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A Traveller’s Tale: Flying High on the A380
DUNK”S WORLD A Traveller’s Tale: Flying High on the A380 by Duncan Fry. I see on the news that Airbus is ceasing production of its jumbo-riffic giant of the skies – the A380, citing changing tastes in passenger’s plane requirements. It turns out it’s a bit thirsty, and needs to be full of passengers…
Read MoreWhat is a Pixel, Anyway?
PIXELS What is a Pixel, Anyway? by John O’Brien. Most of us now live our lives in front of screens. Each of those screens (phones, tablets, monitors, projectors) comprise an array of picture elements, or pixels, that combine to make a full image (whether static or moving). There are: • Pixels printed on a…
Read MoreEntech Roadshow 2019 – Product News
SpeedDeck March 2 – SpeedDeck is a lightweight portable staging system featuring its unique Speedlock system. With a turn of a key, operated from the top of the stage, staging modules can locked together. There is no need to grope around under the stage or insert links for the side, as you do with other…
Read MoreBogota To Caracas, 1992
TOURING Bogota To Caracas, 1992 by Roderick van Gelder. In 1992 Sydney Dance Company performed ‘Some Rooms’ in Bogota and Caracas as part of a world tour. I was the production manager and lighting designer. The challenge was to get the sets for ‘Some Rooms’ from Bogota to Caracas on a 3 day turn-around.…
Read MoreA Christmas AV Fable – Cruella under the spotlight
By Anonymous* Cruella de AV steered her Roller into the car park and ascended the unswept stairs to the regional office. Sue the receptionist quaked in fear at her desk, the six incoming phone lines unlit and five staff upstairs unaware of what was to happen. ‘Who are YOU?’ Cruella spat. Without waiting for an…
Read MoreDunk’s World – Life Be Out Of It
DUNK’S WORLD Life Be Out Of It I heard on the news the other day that the government wants to bring back Norm, a cartoon character couch potato from the ‘Life Be In It’ fitness campaign in the 80s. It reminded me of the time I answered an ad looking for enthusiastic people to work…
Read MoreFear and Loathing at Overseas Exhibitions
Duncan Fry / Dunk’s World Fear and Loathing at Overseas exhibitions Where the Hell’s our stand gone? When you tell people you’re off to Amsterdam, or Los Angeles, or Frankfurt, or Nashville to work at an exhibition, they nearly always say, “Enjoy the holiday!” Hah. Dream on baby! It’s as far from a holiday as…
Read MoreCry Havoc and Let Slip the Junkyard Dogs
WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Junkyard Dogs By Duncan Fry. According to Jim Croce, Bad Bad Leroy Brown was meaner than a Junkyard dog. That’s a bit harsh on junkyard dogs – we had one next door to us at ARX for quite a few years, so draw close youngsters,…
Read MoreRick Doolan prepares for death
Rick Doolan prepares for death People don’t like talking about Death. Sometimes they have to. By Julius Grafton, 20 February 1993 “Fred Hollows said a woman has her moment when she gives birth, and a man when he dies”, said Rick Doolan, reflecting. Fred Hollows had died just hours earlier, drawing Rick to again face…
Read Mored&b audiotechnik: The d&b Soundscape
FEATURE: The live audio revolution d&b audiotechnik: The d&b Soundscape By Julius Grafton. “No machine runs without friction”, says designer Ralf Zuleeg. It is the start of my introduction session to The d&b Soundscape at their Backnang HQ near Stuttgart. This is a 3D sound system, where there are at least five speaker systems across…
Read MoreDuncan Fry – Sounds Like Teen Spirit Pt 2 – Sounds more like a Can of Worms!
Sounds Like Teen Spirit Pt 2 – Sounds more like a Can of Worms! Computers creating music, computers driving cars. Houston, we have a problem. Duncan Fry. Regular readers of this column (Who they? Ed) may remember that last month’s edition discussed the imminent commercial appearance of a new musical phenomenon – the computer generated…
Read MoreIN MEMORIAL: CALUM ORR
THE ENIGMATIC ENGINEER 17th February 1968 – 21st August 2015 Yesterday I went to the memorial of one of my oldest and best friends, Calum Orr, who last week passed away peacefully after a 15-year battle with cancer. I’m still in shock and feel sick right now at the prospect of reducing my friend to a…
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