 | |
| Abbreviation | PLASA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1976 |
| Type | Trade Association |
| Headquarters | Eastbourne, UK |
Membership | 1100 [1] |
CEO | Peter Heath [2] |
Staff | 33 [2] |
| Website | plasa |
Formerly called | British Association of Discotheque Equipment Manufacturers (BADEM) |
The Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) is a trade association headquartered in Eastbourne, United Kingdom. Its membership is made up of companies involved with the events and entertainments technology sector.
PLASA was originally known as the British Association of Discothèque Equipment Manufacturers (BADEM), a name used between 1976 and 1983. [3]
In 2010 PLASA merged with the Entertainment Services and Technology Association. [4] [5] and demerged in 2015. John Simpson, the PLASA Governing Body Chair at the time, said "This has been a difficult period for PLASA but it is also an opportunity for us to refocus. PLASA has a chance to reassess its role in this industry, its relationships and communications with its members, and the future directions of its commercial activities." Also during this time PLASA Show was relocated to Earls Court and CEO Matthew Griffiths left his post. [6]
Peter Heath took the role of CEO in April of 2016. In the same year PLASA Show move back to the West London venue London Olympia. Since then, PLASA Show has steadily regained popularity with the 2018 edition of the show being the “busiest and most vibrant show in recent history”. [7]
PLASA's activities include lobbying, organising trade show events (including the PLASA Show), publishing both technical and industry news products (such as Lighting & Sound International and Lighting & Sound America), developing industry standards and developing industry certification schemes. [8]
PLASA performed lobbying of Ofcom and other British Government entities in the late 2000s when users of radio microphones and similar devices complained that their equipment would be rendered unusable as a result of proposed plans to auction the radio spectrum utilised by many of such devices as part of the digital television switchover. [9] [10]
After merging with ESTA, PLASA took on the role of maintaining the industry standards for DMX512 and RDM. [11] PLASA have also been responsible for the development of a UK National Rigging Certificate, which launched in 2007 [12] for individuals working in the entertainments rigging industry. [1] [13]
Each year, PLASA hands out PLASA Awards for Innovation and Sustainability Award. The PLASA Awards for Innovation aim to emphasise this focus on true innovation. The procedure ensures that all nominated products are vetted to show that they offer something new to the industry.
PLASA has been a part of the European Ecodesign Coalition which includes prominent industry bodies from across Europe. The purpose of the coalition has been to campaign against Ecodesign lighting regulations and propose exemptions for stage lighting.
In 2018 PLASA collaborated with Hamish Dumbreck of JESE Ltd, Peter Willis of Howard Eaton Lighting and Wayne Howell of Artistic Licence to present Plugfest, a three-day residential event in Gatwick, UK for lighting technicians and developers to test the interoperability of their products. This event returns in 2019 taking place in Lille, France.
DMX512 is a standard for digital communication networks that are commonly used to control stage lighting and effects. It was originally intended as a standardized method for controlling light dimmers, which, prior to DMX512, had employed various incompatible proprietary protocols. It soon became the primary method for linking controllers to dimmers and special effects devices such as fog machines and intelligent lights. DMX has also expanded to uses in non-theatrical interior and architectural lighting, at scales ranging from strings of Christmas lights to electronic billboards and stadium or arena concerts. DMX can now be used to control almost anything, reflecting its popularity in theaters and venues.
The XLR connector is a type of electrical connector primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between three and seven pins. They are most commonly associated with balanced audio interconnection, including AES3 digital audio, but are also used for lighting control, low-voltage power supplies, and other applications. XLR connectors are available from a number of manufacturers and are covered by an international standard for dimensions, IEC 61076-2-103.
Stagecraft is a technical aspect of theatrical, film, and video production. It includes constructing and rigging scenery; hanging and focusing of lighting; design and procurement of costumes; make-up; stage management; audio engineering; and procedures of props. Stagecraft is distinct from the wider umbrella term of scenography. Considered a technical rather than an artistic field, it is primarily the practical implementation of a scenic designer's artistic vision.
Electrical lighting technicians (ELT), or simply lighting tech, are involved with rigging stage and location sets and controlling artificial, electric lights for art and entertainment venues or in video, television, or film production.
Martin Professional is a Danish manufacturer and distributor of stage and architectural lighting and effects fixtures. It is owned by Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. The company is based in Aarhus, Denmark.
In theatre, the master electrician is responsible for implementing the lighting design for a production drawn up by the lighting designer. This involves overseeing the preparation, hanging, connection and focusing of stage lighting fixtures.
