Search Results for: U-TORM

U-Torm 100 with PRG Bad Boy

The U-Torm system from Cosmic Truss which initially hit the market in 2014, now has an expanded range offering even greater flexibility in creating hanging positions for lighting, video projectors and other equipment.

Added to the system is the new U-Torm 100 and U-Top 100 which have been built to accommodate larger pieces of equipment including high output moving lights, larger loudspeaker, and video projectors and other AV equipment. With an open inside width of 39.3 inches / 1 meter, the U-Torm 100 uses the same simple and fast rigging techniques that make it suitable for both permanent and temporary or touring situations.

Allowing continued versatility for any designer, the U-Torm 50 and U-Torm 100 can be configured together in a multitude of different set-ups, and customized add-on’s can be created using standard off the shelf product from Cosmic Truss’ extensive range of adaptors and pipes, which all fit seamlessly together.

As a system, the U-Torm is a new, flexible solution to the problem of suspending drop fixtures and finding tormentor positions, in a completely modular solution. Designers across the country have been finding innovative uses for the system on everything from large scale TV shows, festivals, corporate events and in fact anywhere where they needed a bit more flexibility.

All U-Torm brackets and components are available in a natural aluminum, or black finish as standard, but other colors can be provided on request. U-Torm products are available from Cosmic Truss rental companies and dealers across the country. For assistance in locating our local dealer or rental company, please contact us on +1 (818) 767 8899

More than 50 GLP impression X4 LED moving heads made a recent TV appearance on ‘Legends: OWN at the Apollo’, a four-part prime-time special featuring icons such as Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Created and produced by Ron Weisner Entertainment for the Oprah Winfrey Network, the programs transported viewers to the Apollo Theater in Harlem for four nights of classic soul music as well as personal thoughts on how this historic and world famous theater has helped nurture and develop their careers.

From a technical perspective the event brought together the respective lighting skills of Matt Shimamoto (Volt Lites) and Mark Butts — both highly experienced in handling TV productions of this nature. With Shimamoto taking design duties and Butts overseeing the programming and operation, the brief was to create a rich and tasteful design.

“Production required something that was dynamic, but that didn’t overwhelm the performers. As we were working with music icons in a theater with a huge amount of history, we needed to be sensitive to that, but still provide something dramatic that translated to TV,” explained Butts, This enabled the two men to create a warm environment that showcased the essence of the Apollo with a rig that remained largely constant, barring some changes to the floor packages.

However, the short time span available to prep the show certainly tested the two designers. “I was fortunate that Mark had a window available in his busy schedule to collaborate,” stated Matt Shimamoto. “I relied on him to come up with the looks for each song and cue out the show.” In addition, Butts also had to run video — no easy task with the tight schedule precluding the opportunity for a full run through.

He explained, “The design started with the Down Stage Picture Frame comprising 7mm LED. That would be the iconic piece that would tie each act together.

“Playing off of that I used [Cosmic Truss] U-Torms to cascade light down from the grid to the floor. The Apollo is a very intimate space so I tried to draw the eye up as much as possible to help create the look of a bigger rig. We had to burn most of the top balcony to cheat in as much front light as possible to combat the large number of musicians onstage.”

In a careful selection of mission critical fixtures, the GLP impression X4 played an important role. “I love using the X4 as my base for any design,” he continued. “It’s so easy to design and program. With a multitude of beam and color looks the X4 is incredibly versatile — also, the clean and minimalistic housing looks great on camera along with its unique front lens that adds another element of eye candy to the camera.”

LED’s often pose threats on camera because of color and flickering issues, he continued. “I tend to bump up the white chip in all my primary colors to help with the over saturation and blooming. As to the flickering you never know what you’re going to get until you are on Camera. To combat this I have all cameras pointed towards the X4’s — these we put in a deep saturated blue and start to role in the PWM adjust.

“It takes a matter of seconds and once we are all signed off we update the preset and we are good to go. This is highly useful and a huge selling point for the brand.”

