UK ShowLEM 2012

[Jem]

Hi All

Following on from the success of 2011's UK ShowLEM I have booked the hall again for a similar 2012 event.

For anyone unfamiliar with the LEM format here in the UK... We Currently hold two LEM's per year in Surfleet, one in or around April and one in or around September. The Surfleet LEM's are the main meetings of UK Laser Enthusiasts. There is much technical stuff going on and lots of coherent photon's flying about the place - great fun!

However, in 2011 we decided to add another LEM to the list with the focus on playing synchronised shows throughout the weekend and dabbling with lasershow software. This was a 'travel light' event as most of the equipment was provided by just a small handful of people. The ShowLEM is an additional event to the main LEM's and isn't ever intended to be a replacement for the Surfleet LEM's. I think those people who attended will testify that it was a completely different format.

O.K., so, all that being said... We had a great time at the 2011 ShowLEM and are repeating the performance again this year, 2012.

One criticism of last years ShowLEM was that it wasn't long enough. With this in mind I have booked the hall from Friday morning until ~6:00pm on the Sunday. We are allowed to sleep in the hall for 'security purposes'. Just bring a blow up mattress, a sleeping bag, some earplugs and nose clips and you'll be fine

I've pretty much convinced Janet and our girls to do the catering again this year, so look forward to some good food guys, it's a lot of hard work for them and unfortunately I'll have to add a small amount to the cost to cover food this year, but I'm sue it'll be well worth it. I'm also hopeful that we'll be able to repeat the BBQ at my house depending on weather. this just gives everyone the opportunity for a bit of burnt sausage and a non-alcoholic beer and a final chat before driving home

So, it's confirmed, the next ShowLEM will be on 6th, 7th, 8th July 2012. Just pop a reply into this thread to indicate what days you'll be attending and I'll add you to the list. We can get into the hall at 12:00 lunchtime on Friday, and we have to vacate by 5:00 pm on the Sunday.

One final thing... It would be nice to see the ShowLEM format evolve and I am open to suggestions as to how we may acheive this. I thought that we could perhaps have a couple of 'workshops' based around software and/or show safety, we could introduce a competition for best homemade show etc etc... If you have any ideas please throw them into the mix.

Cheers

Jem


ATTENDEES:

Jem (Jem) - Entire Weekend
Carl B (Carl) - Entire Weekend
Rob (Stanwax) - Entire Weekend (Not heard from Rob yet, but i'm sure he'll be up for it)
Dan (DanielBriggs) - Entire Weekend
Richard (Soferene) - Sat/Sun
Al (White Light) - ?
Paul (Lasermad) - Entire Weekend
Jim (Smogthemog) - Entire Weekend
Adrian (Dilbert) - Entire Weekend
Andy (Andy_Con) - Brain's too small to make a decision
Mark (kel19700) - Saturday evening and probably most of Sunday
Simon (P1t8ull) - Saturday and Sunday
Mark (Insanity) - Saturday and Sunday
Mark (MarkMtts) - hopefully entire weekend
Kev (Kevski) - Entire Weekend
Nigel (Gashead) - Entire weekend?

[Carl B]

The Show LEM was a great event this year even though I only got to attend on the Sunday.
I have no issues with the dates for next year and intend to be attending for the full weekend.

You can put me up on the list of attendees Jem. Full weekend.

Carl

[andy_con]

my small brain cant think beyond 2011 so will confirm next year ;-)

[danielbriggs]

I'm in!

[White-Light]

Hi Jem,

The workshops sound great. A full on safety workshop would be great.

Even better would be a full safety course leading to the paper bit. Unfortunately, I think that most companies willing to run a safety course would want to charge commercial fees putting it past the pocket of many of us poor hobbyists. Even £50 is more than I could justify paying for personal use.

Perhaps if someone from a safety training company was attending that company might be willing to do a hobbyist course to the exclusion of professionals attendees at say a modest sum - £20-30? That would avoid taking business away from their professional business course. With 10 hobbyists that could still be £300 for a days work and with the bonus of 2 additional days of laser show casing to watch and take part in for fun as a part of a weekend away.

I'd also like to see a change in the show format to include audience scanning. I understand entirely why it wasn't done this year and I'm not in any way criticising anyone for it being run that way.

However, we have people attending (at least based on this year) who are professionals, who have professional insurance and who are more than capable of setting up projectors measured to MPE and with BAMs. We also have the possible addition of Bill's lenses for next year if anyone chooses to purchase a set making higher powered safe scanning even more of a possibility. I can't see any objection to visitors being there when MPE is observed. On the insurance front, if the problem is that this isn't a paid gig, surely there's an easy work around here, book the person concerned formerly on a peppercorn ie £1 fee so that the event becomes a commercial entity from his insurers POV and thus becomes covered.

If someone is willing to let people have access to QS / Beyond on their pc then it would be nice to let people load and run their own show rather than having it all fall on the one person with everyone else stood around. There could of course be the pc owner / professional supervisor stood / sat next to them to make sure no one does anything silly like disable the BAM or adjust power or settings.

On a general front, I like your other ideas btw.

