INNOVATOR PROFILES
67
How did you get into AV? I started my career at Siemens, but my first proper industry job was working with my uncle, Hartmut Braun, whose company (B&K Showelectronic) supplied and installed AV equipment for clubs and discos. Back in 1994, my uncle and I co-founded GLP – and the rest, as they say, is history! What are you currently working on? This year is GLP’s 30th-anniversary year, so we are currently planning our 30th birthday party, which will be held with industry colleagues, customers and friends over at our headquarters in Karlsbad in June. We have just wrapped up the European trade show season for another year. At ISE and Prolight and Sound, our new fixtures – in particular the JDC2 IP hybrid strobe and impression X5 IP Maxx – received an enthusiastic response from visitors, and we are struggling to meet demand for all our products, particularly the X5 range, after a very busy start to the year. Favourite project? Rammstein’s last global tour in 2016 is a project that immediately comes to mind. Rammstein’s stage shows are legendary, and the band have a big influence over which lighting fixtures are chosen for their tours – they want to have only the best lighting and AV equipment to create the most spectacular live experience possible. For their 2016 tour, Rammstein used hundreds of GLP fixtures, including our impression X4 Bars and GT-1 discharge lamp, which we had promised we would deliver them in plenty of time. It was such a large order, I had to personally go down to R&D and help put the lamps together to make sure we could meet their deadline! What exactly does the future hold for the AV industry? I think we will see more concert experiences with virtual avatars, like the Abba Voyage shows, though I’m not so sure if that’s a good thing. For me, live is live. I think it is down to lighting and AV companies like ours to continue to improve our products and help make real live shows better so we can compete with the new virtual reality experiences. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? Have fun! This industry is a lot of fun, so get out there, meet people and enjoy yourself. If you enjoy what you do, then it won’t really feel like work. On the other hand, if you’re only concerned about making lots of money, go and do something else! UDO KÜNZLER Job title Managing director Company GLP German Light Products
How did you get into AV? Music has always been in my blood. I have been a piano player since my childhood and playing drums and saxophone for decades. My love for personal, live and reproduced music motivated me to seek solutions that align with my passion and complement my interests in technology. Teaming up with my brother Luca and my friend Antonio to build our company was an easy path, eventually making my passions and targets possible. What are you currently working on? I am working on many things at the same time: new systems related to the entire chain of audio. These include power electronics, amplification, processing, control, electroacoustic, mechanics and physics. Favourite project? I prefer projects that span multiple disciplines, and luckily, what we do at Powersoft covers a wide range. However, I also like to delve into specific project details and topics, where a strong focus might lead to a solution that makes a difference. What exactly does the future hold for the AV industry? Today, there are so many technologies developing quickly, and this will surely lead to more changes in enjoying audio and video. Audio has much room for improvement; this is true not only at the component level, but also at the system level. Room acoustic is still the elephant in the room, challenging to tame and capable of jeopardising the overall experience. Sooner or later, active acoustics will become a must. Video, on the other hand, is the biggest player, whether we like it or not. We are going to need to find ways to embed acoustic sources into screens. However, it is crucial to understand the different requirements of new generations before casually making broad changes. What advice would you give to someone starting a career in AV tech? You need to love music, sound and entertainment in general. Like in any other business, do not take anything for granted, as the requirements and technologies constantly change. Focus on what you like and do it best. Even if it does not necessarily make you rich, it will surely bring happiness to your life. CLAUDIO LASTRUCCI Job title R&D director and co-founder Company Powersoft SpA
I think we will see more concert experiences with virtual avatars, like the Abba Voyage shows, though I’m not so sure if that’s a good thing”
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