PROMAG Vol 22 no 1 | Page 3

upfront First Quarter 2014 Volume 22 Number 1 PROMAG is published quarterly by Electrosonic SA and distributed to the professional audio, video and lighting industry. © PROMAG and Electrosonic SA. All rights reserved. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Editorial and subscriptions Managing Editor – Terry Bourquin 011 770 9800 or [email protected] Editing – Khuboni Communications Design and production – Cranberry Creative Solutions Cover image – Steyn City Printing – Seriti Printing - 012 333-9757 Electrosonic SA Johannesburg – Electrosonic SA 33 Lily Avenue, Northcliff, Johannesburg P O Box 73515, Fairland, 2030 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] www.electrosonic.co.za e-mail: [email protected] 24 hour AV Systems Support 0861 AVHELP / 0861 28 43 57 24 hour Lighting Technical Support 0860 MARTIN / 0860 62 78 46 Durban – Electrosonic SA KZN Units 5/6, 80 Rinaldo Road, Durban North P O Box 401130, Redhill, 4071 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone] Crestron House 279 Weltevreden Road, Blackheath, Johannesburg Tel: [phone] e-mail: [email protected] Useful Links ADB Lighting – www.adblighting.com Compulite – www.compulite.com Crestron South Africa – www.crestron.co.za CM Lodestar – www.cmrigging.com Electron – www.electron.gr Elite Screens – www.elitescreens.com Green Hippo – www.green-hippo.com InfoComm (ICIA) – www.infocomm.org Kramer – www.kramerelectronics.com Litec – www.litectruss.com Martin Professional – www.martin.com Milos Structural Systems – www.milosgroup.com NEC Displays – www.nec-displays.co.za PLASA – www.plasa.org SACIA – www.sacia.org.za Screen International – www.screenint.com Sierra Video – www.sierravideo.com SIM2 – www.sim2.com ACHIEVING THE IMPOSSIBLE CONTENTS On 5 December 2013 the world was DIARY saddened by the news of Nelson Mandela’s Shows and events worldwide – NAB SHOW, IFSEC South Africa, LIGHTFAIR International death. This was a man whose life story 2014, InfoComm14, CEDIA touched the hearts of billions of people. 2 He left a legacy of forgiveness, hope, kindness, vision, leadership and, most important of all, achieving the impossible. What is the probability of winning a Nobel Peace Prize a year after being released from a 27 year jail sentence, and then, a year after that, becoming President of the country? View our article on how Emnotweni Casino, part of the Tsogo Sun group, paid their tribute to our beloved Madiba. On the subject of icons, I still cannot fathom how a two meter tall Dr Frank-N-Furter danced through a whole evening of The Rocky Horror Show in impossibly high heels – and with a poise most women would envy. When asked, he made me wait in antici... pation before answering through his sweet transvestite smile: “I have been practicing since the age of seven, my dear”. Well, so have I. Unsuccessfully. PROMAG covers The Rocky Horror Show article from behind-the-scenes and shares how a great team effort made this Fugard Theatre production not only possible, but highly popular. Who would ever have thought that video technology would turn radio into a visual experience? Primedia Broadcasting is leading the way in taking radio to another level. From analogue to digital: you’ll enjoy reading about the seemingly insurmountable challenges Spectrum Visual Networks overcame with their AV design solutions and cutting-edge AV equipment installation. Lowther Communications might be a small AV company, but their dreams and innovations are big. They’ve designed the world's first fully-inclusive Mobile Multifunction Communication Companion, the Wing, an invention which earned a finalist spot in the Technology Top 100 Awards program. This is a great example of a company that ‘dreams the impossible dream’. PROMAG will keep an eye on Lowther Communications and look forward to reporting on their rapid growth in the near future! PROMAG’s cover story shares with you how insurance tycoon Douw Steyn’s incredible vision was made reality by Panavision Evolve, who automated his Palazzo. Palazzo Steyn is encircled by fully functional Romanstyle aqueducts. Not in Italy, but right here in the north of Johannesburg. When hip hop legend 50 Cent decided to delight his Mozambique followers with a once-off concert, CES Live was tasked with the logistics. Being delayed for two days at the SA-Mozambican border with fully loaded trucks, CES faced impossible odds for a successful set-up. Yet they did. Running on zero sleep, the adrenaline kicked in, as did the teamwork and experience. The production crew even managed to do a full sound and lighting check prior to the actual show. Talk about achieving the impossible! In many ways the ‘impossible’ is only a challenge set for us to overcome. As Nelson Mandela put it: “It always seems impossible until it’s done”. So let’s get on with it. Enjoy the read. — Managing Editor: Terry NEWS 3 CRC Dream venture, Dimension Data and Allan Gray combine for an industry first, Xtreme Productions get more Xtreme, Video meets the radio star, Da Vinci boardroom AV installation, The Wing takes off, Emnotweni upgrades electronic signage, Electronic SA honoured at ISE, Innovative lighting for a rock classic, Harris presents master class at HippoSchool, Esselen Park gets a new look, CES makes 50 Cent look like a million bucks COVER STORY 12 Technology fit for a Palazzo FEATURE 14 Don't dream it, be it FEATURE