigging and video technology at Make the Future Live London 2018 for Shell.

The festival of ideas and innovation took place over four days in July at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - and was completely free for over 15,000 visitors. At the event, visitors enjoyed live music from Lemar, as well as family-friendly activities including science shows, street food and hands-on interactive gaming.

 

A post shared by Royal Dutch Shell (@shell) on Jul 8, 2018 at 6:34am PDT

An Intelligence Squared Podcast was chaired by Alexander Armstrong, and visitors could immerse themselves in the latest immersive experiences using cutting edge technology. The event also hosted the Shell Eco-marathon Mileage Challenge and Drivers World Championships, where student teams and vehicles competed in one of the world’s greatest ultra-energy-efficient challenges.

 

A post shared by Royal Dutch Shell (@shell) on Jul 8, 2018 at 6:11am PDT

PRG were contracted to provide rigging and lighting services for the event. Tasked with managing this year’s camera and control from video, we provided cameras, wireless cameras and control. From our team Dana Read took the lead on lighting and video was managed by Anthony Lear. Rich Pow worked on video and Cameron Bannister looked after lighting and rigging.

Lighting included the supply of daylight pars to the two exhibition areas based on the designers specification, and appropriate rigging to support. Additionally, PRG provided a lighting package for the main stage. Based on Sunstrips and GLP moving heads, the lighting created a cost effective solution to make the stage pop in a primarily daylight environment.

 

A post shared by Royal Dutch Shell (@shell) on Jul 8, 2018 at 1:00am PDT

We were also tasked with providing a cost effective solution for creating an immersive entrance tunnel experience for the exhibition space. Our solution was to use the Barco MiStrip scenic LED product, to build a dynamic video surface that we were able to extend through the 24 metre tunnel to provide a custom build feel using the cost efficiencies of a rental product. We were also then able to extend the products used to create animated directional signage that reflected the feel of the tunnel environment.

The setup began two weeks prior to the event, with the installation of lighting, closely followed by our video install cables one week later. Then, two days prior to the event, the build of video control and the LED tunnel were completed.

 

A post shared by Royal Dutch Shell (@shell) on Jul 6, 2018 at 9:43am PDT

We overcame a fair few challenges in the setup. Our rigging team were tasked with dead hanging all of the trusses to reduce our impact on roof beams and maximising the rigging systems capacity to accommodate the designers lighting rig.

It was great to be a part of the evolution of this fantastic event for the third year running. Working alongside Imagination, we helped to create an engaging and supported environment, ensuring all energy invested in the message resonated throughout the team involved. We’re looking forward to working with the Imagination team again soon.

If you want to find out more about what PRG could do for your next event, whatever its size, we’re the people to talk to. Contact John Montague or Andy Johnston.

PRG has launched an innovative new portal for event specialists!

The PRG Crew Portal enables all interested event professionals to register and apply for jobs with PRG.

Intended for skilled technical specialists, the portal gives industry professionals the chance to work with our talented team on some of the world’s most exciting events.

Using the Crew Portal gives event specialists the chance to work all over the world. We’re planning on expanding the use of the portal to many companies within the PRG Group, so by adding your details you’ll make your profile internationally accessible.

The more versatile your qualifications are and the better your references are, the higher the chance is of us requesting you for a project. If you’re hired, you’ll likely start out as a skilled worker without responsibility on a few projects. This will help us verify your skills and gives us an idea if you fit into the team. If we are satisfied with your work, we will hope to work with you on a more frequent basis.

"I am always looking for the most talented individuals from all segments of the events industry to help PRG deliver an astonishing number of diverse events, from theatre and festivals to music tours, TV, film productions, corporate events and brand activations. I look forward to receiving your application.”
Anja Sanderson
Crewing Services Director

Join our team of expert freelance technicians. Register now.

#SeeWhatWeCanDoTogether

We’re known for supplying the crucial tech that makes some of the world’s biggest events stand out, but here at PRG we love smaller events too.

We’re often working on massive stages at festivals and concerts, including most recently, London Pride’s main stage in Trafalgar Square, Wireless Festival and LoveBox. We’ve even supplied the lighting for the Oscars, London Fashion week, and most of London’s theatres however, we are also well versed in creating impressive, intimate events right cross the UK.

In June, our team showed they can work under serious time pressure, providing production services for a small-scale event with a setup time of just two hours. PRG crew supplied power saving LED lighting with moving colour washes, powerpoint operation and systems, neat high end 65” screens and a cutting edge audio system which was used for speeches and playback. The event was hosted by an exciting new start-up, the live event agency, MCI Experience.

The night saw marketing and events professionals from some of the world’s top brands gather at restaurant London Grind, to hear the words of Kim Myhre, managing director of MCI UK and MCI Experience.

