After using the recently released Vista v2 software on their existing stock of Vista T2 consoles, Dallas, Texas based Alford Media have just committed to increasing their inventory after the next generation of software delivered the leap forward it promised.

Alford Media is an AV and lighting company, with full production facilities, known for its high end video capabilities as well as imaginative integrated visual designs and solutions. They work on a wide variety of live events for a diverse range of premium clients with exacting standards.

One of two full time lighting designer/directors, Kurt Wunsch has been with the company for 10 years. He was an early adopter of the Jands Vista control platform, and has been an enthusiastic user since. Their first T2 console was bought soon after Vista was launched, and along with the others they have bought since, is still going strong even after constant use. Last year one of his highlights was lighting the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th Anniversary National Scout Jamboree show – 16 universes of DMX controlled from a single Vista T2.

Kurt and his colleagues took the decision that now was the right time to update their consoles to the next generation Vista v2 software, and get access to all the additional functionality that it offers. Vista v2 was designed from the ground up to allow all levels of user to get the most from whatever mix of technology they have available, whether dimmers, moving lights, LED, or media. Available in a wide range of hardware Vista v2 offers both the simplicity to work fast, with the power to control the finest details, so everyone can focus on creating a great looking show rather than on programming a desk.

Kurt is very impressed with Vista v2, particularly the way it interfaces seamlessly with media servers. As Alford Media is a video orientated company, this is proving extremely useful to get the most from their recent investment in several Green Hippo Hippotizer products.

Kurt likes many features of the Vista v2 operating system, specifically the user-friendly programming environment, and they way it allows you to “work in a logical, straightforward and creative manner” to build your show. He says “you can really focus on the design, and think in terms of colours and effects rather than number-crunching and percentages. It’s fast, interactive and simple to use” he comments, adding that it also suits the theatrical / rock ‘n’ roll style of his programming which was shaped during his early career.

Kurt believes Vista v2 is now “faster than any other console – the interface makes it so easy to grab fixtures and apply parameters”. This allows him and his team to deliver the high standards that his clients demand within the tight timeframes they set.

On a recent Quake Con event in Dallas, Kurt was using Chroma-QTM Color BlockTM LED fixtures to highlight the trusses, which he was easily able to map using the matrix facility in Vista v2. He says that it worked “Brilliantly”, saving literally hours of programming time, and quickly giving the client exactly what they were looking for.

Upcoming shows on which Kurt himself is using one of the company’s T2’s include an event for a large pharmaceutical company in Maryland, for which he has designed a large rock ‘n roll style rig for the live stage that will feature sets by Motown greats The Four Tops and The Temptations, as well as major expo’s for a natural drink company in Salt Lake City, and an energy company.

With Vista v2 now installed and proved completely reliable on all their desks, he’s starting to train some of Alford Media’s other operators. Apart from really appreciating it, they “are all picking it up incredibly fast”. He recalls a recent trade show in Dallas. He unexpectedly had to go and deal with something elsewhere in the building, so to ensure no valuable programming time was lost, gave freelance LX Teresa Porterfield – who had never seen a Vista T2 before – an express basic training course! “It was amazing! She ‘got it’ so quickly, so well and enjoyed the process so much that she ended up programming and running the whole show!”

VP of marketing and sales at exclusive NA distributor, AC Lighting Inc, Fred Mikeska said “As more people around the world try Vista v2 they see the power and simplicity that it offers to all disciplinces – including concert, corporate, worship, and education. Kurt and Alford Media have embraced Vista v2, and discovered how much extra it gives them to deliver even more to their clients. Vista v2 is a true next generation software that lets all users get the most value from whatever mix of technologies they have available.”

Despite the bitter cold, thousands of people attended the European Capital of Culture opening ceremony

Lighting designer Stephen Page from UK-based DBN used Jands Vista T4 and T2 consoles, running with the new v2 software, for the high profile Opening Ceremony of Turku 2011, celebrating the Finnish city’s year as joint European Capital of Culture.

The event, produced by Manchester-based Walk The Plank, was staged in the fabulous Wärtsilä Shipyard on the River Aura, Turku, in temperatures of up to minus 26! An audience of 50,000 people braved the cold and enjoyed the action, which was also broadcast live on Finnish TV.

