First D-TEK D-Mix Pro on tour with The Hollies

Projected Image Digital supplied one of its new D-TEK Industries D-Mix Pro video mixing products to lighting rental house Lite Alternative.
This went straight out on tour – the first tour for the product - with LD Rob Sinclair on The Hollies, allowing him to integrate both video and lighting medias to run off his Avolites Pearl lighting console.
The Hollies, one of the most successful ‘UK invasion’ bands of the 1960’s, are still regularly touring the theatre circuit, and very much ‘going strong’ today. Two members of the original line-up are in the band, and unlike many other still-active acts of that era, they always carry their own full production, including sound and visuals.
For 2004, the Hollies management wanted a new look for the show, though a degree of lateral thinking was required by both Sinclair and lighting suppliers Lite Alternative to enable this to happen within the budget.
This coincided with Lite Alternative’s decision to invest in a quantity of video equipment to service clients also wanting a cost-effective ‘visuals’ package. In addition to the D-Switch Pro, Lite Alternative also bought a 4000 Lumen Sharp V10X projector from Projected Image Digital to set up their new department.
The D-Mix Pro enables the switching, mixing and matrixing of four video inputs to four video outputs – via any DMX controller - and is perfect for use with multiple sources and outputs.
On the Hollies, Sinclair utilized eight ‘lipstick’ surveillance style cameras for IMAG video inputs. These were dotted about stage trained on band members from different angles. He also ran Arkaos VJ software to control and manipulate assorted other video playback sources from a G4 laptop - primarily created himself in Final Cut Pro. The laptop sources were triggered by MIDI, and a DMX-to-MIDI box connected this to the lighting desk for fading or bumping in and out. All images (IMAG and playback) were sent to a large upstage ‘soft’ projection screen.
The D-Mix Pro enabled him to combine live and playback feeds, and to switch and fade the cameras using the lighting desk, creating a full range of stunning effects.
"The biggest challenge," said Sinclair, "was getting used to being a video director with my left hand and a lighting designer with my right hand – using one single user interface. I’ve dreamed about being able to take both lighting and video on a two-person tour for ages - and now I can.”
The flexibility of the video set up also meant he could shoot bits of ‘on they fly’ footage on his DV Cam, edit on the laptop, and integrate it to the show with a minimum of fuss.
(SP)