Prolight + Sound 2016 with an even more comprehensive conference programme

As in the past, the seminar programme will be split into the ‘Prolight + Sound Conference’ for professional users and the ‘Eventplaza Conference’ for managers and organisers of events, congresses and conferences. New this year is the Manufacturers’ Forum, at which companies present the latest trends from the world of event and AV-media technology illustrated by specific projects. With the move of Prolight + Sound to the eastern section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre, the seminar programme will be held for the first time in Forum.0 and Forum.1.

Another innovation at Prolight + Sound is the Future Talents Day on the Tuesday of the fair, 5 April. It is aimed at students and trainees in the technical field, who want to find out about career opportunities in the sector. At the same time, companies have the chance to make contact with interested young people. On this day, basic and advanced professional development will be a focal-point theme in the seminar programme – with the seminars also being open to participants of the Future Talents Day.

Prolight + Sound Conference
From technical basics to tomorrow’s trends: the Prolight + Sound Conference covers a broad thematic spectrum from lighting and laser technology, via audio and PA systems, to innovative network and AV technologies. This year, the programme of the Prolight + Sound Conference has been restructured and split into two thematic tracks: ‘Prolight + Sound Forum Basic’ and ‘Prolight + Sound Forum Advanced’.

At the Prolight + Sound Forum Basic, participants have the chance to learn about various technical issues and to refresh their knowledge about important aspects. To this end, many top professionals from the sector have agreed to hold lectures on several days of the fair. Thus, Volker Ruf (satis&fy) will explain about planning and designing PA systems. Andrew Livine (Association of German Sound Engineers (Verband Deutscher Tonmeister – VDT)) will give practical tips on optimum miking while Thomas Giegerich (bright! GmbH) will discuss practical aspects of AV-media technology and media servers. Other topics to be covered include lighting design, rigging and energy supply for events.

The Prolight + Sound Forum Advanced is a source of expert knowledge on technologies and challenges currently facing the sector. On the first day of the fair, the focus will be on training as part of the Future Talents Day, including the restructuring of the curriculum for event-technology trainees and international qualification standards. On Wednesday, the spotlight shifts to duties and powers in the field of event technology and demands on top events. Additionally, there will be a discussion of new international event-safety standards. Visitors can look forward to a broad spectrum of subjects on Thursday and Friday including 3D audio, statics calculations and radio frequencies.

Eventplaza Conference
The Eventplaza Conference is an important professional-development platform for specialists from the field of corporate, consumer and exhibition events. Following the change to a new sequence of days at Prolight + Sound (Tuesday to Friday), the programme is now being held on all four days for the first time.

As in the past, a component part of the Eventplaza Conference is the International Event Safety Conference (I-ESC) on Wednesday, 6 April. The focal-point theme in 2016: ‘Communication – the most important safety factor at events’. How can organisers explain dangers and risks? What communicative tools are available for use in crises? What should be done in the case of event cancellation or termination? These and other questions will be dealt with at I-ESC.

Another important theme of the Eventplaza Conference is modern and effective event production and speakers will discuss, for example, tricks and methods that organisers of corporate and staff events can learn from the entertainment sector. The highlight will be the keynote lectures by internationally successful theatre expert and art director Guang Jian Gao of the Chinese National Centre of Performing Arts in Beijing.

Manufacturers’ Forum
The Manufacturers’ Forum at this year’s Prolight + Sound is a new professional-development programme that gives companies from the event sector the chance to pass on their expert knowledge and experience and enable visitors to learn about technical developments via best-practice examples.

The companies and organisations that will be presenting successful projects and pioneering products include ALC NetworX, AV Stumpfl, Barco Entertainment, D & B Audiotechnik, DPA Microphones, ETC GmbH, Gerriets, Klippel, Lawo, Meyer Sound, Microtech Gefell, Osram and the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology. The spectrum of subjects to be covered is correspondingly large and ranges from broadcasting and studio technology, via display and projection technology, to new standards for multi-media networks and audio over IP.

The seminar programme is free of charge for Prolight + Sound visitors. Details about the programme and the lectures can be found on the internet at www.prolight-sound-programm.com

Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s leading trade fair organisers, generating around €645* million in sales and employing 2,297* people. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 29 subsidiaries and 57 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in more than 160 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at more than 40 locations around the globe. In 2015, Messe Frankfurt organised 132* trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.
Comprising an area of 592,127 square metres, Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The historic Festhalle, one of the most popular venues in Germany, plays host to events of all kinds. Messe Frankfurt is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent.