MARTIN MINIS INSYNC AT THE DORCHESTER
Look at Insync Productions' website and it will tell you that in the last year they have generated 3,491,000 watts of sound for the wide range of shows on which they were responsible for audio visual production.
Much of this has been pumped out through premier Martin Audio sound reinforcement systems - the most recent being for an all-star party in the ballroom at the Dorchester Hotel.
The London based production company provided all technical design, equipment and staging for the private event, using a combination of their Martin Audio W8LM/W8LMD line array, WMX and WS218X subs, W8VDQ differential dispersion enclosure and LE12JB stage monitors. They also provided Martin Audio's workhorse Blackline F12's and S218 subs for coverage in the purpose-built nightclub, annexed off the main ballroom.
With an artist roster headed by Girls Aloud and Katherine Jenkins, and also including Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup from Strictly Come Dancing, the Band of the Scots Guards, Corolla and Rhydian Roberts, the production values had to meet top concert spec.
Commissioned by party planners Jamie Walters & Co, Insync Productions' Managing Director Scott Tompkins said, 'We always try and set high production values, whatever the event, and for the fee that people should be charged.
'Everything we proposed we were able to deliver within the budget and to a very high standard - from set design, staging, sound, video, cameras, editing and trussing.'
He says that the company also opts for 'clean lines' so that no sightlines are obstructed - and for this reason the Martin Audio W8LM Mini Line Array provides the perfect solution. 'The reason we have it is simply because it sounds good, and we can get it up in the air,' Scott says straight forwardly.
Insync Productions invested in line array technology soon after the W8LM was released five years ago having earlier opened their Martin Audio account with Blackline. Today they have the capability to provide coverage for sit-down events hosting up to 2,000, banquet style - all from their own fleet.
At the Dorchester they ran two hangs of three W8LM's per side, with one W8LMD Downfill at the base - and a W8VDQ as audience side fill. The two groundstacked WS218X and WMX subs were recessed and concealed under the gauze-fronted Steeldeck stage.
The system was set up using Martin Audio's ViewPoint predictive software, and processed using Martin Audio's dedicated DX1 controllers. Powering the rig was a combination of 2 x Martin Audio MA4.2, 6 x MA2.8, and 6 x MA1.6's.
In addition, Insync Productions provided all the mics, 16 channels of in ear monitors 'and radios for days'. Because of space constraints there was no separate stage monitor mix - everything was provided from the main Yamaha M7CLdigital console at FOH - operated by Adam Bourns, supported by Alasdair McGrattan.
Discreetly mounted on the upper production tier were two cameras, two follow spots and a vision mixer, with four hotheads on the Minibeam truss and four lipstick cameras on keyboards, drums etc to provide alternative live shots. These were relayed to two 3 x 3 PDP plasma walls, stage left and right, using 42in bezel-free screens.'
After the concert, guests partied into the early hours of the morning in the purpose built nightclub - where four Blackline F12's, were flown in each corner, with a pair of floor-mounted Blackline S218's providing LF extension.
Summing up, Scott says, 'With three artics' worth of kit this was like a mini concert - yet so discreetly did we use it, I think that we actually managed to make the ballroom look bigger than it did before. It took ten hours to get it in, set up the rigging, line check and be ready for rehearsals at 2pm - including the Minibeam deflection tests to ensure we were working within tolerances.'
He added 'You need a fantastic, like minded, dedicated team to technically produce event after event whilst striving for perfection and I wouldn't swap my guys for the world, the support from Martin Audio's Brad Watson had proved indispensable once again.
Further information from:
www.insync.com
Maureen Hayes, Martin Audio Jerry Gilbert, JGP Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0)1494 535312 Tel: +44 (0)1707 258525
Fax: +44 (0)1494 438669 Fax: +44 (0)1707 267140
E: maureenh@martin-audio.com jerry.gilbert@ntlworld.com