Johannesburg-based Sound Stylists supplied Robe moving lights for LD Andre Rossouw from SABC's Air Time for his design at the Highway Africa Digital Journalism Awards. The 2008 event was staged at the Guy Butler Theatre on the campus of Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, also broadcast live on SABC International.
The 36 Robes – a combination of ColorSpot and ColorWash 700 and 575E ATs - were at the core of the rig.
They were all hung off the theatre's over-stage fly bars, with the 700s rigged on the downstage bars and used for stage washes. Eight of the ColorWash 575E ATs were positioned on the floor, with the rest in the overhead rig.
Rossouw has used Robe once before, and was again delighted with the brightness, “I also enjoyed the gobos,” he comments, “It was a pleasant change, and the 700s in particular are very bright. I'll definitely be happy to use Robe in the future.”
These, along with all the other fixtures making up the rig, were operated by Adrian Skinner using an Avolites Pearl Expert console.
Sound Stylists also supplied AV, rigging and crew for the Awards, run in conjunction with a conference and hosted for the eleventh year by Rhodes University, sponsored by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). Delegates visited from all over the globe to participate and discuss issues relating to Internet governance, ICT policy and media for democracy.
The set predominantly made use of projection with a main screen and two additional screens either side. “The production team wanted a totally different look from previous years, and that's why we made projection so prominent” explains Rossouw. It was covered in white translucent fabric and backlit with LED PARs with a DJ booth on stage left and other risers scattered around.