Friday Springtree was presented with our Hitachi Select Partner plaque. This certifies that Springtree is a Select partner for Hitachi America LTD. Digital Media Division, Business Services Group. Thank you to all our customers who chose Springtree and Hitachi for their projection needs in 2011.
Springtree will be able to offer exclusive models of projectors that only select partners can provide in the near future.
Springtree Media Group has recently completed the design and installation of lighting, sound and automation for the new DreamWorks Meet and Greets at The Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. These included Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda. We used 100% energy efficient LED lighting which allowed us to achieve different looks for the different segments throughout the day. It was important to light the displays and accentuate the colors and details without making the fixtures part of the display.
For Kung Fu Panda, powerful Springtree Multipar36 TRI LED fixtures were mounted high on the support structures across the walkway and linked using the Springtree WD-LCD Wireless DMX. RGB9 LED fixtures were imbedded within the structure creating a dramatic up and down lighting effect on the façade.
JBL Control 25 Speakers were installed behind some ornamental windows where we removed the solid material and replaced it with a fabric that maintained the ascetics yet allowed the sound through. Multiple lighting scenes were created for each location and recorded on the Elation AR32 DMX Recorder. All music and automation is handled by Control4 and triggered by preprogrammed pushbuttons making “showtime” as simple as a one button push.
Madagascar presented a greater challenge for lighting and sound since there was so much to light but few places to hide the fixtures and speakers. To accomplish the inner light of the bamboo hut we used over a dozen of the Springtree RGB9 LED fixtures, painted to blend in with the bamboo and affixed to the rim. These fixtures are powered remotely through CAT5 cables allowing the wires to be run through the bamboo.
Two additional RGB9’s were embedded into the Tikki standing guard giving it a dramatic look.
An American DJ Mega Bar RGB up lights the backdrop and several Springtree Flat12 TRI’s and Multipar36 Tri LED from adjacent hotel structures provide the general wash.
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For Shrek we used the Springtree Flat12 TRI to achieve the dramatic multi-color look with some RGB9’s to light the trunk and sign on grassy knoll. 
As in Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, JBL Control 25 speakers were used with the JBL Control SB210 Subwoofer hidden within the structure and Control4 providing the audio and lighting controls. 
Above Springtree President and Napoleon Bissaillon (Special Events at Gaylord Opryland)
“It was a labor of love” says owner and lighting designer Peter Vaque. “The staff at the Opryland Hotel is exceptional- courteous and very friendly and what a beautiful place be in. If you have to work, I can’t think of a better place”
CHULA VISTA, California, December 5, 2011 — Six Hitachi CP-AW250N ultra-short throw LCD projectors were recently used at the Hilton Nashville Downtown as part of a one-of-a-kind presentation environment for CJ Advertising of Nashville, Tennessee as part of a client event. The uniquely configured audio/visual system was designed and installed by systems contractor Springtree Media Group of Franklin, Tennessee.
“CJ Advertising hosts an annual presentation for their clients and we’ve worked with them for five years,” said Jacob McDaniel of Springtree Media Group. “In the past, we’ve placed the projectors and the screens on the floor in the corners of the room–a pretty conventional approach. But this year CJ wanted to try something fresh and new that would deliver an unforgettable ‘wow factor’ for their clients.”
“Peter Vaque, the owner of Springtree Media Group, dreamed up a striking new look that involved creating a nearly 360-degree viewing experience by suspending six projection screens in the room,” McDaniel continued. “CJ Advertising loved the concept. But then, we had to figure out how to make it happen!”
Springtree Media Group uses Hitachi ultra-short throw projectors in its rental department because many events–including this one–don’t allow for the extra 16 feet typically needed between the projector and the screen. “Our Hitachi ultra-short throw projectors do an excellent job in restricted-space situations,” McDaniel said. “Also, CJ wanted to use 16:9 widescreen projection, so we looked at a number of Hitachi’s short-throw projectors with widescreen capability. The CP-AW250N looked like the perfect fit.”
From there, Springtree Media Group had to figure out how to mount the projectors and screens. “We settled on hanging a 36-foot truss from the ceiling,” McDaniel noted. “From that truss, we hung six widescreen projection screens, oriented so that all attendees could see a screen from any point in the room.”
