Mediatech Africa

The tenth edition of Mediatech Africa delivered on its promise to ignite the imagination of exhibitors and visitors alike during its three-day run at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, between 17 and 19 July. Despite the challenges of a shrinking economy – the 2019 expo was well supported with a strong exhibitor profile. The show drew record crowds – attracting 7 700 unique visitors from four continents, representing a six percent increase in attendance since the last iteration of the show.

The Mediatech showroom floor played host to one hundred exhibitors, representing some of the leading local distributors and an impressive contingent of international equipment manufacturers who showcased their most cutting–edge products on their company stands.

Commenting on the depth of the exhibitors present, Mediatech show director, Simon Robinson says, “We are proud to confirm that more than 30 international equipment manufacturers had their own brand presence at Mediatech Africa 2019, demonstrating a strong vote of confidence not only in the show, but in the African market as a whole.”

As an expo Mediatech Africa presents the only opportunity for major players in six niche sectors to view and assess the latest media and entertainment technologies on home ground. The event showcases the same advanced technologies seen at the likes of international events such as NAB, and presents a rare networking opportunity for sector professionals from across the continent. According to Robinson, the exhibitors, many of whom participate in every Mediatech Africa, reported that the 2019 edition was as slick as any similar event abroad.

“Mediatech Africa prides itself in providing a platform for engagement not only for the South African market, but for the continent as a whole. We had visitors from all over Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Nigeria and Namibia – many of who came to the show to seek out professional tech solutions to support the continent’s rapidly growing commercial, broadcast and live events markets,” says Robinson.

He goes on to state that most of the exhibitors at Mediatech understand the needs of the African market, and showcase products and solutions that are designed to meet the market conditions. “There are a number of large-scale tradeshows on the international circuit which serve as a platform for the world’s leading product manufacturers to launch new products and solutions. What differentiates Mediatech Africa is that most of the exhibitors at the large international tradeshows showcase technologies that have been developed with Western markets in mind. At Mediatech Africa, exhibitors take into account the market that they are addressing and showcase solutions that are designed to meet our unique performance demands and costing requirements.”

The final day of the show was the highpoint for the finalists in the MasterMix competition for sound engineers – who eagerly awaited the results of the visitor voting which took place during the show. Competition hopefuls had the opportunity to mix the separates of Refuge, an unreleased Freshlyground track. A really funky upbeat multi-instrumental track with brass, piano, guitar and more, and a reggae influence; the piece was an instant hit with voters who moved with the rhythm as they listened to the eight shortlisted entries.

The ultimate winner was announced at The Academy of Sound Engineers (ASE) stand with Gavan Eckhart walking away with top honours. Eckhart received an ASE bursary valued at R100 000 and a selection of gear sponsored by Wild and Marr valued at R30 000.

A studio owner, sound engineer and producer, Eckhart has worked with the cream of the South African music industry – recording and mixing for industry giants like Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Soweto Gospel Choir, and Freshly Ground. He also tours with top South African and international bands providing great live mixes for a diverse listenership. He has been nominated for a SAMA for Miriam Makeba’s ‘Reflections’, as well as a Golden Reel Award for the soundtrack to ‘Book of Negros’.

With an already well established and illustrious career on track, Eckhart generously donated the bursary back to the ASE so that a deserving up and coming student can benefit from his prize.

With over 72 hours of educational talks, demonstrations and events – Mediatech Africa provides exhibitors with the ideal platform to educate the greater market. On the other hand, visitors who took up the endless show opportunities left the expo upskilled and educated on all the latest innovations in tech trends in their respective vertical. These presentations are a good mix of education and entertainment and they add enormous value to visitors.

Robinson’s astute insight into the professional tech market has been honed over the almost two decades that he has served as Mediatech Africa show director. “It would be remiss not to acknowledge that South Africans are struggling to overcome mounting economic pressures and there are few, if any, in the country who have not been directly affected by the current economic downturn,” he reflects. Robinson, however, points out that Mediatech Africa 2019 provided a critical platform for professionals across all six show verticals to interact with international representatives and showcase the strength of the local industry.

“Mediatech provides an opportunity to demonstrate the high levels of professionalism, skill and dedication so entrenched in the South African market. Despite the trying times, the expo provides an opportunity to ignite confidence in the market and in our industry,” Robinson states.

While there were fewer exhibitors in comparison to years’ past, the show still managed to exceed expectations on all fronts. “The feedback that we have received from exhibitors and visitors alike has been unprecedented,” says Robinson.

