S+H Stars at Crufts

	Photo: onEdition

S+H Technical, the drapes, starcloth, LED, video, and special effects specialist from Ilfracombe, Devon, supplied their LED starcloth and a custom-built LED sign for the main show ring of one of the world's most famous dog shows, Crufts, staged by The Kennel Club at the Genting Arena, Birmingham, UK.

The starcloth was specified by Jon Pope of Chichester-based Lighting Design Services, the show's lighting designer since 2009, and was installed along the upstage edge / back of the main ring -- making a classic backdrop for cameras, video, and other assorted media.

The eye-catching 6.5m wide x 2.2m deep sign was flown in front of the large starcloth. Made up from approximately 1200 x RGB LEDs with a 40mm pitch and eight-channel DMX control giving full color-mixing, chasing, and dramatic twinkling effects, all run from the lighting desk, this was first fabricated for the event by S+H in 2012.

It has now become an essential part of the show's live visuality.

With all the main action taking place in the show ring and much of it televised, it is essential to have strong Cruft's branding as well as an attractive backdrop for camera shots and photography, and the LED elements fulfill both criteria.

When the Best in Show competition is being judged, the sign is featured constantly in the background camera shots.

The large RGB starcloth was also run through Pope's lighting desk, an ETC Congo, which allowed Pope to bring an additional layer of lighting to the picture, where his biggest challenge is to ensure the vast space is well lit for TV and also the enthusiastic live audiences of dog lovers and professionals who visit each year to imbibe the whole Crufts live experience.

"The starcloth means I can add glitz and glamour at the appropriate moments," says Pope. "It avoids those uninviting black back-of-camera voids and is definitely now part of the look and feel of the show."

Crufts runs for four days in March and the main show ring is in use for 12 hours a day, so any kit has to be robust and reliable.

Pope has worked with S+H on Crufts for some time now and comments, "The service is always great and they go out of their way to ensure everything is delivered quickly, efficiently, and with a smile. The attention to detail is excellent ... all the LED cloths are matched in colors, brightness etc., which is essential for looking good on camera."

His account handler at S+H is Terry Murtha who says, "We love being involved in Crufts, it's an excellent, high-profile, and well produced event that provides lots of fun and entertainment value, and it's great to see our kit making such an impact."

Pope's immediate clients are the Kennel Club's events and education manager Vanessa McAlpine and events manger Catherine Guiver. He programmed and ran the generic lighting this year working in conjunction with moving light operator, Phil Cole on a grandMA2 console. All the other lighting equipment was supplied by Neg Earth. Crufts is directed by Nick Brooks-Ward.

Crufts Best in Show 2016 winner was West Highland white terrier bitch Burneze Geordie Girl.