[soforene]

I'm tentatively in for Sat/Sun.

.... If you have any ideas please throw them into the mix.

• More Scrim use
• More Vol-eu-vents (Pretty please Janet ) Those creamy cheese/tomato thingies were truly scrumptious!!
• Less/No red tape (This rermains the greatest threat to our freedom and the true spirit of laser meets)
• Small competition for all to enter using a short piece of music (Approx 1 min.)

It may be interesting to select a small musical piece prior to the Showlem (JemLem) and see what peeps could make of it.
Due to the fact that people would be hearing it a few times (dependant on how many created a small show for it) it wouldn't need to be of "Pink Floyd" lengths to prevent boredom seting in with the assembled massses.

Just a few comments to run up folk's Flagpoles to see if they flutter ........

[Jem]

Thanks for your suport guys

This isn't *my* LEM, it's everyone's, i'm just the facilitator and will do everything I possibly can to ensure everyone has a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Richard, I agree about the red tape, everything should be as simple as possible. Al, there will definately be some audience scanning at the next ShowLEM, as i've explained before, it wasn't a conscious decision not to do it this year, it just worked out that way as the point was never really raised at the time.

Great ideas though, keep 'em coming.

my small brain cant think beyond 2011 so will confirm next year ;-)

Andy... That's what you get for living in Essex, something to do with genetics

List Updated.

Jem

[Lasermad]

my small brain cant think beyond 2011 so will confirm next year ;-)

Who you kidding Andy ... you will be there , with babe in pram wearing laser goggles !!

Jem, ...superb , stick me and ritchie down for the full weekend :-)

[smogthemog]

I WILL be there this time! and so will my self!

[catalanjo]

my small brain cant think beyond 2011 so will confirm next year ;-)

Me too... and I can't remember my parents mentioning Essex ... but you never know !

Cheers

[dilbert]

Jem, put me down for the weekend & will keep it free.

[Jem]

Hall is now booked and confirmed for 6th, 7th 8th July 2012

[Jem]

Just a bit more info to the post above:

We can access the hall from 12:00 noon on the Friday and we have to pack up ~4:00pm on the Sunday to be out of the hall for 6:00pm.

Any more people want adding to the list?

Cheers

Jem

[White-Light]

Another suggestion, if the safety course doesn't come off or its going to be too expensive, then maybe someone would be willing to do a seminar on bounce / diffraction mirrors.

I think many people know what they are, but not exactly what they can do and how to use them to maximum effect.

Thinking here of the different selections available in the targets page in Pangolin software and also the effect Marc at CT lasers achieved in one of his installs a year or two ago, where he had everyone on here convinced he had 3-5 lasers installed when in actual fact it was one laser and a few mirrors and he was in fact bouncing two beams out of the laser onto the two bounce mirrors on the floor in front of the laser, and then bouncing them onto other mirrors with the main lasers beams and bounced beams all modulated and moving.

Awesome effect, but a mystery to many people as to how to do this for maximum effect and how to control them.

[Jem]

Just reviewing this thread and I noticed that Dimmers hasn't responded yet...

Loud voice mode on... HEY, DIMITRI... ARE YOU COMING

It would be great if one or two others from the Netherlands/Europe could attend as well... Just let me know folks.

[kel19700]

Hi all, Can i come.

Where is it being held.

[Jem]

Hi

Of course you can, just remember that this is a 'travel light' LEM. Thus you don't need to bring any gear, unless there's something that you want to specifically show off. If you have an pre-programmed shows, you can either bring a laptop/PC or just bring them on a USB stick.

It's a relatively chilled out affair, grab a cold beer, sit down and watch

Looking forward to meeting you... what's your real first name?

Oh, and are you just coming one of the days, or are you hardcore and coming for the duration

Cheers

Jem

[kel19700]

Jem, cold beers and watching lasers sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday evening,

I would be there Saturday night and leave early Sunday morning (depending on how cold the beers are) will there be somewhere to crash for the night.

Cheers Mark

[Jem]

Hi Mark

I have secured permission for those that so desire to sleep in the hall. Just bring a sleeping bag and some earplugs

I'll add your name to the list for Saturday and Sunday... After all, I figure once you get there you'll be in no hurry to leave.

Cheers

Jem

[KevSki]

Hoping to be there for the full hit...
k

[andy_con]

I've not mentioned this one to the boss yet but will do in due course

[White-Light]

Jem have you managed to pin down any workshops yet?

[Jem]

No, not as such. I was hoping to have someone doing a basic laser safety presentation, but he's having doubts...

We'll see what happens.

[Jem]

Hi folks

I've received a couple of PM's asking if folks can bring their projectors for diagnostics and to do a bit of rebuilding/tinkering etc.

There is no reason why folks can't bring their gear along if they want to. We can easily set up a maintenance workshop in the foyer for anyone wanting to work on their stuff.... Sorry, NO mills allowed before anyone asks

I'm happy for folks to do whatever pleases them over the weekend. We've got lots of time and I guess folks will want to do a little more than just plays shows for three days

Cheers

Jem

[andy_con]

so cnc's are ok?