Attended by representatives from Amazon, HSBC, Visa, Virgin Atlantic, Facebook and Santander, the event saw industry leaders put their heads together as they listened to a thought-provoking marketing philosophy from Kim Myhre.

John Montague, Technical Sales Director of PRG said: “It was a pleasure to assist MCI Experience with their meet the team event at London Grind. An intimate system but no lesser attention to detail from our crew and production service. Not only good drinks but great people to work with and some inspirational words from Kim Myhre.”

If you want to find out more about what PRG could do for your next event, whatever its size, we’re the people to talk to. Contact John Montague or Andy Johnston.

Updated PRG SPACEFRAME™ and new Ingest product on Beyonce and Jay-Z’s “On the Run II” Tour

LONDON and LOS ANGELES – July 9, 2018 - Production Resource Group LLC, (PRG), the world’s leading provider of entertainment and event technology solutions, announces two product innovations – Infinity SPACEFRAME™ and Ingest – which are supporting Beyonce and Jay-Z's "On the Run II" Tour. The new Infinity SPACEFRAME™ which serves as a kinetic backdrop on stage and Ingest, a new technology that archives camera images created on tour, are industry firsts.

PRG SPACEFRAME™
PRG SPACEFRAME™ is an innovative carbon fiber touring frame created by PRG Projects, a division of PRG which specializes in developing and integrating proprietary solutions to the rigors of the production and entertainment industry. It was launched on 2017’s U2’s “Joshua Tree” Tour and “On the Run II” is the second concert tour to feature the product. For this tour, Stufish (the designers of both “Joshua” Tree and “On the Run II” tours) wanted to have a clean look, visually eliminating all support structures and rigging. To do that, PRG Projects came up with a solution called “Infinity SPACEFRAME™” where the rigging and support structure are integrated on the back of the SPACEFRAME™, invisible from audience view. Video content on the screen is now edge-to-edge without visual barriers as a classic screen would have. It gives it a monumental look and creates a new type of immersive viewing experience. The Infinity SPACEFRAME™ makes the most of the PRG SPACEFRAME™ concept by utilizing the structural capabilities of the video screen as part of the automated tracking support. It ultimately saves truckloads of additional support structure.
“Designing custom LED and video solutions for live events is a core part of what PRG Projects does. Beyond what we develop for PRG, we work directly with designers to create unique staging solutions that allow them and performers to be as creative as possible,” said Frederic Opsomer, managing director, PRG Projects. “We are constantly thinking of what is next, how do we improve on what we’ve already done. The new Infinity SPACEFRAME™ allows for moveable LED screens in an operational effective set up which aids the dynamic energy Beyonce, Jay-Z and other performers create during the show.”

The stage design for “On the Run II” Tour includes two LED screens with SPACEFRAME™. The secondary – or upstage – screen is a 16,8-meter-wide and 10,8-meter-high screen (55 feet x 35.4 feet) with ROE’s CB8 LED. The bottom section of the upstage screen is automated with three SPACEFRAME™ panels that open like garage doors, enabling the musicians’ rolling risers to enter and exit the main stage. The upstage screen stands behind a four-tiered opera box style performer platform. The main - or downstage - screen is divided into 12 automated sections. This allows for different dramatic scenes and settings and provides Beyonce and Jay-Z different entry and exit scenarios. The new Infinity SPACEFRAME™ screen, with GALAXIA’s WV9 air transparent LED, measures 52,8-meter-wide and 13,2-meter-high (173.2 feet x 43.3 feet) when closed and hangs on motorized carts that move left and right on a track. The carbon fiber fabrication and built-in wind bracing provides the stability that structural engineers demand in order to have a screen of this size move around on a track.
“There is currently no other framing system that can do this, it’s a perfect example of designers really pushing the product to the limits and having free reign for their ideas. A symbiosis rarely seen in our industry,” said Opsomer.

INGEST
“On the Run II” Tour is also implementing PRG Ingest. Ingest is a new technology that allows the capture of concert footage in real time from up to 24 isolated camera feeds. Each camera feed - or channel – will be ingested in the server, processed, and via the network pushed to an external storage drive.

Traditionally, footage from a single camera is captured on a single recorder, then after a show, each file on the drive is copied over to a separate hard drive. This is an intensive process that can take many hours as the transfer can take up to one hour per camera.

“With the Ingest system, we can create a show record on an external drive of all channels in nearly real-time and still have a back-up copy on the server should anything go wrong,” said Wolfgang Schram, director of video engineering, PRG. “The servers also get time coded, so all recordings have real time and can be used in an edit right away.”