Show control is the use of automation technology to link together and operate multiple entertainment control systems in a coordinated manner. It is distinguished from an entertainment control system, which is specific to a single theatrical department, system or effect, one which coordinates elements within a single entertainment discipline such as lighting, sound, video, rigging, or pyrotechnics. A typical entertainment control system would be a lighting control console. An example of show control would be linking a video segment with a number of lighting cues, or having a sound cue trigger animatronic movements, or all of these combined. Shows with or without live actors can almost invariably incorporate entertainment control technology and usually benefit from show control to operate these subsystems independently, simultaneously, or in rapid succession.
Architecture for Control Networks (ACN) is a suite of network protocols for control of entertainment technology equipment, particularly as used in live performance or large-scale installations. For example, lighting, audio or special effects equipment. ACN is maintained by Entertainment Services and Technology Association and its first official release was ANSI Standard E1.17-2006 - Entertainment Technology - Architecture for Control Networks. The standard was subsequently revised and released as ANSI E1.17-2010.
The EntertainmentServices &TechnologyAssociation (ESTA) is an American non-profit trade association that represents the entertainment technology industry and is dedicated to promoting professionalism and growth within it. It also provides a forum where interested parties can exchange ideas and information, create standards and recommend certain practices, and face problems in terms of training and certification.
Remote Device Management (RDM) is a protocol enhancement to USITT DMX512 that allows bi-directional communication between a lighting or system controller and attached RDM compliant devices over a standard DMX line. This protocol will allow configuration, status monitoring, and management of these devices in such a way that does not disturb the normal operation of standard DMX512 devices that do not recognize the RDM protocol.
A lighting control system is an intelligent network based lighting control solution that incorporates communication between various system inputs and outputs related to lighting control with the use of one or more central computing devices. Lighting control systems are widely used on both indoor and outdoor lighting of commercial, industrial, and residential spaces. Lighting control systems serve to provide the right amount of light where and when it is needed.
Intelligent lighting refers to lighting that has automated or mechanical abilities beyond those of traditional, stationary illumination. Although the most advanced intelligent lights can produce extraordinarily complex effects, the intelligence lies with the human lighting designer, control system programmer, or the lighting operator, rather than the fixture itself. For this reason, intelligent lighting (ILS) is also known as automated lighting, moving lights, moving heads, or simply movers.
A theatre consultant is a consultant who specializes in the design of facilities for the performing arts, equipment for those facilities and the operation of theatre.
Lighting & Sound America is an American entertainment technology magazine published in New York City by PLASA Media Inc, a commercial arm of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA). Lighting & Sound America covers the broad range of the entertainment, presentation and events industries worldwide, including theatre, live touring, clubs, themed venues, corporate events and presentations, as well as in-depth profiles of people and companies involved in the lighting and sound industry.
Light & Sound International (LSi) is a UK monthly entertainment technology magazine published in Eastbourne by PLASA Media Ltd, a commercial arm of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) and is distributed around the world in English. Light & Sound International covers the broad range of the entertainment, presentation and events industries worldwide, including theatre, live touring, clubs, themed venues, corporate events and presentations, as well as in-depth profiles of the people and companies who put it all together – and the issues affecting them.
The PLASA Show is an annual trade show hosted at Olympia and organised by the Professional Lighting and Sound Association. The show was formerly held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre and between 2013 and 2015 at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre. The show draws an international attendance of exhibitors and visitors in the lighting, audio and related technologies sector of the entertainments industry.
ArKaos is an application for live visual performance, conceived as a visual sampler for video loops that can be triggered from the computer, or through a hardware interface. The application is available in two versions: ArKaos VJ MIDI, conceived as a live video performance instrument, often used in conjunction with a MIDI keyboard, and ArKaos VJ DMX, which can be controlled with a DMX console.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to stagecraft:
Rigging in entertainment can be broken down into two main subjects – theatrical rigging and arena-style rigging. All the same skills apply in both genres. The first takes place in a theatre, and typically involves the theatre's permanent fly system. The other in an arena or "exposed structure venue" such as a convention center, ballroom, warehouse etc.
Avolites Ltd is a multinational technology company based in Park Royal, London. Avolites manufactures high end professional lighting control consoles, stage dimming equipment, and media servers for use in the professional stage lighting and media control systems industries. In 2011 the company expanded into the media server sector of the entertainments technology market by acquiring software developed by Immersive Ltd, supplying control systems used in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, and the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. The company has received awards for many of its products, including the ART-series dimmers, the Sapphire Media, and the Ai media server software.