Electrosonic SA, Martin Professional Denmark, Lighthouse Holland are pleased to
announce a Lighting Designer Contest to be held prior to Mediatech 2015, which will
culminate in a final event on Thursday 16 July at the Mediatech Africa exhibition.

With less and less time available to actually program shows in venues these days,
3D Visualisation software has made the pre-programming of larger shows almost a
necessity. Similarly pre-visualisation of sets and show ideas are also increasingly
used to pitch design ideas to clients without actually having to build anything and
deal with the associated costs.

The Martin Showdesigner (MSD 6) is a great software tool to do this. MSD has been
around for many years and has grown from strength to strength, and in South
Africa has a loyal and increasing following of this platform.

There are many budding lighting designers stretched across South Africa who do not
have access to all the lighting fixtures in order to create what they conceptualise in
their minds. As part of an initiative to promote up-and-coming, as well as
established designers, Electrosonic SA will present what they believe is a first in the
history of South African entertainment lighting.

“This is a great industry initiative and with prizes worth R70 000 on offer, we are
sure this will be a big draw card to the exhibition,’ adds Mediatech Africa director
Simon Robinson.

The Lighting Designer Contest will take the format of two stages, Stage 1 will be a
competition pack (CD/Download) of all the needed software and information and
will be made available at no cost to people who want to enter.

A pre-designed lighting rig, designed in the Martin Showdesigner 6 software with 26
x Martin fixtures in a roof structure will be included. This exact rig will be setup at
Mediatech 2015. Contestants will then install a demo version of the MSD 6 software
on their own computers. An internet connection is needed to access the show file.

A Martin M-Series Control Product (M-PC, M2PC, M2Go, M1ts or M6) is required to
visualise your show. Those who don’t own a desk may use the free M-PC software
provided with competition packs. A song or compilation of music of the contestants’
choice (maximum four minutes) will be played and their M-Series show file must be
run to this track. (No time coding, etc, will be allowed.)

Contestants have from 15 March 2015 until 15 June 2015 to create a show file. This
show file and a MSD 6 Video Rendering of the show to the music must be submitted
to a shared dropbox account or sent to Electrosonic SA in Johannesburg (full details
are provided in Contest Packs).

A judging panel consisting of independent lighting designers Denis Hutch, Joshua
Cutts, Christopher Bolton, Mediatech organiser Simon Robinson, as well as Peter
Dahlin from Martin Professional Denmark, will judge the entries from 15 June. From
the submissions, five finalists will be chosen and will be required to be present at
the Mediatech 2015 exhibition for the finals of the competition.

Contestants’ M-Series show files will be loaded on to an M6 Lighting Control Desk
and contestants’ soundtracks will be played. Participants will have an opportunity to
run their show file on the exact same structure and lighting rig (from the
visualisation software) live in front of an audience to their music track. The judges
will be present to judge entries using pre-determined criteria.

A winner will be announced along with two runners-up. First prize is a Martin M2PC
Console and a one-year Martin Showdesigner License, all worth R50 000. Second
prize is a Martin M-Touch Console and a one-year subscription of a Martin
Showdesigner Pro License, all worth R14 000, and third prize is a Martin M-Touch
console worth R6 000.

Full information and rules will be posted on Facebook prior to the opening of the
competition on 15 March. Prizes are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for
cash.

Costs for getting to Mediatech 2015 are for the finalists’ account. By entering this
contest you give consent to Electrosonic SA and Mediatech Africa 2015 to use your
show file and images of yourself in the media prior to – and subsequently after – the
Mediatech show.

The Mediatech Africa 2015 trade show will take place at the Dome at Northgate
from 15 to 17 July 2015. Visit mediatech for
more info.

For more information regarding the lighting competition contact:
bruces@electrosonic.co.za.