In order to handle the 6.2 TB of data that “On the Run II” Tour generates per night, PRG uses six media servers which make copies of what is recorded, transcode it to a pro res 422 file and push it over a 10GigE network on an external NAS drive.

PRG’s investment in brand new lighting technology for Hamilton, the hit Broadway musical, has certainly paid off following the recent announcement that the new West End show has received no less than seven Olivier Awards, including Best Lighting Design and Best New Musical. 

Giles Terera Aaron Burr with West End Cast of Hamilton

Jamael Westman Alexander Hamilton with West End cast of Hamilton

Cameron Mackintosh, the show’s producer, called upon PRG, the technical production specialist, to supply a whole spectrum of lighting fixtures for the West End run of the hip-hop musical smash that tells the tale of one of the Founding Fathers of the US, Alexander Hamilton.

The record-breaking theatrical spectacular, which transferred from the US to the West End in December 2017, features the lighting expertise of Howell Binkley, the Tony Award and now Olivier Award-winning lighting designer, and Ryan O’Gara, associate lighting designer.

“I met with Chris Boone, Cameron Mackintosh’s production manager, last spring,” explained Peter Marshall, sales director, theatre at PRG XL Video. “A further meeting was held in the late summer at Cameron’s offices with Ryan and a full specification of the lighting system was discussed.”

Pennycooke Thomas Jefferson with West End cast of Hamilton

Rachelle Ann Go Eliza Hamilton and Jamael Westman Alexander Hamilton

PRG’s Stephen Price project managed the show and worked closely alongside Peter Lambert, production electrician, and Marshall. Together, they discussed the implementation of the best lighting rig at the Victoria Palace Theatre, which at the time was undergoing extensive refurbishment.

PRG supplied all of the theatrical lighting to the musical – written by Lin-Manuel Miranda – including moving lights, conventional lighting fixtures, GLP Impression X4 XL wash lights, Lycian 1295 followspots and an ETC EOS control system.

Rachelle Ann Go Eliza Rachel John Angelica and Christine Allado Peggy The Schuyler Sisters

Michael Jibson as King George

Whilst not directly involved in the show’s creative, PRG worked to exacting lighting design specifications, as outlined by Binkley and O’Gara.

Marshall continued: “It was great to be involved in supplying lighting rental solutions to such a prestigious new show. Working with the Cameron Mackintosh team and both Howell and Ryan was a privilege.

“We have worked with Cameron Mackintosh on many shows over the last 25 years and Peter Lambert,” Marshall added. “His team expertly installed the lighting system whilst the theatre was undergoing a major renovation; at times, the theatre resembled more of a construction site than the brand new home of a much-anticipated theatrical production. That said, team work paid off and I am now delighted that the show has been honoured with a record-breaking 13 Olivier Award nominations and seven wins, including Best Lighting Design for Howell Binkley.”

PRG has been supplying lighting and video technology to theatre and the arts in the west end and across the UK for over 45 years.

It’s been a busy few weeks for us here at PRG. One of the highlights has been the annual ABTT Theatre Show. On our stand this year we were showcasing our exclusive, industry leading products the brand new Icon Stage moving light and the PRG GroundControl™ Followspot System.

Peter Marshall, Director of Theatre for PRG XL in the UK, places a very high value on the ABTT Theatre Show: “The main focus for us at the ABTT Theatre Show is to welcome clients, friends and colleagues from across the industry to our stand and enjoy a chat and catch-up. The was a steady flow of Lighting Designers, Production Managers, Theatre Technicians, Programmers and students. One of the main aims of PRG is to build and maintain excellent relationships with our industry connections, the ABTT Theatre Show is a perfect opportunity to help us achieve that.”

Marshall continued: “The show was the perfect stage to demonstrate our new Icon Stage moving light. The first delivery of Icon Stage LED Profiles are currently out on the next leg of the “Mamma Mia” International Tour, the lights were well received by Lighting Designer, Howard Harrison, and Tour Lighting Designer, Andy Voller, they were provided as standard black units plus custom painted white fixtures which especially feature at the finale ending of the production. David Holmes Lighting Designer for the Utrecht production has also specified Icon Stages as his LED Profile of choice for the forthcoming production in the Netherlands. To date the units which are very compact and almost silent have proved extremely reliable”.    



PRG XL Video has been a supplier of lighting and video technology to theatre and the arts for more than 45 years. Current shows we are working on include some of the biggest new shows in the West End as well as theatre tours in the UK and around the world.