McDaniel and his team connected I-Beams that ran perpendicular to the long truss and hung the CP-AW250N projectors from the I-Beams. They also attached LED lighting to the beams, to fill the presenter’s walking area with stage lighting and different colors. The installation was rounded out by four LCD monitors angled on the floor, one in each corner of the presenter’s walking area, so the presenter could always see his slides no matter where he walked.
“This installation required a lot of planning up front,” McDaniel said. “We had to run a few tests to determine which projector would work the best, and how big of a screen we could use with that projector. We wanted to make the screens as big as possible, but we had to make sure there was enough room for the presenter to walk underneath them without hitting his head. In addition, we had to figure out how to hang everything in a safe and effective manner.”
With the help of Hitachi’s CP-AW250N projectors, the project came together beautifully. “The images were bright, sharp and vivid and the unique setup really kept everyone’s attention.
CJ Advertising and their clients were very happy with the final product,” McDaniel concluded.
For more information on Springtree Media Group please visit www.springtree.net
For more information on Hitachi visit www.hitachi-america.us/digitalmedia
ABOUT HITACHI
Hitachi America, Ltd., headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of electronics, power and industrial equipment and services, automotive products and consumer electronics with operations throughout the Americas. For more information, visit www.hitachi-america.us. For information on other Hitachi Group companies in the United States, please visit www.hitachi.us.
Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division, Business Solutions Group markets LCD projectors, interactive panels and whiteboards and security and observation system products through value added resellers, system integrators, distributors and OEMs.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 360,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2010 (ended March 31, 2011) consolidated revenues totaled 9,315 billion yen ($112.2 billion). Hitachi will focus more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com
View this whole event album on the Springtree Productions blog, here..
From: Definition Bam
If you are looking for a great way to transform an event and bring an extra amount of detail to the table, an excellent approach would be to use uplighting techniques. Uplighting excels in several areas including truss lighting, architectural lighting, small room lighting, highlighting specific features at an event, and more. It has become a very popular trend for weddings, DJ’s, parties, and many other events to effectively enhance the mood. Let’s take a look at some examples of these applications and how these simple techniques can transform your event (examples from some of our very own customers as well as Springtree Productions events):
Truss Lighting
Are you using truss at an event? Why not make that boring silver truss a bit brighter and colorful? There are several great new uplighting fixtures small enough to fit inside the truss and powerful enough to produce the light required. Some great options for truss lighting include: Springtree Flat-12 TRI, ADJ Mega Par Profile, Chauvet Slimpar series, Global Truss TW-RGB9, ADJ Micro Wash RGBW
Architectural Lighting
Another uplighting option that is sure to have your guests talking is to light entrances and exits. You can get a memorable effect by lighting columns and other structures as well. An excellent architectural uplight is the new Chauvet WELL (built-in wireless and battery powered). If you don’t want to go the battery route, the Elation OPTI TRI Par and the Chauvet COLORdash Par are great options.
(Photo Credit to Customer Express Entertainment Productions)
Small Room Lighting
Small rooms can use uplighting effectively by either using targeted beams or a wash over a larger portion of the room. Targeted beams are most commonly used to shoot straight up walls. Diagonal lines can also create an effective look. A great fixture with a targeted beam is the Chauvet COLORdash Par. A great “wash” fixture to light up a larger area is the ADJ Mega Bar Pro. A different uplighting effect can be created by alternating the wash fixtures and the targeted beam fixtures intermittently across a long wall.
Springtree offers several impressive and affordable options for uplighting. Feel free to call us at 615-599-1505 and speak to our product specialists who will be glad to discuss your specific needs for your event and find the best solution within your budget.
Check out what three guys created with 128 LED diodes, an old old coffee table, and a Texas Instruments MSP430 controller.
They also wrote their own beat detecting software to power the table.
If you’re looking for a less DIY approach and touch sensitive actions check out the Acclaim cat walk seen here as a bar top.
Here’s a quick look how they achieved this effect, be sure to visit the TI post for full details
TI E2E Community [Via Engadget]
This isn’t just a cool video of a moving head fixture, it’s a moving head with a LED Video screen! Check it out, the possibilities are limitless.
Hurricane Marina Concert on Center Hill Lake
Saturday July 16, 2011
Saturday, Springtree Productions provided sound and lighting for The Leon Dowling Band right on the Marina. It was an impressive sight seeing 7 large luxury house boats tied together at the marina as the band entertained. Folks walked across from boat to boat, dancing on the decks and sampling all the great food. The Blue Water Grill restaurant experienced the busiest days of the summer so far and we were happy to hear from many that the sound was the best they had ever had on the marina.
