Bristol
UK creative visual design practice SMASH Productions has taken delivery of the
first Martin Professional M6 control console in the UK and Europe, which will
be available for rental and also in action for assorted shows and productions
in which SMASH is involved.
SMASH, headed by Alex ‘Junior’ Cerio
and Tim Smith is known for its innovative, imaginative and fresh approach to
production design and the art of creating fabulous environments by combining
lighting, video, visuals and scenic elements for all types of live events.
Their work encompasses many genres
and styles, embracing corporate launches and parties through to touring with
top international DJs and bands.
SMASH is in the process of investing
in key areas of equipment like control surfaces to further facilitate the
design side of the business, and the new M6 is an addition to SMASH’s ever
growing collection of lighting consoles.
The console can be hooked up to media
servers in their studio and used for pre-visualising, designing, planning and
programming shows in advance. It is also the intention to enable them to have
an element of continuity worldwide on key shows.
“Investing in control elements to run
mixed media shows is very much on our agenda,” explains Alex, adding that they
have worked closely with Martin on some of the latest M6 software developments.
Already owning an M2GO console and an ether8dmx node, SMASH are well
aware of the reliability and familiar with the quick and intuitive operational
philosophies of the M series of products.
The M6 is a state-of-the-art lighting
console that functions as an advanced ‘visual control’ surface, and is designed
from the ground up to control anything from conventional and moving lights,
digital fixtures, LED pixels and a full range of media servers.
That is one of the many things that
appealed to Alex and Tim. “It very much fits our philosophy and the way we
incorporate different media in constructing a show”.
SMASH also chose the M6 as a
complimentary controller to their range of LED video walls, media servers and
content creation / VJ team, with its VTC and SMPTE inputs, it is perfect for
timecode triggered shows.
“We wanted a forward looking
console,” says Alex, “And this definitely fits the bill. It provides
straightforward and easy control of complex multimedia shows and also looks to
the future and providing a wide variety of new visual tools”.
Apart from lighting and video, these
could also be automation and relating to a whole range of other effects.
Alex and Tim also like the fact that
the M6 is modular and fully user-configurable by choosing which interchangeable
modules are fitted.
Martin
by Harman’s Show Consultant Dave Stewart, who co-ordinated the deal, adds, “A
massive amount of thought has gone in the M6 console and how it can be used by
the most demanding designers, programmers and operators. Smash is a really
creative and demanding client, and M6 presents a real challenge to established
control brands, with inventive and easy to use hardware like fast-dials access
to parameters and multi-touch screens”.
The first SMASH Productions show for
the new M6 was David Guetta’s
special guest appearances on Rihanna’s UK & European stadium shows.
SMASH recently provided production
and visual design (lighting and video) plus technical co-ordination for the
Main Stage of the Love Saves The Day Festival in Bristol, and Alex is Lighting
Director for David Guetta’s on-going live performances. They also provided LED
screen to High Definition Festival.
http://www.smashproductions.org,uk
Photo
caption : Left to right is Tim Smith (Smash), Dave Stewart (Show Consultant for
Martin by Harman) and Alex ‘Junior’ Cerio (Smash)
