Congress Theatre Cwmbran Proves Ultimately FLX-able posted: 03/11/2020
It's been a tough time for all performance venues and especially for community theatres like The Congress in Cwmbran which cancelled all its shows in March as Covid-19 took hold, mid-way through one of its busiest seasons! However, through successive lockdowns, the venue has been reimagined as The Congress Virtual Studio, a fully equipped streaming facility encouraging local artists and businesses to record and broadcast music shows and engage in events, generating interest and at least some income during this period.
Cwmbran is also the home of Zero 88's manufacturing facility. There are close ties between the popular lighting control brand and the 300-seat venue, which has Zero 88 Chilli dimmers installed, and furthermore, Zero 88's international sales manager Tyler Holpin is actively involved as a volunteer on the technical side.
The Congress Theatre opened in 1972 and became a charity run venue in 1992 after being faced with closure. Martyn Redwood then assumed its management 16 years ago has seen many challenges over that time, but it's always managed to keep going, so he and the team are determined that this will be the case again!
Bellagio Boys
Jon Salman and Green Room Events based nearby in Abertillery are also regular technical suppliers to the theatre, and he, Tyler, Martyn, and a few others came up with the idea of transforming the space into a studio.
Green Room Events are providing video including 6 x cameras - two operated and four PTZ cameras - plus a PPU, LED screen, media servers and additional audio equipment together with lighting control which happens to be a Zero 88 FLX console they purchased last year!
Hooked in to the FLX are the Congress's 16 x in-house LED wash and spot moving lights and 72 channels of dimmed light sources, plus specials like active Sunstrips and Vintage Blaze fixtures which are used as cool effective scenic props for some of the shows and streams.
This was the first Zero 88 console the company has owned, and Jon is delighted! It's user-friendly with all the features we need. At the Studio, the FLX is running on a wireless network allowing the lights to be focussed via App on smartphone or tablet which is very handy.
Like all other rental and production companies, Green Room Events' saw their busy orderbook slashed to an empty one as shows started cancelling in March, so the studio is also helping another local company generate some cashflow until live shows can re-start.
Tyler has been operating lighting for many of the streamed events along with Nathan Long who also normally works at the Borough Theatre in Abergavenny.
Megan Postle
From the start, the Congress Virtual Studio concept was designed to be fully Covid-compliant and offer cost-effective, high-quality production values to streaming and broadcast clients, ensuring that everything output looks polished and professional, and the equipment specs were compiled with this in mind.
Once the studio gained momentum, a steady flow of bands and artists started booking time and local companies started looking at the facilities for broadcasting or recording promotional and team building events or training sessions.
The Congress Theatre has run shows featuring local favourites like Big Mac's Wholly Soul Band which have been particularly successful, and Zero 88 recently booked the studio to deliver a live-streamed virtual launch for several new power, control and networking products, a stream featuring a special guest appearance by local singer-songwriter, Tobias Robertson.
The Theatre's green room area has been commandeered and repurposed as the Studio control room, just adjacent to the main auditorium and the broadcasts are handled and delivered utilizing a Wirecast system running via a 1Gb fibre-link.
The closure has been different from a standard shut down or dark period, as there are still no clear guidelines or indeed any solid indication of when live performances might be able to re-start and the Congress able to reopen to the public.
Thanks to the ingenious freelance technicians and staff who out their energy and enthusiasm in making this such a community hub, this virtual studio has been a life-saver, states Martyn. Apart from enabling us to have a small income, we've still been able to engage with people and offer local groups, individuals and performers the chance to reach virtual - and sometimes new - audiences whilst staying safe and within government guidelines.
The Congress Virtual studio initiative is expected to last until they can fully re-open to a real audience, hopefully sometime in early 2021.
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
02/06/2024
AE add 3D motion to still photographs
Brie Clayton June 2, 2024
0 Comments
AE add 3D motion to still photographs
May 30, 2024COW Featured Resume: Pa...
02/06/2024
Weather forecasters in Taiwan had their hair blown back when they saw a typhoon up close, created on a computer that slashed the time and energy needed for the ...
01/06/2024
Dustee Jenkins, Chief Public Affairs Officer, Spotify
With billions of people from over 50 countries heading to the polls to cast their vote, 2024 is shaping u...
01/06/2024
Busy this week catching up from the Memorial Day holiday? Our TV Tech weekly wrap-up of all our coverage of new products, services and deployments will get you ...
01/06/2024
Young Sherlock, with Guy Ritchie directing and executive producing, is a go at Prime Video. Hero Fiennes Tiffin plays Sherlock. Prime Video calls it the origin...
01/06/2024
The Los Angeles Sparks-Indiana Fever game on Friday featuring the top two WNBA draft picks, Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink, was the most watched WNBA game on I...
01/06/2024
Lionsgate, which increased its majority stake in 3 Arts Entertainment in January, said it named Brian Weinstein co-CEO of 3 Arts....
01/06/2024
Netflix is launching four video games based on unscripted series this year. They...
01/06/2024
ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates switched from their regular programming to carry live coverage of the verdicts in the porn star hush-money trial of former Pres...
31/05/2024
A U.S. Marine fires an FIM-92 Stinger missile during a training exercise in Yuma...
