Lighting and Video Design

Providing production-design and design-support services, training, and equipment for artists, designers, and production companies involved in all areas of live performance.  As a company, we exist to support and realize lighting, video, and staging ideas from the bar napkin to the last load-out. We provide conceptual rendering services, technical drawing services, pre-programming visualization systems and studios, GrandMA lighting console rentals and programming, advanced media server programming, video content production, as well as on-site lighting and video direction.

Clients

Artists

  • Tool
  • Godsmack
  • Sting
  • Eminem
  • Puscifer

Designers

  • Dan Hadley
  • Paul Normandale
  • Justin Collie
View Portfolio

NEV HISTORY

NEV1

1998 – The original problem I tried to solve was how to operate Vari*Lite VLMs seamlessly from the video system. The first experiment was to stripe the VHS content tapes with SMPTE on the audio tracks, and then mix the SMPTE through the audio mixing in the video mixer (Panasonic MX50). The mixed SMPTE would go to the Hog2 lighting console and trigger different cues depending on which content tape was live. This did actually work. I was impressed how the Hog2 could detect the strongest SMPTE signal and lock to it. It did, unfortunately, require an enormous amount of cues in the Hog2 which made it impractical.

NEV2

1999 – Finding an array of MIDI-based VJ applications emerging from Europe, I started looking for ways to control them with the Hog2. The two that I found most useful were Videodelic by Eric Wenger of U&I Software and X<>Pose’ by Marco Hinic of Arkaos. I used an Artistic License DMX-to-MIDI box and started using Max/MSP to help the communication. This was the first time I was able to write a fixture profile for a video device, allowing it to be programmed in with the moving lights. Resolutions were 320×240 at best with simple effects and no mixing. It was first used for a Venice Underground (Peter DiStefano) show at the Arcadia on the Santa Monica Pier on September 21st, 2000.

NEV3

2000 – The FFV Omega Deck was the first piece of broadcast video gear to hit the workbench and it was my first adventure with serial control protocols. Also for this version, I partnered with Doug Fleenor Design to build DMX to Rs-422 boxes called the D/mux56. With all these advances the NEV3 made it’s debut at The Tab in Atlanta May 15th, 2001, the first show of Tool’s Lateralus tour.

NEV7

The NEV Series 7 was the height of the Max/MSP-based DMX Bridge. Where the NEV6 controlled analog video devices, the NEV7 Series controlled all SDI digital video devices.  The Panasonic MX70 mixer and FFV Omega Drive drivers saw the most use.

NEV8

The first DMX Bridge Controller to be built on an embedded platform. It’s a collaboration between engineer Steve McIntyre of Anitech Systems, Inc. in Valencia, CA and Breckinridge Design (aka Diagonal Research).  It features changeable profiles on four independent channels so that four different devices can be controlled simultaneously. The embedded 1U rackmount design eliminates the need for the mouse, keyboard, and monitor, speeds up boot and shutdown times, increases the reliability, and reduces my exposure to software piracy.

NEV9