Vol. 16, No. 2, July-September 2005 

ILDA's 2003 Awards for Outstanding Laser Displays

Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 29, 2003: It was the laser entertainment industry's equivalent of Hollywood's Oscar night: over a dozen companies from five nations were honored for artistic achievement during a gala celebration at the historic Le Plaza Theatre in Brussels.

The International Laser Display Association's (ILDA) awards honored a wide spectrum of applications ranging from a citywide festival in Budapest to pulsating beam shows for nightclubs and discotheques. The awards were preceded by an elaborate opening ceremony created by Laser System Europe that included aquatic fountains, dancers, live ice sculpting and, of course, laser effects.

LOBO electronic of Aalen, Germany received the most awards of any single company, taking honors in nine of ILDA's fourteen artistic categories, including four first place awards. The company's three-dimensional beam shows took four awards, with all the shows created through a subscription service that provides clients with a new show each month.

ILDA members and invited guests, forming an audience of about 100, were given a special treat during the awards ceremony when Paris-based magician Theo Dari performed his award-winning "Laserman" show. Dari's unique act combines science fiction with sleight-of-hand, and features an alien-looking magician who uses his bare hands to manipulate laser beams with the speed and deceit of a card shark. The crowd of seasoned laser professionals--no easy group to please--gave Dari a standing ovation.

Additional highlights of the awards included a 1st Place to US-based LFI International for the "Surpraser" stage show in Seoul, South Korea, which combines live actors and dancers with powerful laser effects. Laser System Europe of Belgium, which hosted ILDA's conference, took fist place for the opening ceremony of Moscow's Utah Games. The show synchronized lighting, sound, aquatic fountains and laser displays with live performers. LOBO electronic's "Mystere" show took 1st Place in the Indoor Show category, and featured the company's new Scanline Laser Video projections used in conjunction with vector laser graphics and atmospheric laser effects

2003 ILDA Winners, Artistic Displays

ISP Beam Module