Gossip
Comment: If I Don’t Have This Product will I Die?
Tech Tools If I Don’t Have This Product will I Die? The live production industry is capital intensive and significant ongoing investment is required to stay current. It is complicated by the fact that most people in the business are there because they love it. That means the decision to buy the latest gear is…
Read MoreBiz Talk: Sliced or Dazzled? Get slowly baked in a dud franchise
REGULARS Sliced or Dazzled? Get slowly baked in a dud franchise By Julius Grafton. Dominos Pizza is in trouble with its investors who loved that the stock hit $80 a share and now cry as the stock is falling under $40. Led by a charismatic CEO, Dominos painted a pretty picture of rising profits and…
Read MoreJands fly them in to launch Robe
12 October, By Julius Grafton. The theme ãt Fõx Studiõs wãs Czech, frõm the beer tõ the schñitzel – dõwn tõ the wãit staff whõ ãll hãd Thãt Accent. Jands pulled out all the stops, arranged a seated meal, and called house full. It sure was, with lighting luminaries flown in from across the land,…
Read MoreChicken Bosses Legs Found to be Tender
By Simon Byrne Years ago, we were hired to provide production for the NSW Sales Development Conference for a major chicken fast food franchise group at Salamandar Bay, north of Newcastle. The last morning of the 3 day conference was outsourced to a “professional motivational team”. On meeting the “team”, we immediately concluded that they…
Read MoreMasters of nothing. How to lose a lazy billion
Biz Talk, By Julius Grafton About fifteen years ago McDonalds brought a US concept restaurant to Sydney called Boston Market. They built nine stand-alone restaurants and quickly discovered Aussies like their roast dinners different to Americans. What? No roast LAMB? What kind of place is this? They also had a revelation that costs here are…
Read MoreTouring NZ. Same but different
By Julius Grafton In July we had the pleasure of a short NZ tour with ENTECH NZ Roadshow. Having done this across Australia for some years we were keenly anticipating our new experience. Figuring out what to take was easy, we had airline baggage limits so no touring drawers cases or all the stuff…
Read MoreRIP Dick Smith but Channelnews, WTF?
The collapse of electronics retailer Dick Smith is dreadful to watch, as 3000 staff prepare for unemployment. Without any doubt the vulture fund Anchorage Capital have a lot of explaining to do, having dressed the retailer up for a half billion float and then walking away with the loot. But today’s EXCLUSIVE report in Channelnews,…
Read MoreVale Eric Robinson. Live Production Pioneer
JPJ Audio chief Eric Robinson died on November 11 from complications with cancer. He had just turned 67 and had retired to Port Douglas. Eric was the best known pioneer of Australian live production, having taken control of Jands in 1970 from its founders. Eric and the Mulholland brothers Paul and David drove Jands hard,…
Read MoreSchool Musical: How to do it
Last night I enjoyed Putney Public School’s dance musical, where every kid had a role. The school only stage this every other year, and throw everything into it. Costumes, choreography, and planning were first rate. Being a technical production person, I best appreciated the simple lighting and audio provided by nearby Epping Boys High School.…
Read MoreDallimore exits ENTECH, joins Show Technology
ENTECH show manager Stephen Dallimore has departed Exhitions Trade Fairs (ETF) after steering the show for four years. He took the role when the show was in deep trouble after the GFC, and under siege from rival trade show Integrate. Integrate in turn was founded by former ENTECH director Louise Brooks. Dallimore pushed open doors…
Read MorePush out the Cowboys. Why we need ACCREDITATION
Our lead news story in December CX shows at least one government events department thinks we should work for nothing. They didn’t just decide to cut their sound and lighting budget by 75%. Someone is prepared to do the work. My solution is to accredit legitimate operators, using an industry scheme. It would be simple…
Read MoreDisdain Pain now USA Gain
Something’s changed, perhaps starting the almost warm welcome from the immigration agent at the Tom Bradly International Terminal in Los Angeles. Previously and especially in the early post 9/11 years, I felt like an invading interloper, blunt hostile questions thrown at my jet fuddled face. Certainly the terminal itself is a world away from the…
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