The Vista T4 was the main console, controlling over 400 lighting fixtures – including Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s and 1500s, Robe ColorWash 2500E ATs, Martin Professional MAC 2K & 700 Profiles, Studio Due CityColors and a host of LEDs and generics including conventional PARs, LED PARs, 500W floods, 4-lites and i-Pix BB4 LED wash lights – totalling seven DMX universes of control.

A Vista T2 was running in full tracking backup, and with an in-line Visualiser system.

Comments Stephen Page, “I found the v2 software to be very reliable. I like the new Effects Engine, and the timing control is straightforward to use whilst allowing lots of complexities to be programmed into the cues.”

Most of the equipment was supplied by RMC Sound & Light OY from Helsinki, including the Jands consoles – Stephen’s desk of choice – with the Clay Paky fixtures coming from DBN, also based in Manchester, UK.

DBN has a stock of Jands consoles which have been supplied via UK distributor, A.C Entertainment Technologies.

© Dabney Forest

Once again, a Jands Vista T2 console has provided lighting control for an event winner at the InfoComm / LSA Staged Events Awards. Freeman received the 2010 ‘Best Overall Staging for a Corporate Industrial Entertainment Event’ award for their work on the American Library Association’s Annual Conference.

The annual awards are held at the InfoComm tradeshow and represent achievements in AV excellence in some of the most unique and challenging environments. One judge commented on the winning Freeman event:
“It is difficult for a lighting submission to grab attention when it’s up against so many great total staging projects with video. But lighting is one area that can own a show if it is done properly and this event exemplifies the power of light over the audience.”

Freeman, a world-leading provider of integrated services for face to face marketing events, provided full lighting, audio, video and scenic elements for the winning conference. The multi-day event featured 20 guest speakers discussing their works as well as an awards ceremony.

The event lighting design was by Freeman AV Chicago’s in house LD, Anne Sedlock with programming by Dabney Forest. Anne let Dabney choose her console of choice, the Jands Vista T2, a popular choice in Freeman AV Chicago’s rental inventory. Anne commented:
“We use the Vista T2 on almost all this style of show. It provides us with the flexibility and the ease of use we need to get our shows up and looking great in very little time.”

The challenge was how to give the single stage a unique look for each day of the conference presentations, as well as for the awards ceremony. Anne’s lighting concept was to make the stage scenic elements really stand out by using numerous unique looks to keep the lighting fresh.

For the main scenic element, a massive curved frame covered in white spandex material, Anne used Chroma-Q™ Color Split™ LED fixtures to provide subtle looks of gradiant color uplighting from the base of the structure. Chroma-Q™ Color Block™ compact LED units were used to get into the many curves of the scenic piece and add highlights where needed, as well as adding a hint of colour to the drape line upstage. In addition, Vari-Lite VL3500 Spots provided a layer of downlighting and texture. All fixtures were chosen from Freeman AV Chicago’s in-house inventory.

Summarising her experience of the Vista, Dabney commented:
“It’s not often we get such a great canvas to paint our lights on. As with many shows, for the ALA we got very little time to program. The Vista allows me to create looks efficiently and quickly. I know I can rely on the speed that the Vista’s interface offers to do the things I need to both fast and easily, whether ‘drawing’ precise shutter cuts on my VL3500s, quickly moving icons around my layouts as the rig changes, or copying whole looks across different fixture types. Then of course, there’s ‘extracts’. In the current economic environment, it’s rare for a show to allow for the kind of programming time that was standard in years past. Frankly, without the Vista I could not have made the intricate looks the show needed in the time I had available.”

All Photos: © Dabney Forest.

Lighting designer Dave Boser of Image Technologies Corporation specified a pair of Jands Vista I3 consoles to provide lighting control for the Silpada Designs 2009 National Convention in Missouri. Silpada is one of the nation’s largest sterling silver jewelry home party companies, with over 28,000 independent representatives. This year’s three-day annual conference at the Kansas City Convention Center attracted nearly 6,000 sales representatives and featured presentations, an awards night and an entertainment night.

The live event was produced by Doug Flory and production managed by Bob Casey, with technical direction by Mark Scanlon. Lighting design / direction / programming was by Dave Boser, and master electricians Nick Wisdom and Michelle Morin assisted with the rig install and strike. Image Technologies Corporation provided all lighting and rigging equipment for the event.

