PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA – After former heavyweight wrestling champion Diamond Dallas Page became injured during a match, it was suggested that he try yoga while recovering. Initially hesitant, Page soon acknowledged the benefits of the yoga practice and began developing a new method, combining familiar yoga poses with cardio and strength-training techniques to burn fat, build muscle and increase flexibility. The result was DDP Yoga – a unique workout method shared through home workout videos, and now, a Georgia-based Performance Center with hi-tech equipment protected by a BlueBOLT-enabled Furman SmartSequencers™.
Following a bidding war, Page and his partner, Steve Yu, selected local integration firm Commercial Sound and Videoto outfit the studio space with the latest A/V equipment, protected and powered by Furman. “There was a lot of existing and new equipment that needed to be installed after winning the bid,” explained Commercial Sound and Video Owner, Nathan Miller. “Dallas and Steve knew their budget and what they wanted and had already purchased a large amount of equipment from Guitar Center Professional. The challenge now was creating a functional and versatile system that fits their vision, with all of the individual components that were piled up in boxes.”
DDP Yoga was familiarized to the world through popular reality show Shark Tank. Soon after, Page and Yu decided to open the first DDP Yoga Performance Center to provide an online platform based on an interactive app. The app will allow people to participate remotely, upload their bio stats, track progress, and include training videos and podcasts. The new DDP Performance Center would be an all in one workout center and film production platform.
The 40-by-80-foot studio is used for a variety of activities, including workouts, cooking shows and promos. Divided into three sections, the studio hosts a two-story-tall green screen, a stage with faux brick warehouse-style backdrop and a full demonstration kitchen. With so much happening on a daily basis, all of the systems had to be installed with ease of use in mind for the film production and events, especially the lighting.
For quick operation, more than 75 LED light fixtures are connected to a rack-mounted, BlueBOLT-enabled Furman CN-2400s power conditioner, offering voltage and surge protection along with remote access to the system from any web-enabled device. Extending the benefits of the main Furman SmartSequencer, eight Furman CN-20MiniPorts are used to connect 10-way power strips, fueling all of the over-head lighting.
“Without the Furman gear, the crew would flipping multiple breakers daily to operate the lights,” Miller added. “We are running all fixtures with Martin Light Jockey lighting software through a Windows 8 touchscreen computer and the Furman, so one key easily turns the lights on and off.”
The stage is equipped with 30 Chauvet slim par 64s for color, two Chauvet Mini Kinta IRCs and a Cubix 2.0 for moving beams. A Chauvet Hurricane 2D hazer provides smoke while filming and a Chauvet gobo shot creates a spinning DDP Yoga logo on the wall. Additionally, the kitchen utilizes Blizzard lighting color LED strips on either side of the kitchen and warm white LED strips behind three simulated windows.
“To hang the lighting, the DDP film crew requested a customized 20-by-40-foot ceiling grid made of aluminum speed rail pipe,” Miller continued. “ The grid consists 5’ squares giving them the option to position fixtures wherever needed for individual shoots. We calculated an annual electrical comparison for the Chauvet and Elation LED lighting verses traditional incandescent and there was a $5,000+ difference. The LEDs save power, don’t generate heat and, ultimately, last longer.”
During workouts, heart rates and bio stats can be viewed on a 90-inch SHARP TV and a 5K Panasonic projector. When the room is not being used for a class, both displays are connected to a tricaster, so video content can be played from the control room.
Powerful sound can be heard throughout the space through 4 Electrovoice ZLX-12P loudspeakers and an EV ELX118P subwoofer. Connected through a Mackie DL1608 digital mixer, the DDP crew has iPad touchscreen control of the music. For even more control, a Furman CN-20MP SmartSequencers independently controls the speaker system and colored LED lighting, so one switch can power the systems on and off.
To connect the studio to the control room, custom patch panels were installed on the studio’s wall and behind the stage. Through the customized design, the DPP crew can hook their cameras and mics from the studio to the recording gear in the control room without the cables being visible during filming. “We provided DDP Yoga with a great deal of customization,” Miller concluded. “We worked closely with Page’s in-house video crew that were extremely knowledgeable in their field. Together, we were able to overcome some obstacles, like tricky shadows and glares off stainless steel appliances in the kitchen and create the functional flex space studio that they needed.”
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About Furman®
Furman, from Core Brands, is legendary for developing award-winning, innovative power management products. Furman power and energy management products give audio/video systems the pure, noise-free power they need for superlative performance while protecting them from damage caused by power surges and lightning. The brand addresses all major electronic markets, including professional audio and video, the music industry, broadcasting, audio/video recording, office equipment and home theater. More information is available at www.furmansound.com.
About Core Brands
Headquartered in Petaluma, California, Core Brands combines the product and marketing strengths of iconic and award-winning audio, power management and control brands including ELAN®, SpeakerCraft®, Gefen®, Niles®, Panamax®, Proficient®, Furman®, Sunfire®, BlueBolt® and Xantech® to deliver a portfolio of connected home solutions to its channel partners and end users. For further information, visit www.corebrands.com.
About Nortek, Inc.
Core Brands is a Nortek company. Nortek Inc. is a global diversified company with leading brands and innovative, technology-driven products and solutions for lifestyle improvement at home and at work. For further information, please visit: www.nortek.com.
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