Date: November 2006
Lighthouse screens dance on the Danube
Austria - November 2, 2006 - Austrian performance art company Lawine Torrèn used the natural beauty of the Danube Valley as a vast backdrop for Leviathan, an unusual piece of theatre. Robust Lighthouse Technologies outdoor LED video panels were deployed demonstrating the successful integration of art, nature and technology.
Leviathan - staged in association with the Austrian Army - took place at various scenic locations along the valley. The story is based on the spread of the philosophical ideas of Thomas Hobbes and seamlessly combines art and technology to create an exciting choreographic deployment of heavy military machinery and people. This was interweaved with film and photographs of local history, all delivered from a huge Lighthouse R19 19mm LED video wall built on a military ferry, which cruised up and down the Danube.
The screen with dimension 8.5 x 6.4m (55m2) was controlled by Lighthouse LVC88 processors and was built on the back of a pontoon, powered by three 250hp boats. A 16-man crew comprising one commandant, three boat drivers and 12 men for landing manoeuvres manned the vessel.
Responsible for the provision and construction of this all-important video element was Philipp Haidvogel of Wiener Medien Werkzeuge, who comments “Whilst the video wall construction of the project was not that complex – we use the same scaffolding system as we would on solid ground - the entire ferry-scaffold-screen assembly had the potential to career from one side to the other!”
The most testing component of the project was the set-up of the radio link for the video signal. Haidvogel explains, “With the control positions on shore and the screen sited on a moving ferry, there was a considerable distance between the video transmitter and the receiver. Also the constant movement of the vessel meant we had to use GMS (Global Microwave System), one of the most powerful radio control systems available in Europe.”
Water ingress and humidity were other potential obstacles, but proved no problem for the Lighthouse screens. Haidvogel points out, “Lighthouse R19 screens are extremely robust, in fact they are built like tanks! Assuming the screens are well maintained they work in practically any environment, no matter what the atmospheric conditions are. The screens are simple to assemble and operationally they are as uncomplicated to use as a television set.”
The only other ingredient of the show that perhaps could have been an issue were the three Blackhawk helicopters that flew overhead throughout. The three helicopters had their own choreography, synchronously climbing and descending 50m behind the screen. The resulting downwash caused considerable spray from the river, but even that was not a problem for the robust Lighthouse screens.
Video designer for Leviathan Mr. Stefan Aglassinger, and the whole team from Lawine Torrèn reported that they were extremely happy with the production, saying for such a technically challenging piece the integration of art and army was surprisingly uncomplicated.
[Ends]
About Lighthouse Technologies
Lighthouse Technologies Limited is a leading LED technology developer, manufacturer and global supplier of state-of-the-art LED modular video panels, which can be assembled into large scale video screens for indoor and outdoor use. Specializing in the research and manufacture of LED video screens, Lighthouse has its own intellectual properties with more than 10 active patents worldwide and is committed to remain as the premier creator of intellectual property value.
The company’s LED components, panels and complete video systems undergo stringent quality control with power-on, burn-in processes at ISO 14001 and ISO 9001-certified manufacturing plants. Its products have won several international awards, among them, the IBC Exhibition Design Award 2005, the Best-In-Show Award at InfoComm 2005, the Best New Product Award at the National Association of Broadcasters 2002 (NAB) show and the Good Buzz award at InfoComm 2004, the Technological Achievement Certificate of Merit in the 2003 Hong Kong Awards for Industry as well as the prestigious Consumer Product Design Award and the HKITCC Certificate of Merit in Technological Achievement in the 1999 Hong Kong Awards for Industry. Lighthouse was also recognized as one of the Fastest Growing Technology Companies in the 2002 Deloitte Technology Fast 250.
Lighthouse operates worldwide, through sales offices and technical support teams in the United States, Canada, South America, United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.lighthouse-tech.com.
Media Contact:
Sarah James, Gasoline Media Limited,
9 Dalmore Avenue
Claygate
Surrey KT10 0HQ
England.
E-mail: info@gasolinemedia.com
Phone: +44 (0)1372 471472
Lighthouse Technologies Limited,
Suites 531-537, Building 2,
Hong Kong Science Park,
Shatin, N.T.,
Hong Kong.
Tel: 852 2192 1688
Fax: 852 2423 1062
E-mail: info@lighthouse-tech.com">info@lighthouse-tech.com
www.lighthouse-tech.com