When LD Dave Boser first saw the Vista console he was immediately sold on its timeline based editing and impressed by the mid-range Vista I3 model’s full feature set. He felt the console was the perfect all-in-one solution for Image Technologies Corporation, which provides creative, AV, multimedia and other production services to clients worldwide, so they invested in four Vista I3 consoles along with Wacom Cintiq 21” pen-tablet screens.

He commented: “The Vista is my first choice every time, it’s on everything I do since we bought them. The I3 is a fantastic value, I could buy a pair for not much more than a full size Vista T2 console. I like that it’s a closed system with an onboard computer (as opposed to the S3) and using it with the 21” Wacom tablet provides so much workspace!”

Having used the Jands Vista on all of his shows in 2009, Dave had complete confidence specifying the console on the impressive Silpada rig, which incorporated over 250 LED fixtures, moving lights, conventional fixtures, and 150 channels of dimming.

The multi-purpose rig consisted of overall stage lighting for IMAG and scenic lighting for different staging configurations each day, truss toning lit in the Silpada logo’s corporate colors and general house lighting illumination of the arena.

With no time to pre-programme the event lighting and only a day’s rehearsal time, the Vista’s intuitive interface allowed Dave fast and easy access to his rig. In addition, the console’s timeline editing provided a powerful time-saving feature for coping with last minute changes to the show and tidying up programming.

Long-time Vista user Nick Wisdom also oversaw the programming and installation of a second Vista I3 console in the party room, a separate invite-only event for Silpada’s top sales representatives.

Summarising his experience of the Vista, LD Dave Boser commented: “The Vista has been so easy to learn and use because it thinks the way I do. That kind of simplicity and intuitiveness is the key to making Vista the best thing out there.“

The Vista I3 is a mid-range lighting desk that provides all the revolutionary features of the full-size Vista T4 / T2 consoles in a smaller, more economical package.

Photos: © Bob Compton Photography.

Happy New Year from everyone at Jands

Please note that the JandsVista forum has been upgraded and moved to:
www.jandsvista.com/forum/

At ‘The People’s Opening’, in Liverpool, Stephen Page of DBN Lighting controlled the main stage with a Vista T2 while Rob Sinclair used his new suitcase-sized S1 for the CBS broadcast of their ‘Good Morning America’ programme.

From etnow.com News
HSL supplied all lighting equipment including over 200 moving lights and 12 crew for ‘The People’s Opening’ extravaganza that launched Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture year. The spectacular event was staged at – and around – St George’s Hall in the city centre.
The performances involved approximately 700 people including Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart and local upcoming indie stars The Wombats, all of which took place on eight surrounding rooftops including the Walker Arts Gallery, St John’s Beacon, the Empire Theatre, Lime Street Station, etc. as well as on top of and in front of St George’s Hall.
The site was hugely challenging on which to work. Lights had to be craned into position and rigged at all these locations, and also onto a series of scaffolding constructions around the main area.

The get-in started on the Monday for the Friday show and the HSL team, project managed by Mike Oates, battled with high winds and driving rain throughout the whole period. The hostile weather forced the cancellation of all but one night of full rehearsals before Friday night’s stunning show.
Lighting designer Stephen Page (a director of Manchester based DBN Lighting) was “extremely pleased” when HSL won the tender to supply the lighting kit. “They have been brilliant,” he says, “The crew have all worked very hard in difficult conditions on a complex site to deliver what I needed.” He has known HSL for some years, but this was the first time he’s worked with them in this context – as his equipment supplier.
Page was involved in the creative process that has evolved into The People’s Show from an early stage, working closely with producer John Wassell, co-directors Nigel Jamieson, Jayne Casey and Mark Murphy along with production designer Dan Potra. The event was production managed by Simon Barrington.
The industrial look of the site, which integrated technical support structures constructed from freight containers, assorted scaffolding towers, cherry pickers and scissor lifts, was juxtaposed against the neoclassical elegance, pillars and arches of St George’s Hall.
Page lit the Hall with a combination of Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 1200E AT and Studio Due CityColor fixtures. Forty CityColors provided the basic wash along the 170-metre front and the south façade of the building, while the 18 metre pillars were highlighted with 30 Robe ColorSpot and 40 ColorWash 1200s.