PRG GroundControl™ Followspot System

Icon Stage

West End
Bat Out of Hell 
Book of Mormon
Chicago
Dreamgirls
Everybody’s Talking About JAMIE
Hamilton
Kinky Boots
Lion King
Mamma Mia 
Motown
Red - The Play 
School of Rock 
Strictly Ballroom 
Thriller
Wicked
 

UK and Worldwide Touring
Buxton Opera Festival
Cats (international tour)
Evita (international tour)
Henley Festival
Interactive Introverts (international tour)
Iolanthe (international tour)
Jersey Boys (UK tour)
Ladyboy’s of Bangkok (UK tour)
Latitude Festival
Mamma Mia (international tour)
My Uncle Freddy (UK tour)
Stafford Festival
Summer Holiday (UK tour)
Thriller (UK and Europe)
Walking with Dinosaurs (European tour)
Wicked (international tour)
 

For more information please contact Peter Marshall here.  

See what we can do together.  

Universal Brand Development and Fast Live Productions, a joint venture between Epsilon Partners and Brand Events, have called upon the expertise of PRG and Panasonic to create ground-breaking projection mapping in order to push the boundaries of live event production.

PRG, the full-service technical production specialist, and Panasonic, the Japanese manufacturer of projection and AV systems, are currently touring the UK and Europe, delivering spectacular AV and projection on Fast and Furious Live – the action-packed live arena show celebrates the Fast and Furious film franchise and features fast cars, record-breaking LED, precision driving and 3D projection mapping.

Seamless delivery
Fast and Furious Live is the brainchild of Rowland French, creative director and executive producer of Fast and Furious Live, who drafted in the expertise of Simon Aldridge, production director, Tom Rees, project manager, Ala Lloyd, set designer and Bruno Poet, lighting designer, to produce the arena show.

Aldridge approached James Morden, project director LED at PRG XL Video, in early 2016 and began discussions on how best to deliver Fast Live Productions’ desired vision for the high octane and fast-paced touring production.

The arena show, which had its world premiere at The O2, features a 8k resolution screen that measures 26 metres wide and nine metres high and comes complete with five doors that raise to allow the stars of the show – 42 vehicles – to seamlessly enter and exit the show floor.

Morden, responsible for the tour’s video elements, worked with Aldridge to develop a spectacular production that would help place the audience in the show’s narrative. To achieve this end, it was, therefore, vital that PRG worked in close collaboration with Panasonic, BlackTrax and Brilliant Stages to create important elements for the technically advanced live event.

On track
Fast and Furious Live’s end screen plays a pivotal role in the show, as do 48 Panasonic PT-DZ21K projectors, which provide incredible detail, clarity and colour perception.

The show’s content – developed by Kate Dawkins Studio and Dandelion and Burdock – was custom-made to fit Morden’s original pixel map that was created in March 2016: Almost two years before the show debuted to a packed audience of Fast and Furious fans.

To develop a spec, Morden, alongside PRG’s Stefaan Michels (director of music), Leroy Murray (projects director) and Chris Holz (project manager), assessed the show’s other elements – venue constraints, scenery, effects, lighting, audio and rigging – before deciding upon a basic projector arrangement.

Morden explained: “Once we had confirmed final technical delivery requirements, we increased our ownership of Panasonic PT-DZ21K projectors and fibre distribution equipment in order to deliver 48 blended projectors across the show floor and huge end wall.  

“On the server side, we also increased ownership of Disguise 4x4pro servers [formerly d3), with SDI VFC cards and acquired further Notch licenses for real-time visual effect generation.”

He continued: “The big technological aspect of the job for PRG was BlackTrax technology – this is a real-time 3D environment object tracking system, which was pushed further than it has ever been before.

“BlackTrax allowed us to place markers onto objects such as cars, actors and scenic pieces and through an array of infrared cameras, we are able to locate them in real-time. This enabled the team to cut projected images. We knew that by using this tech we could safely project a floor image onto the floor and not on the roof of a moving vehicle,” Morden continued.

“Furthermore, myself and the team were able to take a live position feed from Brilliant Stages’ automation system in to our media servers so that we did not project content when the doors in the end wall were raised.”

Driven team
Four projectionists, one media server programmer/operator and a BlackTrax engineer are currently touring the UK with Fast Live Productions, ensuring all video and projection elements on Fast and Furious Live run smoothly. Now that the show is touring, the crew begin loading in at 4am and within 36 hours (multiple shifts), the entire show is built and flown: Projectors are lined up, trimmed for colour and intensity and BlackTrax is calibrated.

Morden praised the incredible “team effort” that it has taken to deliver a show that will visit 24 cities in 15 countries, including Germany, Switzerland and Spain.

Morden said: “This project has required the amazing hard work and effort of an experienced team. From the very beginning, we have ensured that even small challenges have not impacted on what is a huge production.

“For example, we had some custom metalwork fabricated to better rig the projectors. This simplified the rigging process and speeded up load in and load out.

