SMASH Invests in First Martin M6 Console in UKBristol UK creative visual design practice SMASH Productions has taken delivery of the first Martin Professional M6 control console in the UK and Europe, which will be available for rental and also in action for assorted shows and productions in which Smash is involved. Smash, headed by Alex 'Junior' Cerio and Tim Smith is known for its innovative and fresh approach to production design and the art of creating environments by combining lighting, video, visuals, and scenic elements for all types of live events. Their work encompasses many genres and styles, embracing corporate launches and parties through to touring with top international DJs and bands. Smash is in the process of investing in key areas of equipment like control surfaces to further facilitate the design side of the business, and the new M6 is an addition to Smash's ever growing collection of lighting consoles. The console can be hooked up to media servers in their studio and used for pre-visualizing, designing, planning, and programming shows in advance. It is also the intention to enable them to have an element of continuity worldwide on key shows. "Investing in control elements to run mixed media shows is very much on our agenda," explains Cerio, adding that they have worked closely with Martin on some of the latest M6 software developments. Already owning an M2GO console and an ether8dmx node, Smash is well aware of the reliability and familiar with the quick and intuitive operational philosophies of the M series of products. The M6 is a lighting console that functions as an advanced visual control surface, and is designed from the ground up to control anything from conventional and moving lights, digital fixtures, LED pixels, and a full range of media servers. That is one of the many things that appealed to Cerio and Smith. "It very much fits our philosophy and the way we incorporate different media in constructing a show." Smash also chose the M6 as a complimentary controller to their range of LED video walls, media servers, and content creation / VJ team, with its VTC and SMPTE inputs, it is perfect for timecode triggered shows. "We wanted a forward looking console," says Cerio, "And this definitely fits the bill. It provides straightforward and easy control of complex multimedia shows and also looks to the future and providing a wide variety of new visual tools." Apart from lighting and video, these could also be automation and relating to a whole range of other effects. Cerio and Smith also like the fact that the M6 is modular and fully user-configurable by choosing which interchangeable modules are fitted. Martin by Harman's show consultant Dave Stewart, who coordinated the deal, adds, "A massive amount of thought has gone in the M6 console and how it can be used by the most demanding designers, programmers, and operators. Smash is a really creative and demanding client, and M6 presents a real challenge to established control brands, with inventive and easy to use hardware like fast-dials access to parameters and multi-touch screens." The first Smash Productions show for the new M6 was David Guetta's special guest appearances on Rihanna's UK and European stadium shows. Smash recently provided production and visual design (lighting and video) plus technical coordination for the main stage of the Love Saves The Day Festival in Bristol, and Cerio is lighting director for David Guetta's on-going live performances. They also provided LED screen to the High Definition Festival. See Martin Professional at PLASA Focus: Austin, September 10-11, and PLASA Focus: Nashville, February 18-19. 
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