5 Star Cases On Ice With Nicky Slater

Leading European flightcase manufacturer 5 Star Cases has delivered a slick, stylish bespoke case solution to ice skating superstar, show producer and TV presenter Nicky Slater, to house his mobile computer workstation.
Slater was very well recommended to 5 Star by several entertainment industry contacts and professionals, where his project was managed by designer Stephan Swann. Slater wanted a practical set of properly 'rock n' roll' feeling cases. He is engaged in several business and creative ventures, is an active charity fundraiser, blogger and an online enthusiast as well as an ice dancing aficionado. He is also constantly on the move… so his IT set up is an essential part of maintaining a successful, highly proactive career.
5 Star proposed two rack-style cases, both with front and rear removable doors, to their standards, hardy 'Industrial' grade specification. These were finished in smart black high pressure laminate, and fitted with robust 4 inch swivel-and-braked castors for easy handling and manoeuvrability.
Internally, the cases are divided into individual compartments, each with polyethylene foam protection and housing a MacBook Pro G5 computer system unit and a 30-inch Apple Cinema Display screen.
In one of the cases, a raid array hard drive system is securely stored in its own space, and a 6U 19-inch rack bay provides a mounting area for additional processing and other equipment which can be added as required.
The Cinema Displays are protected whilst in transit, and when in use, are bolted to the top of the cases. Both are placed adjacent to each other when active allowing them to be butted up and run in a single wide-screen configuration.
Commenting on the kit in his blog - www.nickyslater.com - Slater said: "Having the kit on wheels is transforming the way I work."
During the development process, he visited the 5 Star factory in Wisbech and commented: "Steve (Swann) did a great job with me on the design and we made a fabulous team." He added that it was enlightening and interesting to actually see the case production process unfolding there first hand.
He has also space for a MacBook Pro laptop when the cases are opened out, and can swivel the screens around for multiple uses when working in a studio environment. He has subsequently asked Swann if the doors can be modified and converted into tables.
Slater was first alerted to the advantages and usefulness of working with a fully flightcased set of equipment some time ago when visiting a team performing in the TV series Starskates for NBC in the US. They had an impressive set of touring cases for wardrobe, costumes, props and items like sewing machines, ironing boards, etc.
He said: "Everything was orderly and organised. They literally arrived on the site and worked quickly and efficiently out of the cases… as well touring artists do."
These first two cases are the start of Slater being able to have complete flexibility to work and produce shows, communications, internet streams, etc, on-the-go.
Steve Swann said: "Nicky was a complete joy to work with! He knew exactly what he wanted, but this being his first case design, he was also open to suggestions and ideas about how elements of the cases and his rig could be streamlined and integrated via a bit of creative case design. The result was a fantastic solution which was exactly what he wanted and of which we are all very proud."
Slater concluded in his blog: "A great big thank-you to 5 Star Cases. The engineering, fit and finish is brilliant, and when the catches - which are easy to use - wrap into the sides of the case and secure the doors, they are absolutely as rock-solid as the rest of it."
(KMcA/GK)