Stagetec Distributions supply studio trio

Stagetec Distribution has supplied a number of new Compulite Spark 4D and SparkTOP systems to television studios around the country.
The Hospital Studio, which opened in Summer 2003, is part of a television and arts complex in the heart of Covent Garden comprising of a café, art and exhibition gallery, television and audio recording studios with a restaurant and private members club set to open in autumn 2004.
It is the brainchild of Paul G. Allen, entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor and co-founder of Microsoft.
The Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility for creative industry professionals in the music, art and film worlds. The unique mix of facilities will allow projects to be carried out under one roof, as they have all the necessary technical facilities for recording and production.
Housed in the two basement floors of The Hospital, the studio is Europe's first end-to-end High Definition video production studio.
Paul Daniels, Head of Engineering & Operations of The Hospital, specified a Compulite Spark 4D system. He said: “After being open for six months it was clear that we needed a lighting console in house capable of moving light control. The Compulite Spark 4D was an ideal choice as it is an extremely powerful console in a very small package. It allows us to re-locate to other areas within the facility where television or event lighting control is required for different production requirements. This combined with Compulite’s popularity in the TV market ensured visiting operators would be familiar with the system.”
The BBC TV centre in London has recently purchased its second Compulite SparkTOP system. Compulite systems are used extensively for moving light control throughout the complex, mainly hired in for specific productions, but with a SparkTOP installed in the News Night studio.
Danny Popkin, Technical Development Manager, Studios, purchased the second SparkTOP system. Popkin said: “Compulite systems are regularly hired in for productions in our studios, which has meant that without an in-house desk there has been a lack of opportunity for our lighting staff to further their knowledge on programming and operating moving light consoles.”
ITV Yorkshire in Leeds produces some of the UK’s most popular programmes including ‘Heartbeat’, ‘A Touch of Frost’, ‘Emmerdale’, ‘My Parents are Aliens’, ‘Holidays From Hell’ and ‘Countdown’ as well as producing a wide range of regional programmes.
The well-equipped studios are fully digital and compatible with 16:9 production. They are used regularly to stage many different types of entertainment and lifestyle shows, small scale drama, commercials and comedies as well as corporate videos and presentations.
Neil Salmon, lighting designer and operator for ITV Yorkshire , purchased his first Compulite Spark 4D system in 2001 and has recently purchased a second Spark 4D system through Stagetec’s northern dealer Flashlight in Manchester.
Salmon commented: “We have had our existing Compulite system for a number of years and it has been used on a wide range of productions. The system has proved to be exceptionally flexible and reliable, combined with the excellent support provided by Stagetec Distribution and the popularity of Compulite systems in television, a second Spark system was the obvious choice.”
(GB)