“While the sheer scale of this endeavour is daunting, and expectations on this project are extremely high, one of the biggest challenges on this project has been the packaging: In other words, how we present the equipment to go out on tour, to make the rig as simple to build as possible and as easy to manage and de-rig. 

“Thankfully, we have an incredibly bright and efficient team that decided upon ‘projector doughnuts’; a relatively simple solution to keep projectors in pairs for travel, as well as rigging. This has reduced the number of projector boxes from 50 to 26. This means less trucking and packing and has made load in and load out easier and faster,” Morden concluded. “Or should that be more fast and furious!”

When a luxury automotive brand wished to create one big event that would celebrate its achievements, and those of its retailers, it turned to PRG and The Appointment Group to deliver a memorable evening of celebration at The O2 for more than 1,200 guests.

The Appointment Group’s Nicole Unsworth, event manager, project managed One Big Night, a celebratory evening formed by merging two separate, smaller events. One Big Night was designed to celebrate a record-breaking year in the UK for the luxury car brand, in particular, new car sales across the country reaching an all-time high.

“The brief was to find a venue suitable for an awards dinner for 400 people on two consecutive nights,” Unsworth explained. “Unfortunately, the venue that the car manufacturer initially wanted [the InterContinental London – The O2] was not available on their preferred dates. I proposed the idea of merging the two events together and holding the event at The O2. Originally, we were looking at 800 guests, but the venue’s size and scale enabled us to invite more guests and increase capacity to 1,200.”

Memorable event
One Big Night provided the car giant with an opportunity to reward its guests with an event that had all the “style and glamour of The BRIT Awards”. PRG, the full-service technical specialist, and The Appointment Group, the event management specialist, worked in close collaboration to provide event management and technical production to the VIP evening.

More than 1,200 guests enjoyed the event at The O2, London, which saw a famous three-piece boy band perform and Dermot O’ Leary compere. One Big Night comprised a red carpet experience, Champagne reception, awards and dinner for guests and employees of the automotive giant. The Appointment Group took responsibility for overall event management and logistics while PRG – led by Emily Gibson, account manager, and Tom Walsh, project manager – oversaw all technical aspects of the large-scale corporate event. The Appointment Group had just three months to design, plan and execute One Big Night. PRG had one month to create technical elements that would not only “wow” guests but that could also be loaded in with a shortened timeframe. And it did.

Delivering the “wow” factor
PRG supplied lighting, rigging, video, audio, staging and signage. Furthermore, the event featured more than 500 moving lights, 988 LED tiles, four kilometres of fibre, 130 rigging points and a bespoke, interactive table plan. All of which required 283 pages of health and safety documentation. PRG used Kinesys motors to lift one of three screens, revealing the pop band, and BAT truss enabled the tech specialist to pre-rig the lights in order to achieve the “wow” factor production within a 12-hour load-in window. Gibson said: “Drawing on our experience in rock and roll, we specified kit that would deliver the ‘wow’ factor that the client desired. They wanted a BRIT Awards-style event, but we only had 12 hours to pull it together, so we used BAT truss, a proprietary product that allows us to pre-rig the lights, to help us get everything up in the air.” Unsworth continued: “PRG were incredibly professional, skilled in their areas and they had clearly allocated the best people for the job. All elements came together seamlessly – lighting, video, staging, projection, project management and creative content – which meant that One Big Night really was of the highest quality.” 

One-off experience
“This event is the most important date in the calendar for many of the guests and most of the details for the event were kept a secret from guests and we added surprising touches along the way,” Unsworth commented further. “From a shuttle service from the tube station, to a number of personalised gifts in their rooms, the opportunity to have their photo taken against the step and repeat wall, an open bar, a four-course dinner, an awards presentation – hosted by Dermot O’Leary – and world-class entertainment; it was certainly a night to remember for many.”  

She added: “The feedback has been phenomenal – people were incredibly overwhelmed by the scale of the event and it was definitely a one-off experience for them. For 1,200 people to dine in a venue as prestigious and renowned as The O2 with A-List entertainment is not something that many people experience so I think everyone felt privileged to attend. “The feedback from our client has been incredibly positive too and they were also overwhelmed and proud to be part of this event. It was definitely a team effort.”

PRG’s New Concert Touring Products on U2’s eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour

Pure10 and Rolling Video Floor Risers elevate the touring industry

LOS ANGELES – May 14, 2018 – Production Resource Group LLC, (PRG), the world’s leading provider of entertainment and event technology solutions, announces two product innovations - Pure10 and Rolling Video Floor Risers - which have been integrated into the design, production and operations for the U2 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour. Both solutions demonstrate PRG’s dedication to innovating products that respond to the needs of artists, tour designers and managers seeking to push boundaries and deliver a more immersive concert experience.

