High End Systems Announces Hog Factor 2019 Judging Panel

High End Systems kicks off its fourth annual Hog Factor Collegiate Competition on Friday, November 22 at 5:00pm at LDI 2019 trade show booth #325 at the Las Vegas County Convention Center. Attendees are welcome to watch as the three student finalist teams each perform their programmed show to a pre-selected song, using Hog 4 consoles and the latest LED lighting technology in the HES/ETC booth rig.

Lighting designers Robb Jibson, Susan Rose, Luther Frank, and Eric Price are this year's panel of industry judges who will score each team on skills from technical wizardry to the "wow" factor.

Jibson founded Chicago design firm So Midwest, Inc. in 2007 to pursue more programming and design work in the concert touring world. He and his team have since expanded to incorporate animation, 3D modeling, and video creation into their workflow to offer a range of multi-media preproduction services for touring acts, corporate brands, immersive events, music videos, television, and more.

Rose moved to Nashville in 1994 to become a country music singer, but her gig as a spotlight operator at Opryland USA and curiosity with the venue's Whole Hog 1 console led to her lighting career instead. This author of the "Whole Hog Quick Reference Guide" has since toured for 17 years with Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, and works on many TV awards shows, theme park, and cruise ship projects.

Frank was a finalist in the first Hog Factor USA competition in 2015. Graduating with an MFA from SMU, he moved to New York City to become a fulltime programmer and designer involved in Broadway touring shows, theatre, opera, dance, galas, fashion shows, and live music events.

Price is carrying two Road Hog 4 consoles on the road as the lighting designer, director, and programmer for Taking Back Sunday's tour. He's been a Hog user since 2007, working with artists such as Thrice, Skinny Puppy, Underoath, Andrew McMahon, and more.

The finalist teams are "Plaid Pigs" from Carnegie Mellon University, "Lance and Matt" from Brooklyn College, and "Pig Update" from Webster University. More than 50 teams registered for Phase One of the competition, with each providing a performance lighting piece programmed on a Hog or Hog 4 PC. A panel of High End Systems and ETC employees judged the first round, inviting these three finalist teams to LDI for the live competition.

Each student will take home prizes, and their school will be awarded various Hog control systems for the next generation of lighting programmers and Hog Factor contestants to master.

Find out more at www.highend.com/hogfactor.