“The rate at which technology is developing across verticals is phenomenal, particularly if one considers the rapid evolution of IP-based technologies, which continue to dominate across verticals. The level of excitement on the showroom floor was evident from the moment we opened the doors to the point at which we had to ask all visitors to leave the floor on Friday evening. When the market is under pressure and we’re all feeling the pinch, it’s easy to become despondent. However, when one sees the enthusiasm, optimism and drive expressed by our industry partners and visitors to the show, ones faith in the promise of a strong and thriving industry in Africa is easily restored. This show laid the foundations for an incredible exhibition in 2021 where we will continue to build on the formulae for success that we have built over the last 10 shows. We look forward to seeing what the next iteration of Mediatech Africa will bring,” concludes Robinson.

Mediatech – the tech trade show shaping the way creativity: Inspires. Innovates. Delivers.

Telemedia is exhibiting at Mediatech Africa 2019. The company’s solutions include the following connectivity services: fibre, satellite, VSAT, terrestrial microwave, 3G bonded devices and internet.

Additionally, Telemedia offers several products for broadcast applications, such as studios, OB vans, SNG vehicles, playout systems, MAM systems, microwave connectivity, video management and compression for satellite head ends and OTT; IP video routing solutions and much more. Whatever your broadcast needs, Telemedia will help you.

At Mediatech Africa 2019, Telemedia is hosting representatives from Nevion and Hitachi Kokusai.

Hitachi Kokusai Electric

Hitachi Kokusai Electric is a leading Japanese manufacturer of broadcast, industrial and CCTV camera systems – with cameras for all applications. Broadcasters all over the world rely on Hitachi cameras for their content and enjoy the great picture quality and solid reliability that Hitachi cameras provide.

Mark Capstick, general manager of Broadcast Solution Sales at Hitachi Kokusai Electric Europe GmbH, will be representing Hitachi at Mediatech Africa 2019. With 30 years’ experience in broadcasting, Capstick started his career as a broadcast transmitter engineer with the UK’s Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA).

He then moved to Thames Television – holder at that time of the ITV Licence for London Weekdays – where he worked in electronic maintenance covering all studio, MCR and presentation equipment at Thames TV’s Euston Studios. He spent a large amount of his time at Thames in camera, ENG and PSC (Portable Single Camera) maintenance – gaining very valuable and detailed knowledge of studio and portable cameras. In 1992, Capstick moved to a broadcast equipment manufacturer, taking a position as broadcast engineer looking after all technical aspects of their broadcast camera and monitor business. He quickly progressed to chief engineer and then, in 2001, he became general manager of the UK Office.  He remained in that position until 2016, when Hitachi Kokusai asked him to become general manager of their Broadcast and Industrial Camera operation for the UK, Western European and Africa.

Nevion

As the architects of virtualised media production, Nevion provides media network and broadcast infrastructure solutions to broadcasters, telecommunication service providers, government agencies and other industries. Increasingly based on IP, virtualisation and Cloud technology, Nevion’s solutions enable the management, transport, processing and monitoring of professional-quality video, audio and data – in real-time, reliably and securely.

From content production to distribution, Nevion solutions are used to power major sporting and live events across the globe. Some of the world’s largest media groups and telecom service providers use Nevion technology, including Arqiva, AT&T, BBC, BT, CCTV, EBU, France Télévision, Globo Grupo, NASA, NBC Universal, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and Telefonica.

Nevion will be at Mediatech Africa 2019 at the booth of its South African partner, Telemedia, where the company’s flagship products will be on show: Virtuoso, the software-defined media node; and VideoIPath, the orchestration and SDN software.

Ebby John, sales director for Middle East, Africa and India, is representing Nevion at the show. John has been performing a consultative sales role at Nevion for the past 15 years, ensuring his customers understand the value Nevion can bring to their business.

Visit Telemedia (Pty) Ltd at Mediatech Africa 2019, taking place from 17 – 19 July at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg.

At Mediatech Africa 2019, Jasco Broadcast Solutions is showcasing their premium product ranges and brands in collaboration with their OEMs.

“Our portfolio of products on display encompasses everything that you need to meet your broadcast requirements, from cameras to editing systems, archiving to complete turnkey studio builds,” said a representative of the company. “Our engineers and technicians, as well as our partner experts, are present on the stand to guide you through choosing the right solutions to solve your broadcast problems and challenges.”

At the forefront of Jasco’s portfolio is the Avid product range. Encompassing everything from Avid Media Composer Editing systems, to Media Central production asset management and Nexis storage solutions, the Avid brand is well represented by a comprehensive demo system, plus both Jasco staff and salespeople and technical specialists from Avid.

Jasco is also showcasing the next generation of ClearCom intercom products. These include the new IP-based technologies for intercom panels, wireless beltpack systems, and IP interlinking. The stand includes the new IRIS intercom panels with their intelligent colour displays. In addition to Jasco staff, Clearcom is represented on the stand by their Regional Sales Manager for Africa as well as an Applications Engineer.