“PRG has supported every U2 tour since 1992, and they always challenge us to be innovative with available technology or to create something new,” said Jeroen Hallaert, director of PRG Projects North America.

U2 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour is a follow up to the 2015 Songs for Innocence Tour for which PRG provided the video cage on the moving catwalk between the video screens. However, for the 2018 tour, U2’s creative team required high-resolution, super transparent LED video screens and an independent automated kinetic catwalk between the video screens. The purpose of the transparent LED video screens is to allow band members to perform amidst the LED walls (as during the 2015 tour) without creating a visual divide in the arena. It also provided the ability to integrate Augmented Reality into the show.

Further, the design team wanted the catwalk to be accessible by a moving staircase, and therefore the catwalk should move independently from the video screens. This added automated catwalk required more motors and equipment, thus adding weight. This meant PRG Projects had to find a solution to make not only high-resolution, super transparent LED video screens but also make it super light-weight.

PURE10

In response to U2’s challenge to create a transparent LED wall, PRG Projects revolutionized the way LED screens are built and created the patent-pending Pure10. Rather than mounting the printed circuit boards (PCB) holding the LED in standard clunky frames, PRG Projects sliced the PCB in strips and turned them 90 degrees with the LED mounted on the side. This resulted in 75 percent transparency.

The added specially curated Augmented Reality scene-setter - triggered by the LED screen – required a transparent, high-resolution screen. The way PRG Projects chose to build the screen allowed for a 10mm pixel pitch. A pitch far superior than what PRG Projects initially imagined.

“The creative team and the band were looking for a LED screen that allowed them to use AR in the way they envisioned. Pure10 works so well thanks to the magic combination of the pixel pitch, the high transparency and the brightness,” said Hallaert. “The band now calls the screens and catwalk the barricage.”

Additionally, rather than metal fabrication to house or frame the Pure10, PRG Projects used knowledge gained from developing the SPACEFRAME® and engineered a fast-building system in carbon fiber. This resulted in the weight savings that the tour’s production team was looking for. It also gave free reign to the designers and the band to further use the automated catwalk creatively.

As with the innovative transport design for the SPACEFRAME, PRG Projects has advanced the way concert touring is taken on the road with Pure10 by maximizing space and volume in trucks, airplanes and sea containers. The number of trucks needed is cut in half compared to the 2015 tour. Further, when the equipment is used during the show, empty transport dollies fold, stack and roll away in the tiniest spaces. This allows for other departments to move around the venue more freely and makes for ergonomic and superior logistics for load-ins and load-outs.

Rolling Video Floor Riser

The Rolling Video Floor Riser is a revolutionary system in how it’s built and disassembled. Initially revealed last year, PRG Projects updated and upgraded it for U2 to be used as the round stage. Each riser is fitted with 2 LED modules offering a high resolution 4mm pixel pitch during performances. Each riser has integrated magnets to enable a speedy assembly - an LED Floor of up to 1,076 square feet can be set up in less than 20 minutes.

“The Rolling Video Floor Risers were developed to meet the short set-up and change-over times of LED flooring which is perfect for the concert touring and festival segment,” said Mark O’Herlihy, vice president of PRG Global Entertainment.

Not only do the Rolling Video Floor Risers dramatically reduce the set-up time for an LED floor on stage, they also are transported in especially fitted dollies, which contain six risers each. The dollies are 1.6 m in height, allowing shipment via airfreight on the lower deck, which drastically reduces the shipping costs.

Credits Pictures © Steve Jennings

Proposed Eco-Design Working Plan - EU Lighting Regulations

PRG Calls For Stage & Studio Exemption!

The EU’s Ecodesign Working Plan 2016-2019 would come in to force in September 2020. Put simply, only compliant control gear, fixtures and lamps could be sold going forward.

The proposed legislation has sent shockwaves across our industry and has triggered the creation of a #SaveStageLighting campaign, since every lighting manufacturer, supplier or individual working within the entertainment/lighting industry would be directly impacted.

Implementing this new legislation, which puts our industry on the same level as domestic lighting and appliances would result in tremendous financial stress.

Events like concerts, musicals, theatre, exhibitions, corporate events, TV productions, fashion shows, film shoots, and sporting events could go dark, as it would be illegal to supply new lighting fixtures and lamps that do not meet the new EU energy standards beyond September 2020 (including a minimum 85lm/W efficiency and a maximum 0.5W standby power consumption). That means that nearly every single lighting fixture on the market would be affected, be it discharge, tungsten or LED!
We understand from the proposal that our kit in use prior to Sept 2020 can still be used without being effected.

