Professional Lighting & Production - Winter 2018 | Page 14

A.C. Lighting Adds Follow-Me Hardware Solutions to Portfolio A.C. Lighting has added Follow-Me’s hardware solutions, such as the recently-introduced Follow-Me Mouse console and Fader Console, to its prod- uct portfolio. A.C. Lighting introduced Follow-Me to its brand portfolio a year ago, and has since added the Follow-Me Lite software option as well. “Follow-Me has been incredibly successful for A.C. Lighting, gaining in popularity in the North American markets. The system has provided a unique product option for remote followspot control. I am pleased to see the company grow and provide new hardware to make the system even more responsive,” says A.C. Lighting VP of Sales Fred Mikeska. For more information, contact A.C. Lighting: 416-255-9494, [email protected], www.aclighting.com. The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) says its 50 th stage expo and conference is on track to be its largest to date. The show, which takes place from March 20-23 in Louisville, KY, will host more than 200 educational sessions, hands-on trainings, and demos, while the expo will host more than 300 exhibitors. The expo floor will house six stages presenting costume and makeup demos, tutorials, fashion shows, book signings, speakers, award presentations, the Tech Olympics, and exhibits featuring costume, scenic, and international designs. Conference sessions will include conversations with directors about media design, emerging issues in entertainment engineering, and lighting special events like fashion, car, and trade shows and corporate events. As well, after premiering in 2018, the second annual New World Rigging Symposium, an event presented by USITT and ESTA, will take place March 19-20 in tandem with the USITT Show. The event provides opportunities for riggers and those interested in the live entertainment rigging industry to network, discuss current issues and new technologies, and help shape the future of the industry. Jim Digby, founder and chairman of the Event Safety Alliance and an industry veteran, will be delivering the keynote address. Symposium attendees receive a free stage expo pass as a part of their registration. Discounts on full conference registration are also available. For more information, go to www.usittshow.com. 2018 Supplier Service Survey Professional Lighting & Production recently surveyed lighting and video professionals across Canada to find out their thoughts and preferences with regards to their working relation- ships with manufacturers and distributors. Here are the results… When purchasing gear for your rental inventory, live production applications, or installations, do you primarily prefer to: 10% 10% 20% 15% 45% Audition similar products from a variety of brands to find the best Speaking Out Thinking of the best working relationship you have with a manufacturer/distributor, what does that company do to make the relationship work well? “Support. Support. Support.” “Continued support in not only the product, but practical application.” Stick with a brand/model based on past success, consistency, and reliability Research specs and consider external opinions to decide Consult a trusted distributor/retailer/consultant for recommendations A combination of the above 50% say good initial training & ongoing support is the most important quality for a manufacturer/distributor … 35% say it’s previous success on similar jobs/applications 14 | Winter 2018 45% In the last 2-3 years, have made a conscious decision to stop purchasing from a particular supplier… 50% Of those, list poor or inconsistent service as the reason and say poor product quality 30% “I appreciate when the manufacturer keeps me informed of new products and software updates to fixtures and consoles.” “Continue to update me on new gear, allow me the opportunity to test it out, and always be available when I either have a question or when I need a problem to be solved.” “They’re the best I work with, but they don’t pretend – we don’t pretend – that either of us are perfect and we actively look to do the best we can together to overcome the little chal- lenges that happen, with a lot of problem-free biz getting done in between.” USITT Show & New World Rigging Symposium Heading to Kentucky