The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) 2012 Theatre Show Awards, sponsored by two of the organisation’s Silver Industry Supporters Group members, Stage Electrics and Triple E, took place following close of show on Wednesday 13th June.With judging taking place throughout the day and final decisions made late in the afternoon, winners were presented with their hook-clamp trophies in the Truman Brewery’s Corbet Place Bar, in front of exhibitors, guests and ABTT members.
The winners are as follows
ABTT 2012 Theatre Show Engineering Product of the Year
Metool Reels – Multicore Contactless Reeler
Judges’ comments: We are pleased to find a method of feeding multicores on a drum that does not use slip rings. The panel was impressed by the toolless cable installation and ability to run Ethernet on a cable reeler.
Eric Marks-Oldham, sales director, Metool Reels, replied: “It’s obvious we’ve offered the perfect solution to a reeling problem to the right audience. Thank you ABTT.”
ABTT 2012 Theatre Show Sound Product of the Year
d&b Audiotechnik – V Series Speakers
Judges’ comments: The award goes to a speaker system that uses four separate drivers in a single box without electronics. The judges recognise that no time-alignment is required in the Digital Signal Processing chain. Back-to-basics with a single amplifier system.
Phill Coe, market manager, d&b Audiotechnik UK, replied: “It’s a great honour to receive the award for Sound Product of the Year. Coming to ABTT is always a pleasure for d&b; unlike other exhibitions, contributing to this vibrant community can be quite intoxicating. Winning this award makes the visit even sweeter.”
ABTT 2012 Theatre Show Lighting Product of the Year
ETC – Source 4 LED Lustr+
Judges’ comments: Awarded this year to an LED profile with good light output, flat beam, crisp imaging and the ability to change colour. The panel recognises that LED profiles have undergone a step change and this product is a good example of that.
Fred Foster, chief executive officer, ETC, replied: “ETC is proud to have our new Source Four LED recognised as the ABTT 2012 Lighting Product of the Year. This new member of the Source Four family combines sustainability with the qualities that lighting designers demand.”
ABTT 2012 Theatre Show Widget of the Year
Bristol Paints – Aqua-Service Portable Wash-up and Recycling Water Unit
Judges’ comments: This award is to a genuine theatrical product that requires no plumbing, is robust and moveable and comes straight off the back of a lorry, to be put to work immediately. If we had an award for the sustainable product of the year, this would win that category too. The product recycles water by means of a flocculation process and provides separate areas for washing paint from brushes and rollers. It is also the largest ‘widget’ to receive an ABTT Award.
Mark Chapman, managing director, Bristol Paints, replied: “Having already established itself as an essential product in the scenic market, we have been delighted with the enthusiastic reaction we have received from our first ABTT product showing. Bristol Aqua Service looks forward to helping future customers meet their sustainability needs and requirements.”
ABTT 2012 Theatre Show Stand of the Year
Point Source Productions
Judges’ comments: This year’s award goes to a company whose stand looked like a well-organised hire shop or that of an unbelievably neat theatre electrician’s storeroom. The judges were most impressed by the layout, which made full use of the space available and felt they could walk up and say, “I’ll have two of that, three of those and six of them.”
Stephen Capel, managing director, Point Source Productions, replied: “Winning Stand of the Year means a lot to us as the team worked really hard to put it together. Led by our newly appointed general manager, Amy Parks, who took on the entire project when I was called away for the birth of my twins, a few days before the show.”
ABTT Technician of the Year
Andy ‘Ghurka’ Brown – Senior Production Sound Engineer at Autograph
Award presented by ABTT Fellow Peter Roberts, who praised the production sound engineer as the “unsung heroes” of the industry.