PRG aims to drive constant improvement and calls for a specific Stage and Studio Exemption!

As a forward-thinking business, PRG strives to improve the energy efficiencies of its own equipment by developing material in-house, e.g the PRG SPACEFRAME™ and the PRG GroundControl™ Followspot System, reducing the global footprint in terms of weight, space and handling. These factors reduce the number of trucks for transport, the airfreight load, the manpower needed, transport of manpower and the energy consumption. PRG also aims to push the envelope of efficiency working with lamp manufacturers and our optics used in PRG products.

Our global presence through our 41 affiliates and their teamwork reduces transport and manpower related costs, while ensuring the best support globally - decreasing our carbon footprint.
Furthermore, the PRG Alliance and its’ members, improve our energy efficiencies even more by supporting our productions within their regions.

Lighting designers, lighting manufacturers, programmers, technicians, venues, rental companies and service companies, as well as the artists and performers, are in need of a Stage and Studio Exemption.

Gary Boyd, Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer, EMEA for PRG said: ”I strongly encourage everyone in the live entertainment industry be it TV, Film, Theatre, Music, Corporate to sign the Change.org petition and most important to voice your concern through the EU online consultation by May 7. This is YOUR voice to the EU to make changes and petition for a Stage & Studio Exemption. Working with LightingEurope we will continue to make our combined voices heard. We need you to do your part!”

For further information or to sign the petition, follow the links below:

http://www.plasa.org/technical/lighting-regs.asp

https://www.ald.org.uk/resources/savestagelighting

PRG, the technical production specialist, has bolstered its corporate and events team with the appointments of John Montague and David Lawrence.

David Lawrence

Lawrence, a former project manager at Creative Technology, joins PRG as Account Director where he will use his extensive AV experience to deliver high-end live events projects for a number of corporate clients. 

Most recently employed as solutions director at SMART AV, Lawrence will work alongside Montague, former production director at FIX8Group.

John Montague

Montague, who has considerable experience of live events, production and operations, joins PRG as Technical Sales Director, Corporate. Montague will draw on his vast visual and technical production expertise, ensuring PRG clients have access to experienced technical support to help guide on direct AV solutions.

Teresa-Anne Dunleavy, Chief Executive of PRG, commented, I am pleased to welcome John and Dave to the PRG family. Their appointments boost PRG’s corporate and events team and reflect our current growth in this area.

PRG is a leading international full-service provider of technical expertise and equipment for corporate and special events, music touring and festivals, theatre and the arts, exhibitions, brand activations, and film and television productions or all shapes and sizes. We employ more than 3,000 professionals worldwide, and have locations in the UK in London and Birmingham, and more than 40 international branches.

PRG helped bring the legendary battle of Eurovision to the West End last month. The exclusive night combined the excitement of eight West End shows and eight classic Eurovision songs, to the delight of a live audience and panel of celebrity judges.

West End Eurovision last dazzled the audiences of London’s Theatreland back in April 2014, so those lucky enough to get tickets had been anticipating the night for some time! Held at the West End’s legendary Shaftesbury Theatre, the unmissable show was part of a fundraising campaign led by TheatreMAD.

The show saw a variety of top West End casts challenge each other to perform legendary Eurovision hits. And not only did the night showcase the very best of Eurovision, there was even a special guest appearance by a past Eurovision Song Contest performer. As the show closed, audience members were invited to vote for their favourites via text, with Israel soon emerging as the clear victor! Trophies were then awarded to the Champions, the Best Ident Movie and the Best Creative.

PRG assisted the show’s lighting designer Tim Deiling, who has previously led the lighting design for highly acclaimed shows such as Guys and Dolls, American Idiot, Jack and the Beanstalk, Macbeth, Boiling Frogs and many more. Previously the Associate Lighting Director at the National Theatre, Tim has worked on live shows and films, and in 2008 was awarded the title “Young Lighting Designer of the Year” from the Association of Lighting Designers.

PRG supplied a range of top end kit for West End Eurovision, including an EOS 8000 console, Clay Paky Sharpy Beam 189W Blk, SGM Q-7 Rgbw Led Wash/Strobe Blk, Truss Tri Ltbeam 2.00m Mf, Truss Tri Ltbeam 2.00m Mf Blk, Truss Base Ltbeam Male Hd and Truss Base Ltbeam Sq Stb/M 12.5lbs.

The show proved hugely successful, raising over £50,000 and counting for The Make A Difference Trust, which raises funds for HIV and AIDS projects that build awareness and provide care, support and education in the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa. Our team was delighted to support such a worthy cause, and assist in bringing the magic of Eurovision to life for one night only!

PRG has been supplying lighting and video technology to theatre and the arts in the west end and across the UK for over 45 years.