Springtree Productions looks forward to be out there again next year!
A funny lighting strip, from the theater themed comic by Brooke McEldowney. Have a great weekend!
[9 Chickweed Lane Via iSquint.net]
I had my first opportunity to use the new Posse Personal On-Stage Sound Environment this last weekend and was pleasantly surprised at its flexibility. As a musician I am always searching for the best way to get what I need from a monitor system and as most of us know, most venues have a rudimentary monitor system at best which can be frustrating and gig ruining. When In-Ear monitors first hit the market, I was convinced that they were maybe the most important live performance tool since guitar amplifiers were brought to the masses. The only caveat was that they required a complicated monitor system in order to use them properly, so unless you were playing at a major club or out with a touring rig, they really could not be used to their full potential. Next came Aviom which provides a very flexible monitoring solution, but again requires a more complicated setup and is not really suited for the average gigging musician, but more for an installed rig. I think Posse has finally bridged the personal monitoring gap with an excellent entry into this category.
I would first like to point out that the Posse system comes as an “everything you need” package and includes: Carrying case, Power supply, Belt box, Mic Stand box with vocal mic cable, a very nice gooseneck Condenser Instrument mic, 6′ HDMI interface cable, Decent ear buds, 10′ DIN(MIDI) interface cable, Main Floor box and a 3′ instrument cable. In most circumstances you are ready to go right away and you get all this for less than most wireless in-ear systems!
For the review I decided to use the Posse during our annual 4th of July party. I figured it would be a good choice since the set list has a huge variety of musical styles coupled with the fact that the covered porch we would be playing under has less than desirable acoustics to say the least. I found setting up the Posse system very straightforward: you essentially plug your mic and instrument into the Posse system and the system routes the signal to the mic stand box which gives you control of the signal and also splits it to the Main box which acts like a DI box and sends it to the snake with zero coloration of signal. I am just going to review this as a live monitoring system but there is a huge variety of ways you can use and set up this system, go to their website and check out all the different configurations for yourself! http://www.mystagecafe.com/posse-monitor-system/posseapplications/
My set up for the night was a Marshall half stack and an acoustic guitar. For monitoring the Marshall I just used the built in stereo ambience mics on the Posse Mic Stand box. It gives you control of the amount of the stage that you want to hear. The results? In a rock set up this worked fantastic! It allowed me to blend my mic with the rest of the instruments perfectly so I was not left with the “isolated” feeling usually associated with using in-ear monitors. I was surprised how good this worked… several times I forgot I had earbuds in!!! As a side note, if we had used a monitor console I would have been able to send that into the Posse and control it via the AUX input and also blend the stage into that creating the ultimate mix.
As far as the acoustic goes I ran it directly into the Posse system. This is where the system really shines. For an acoustic act, the Posse is a God send! You can link systems together to create a custom mix for everyone in the group. The EQs seem perfectly sculpted for this application with both the vocal and the acoustic crisp and easily definable. Add to that, the built-in tuner on top of the Mic Stand Box really makes this a perfect tool for the acoustic musician. I cannot stress enough how well it worked with the acoustic set up….almost magical!
All in all, this is a great system for any level of musician given its flexibility and low price.
Springtree Media Group was happy to be apart of the Nashville Bengali Conference for a second year at Embassy suites Cool Springs. Springtree Productions was responsible for all production elements of the three day conference, from stage to video projection.
Bengali included all sorts of presenters from speakers, musicians , to dancers. Our stage included a closing curtain and tons of LED lighting. Two rear projection screens displayed power point presentations and live video from our two robotic cameras, enabling everyone to have a great view.
Our QCS K Series system provided clear audio to all audience members of speakers and musical artists.
View from our control center.
Video of the event from BPCast
Visit the Bengali Association of Greater Nashville online.
Visit the 2011 Regional Bengali Conference 2011 website.
Visit the full gallery on the Springtree Productions Blog
Classical Academy of Franklin Benefit Dinner and Celebration
Why I Hate HDMI
Jade reviews the new Posse Personal Monitor System
CJ Advertising Event Featured in Hitachi Press Release
Battle Ground Academy Songwriters’ Night