Miller Camera Support is on display with a selection of light- to medium-sized camera mounting and support systems. These include combo kits that will be of interest to those involved in ENG and field production. Miller’s sales staff are also on hand to answer any questions.

As a long-standing Sony reseller, Jasco has a selection of Sony products on display. The Jasco sales team is available to discuss the different camera solutions and assist in building combinations with the help of Miller Camera Support.

Ateme recently joined the Jasco Broadcast fold and is at Mediatech Africa 2019. Ateme’s linear TV, contribution, VOD and OTT software and hardware solutions is available to view and discuss with Ateme sales staff.

Leyard/Planar is also on the Jasco stand with a selection of LED modular and LCD professional display solutions, together with their related controllers and systems. Visitors to the stand are able to view and discuss the product ranges with both Leyard and Jasco staff.

This year, once again, Oracle is on the Jasco stand offering their OracleDiva HSM archiving solutions. Diva consultants are in attendance to discuss workflows and system requirements, as well as to assist attendees in deciding what they really need for their archive environment.

As a Jasco partner, Etere is on the stand with a comprehensive range of software-based automation, master control, media asset management, channel in a box, advert insertion and advert sales systems. For premium solutions in these areas of the media and broadcast business, visitors can discuss their needs with representatives from Etere.

At this year’s Mediatech event, Egripment camera support is displaying a TD Crane in an area specifically set up for the product. Come and see it in action on the Jasco stand. In attendance will be sales staff from Egripment to answer any questions on this specialist product range of camera support equipment.

Soliton supplies a selection of H265-based video streaming solutions using bonded cellular network connectivity. Their products are also on display on the Jasco stand at Mediatech Africa 2019.

Additionally, Jasco Broadcast’s Dubai-based SI partner, INC, is on the stand to meet with and discuss large-scale projects. Visitors to the show can meet the INC team and see what they have done in the past, as well as what they are capable of offering in the future.

Visit Jasco Broadcast Solutions at Mediatech Africa 2019, taking place from 17 – 19 July at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg.

The exceedingly popular show stopper Black Box returns to Mediatech and if you were in awe of what the team pulled off in 2017 – you’ll be spellbound this year. That’s the opinion of Mediatech Africa show director Simon Robinson who adds, “It’s hard to improve on perfection but Creative Works and the team who has laboured on the project have exceeded all expectations, adding new elements and twists to the vibrant automated light and audio visual experience – which this year will break the constraints of the box.”

A show designed by the most creative minds in the industry – showcasing the most ground breaking technology available – in the most inspired and inventive way. That’s Black Box 360. A synthesis of high energy music, powerful lighting, pixel mapping and more – all packaged into one hour sessions that are enhanced with knowledge-rich presentations that unpack and reveal the skill that went into making the technology sing.

Joshua Cutts and Christopher Bolton of Collective Works are the masterminds responsible for the show in its entirety – from concept to design, music and partnership appointments.  Bolton says that the best way to describe this Mediatech event is an AV education centre. “We have designed something distinctive that’s captivating and really quite special. For people who don’t get to experience the wow factor of big shows – Black Box 360 will give you a taste of what it’s like to be immersed in an enthralling performance – put on by leading professionals in our industry.”

Adding to this he says, “But it’s more than just a show spectacular. It’s a learning experience that details what went into creating the seamless synchronicity and pinpoint accuracy of the show, the tech and design elements and how to create decent workflows in design.”

The informative presentations will include a rich mix of content and case studies. One that stands out in the line-up is “Eurovision 2019” which will be delivered by Bolton and Cutts.

The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is considered to be one of the most spectacular and captivating television events in the world – and it’s renowned for delivering a spectacular feast for the senses by consistently pushing the boundaries of what’s possible from a staging and production perspective.  There are few lighting professionals who don’t have ESC on their gig bucket list. An army of lighting technicians are needed to manage the magnitude of this production and the complexity of the lighting rigs and Bolton and Cutts –two of South Africa’s most eminent lighting designers – were among those drafted.

Bolton and Cutts worked with an enormous team of technicians to oversee guest performances, as well as delegate rehearsals and the live shows with this year’s theme “Dare to Dream” in mind. They will share their story of ESC and walk Black Box audiences through this year’s spectacular show – which in the final rounds was in front of a live audience of 7,500 people, while the live broadcast was watched by approximately 200 million fans worldwide.

A collaborative effort – this year the core team has been expanded to include more industry professionals in the development of the show; a decision taken by Creative Works to ensure that Black Box is a tradition that lives on at Mediatech. The structure of each hour-long experience has been changed and will now be broken into two performances – each followed by a presentation. Other big hitters responsible for the line-up, include: Bad Weather [Andrew Bosman and Jonathan Bandli]; Sound GP [Christo Hattingh] and Multi-Media [Adriaan van der Walt], the Gearhouse Group [Nickolas Chapman – Showcom, Johann Moolman, Stuart Andrews, Robert Grobler]and a Cape Town band – Emerger.