The automotive industry is as competitive as it is lucrative. It is estimated that an incredible 81.6 million cars will be manufactured globally in 2018. Automotive is a core part of our global business. PRG supply lighting and video technology as well as the rigging infrastructure to all the key automotive events around the world, including: trade shows, sales meetings, public exhibitions, brand activations and product launches.

“The knowledge and experience of our team, married with the extensive local and global inventories of the latest products enable us to work with event agencies, designers and manufacturers to deliver pioneering technology solutions for cutting edge show delivery.” Andy Johnston – PRG Business Development Director

Our technical experts, product specialists and event professionals are on hand to guide you through how to make best use of our lighting and video technology, and ensure that during production and pre-production, your event receives around the clock support.

Automotive brands we are proud to partner with repeatedly include: Audi, Aston Martin, Skoda, Bentley, Nissan, Lexus, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Applications for our video technology are endless. Enhance your event using one of our customisable LED video screens? Or really wow by projection mapping onto a car! We look forward to talking to you.

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PRG is a leading international full-service provider of technical expertise and equipment for corporate and special events, music touring and festivals, theatre and the arts, exhibitions, brand activations, and film and television productions or all shapes and sizes. We employ more than 3,000 professionals worldwide, and have locations in the UK in London and Birmingham, and more than 40 international branches.

Innovision contracted PRG to support them with the delivery of the technical requirements for the Innovate UK event at the NEC Birmingham in November 2017. Across two days, Innovate 2017 brought 2,750 of the UK’s most innovative thinkers, creators and inventors to the NEC in Birmingham.



The Brief:
Innovision required the supply of full 360 degree audio, lighting, rigging, power and video services for the theatre spaces and exhibition environment for the two day event at the NEC. In addition, the client required a partner which could be relied upon to manage last minute growth in the event’s requirements.

What We Did:
Working alongside Innovision, a 30-strong PRG team was led by Account Manager Cameron Bannister, Project Manager Ian Jones, Video HOD Russell Harris, Lighting Power and Rigging HOD Dana Read and Audio HOD Mark Bonner were tasked with the delivery of the lighting, the rigging, the audio and the video packages for Innovate UK.

This two-day conference and exhibition explored the major themes brought about by the pace and complexity of our world and what these themes mean for individuals, businesses and governments.

In the exhibition area, PRG supplied the power distribution and the screens for exhibitors for a large number of the stands, enabling them to present groundbreaking ideas, from robotics to urban planning.

Most spaces employed a generic key lighting rig, with the main plenary adding in GLP X4 moving heads to add colour and enhance the energy in walk up stings. From a video point of view, PRG used the Bright Sign digital display system to allow quick and efficient updating of session scheduling across the site from a single, central location.

Video switching was kept simple and consistent in all areas with the use of Barco PDS 902 switchers to enable more efficient organisation of multi-discipline staff across the event’s multiple zones.

A key highlight of the event was the successful delivery of the Bright Sign digital signage system, which transformed the experience of the customer. The use of this technology meant that Innovate UK was able to track exactly what was going on and when, throughout the event. Previously, this element had proved a burden for the customer, due to the inadequacy of technology employed.

A focus on flexibility was key to the success of this job. Lucy Gibson, Innovision Technical Production Manager said: “We wanted a delivery partner that could scale, and particularly that could manage the last minute growth that often happens with this event. I think in this job PRG went from one truck to three. We added three more breakout rooms and a huge number of screens in the last few weeks and it was great to have someone who could keep up with that.”

Indeed, this project saw significant growth in the penultimate weeks before the event itself, and the PRG team were able to easily scale up equipment and staffing to seamlessly accommodate the changing requirements of our client, in the run up to the two-day build.

A multi-discipline approach meant that all interdepartmental considerations, for example rigging and power, were managed without needing the involvement of production. This proved invaluable in enabling the PRG team to seamlessly upscale the requirements of this project. PRG’s ownership of the whole project, meant the customer had the time to focus on their clients needs more actively.

The event’s location, close to PRG’s Headquarters in Longbridge, meant that PRG was easily able to fulfil last minute requirements and provide additional kit as and when needed.

Innovate 2017 delivered fresh perspectives on innovations such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, alternative food sources and space exploration. Keynote speeches, practical workshops and seminars were all on the bill, as well as opportunities for attendees to have one-to-one meetings with potential investors.

PRG is a leading international full-service provider of technical expertise and equipment for corporate and special events, music touring and festivals, theatre and the arts, exhibitions, brand activations, and film and television productions or all shapes and sizes. We employ more than 3,000 professionals worldwide, and have locations in the UK in London and Birmingham, and more than 40 international branches.