How did you get into the rental/staging business?
After finishing school I was keen to work with cameras and get in to the TV production side of things, and I thought a good way in to the industry would be working in theatre to start with. After a youth training course I joined a theatre as a lighting technician, but once I had the taste for the live event side of things I didn’t want to leave! I really enjoy the fact that no event is the same; it’s a constantly challenging environment and I have worked in some great companies with really talented, creative people. My role as the manager of our rental business allows me to work with a diverse group of clients, supplying them with the right products, service and support because I know the events industry inside out, and have survived to tell the tale!
What is your favourite project that you’ve ever been involved in?
We built an amazing 61 screen videowall in partnership with Creative Technology and Goose Communications recently, using the Infinite Plasma 4250 product. It was for Unilever’s annual senior management conference at Twickenham, and to date is the largest ever formation of Infinite Plasma screens at a UK event. The videowall was made up of 9 separate clusters, designed to work as one screen, with a giant 6×6 screen formation as the centrepiece, using the screens to the best of their ability. I loved the project because it highlights the truly creative possibilities that videowalls allow. The fact that we had screens in both portrait and landscape and in a really engaging formation completely wowed the audience. It’s encouraging to see out clients pushing the boundaries of what display technology can do, and it pushes us at PSCo to continue to look for and invest in the latest kit for our rental fleet.
Is there are a particular product that you’ve come to look on as ‘an old favourite?
The 103” plasma from Panasonic is one of my favourite products, and it’s one that our clients love because it is really easy to incorporate into any environment, from a set build for an awards ceremony to an exhibition stand or show. It offers more flexibility than projection because our customers don’t have to worry about the added cost and time of darkening a room and installing the projector in the right place, and it looks good enough on it’s own that it doesn’t need a whole set built around it to make it look clean and professional. The screenlifter we offer with it makes it a really easy product to move around, even up stairs if there are access issues, and it is easy to adjust the height of the screen at the touch of a button.
Is there a recent product that’s caught your eye that you think will be very useful in your business?
NanoLumens’ new flexible 112” LED screen is one of the most exciting technologies that I have seen for years. It’s flexible and lightweight qualities mean that the product is perfect for the live events market, it easy and quick to install and offering a range of new creative possibilities. It can be positioned in locations that would have previously been out of bounds for flat screen displays like the 103”, and at 41kg the screen weighs less than a 50” plasma. It doesn’t need an extensive supporting infrastructure which keeps costs to a minimum, while delivering a very bright display. Our customers have been really enthusiastic about the unique features of the NanoLumens screen, and I’m looking forward to seeing it being used in new ways.
