SOUTH AFRICA – It’s always exciting to be at the forefront of the game when it comes to new technologies, and MGG, one of South Africa’s leading rental and production specialists, is the first to invest in Robe’s new MegaPointe moving light bringing high quality spot, wash, beam and effects capabilities … all in one unit!
More details from Robe (www.robe.cz):
MGG’s owner and founder Mark Gaylard explained that they have done phenomenally well with the standard Pointe, where again they blazed the trail with the first 12 in SA rental stock, having bought them off the distributor DWR’s booth at the 2013 MediaTech expo in Johannesburg. “These have been a company workhorse and a big success for us … they have travelled all over Africa on a wide range of events … and we are sure the MegaPointes will do the same!”
The initial 24 x luminaires were delivered to MGG by DWR whose Duncan Riley stated, “I think the industry has been waiting for this fixture – something that’s so much more than a beam light and delivers all the other modes in equal measure. It’s bright and fills a gap, and being Robe engineered, guaranteed to be reliable”.
Mark and his team saw the MegaPointes in action at a DWR launch event. They were impressed with the scope and range of the effects and how so many new and unique looks can be created.
“The 1.8 – 21 degree zoom (in spot mode) adds to the flexibility of the fixture and really enables it to be a proper wash as well as a beam and a spot. The CRI is excellent and I am really looking forward to seeing them on TV shows as well as live events”.
As with any rental operation, reliability is an absolute bottom line, and that’s a big reason for MGG’s ongoing investment in Robe generally. ”Our lights work incredibly hard and often in arduous conditions having to deal with elements like dust, sand, dirt, rain and wind on the outdoor shows” – of which there are many in SA.
MGG’s MegaPointes will immediately be going to the new 10,000 capacity Sun Arena at Time Square just outside Pretoria, where MGG is the in-house technical services provider. All their crew, along with everyone else in the SA production industry, is keen to see them in action there on a diversity of shows.
Mark says there’s plenty of interest in MegaPointes from designers and is certain they will be on a few lighting plots in the coming months, both ones that are originated in SA and those from incoming international artists.
He observes more generally that with Robe doing so well in the US, and many tours originating there, the brand is becoming a favourite for lighting plots and equipment specs that emanate in North and Latin America.
MGG currently has around 600 Robe figures in stock. They were the first in SA to purchase the StageQube 324 product – some time ago now – and their first Robe moving lights were ColorSpot 250 ATs dating back almost to the launch of the brand. They still have all 12 of them in working order!
The current inventory includes BMFL Blades, LEDWash 600s and 1200s LEDBeam 100s, DigitalSpots, Cyc 8s, CitySkapes, Pointes … and now MegaPointes!
Mark concludes by mentioning the “fantastic” support and after-sales service they receive from DWR on all Robe products
They have some older units including first generation LEDWash 600s and their CitySkape 48 LED floods were also purchased around the same time … all still going strong, out on jobs and working hard.
With the parts and service from DWR efficient and well-priced, they can effectively run their futures fixture for longer, ultimately offering substantially increased ROI.
