GEI13 MAJOR TOM - REIMAGINING PRODUCTION

GEI13 PRESENTATION: MAJOR TOM

Presenters:

Ray Winkler (Stufish, UK);

Frederic Opsomer (PRG Projects, BE);

Professor Neil Thomas MBE (Atelier One, UK)

Major Tom is a collaboration between STUFISH, Frederic Opsomer, and Neil Thomas MBE. It was created in order to reimagine production processes with a focus on sustainability. The discussion will focus on the exchange of knowledge and information in order to improve design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, and transport in the events industry.

The 13th edition of the Green Events & Innovations Conference, GEI13, takes place on 2nd March online, hosted by AGF in partnership with the ILMC.

The above picture is taken from U2's Joshua Tree Tour in2017. Designed by Stufish, engineered by Atelier One, and screen fabricated and created by PRG Projects.

About the Speakers:

Professor Neil Thomas MBE, Atelier One, UK

Neil Thomas is the Founder & Director of Atelier One, which has been described as ‘the most innovative Engineering Practice in the UK’.

Atelier One has gained an international reputation as a Structural Engineering Practice specialising in challenging projects. Collaborations with Architects, Artists, and Designers have resulted in many interesting built projects such as Gardens by the Bay with Grant Associates & Wilkinson Eyre, London 2012 & Sochi 2014 Olympics Opening Ceremonies, Cloud Gate with Anish Kapoor and ‘The Claw’ Stage for U2’s 360 Degree World Tour, with Mark Fisher.Neil holds a number of high-profile posts in the UK & US educational service, most recently being a Visiting Professor to Yale and MIT, and has co-written a book titled ‘Liquid Threshold’ which gives insight to the complex challenges of a number of extraordinary projects. Most recently Neil has been appointed by Leeds University as a member of a Steering Group to develop a new Architectural Engineering course.In 2014 Neil was elected Royal Designer for Industry for excellence and innovation in structural design and for sustained ingenuity as a structural engineer in collaborations to create ground-breaking public art. Later in the same year Neil received an Honorary RIBA Fellowship for both the excellence and the inventiveness of his contribution to Architecture over the past 25 years.In 2015 Neil was awarded Fellow of the Institute of Structural Engineers and most recently in 2016 honoured with an MBE on the Queen’s 90th Birthday for contributions to Architecture, Design and Engineering.

Frederic Opsomer, PRG Projects, BE Frederic, CEO of PRG Projects, is a creative thinker constantly looking for new ways of innovation and development.After his studies within the field of Mechanical Engineering, around the mid ‘80s, Frederic turned towards the rental market of Video & Projectors and made his first steps within the industry.In 1995 he founded his own company System Technologies, which he successfully managed for 15 years. Joining Barco, leading provider of professional video systems, he managed numerous projects as Vice President Architainment, a synergistic work between Architecture and Entertainment. On top of that, he was CEO of Innovative Designs.Prior to creating and leading the PRG Projects entity within the PRG Group, he also acted as CEO of Tait Technologies Belgium, experts in manufacturing, engineering and design in the technology sector.Frederic is not only familiar with the conceptual side of LED innovations, but the practical side as well. As a seasoned member of the industry, Frederic continues to enhance the audience’s experience with a variety of visual spectacles.Frederic’s career highlights include; the introduction of the stage screen at Eurovision (1989), the rigging cube system “Digiwall” for U2 ZOOTV Tour (1993), the first concert touring LED Screen for U2 POPMART (1997), the London Olympics pixel tablets (2012), and PRG SPACEFRAME for U2 Joshua Tree Tour (2016).Frederic was on the forefront of video technology 30 years ago, starting with U2 – and has been a pioneer and innovator of technology that has changed the industry ever since.Ray Winkler, STUFISH, UK Ray Winkler is a UK registered architect. He is the CEO and design director of STUFISH Entertainment Architects and executive producer and director of STUFISH Productions Limited.Ray began his design career as a carpenter and craftsman. He earned his Master’s in Architecture from University College London and became interested in stage design and mobile architecture while doing postgraduate studies at Sci-Arc in Los Angeles California. Ray was – and still is to this day – drawn to the unique ephemeral and transformative nature of entertainment architecture. Ray has devoted more than twenty years to designing live touring shows, theatrical projects and spectacular one-off productions such as the London 2012 Handover at the Beijing 2008 Olympics Closing Ceremony, as well as live TV shows for MTV, VH1 and other TV channels in the USA and the UK. He has worked with some of the biggest names in popular entertainment, including U2, The Rolling Stones, Robbie Williams, and Cirque du Soleil. He has also worked extensively in Japan for great artist such as; Mr Children, Ai, Yumi Matsutoya, Bz, Universal Studios Japan, Himuro and more recently, Arashi.Rays other projects include AC/DC Rock or Bust tour, Robbie Williams Swing Both Ways tour, Helene Fischer’s Farbenspiel tour, Arashi Tour, One Direction 2014 world tour, Dragon Quest Live and The Rolling Stones outdoor and indoor shows in Australia and Asia as well as the 2017 No Filter Tour.His outstanding artistic and creative ability to design spectacles for an audience together with his great leadership skills will ensure that any project is delivered to the highest standards.