Most lighting designers have Mac computers and like to work in Mac OS because of its impressive graphic capabilities, speed and intuitive user interface. One of the most frustrating things in the life of an LD is the lack of affordable professional-level lighting control software that could run on a Mac OS platform – until now!

The new Emulation Control Software from Elation Professional is a next generation in software lighting control. It has a full list of functional features that lighting professionals require like cue-lists, fixture groups, playbacks and globals but there is one big difference –they can run it on a Mac OS platform from the start. And, it’s affordable. PC users take heart! Emulation Control Software runs on Windows and Linux too.

“In the past lighting professionals had limited choices when it came to lighting control software,” says Eric Loader, director of sales for Elation Professional. “We have been getting requests for years for a Mac OS lighting software from both professional lighting users and musicians who all own Mac computers. Sure they could run their lighting software on a Windows platform by using a third party software and then go through the awkward, time-consuming process of running the application – but this was inefficient. We knew a Mac OS software would be the only way to make these users happy but it also had to be a software that spoke their “pro” language as well…this is led us to develop Emulation.”

Because of the easy-to-understand graphical user interface and ultra-short learning curve associated with Emulation – this software will not only be attractive to pro users but to beginners as well. Musicians will enjoy the easy-to-use programming and set up of the software. Plug-and-play MIDI-compatibility is included with Emulation allowing control of the software from many MIDI devices.

A powerful, feature-rich DMX-512 control software for intelligent lights, LEDs, dimmers, laser and effects, Emulation includes more than 1,500 fixture profiles from all major manufactures. Plus, since it provides a seamless, convenient way to work on the Mac platform, Emulation gives lighting professionals the best of both worlds. “It really fills a gap that existed in the controller world,” adds Loader. “Lighting professionals no longer have to choose between spending a lot of money, or making due with software that can’t work directly with their Mac computers.”

Emulation software comes with a USB to DMX interface. This interface sends out 512 channels through an ESD protected DMX-512-A USB port. Once the hardware interface - CueCable - which is a simple DMX to USB cable is connected to a computer, the DMX data is duplicated over Art-net. The proprietary DMX-to-USB cable is the “key” to the software and allows users to put it in their laptop bag easily and take it with them anywhere.”

The industry standard cuelist system in Emulation, which is used for stacking cues and programming light sequences, is standard to the systems used on larger consoles. Among the many features found in the cuelist are delay, fade in and out fade out timings, shape generator and programmer window.

In addition to being compatible with Mac, the Emulation is available on OS X as well as Windows XP, Vista and Linux platforms. Aside from its Mac capabilities, the Emulation also stands out by being very flexible, allowing LDs to work on their lightshows from a home PC, iPhone or any mobile device with a modern Internet browser.

Emulation comes with a riggers remote application that runs mobile devices, such as iPhones, with a modern Internet browser. The riggers application includes playback pages and a patch list page which displays all of the fixtures in the Emulation patch as well as their settings (such as mode and starting address) in real time. The patch list feature in the Emulation allows lighting professionals to go on stage and set the address on each fixture and have this information shown on their iPhone. The playback button triggers a cue list. So, a lighting professional who needs a break, can go off stage and cue lights from another area.

Despite its high-tech wizardry, the Emulation is a surprisingly user-friendly product. An intuitive graphical user interface makes it easy to learn and operate. The Emulation software is currently available in six languages – English, German, Spanish, French and Dutch. The Emulation is also quite affordable with an MSRP of only $699.99. “It has all of the features and capabilities of much more expensive computer lighting control software,” says Loader.

www.elationlighting.com

Pond5.com, the fast-growing marketplace for stock video, has significantly expanded its offering by adding stock music and sound effects to it's collection of downloadable royalty-free stock media. This major addition provides media producers everywhere with instant access to the full array of stock content needed in today's production workflows.

The audio side of Pond5 launches with more than 15,000 sound effects and over 3,000 production music tracks, which will complement one of the leading stock video collections on the web. Pond5 now features over 240,000 royalty-free stock footage clips, with thousands more added each week. All media can be searched, previewed, purchased and downloaded directly from the site.

"We're extremely excited about introducing audio on Pond5," says CEO Tom Bennett. "We think the same factors that have made us the go-to resource for stock video on the web will drive our success in audio. We've got the widest selection of high quality royalty-free footage at the best prices, a fast, efficient interface, responsive customer support, and the most artist-friendly model in the industry. That's been the foundation of our success with video, and we think it will translate well to the world of audio."

