ILDA Blog

Back in the pre-Internet days, ILDA had a newsletter called “LaserTalk”, with news about the association, its members, shows, new equipment, etc. ILDA’s president Tim Walsh has restarted LaserTalk. In the first issue, he discusses what he wants to accomplish with LaserTalk, what ILDA accomplished in 2009, and some upcoming events and plans:

Dear ILDA Members,

The New Year is 20% over, and ILDA has embarked on the last year of the decade!  Or the first year of the next decade!

With budgets tightening everywhere, we appreciate your membership more than ever, as we all advance the art of laser display.

As President, I periodically review my notes and collections from previous years ILDA activities, in order to “not forget” the roots and intentions of the organization. At this time, I wish to revive some habits from past years that are appropriate.

One is this newsletter, which I have entitled “Laser Talk”. ILDA had an actual physical publication for awhile with this title, and I thought it was great.  It was just for ILDA members, and was a good place to rehash the conventions, post technical explanations and proposals,  and fostered relaxed communication. Laser Talk was discontinued at the time that the Laserist magazine went to four issues/year, and I really missed it. The ILDA list was started in response to many requests for a more informal means of communication than the Laserist provided, but as I look over the past issues of Laser Talk, I see that we have lost a lot in the translation. This newsletter will attempt to fill the gap if I can get it right!

Another ILDA habit that we have lost is to give new members an opportunity to introduce themselves. I hereby invite all new members to write a brief introduction of themselves, to include in the next release of “Laser Talk”. This can be a biography, company history, etc. It is especially interesting to hear how members encountered lasers for the first time, got the bug, and got their careers going. I am thinking of creating a form on the ILDA website to help the process along.

A brief overview of ILDA activities in 2009:

• We have upgraded the membership renewal process – this year you can go to the new Member Management website and renew yourself, and also change any aspect of your membership listing at any time.
• The ILDA Conference in Amsterdam in early June was a great experience for me, and for all who attended. We are keeping the tradition alive of a gathering of professionals showing and sharing their products shows and accomplishments. It was great to have the LaseOff and Awards in Amsterdam for the second time.
• Many thanks go to ILDA members Peter Broerse of DMX Laser, who was the conference host and spent untold hours setting up his lasers and helping make the meeting a success, and RTI/LaserAnimation Sollinger, who provided the lasers for the 2009 ILDA Awards and LaseOff.
• The Safety Committee has had a good year. Executive Director Patrick Murphy traveled to various international laser safety meetings and proposed new labels for laser pointers, and a new approach to audience scanning safety, and also made suggestions to the USA CDRH to keep new laws laser show friendly.
• ILDA introduced the “ILDA Accredited Professional Lasershow Company” program. Who will be the first to gain this accreditation? Will it make a difference? Let’s try it and see!
• The Ethics Committee had a busy year, and ILDA began a new web page to list active Ethics complaints.  ILDA has actually removed or not renewed three former Members due to serious Ethics problems. I think that this shows that we care about ILDA’s reputation, and we take action when it comes to our attention and when it is clearly warranted.
• We have scheduled the locations of the next three years of ILDA Conferences in order to take advantage of pre-planning. I hope to see you all this year on the Cruise in September, as well as in Moscow in 2011 (hosted by Orion-Art Multimeda), at the conference that I will be hosting in San Antonio in 2012, and at the 2013 conference hosted by LOBO in Germany.

ILDA AWARDS

The Awards Committee wrapped up discussions to create new categories for entries in 2010, making it easier to decide which category to enter into. Big news is the creation of a “live” category with member judging;  final judging will take place at the LaseOff at the Sept. Conference. The deadline has been set for March 31, giving all entrants ample time to create their entries.  Go to the ILDA Awards page, download your forms, create your video entries, and send them in now! Less than a week until the mailing deadline -

ILDA Conference 2010 – it’s a Cruise!

After experiencing a great response to the cruise convention in 2008, the Board has voted to hold ILDA 2010 on a cruise ship once more. Join your professional laser show colleagues on the Carnival Destiny leaving Miami Sept. 6 – 11, 2010. The page is up at the ILDA web site now, and we need people to sign up ASAP to cover the deposit. Let’s go, people!

See you when our laser beams cross in the future!

- Tim Walsh
ILDA President

PS: Many thanks to Greg Makhov of LSDI, ILDA’s Safety Chair, for his work in 2009. Greg co-wrote the paper with Patrick about audience scanning, which was presented at two conferences. He also attended the International Laser Safety Conference held last year in Reno, to help represent the interests of laser shows and of ILDA. Throughout the year, when ILDA needed laser safety help, Greg has always been there to give his experience and advice. Finally, congratulations to Greg for receiving the 2009 ILDA Career Achievement Award. For his many contributions, especially in the area of safety, the 2009 CAA was richly deserved.