31/05/2024
NEW YORK The global body that sets technical standards for digital advertising h...
31/05/2024
In a new analysis of what services might make up a good bundle and what services might benefit the most from bundling, Antenna has released new data that highli...
31/05/2024
Global SVOD revenues will increase by $116.6 billion by 2031, a growth rate of 13.3% per year over the next eight years, according to a new report from MIDiA Re...
31/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. The FCC Media Bureau has announced that effective August 1, 2024 the Commission's TVStudy software will incorporate the most recent U.S. Ce...
31/05/2024
NBCUniversal has announced that its FAST channel TNBC will be rebranding to NBC Comedy Vault on June 1 and that the free streaming service will officially launc...
31/05/2024
PARIS Ateme has announced that the Indonesian public broadcaster TVRI is making the transition to 4K UHD OTT streaming using Ateme technologies....
31/05/2024
The proposal had received support from James Cameron, Andy Serkis, Paul Greengrass, Richard Curtis, and Jeremy Irons
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 31, 2...
31/05/2024
According to multiple reports, the new bid from Skydance offers a better deal to Paramounts Class B shareholders, who were said to be unhappy with the companys ...
31/05/2024
The awards recognise women and companies who are stand-out performers, innovators and leaders in the broadcast media technology industry
By Matthew Corrigan
...
31/05/2024
NEW YORK The global body that sets technical standards for digital advertising has expanded the reach of its measurement software development kit to include Sam...
31/05/2024
The rise of digital platforms is fundamentally changing the broadcast newsroom and its investment in technology according to Jon Roberts, director of technology...
31/05/2024
In a new analysis of what services might make up a good bundle and what services might benefit the most from bundling, Antenna has released new data that highli...
31/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Fifty state broadcasters associations, including the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, have sent a letter to Congressio...
31/05/2024
EVS has announced the appointment of Richard Katz as senior vice president of operations for the North and Latin American (NALA) region. This appointment is par...
31/05/2024
CommScope has announced that it was selected by Casa Systems, Inc. as the highest to acquire Casa's cable business assets and that the two companies have en...
31/05/2024
Robert De Niro won't be receiving the Service to America Leadership Award from the NAB Leadership Foundation after all....
31/05/2024
Viant Technology said it formed an integration with Google Cloud's BigQuery data clean rooms...
31/05/2024
The CW said it will broadcast the 2024 Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Last year, The CW aired the game when it was called Bar...
31/05/2024
Allen Media Group said it made a deal with Amazon's Fire TV Channel that will make content from several of Allen's outlet available via Fire TV and Echo...
31/05/2024
Robert De Niro, announced as the winner of the NAB's Leadership Foundation's Service to America Leadership Award on May 28, will not get the award. The ...
31/05/2024
Comcast Technology Solutions was selected by AccuWeather to create, manage and distribute linear and over-the-top video channels....
31/05/2024
Connected TV is becoming a bigger deal for consumers and advertisers, according to a new report from TVision....
31/05/2024
By Craig Anderton
Let's get right to what this sounds like. It's not quite feedback or tape reverse, it's well, listen to what it does in this blue...
31/05/2024
31 May 2024
VEON discloses April YTD trading update at its AGM Amsterdam, 31 May 2024 07:00 CEST -
VEON April YTD 2024 Highlights
Total revenue of USD 1,278 ...
31/05/2024
31 May 2024
VEON Announces Its New Board, Names Founder Augie Fabela as Chairman Amsterdam, 31 May 2024, 16.00 CET: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam...
31/05/2024
May 31st, 2024
TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND OPEN AI ANNOUNCE SORA SHORTS'
Five Commissioned Short Films Created Using Sora Debut at 2024 Tribeca Festival
New ...
31/05/2024
In-Venue Technology Wrap-Up: How 4K, IP, and More are Changing the Game Pres Gam...
31/05/2024
UEFA Champions League Final 2024: The host broadcast facts and figures for Real ...
31/05/2024
UEFA Europa Conference League Final 2024: Bringing the broadcast to global TV sc...
31/05/2024
Willow Offers Free 2024 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup Preview via DirecTV, Verizon, ...
31/05/2024
Women's College World Series: ESPN Brings Live Drone, Two-Point Cabled, and ...
31/05/2024
SVG College Summit Brings Video-Production Industry Together in Atlanta in the M...
31/05/2024
UEFA Champions League Final 2024: CBS Sports' UCL Today Studio Show Is Pitch...
31/05/2024
Back to All News
Master of the House' Unveils a Scandalous Tale of Power and Greed on July 18
Entertainment
31 May 2024
GlobalThailand
Link copied to ...
31/05/2024
Back to All News
JEEtu Bhaiya is Back: Kota Factory' Season 3 Arrives on Netflix June 20
Entertainment
31 May 2024
GlobalIndia
Link copied to clipboar...
31/05/2024
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
With around 9,000 employees, Ground Transportation Systems is a global leader in Rail Signaling and Train Control Systems, Telec...
31/05/2024
RT 2FM is the home of music this summer, entertaining listeners across the day and night, with the best music, chat and interviews providing the soundtrack to ...
Congress Theatre Cwmbran Proves Ultimately FLX-able posted: 03/11/2020 