Pond5's open marketplace model allows anyone with professional quality stock audio or video content to upload it and sell on the site, which currently represents more than 2,000 individuals and companies. Pond5 offers 50% royalties to artists in an industry where 20% to 40% is typical, and, uniquely, Pond5 gives its artists the freedom to set prices themselves. The result, Bennett says, is “an open, efficient marketplace offering the widest range of content at the lowest prices you’ll find anywhere." Prices start at $2 for sound effects, $5 for music or video.

A number of large audio collections are on board for launch, including Blastwave FX, a leading library of more than 30,000 HD sound effects, whose entire collection will be available for by-the-track purchase on Pond5.  "Pond5 is innovating in media distribution just like Blastwave FX is in high definition sound effects libraries", says Douglas Price, who manages Business Development and Licensing for Blastwave FX. Pond5 has developed a superfast interface that allows audio producers to find, organize, and download exactly the sounds they need, right when they need them." Stephen Bashaw, CEO of Sonic Imagery Music, which has hundreds of production music tracks on Pond5, agrees: "We think Pond5 has a great look-and-feel, it's very easy to use, and is a great distribution vehicle for our content."

As with video, audio on Pond5 will be licensed under a simple royalty-free license, which permits global, all media, in perpetuity use for productions. Users of Pond5 stock footage and audio range from film and television giants like Dreamworks, CBS and the History Channel, to small and independent producers in all areas, including advertising, corporate, web, nonprofit, gaming, digital signage and event video.

Free Sound Effects and Stock Video
To entice audio producers to give the site a try, Pond5 has opened up a "Free Pool" of sound effects, which will feature a rotating selection of 25 free sound effects, ranging from car crashes to insect noises to electronic whooshes and beeps. The free sfx can be downloaded at http://www.pond5.com/free-sound-effects. In addition, a new high quality HD stock video clip can be downloaded for free each week at http://www.pond5.com/Free-Stock-Footage

With its rich history of cultural diversity, San Francisco’s historic Grace Cathedral was the ideal location to celebrate the culmination of Tools for Peace’s landmark Mandala Project. The non-profit organization, which empowers youths and adults through a series of training programs throughout the Bay Area and Southern California, hosted the event to mark the completion of stunning sand mandalas by local students and Tibetan monks.

The gala event included an intimate champagne performance by Grammy Award winner k.d. lang, accompanied by only a solo piano. As lang’s front-of-house (FOH) engineer Gary Stokes points out, the majesty of the famed cathedral was both a blessing and a challenge.
“There are few venues more breathtaking than Grace Cathedral, and it was really an honor to be asked to play there,” he says. “But it’s also a massive space, with a reverb time of somewhere around six seconds, and we had to find a way to get good coverage and intelligibility to every seat in the house.”

To meet the challenge, Stokes got in touch with Rocky Gianetta at Fault Line Sales, who teamed with Renkus-Heinz’s David Rahn to donate an IC Live system for the gig. As Gianetta explains, the IC Live’s digitally steerable array was ideally suited for the Grace’s singular challenges.

“David and I brought the entire system in the back of a pickup truck, and the two of us were able to carry it in and set it up,” Gianetta says. “More importantly, using only two IC215S-R subs and four ICL-R modules, we were able to dial in a ten-degree beam and achieve focused, intelligible coverage with minimal reflectivity, all the way to the rear of the hall.”
Using RHAON, Renkus-Heinz’s integrated DSP technology, the entire IC-Live system and a pair of Sygma SG121-5R stage monitors were able to be quickly configured and monitored throughout the performance.

“k.d. sang through her regular microphone, an AKG 535, and Gary used the house console, an APB Dynasonic,” says Gianetta. “Other than a bit of dynamics on her voice, that was pretty much the entire system.”

“Tools for Peace is truly a wonderful organization, and needless to say we were excited to be able to contribute to such an outstanding event,” adds Renkus-Heinz’s David Rahn. “Of course, from a technical perspective it was fantastic to have an opportunity to prove the power and focus of IC Live in a venue like Grace Cathedral. But all that aside, we couldn’t have asked for a better artist to showcase this product. k.d. is the consummate performer, her voice is practically operatic in range and power, and she’s got such a charismatic communication with her audience. This was truly the ultimate gig for IC Live, and we’re just thrilled to have been a part of it.”