Mark Butts agrees, “For TV work, flicker free, flat fields, and uniform color across fixtures are vital.  The X4’s are excellent in all respects; they have some fun internal macros that I used in a few spots, they are easy to get working and have cool dynamic looks.”

Also supplied by GLP Inc, the Cosmic Truss U-Torm was another wise investment for the production team. “The ease of use of this system was the saving factor in making this very fast load-in come together,” considered Matt Shimamoto. “Our Gaffer, Mike Grimes, and the rest of the team had built sections of the U-Torm outside the venue while rigging was putting up points. Once the truss and motors were ready to receive the U-Torms it was a matter of pinning the units together and running power and data which was already loomed from the prep.”

Mark Butts also used the U-Torms for a Juanes tour this spring, stating: “It’s a really great system. Anything we can do to pre-rig lighting and deploy gear quickly has my support.”

The Legends TV series proved again that LED heads such as GLP’s impression X4 series, have come of age. “Now that we have fixtures like this with a uniform face, which don’t show the individual color pixels, I find great use for LEDs, especially when working in older spaces,” continued Butts. “There are always weight and power consumption considerations, but the LED sources help address many of those.”

And as far as the Apollo Theater shows were concerned both lighting specialists can reflect on an overwhelming success.

GLP Inc report an overwhelming success at the recent LDI 2015 in Las Vegas — not only because of the response the company received to its new generation of impression LED fixtures but also for the awards with which it was accoladed.

GLP designed what was comfortably the largest trade show stand they had ever assembled and it certainly paid dividends, as they picked up the LDI award for Best Product Presentation, and also won an Honorable mention in the ‘Best Debuting Product: Lighting’ category for new additions to the X4 family of fixtures.

Charged with designing and programming the lightshow was Matt Shimamoto of Volt Lites, while the overall booth design was a collaborative effort between him and GLP Inc. president, Mark Ravenhill.

Udo Kunzler (l), Matt Shimamoto (c) and Mark Ravenhill (r) with the Best Product Presentation Award at LDI 2015_Photo by Beth Weinstein, Courtesy of Live Design

According to Ravenhill, by integrating all their represented brands, including G-Lec, Cosmic Truss and Scenex, within an impressive 50ft x 50ft display, they were able to ignite the interest of users, including designers, consultants and rental houses right across the board.

The stand was divided into two main sections; the front area contained a number of product demonstration zones, information counter and hospitality — with an open bar and ‘lounge’ for visitors to relax and sit down.

In this section a large wall was lit by a row of X4 Bar 20’s, in front of which was a wall of Cosmic Truss U-Torms (a flexible solution for suspending drop fixtures and finding tormentor positions) with alternating X4 and X4 S units. The U-Torms themselves were short-listed for a Parnelli Award, with David Park responsible for designing the Cosmic Truss area.

Photo Credit: Erica Bolotsky

From the open and welcoming entry area, visitors were able to proceed through a small tunnel lined with G-LEC Solaris balls, forming an alluring 360° LED video curtain which guided them to the second part of the booth. This featured a fully time-coded lightshow including a formal introduction to GLP’s new products being shown at LDI — principally the impression X1, X4 L and X4 Atom.

Initially set to run every hour, so popular did the early lightshows prove that GLP found it necessary to double the frequency by adding shows on the half hour. “The popularity continued right up until the final show, and it was a standing room only affair,” reports Mark Ravenhill.

Away from the booth, the Best Product Presentation award was accepted by Ravenhill and company founder, MD Udo Künzler. “Everyone was hugely proud of the award,” declared the former.

“For this we have to give praise to lighting designer Matt Shimamoto [of Volt Lites] who designed and programmed the lightshow,” Mark continued. The overall booth design was a collaborative effort primarily between Matt and himself, with David Park creating the Cosmic Truss area.

Mark also paid credit to Nate Files who programmed the lighting for the front part of the booth, which mimicked the show that was taking place behind through time-code.

In conclusion, GLP Inc’s president admits, “I have been wanting to do a nostalgic ‘throwback’ lightshow to the ones where I won awards as a programmer around 20 years ago. This year all the stars aligned and it proved to be phenomenal for all of us!”