On top of St George’s Hall and on all the surrounding rooftops, HSL provided approximately 40 Robe ColorSpot 2500E ATs, chosen for their high power and brightness and their ability to produce searchlight type effects. About 100 JTE PixelPAR 90s were also used on the various rooftops for general illumination of the performers.
Over 70 Robe ColorSpot and ColorWash 700 Series fixtures were dotted around the main stage and on the site lighting structures, used for lower level coverage and short throw applications. Page comments that these were also very bight and ideal for the task. Seven sets of Studio Due CS4s on scissor lifts were placed in between the main run of St George’s pillars, rising up and down during the show.
A selection of PARs, profiles. blinders and 40 Fuzz Lights were positioned around the stage on St George’s Plateau and on the scaff structures, providing stage and general areas washes and coverage plus audience illumination.
HSL also supplied six followspots, four on scissor lifts in front of the building, one on top of the Empire Theatre and one on the concourse in front of the site.
The show was enjoyed live by 28,000 people and broadcast on several networks.
Mike Oates comments: “We certainly had to think on our feet on this one, and together with Star Events (structures), UK Rigging (production rigging/rooftop safety) and the Event Safety Shop (production H&S management), come up with a series of creative scaffolding solutions for lighting in all locations. Some of this was done in advance – but much had to be improvised on site!”
The light-show was operated by Page from his own Jands Vista console. HSL ran two Luminex radio DMX links – from the main site at St George’s Plateau to the St John’s Beacon car park, and another from there to the top of the tower. All other links were wired. All lighting kit was powered from generators supplied by Buffalo.
HSL also supplied lighting equipment, LD Rob Sinclair and crew to US broadcaster CBS for their ‘Good Morning America’ programme. This was beamed live from St George’s Hall’s famous Concert Hall and included a three-number performance from Ringo Starr.
Lighting consisted of Robe 1200 Spots, i-Pix Satellites, 2k Fresnels, Source Four PARs – mostly rigged on a series of stands around the balcony of the attractive circular Victorian room. Sinclair also used his new suitcase-sized Jands Vista S1 console.

Lighting Designer John Rinaldi of Stage Light Design is one of the first UK customers to take delivery of a Jands Vista S3.

The company specialises in providing a full lighting design and production service for the exhibition and corporate events market, with major clients in the broadcast, telecommunications and electronics sectors.

Intrigued by the Vista’s overall concept and philosophy, John had been following its progress with much interest, but was waiting for the launch of a more compact and affordable version which would be a better fit with his budget and regular pattern of work.
He commented: “The majority of our work is exhibitions, which usually means packing all the lighting control equipment into a tiny little cupboard space on client’s stands. The S3 is ideal for this as I can use it with a laptop to program shows on the stand, and then when I’m happy with the show I can remove it and just play back from the laptop itself – solving any storage problems.”

The S3 control surface becomes a fully operational Vista console when connected to a PC running the Vista software and fitted with a separately purchased software unlock key for DMX output of up to 8,192 channels via Ethernet.

Before ordering his S3, John rented a T2 Vista on a large rig for the Intel stand at this year’s CeBIT exhibition in Germany. The rig consisted of 80 generics, 114 LED battens, 18 Pulsar Chromastrips, various Mac moving heads and well over 1500 channels of DMX.

He commented: “I felt that both the nature of the show and the lighting design leant itself really well to Vista’s way of working. As well as generics and moving heads for lighting the main stand itself, I had 114 LED battens top lighting the enormous ceiling. The brief was to change the ceiling colour, but I went one better and choreographed the colours with the content of the video walls, using SMPTE to lock the Vista onto the Video timecode.”

John split the 114 LED battens into four separate heads per unit to achieve some very bold, dynamic colour sweeps from side to side and front to back of the ceiling. He found controlling the fixtures very easy using the Vista’s layout screen as it created almost a picture of the ceiling from separate icons representing all 456 lights.

The show was programmed by Mark Jones. Stand design and project management was by 2LK Design Ltd.

John used the Vista T2 on several other corporate events before taking delivery in May of an S3 control surface with separately purchased 1024 channel dongle software unlock key.