“With a mix of backtracks and performances by Emerger – who play all original South African songs – when it comes to the music there’s something for everyone,” says Bolton.

In preparation for Black Box 360, well over 2 000 man hours went into controlling in excess of 8 900 different parameters and 16 odd universes.  As the technical sponsor – Gearhouse spent four full days managing the complexities of the Black Box build and supplied 3kms of tech cabling, a huge amount of LED video panels, around 150 static LED lights and 200 moving lights. Over a ton of rigging was used with a total of 30 motorised rigging points necessary to get the trussing design up and within spec. Multiple rigging bridles had to be used to ensure a safe weight distribution throughout the roofing system of the venue. Gearhouse experts – Reinier Robertson, Johann Moolman and Tanya Brown worked closely with Robert Grobler to ensure all weight and design parameters where taken into account when working out bridle lengths, positioning on the stand and point weights to ensure a safe methodology to the installation.

All the tech used during the show will be on display afterwards for the industry to review, including by way of example: Green Hippotizer media servers; MA lighting consoles; L-Acoustics Kara / KS28; as well as VPUs for Pixel Mapping.

“While just as awe-inspiring – it’s radically different to Black Box 2017 and we invite everyone to come and experience it and to take up the opportunity to engage with the presenters and the technology,” says Bolton.

In conclusion – Robinson says, “Prepare to be amazed. Black Box 360 is more than just education and entertainment. It’s an experience that will leave you invigorated and inspired by the possibility of opportunity and a fast forward glimpse into the arrival of the future. This show demonstrates, yet again, the magnitude of South Africa’s talent in this industry. Some of the country’s best lighting and show designers have contributed to the show’s development and we are incredibly proud to showcase this event. Spots must be reserved for these showings which are without doubt a new form of engagement and immersion.”

Don’t miss all the new creative being showcased at Mediatech 2019 – an amalgamation of skill, technology and creativity all under one roof – on the hour every hour. Download the show app to schedule all your show experiences. It’s free and available on Apple or Android devices, so download today and start tailoring your show experience. Search: Mediatech Expo Africa in your App Store.

Mediatech Africa 2019 takes place from 17-19 July at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg.

Movievision is hosting special international guests Nicolò Oliva, Ron Knell and Till Sadlowski – who will be representing their respective brands at Mediatech Africa 2019.

Spotlight

Nicolò Oliva, partner and managing director of Spotlight, joined the Company in the late-80s right after his graduation in Robotics Engineering in Milan, Italy. At that time, Spotlight, founded in 1969, was about to face the upcoming booming decades of the entertainment industry, where “made in Italy” lighting was to take a primary role in the worldwide market.

Spotlight has traditionally focused on R&D and the manufacture of pro fixtures for the opera house, theatre and general stage lighting markets. Since then, a constantly-growing network of distributors has been built nearly all over the world, with Spotlight now represented in over one hundred countries with exclusive distributors and authorised after-sales centres.

In South Africa, Spotlight is proud to have Movievision as a long-term exclusive distributor, not to mention their qualified team of top consultants for project design.

Rosco

Ron Knell joined Rosco in March 2003 as UK sales manager, before handling the development of Rosco for South Africa in 2004. Since then, he has added extra territories such as Eastern Europe and the Balkans to his portfolio.

“During my time and many visits to South Africa, I have visited various establishments in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town,” says Knell. “In 2012, Movievision was appointed our dealer distributor for textiles, and we then followed with our range of LED lighting fixtures. Starting with Silk, and then introducing DMG Lumiere by Rosco, with the Switch Bi-Colour fixture. They now represent our new six-chip, full-colour MIX range. I’m very proud of our achievements in South Africa, developing a market from scratch to what it is today. I look forward to our continued success here.”

Carpet light

Carpetlight GmbH was founded in 2014 by Goetz Schmidt zur Nedden and Till Sadlowski to realise their idea of the “shining cloth/lighting textile” as a universal tool for new ways of finding lighting solutions. Till will be representing Carpetlight at Mediatech Africa 2019.

Based on their long-term experiences in motion picture and TV lighting, they combined their practical knowledge with new fields of technology, such as smart textiles, LEDs and industrial design, to develop a patent-pending product with ground-breaking characteristics.

With great support from Europe’s leading textile research institutes and innovative manufacturers, multiple materials and technologies were evaluated in the developing process. The results led to prototypes successfully being tested under both lab and real-life conditions.

It is their aim to combine science and craftsmanship on a high-quality level to give customers the most advanced lighting and design possibilities. Come and see this innovative technology for yourself at Mediatech Africa 2019.

Visit Movievision at Mediatech Africa 2019, taking place from 17-19 July at the Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg.