Colin B Sanders

BA , LRPS

In 2014 I had finally retired from my current work life inventing and producing interactive sound, light and water fountain projects for Special Needs children and adults in the UK.

It was both an exciting and very rewarding 10 year experience at the end of many and varied career paths since 1969.

From those early days photography became a large part of my audio-visual life. Producing multi-vision, multi-projection, multi-screen shows for product launches, conferences and promotions throughout Europe.

35 mm slides were the bulk format used, shot by Nikon F SLR's in the field or bolted to a rostrum camera or movie camera dolly.

The fun came in visualizing and programming slides into moving sequences, emulating ultra wide screen video. Great memories.

I have returned to experimenting with Nikon digital still and video photography - but for pleasure now. Awarded LRPS in 2016.

Info

1960 - 2014

Self-taught and practiced electronic system and sensor design within interactive audio, lighting and fountain control projects.

1969/71

Registered company Environetics for initial research into system control and sensor techniques for sound, light, and in 1986, water projects.

Designed VIRO 1. A portable, packable black room c/w interactive light-sound-light electronic human interface arena.

Designed portable stage lighting equipment for the "Who" pop group. Included first commercial UK lighting control "Rock Board" with automated special effects and 18 internal dimmer packs by Electrosonic. Launched and demonstrated by me on the "Tommy" tour around the UK.

Designed special lighting effects for productions at the National Theater, for example, "Oh Calcutta" for lighting designer David Hersey.

1972

Designed VIRO 2. A badminton match under Ultra-Violet light with light beams focused on photo-sensors linked to 2 x VCS3 audio synthesizers.

Live performance as part of a kinetic sound/light show - "Edwinland" at the Cockpit Theater, London.

1973/4

Designed two of the first real-time animated A/V slide controllers in UK.

"Talkislide" -3 slide projectors were animated from a direct audio source.

12 x slide projector programmer with speeds up to 14 frames/second.

1975/83

Conference stage designer for MMA + independent producers.

Formed company Myriad with others to service the A/V industry with total media packages for promotions throughout Europe and beyond.

Researched USA software/hardware companies to produce the first UK computer graphics for 35 mm slide production on Apple II computers.

1986

Designed VIRO 3. An outdoor sound/light/sound environment controlled by wind speed and direction, radio waves and human intervention.

1989

Designed first UK commercial real-time 6 channel musical fountain and lighting controller motivated by direct audio source. Complemented 10 years later with single phase pump motors and chromed fountain rig -named "Symphony". - See this site for archive examples.

1990

Designed first UK musical fountain c/w 3 phase pump motor drive control. Innovation award by "Drives & Controls" magazine.

1994

Created and installed interactive sound and lighting products for indoor child softplay areas throughout the UK and abroad.

2004

Set up "magicfountains.co.uk" to promote custom fountain sales and to service the Special Needs Industry creating unique outdoor interactive audio and fountain designs for UK sensory gardens.

2009

Produced my last live television and advertising awards show for The Creative Circle after 25 years of continuous service as show designer / director.