Yongha are a Chinese company that were recently bought out by Jollibee who wanted to introduce their new business partner to the Philippines and their own company and this culminated in a grand show at which Argon Animation provided the laser show with our now famous Argonette dancers in mirror costumes and we neetly tied this in with replacing the dancers with the management team of Yongha at the end much to the delight of the audience!

See the whole Yongha laser show in the video above and enjoy the wonderful music. Listen to the audience roar and clap during the show.

If you would like a custom designed laser show with The Argonettes just email us at tim@argon.com.ph or rian@argon.com.ph and book your show now.

Yongha and Jollibee certainly liked it!

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I hope that you have a safe and happy holiday and I would like to thank you so much for visiting my site.

Take care and have a great day wherever you are.

Tim and Rian and all from Argon Animation Inc

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The SEA Games 2009 were held in Vientiane, Laos for the very first time and Argon Animation was contracted to provide programming services for both the opening and closing ceremony.

We came together as a huge team of directors, technicians, crew and performers to put together a breath-taking historical and cultural journey enjoyed by over 20,000 people in the audience who showed their love and passion for their own country cheering and clapping all through the show.

Below I have put together a few photographs to show what you missed. Enjoy.

Thanks to Ketsana Valaylack for the photos of Argon Animation at SEA Games 2009

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We had two 9 watt white light lasers for the graphics and two 5 watt and 1 10 watt green lasers for the beam effects. We opened with an edited version of “Revolution” from the Matrix to a tremendous roar from the crowd and then began the main part of the show with graphics and beam effects throughout.

You can watch part of the show here:

More of the show can be seen by visiting the Argon Animation YouTube Page

We are having a few days rest as we have worked almost non-stop for about 10 days watching the sun come up far too many times and then we be starting to program the closing ceremony which will be next week and of course I will let you know about the show here.

The whole show here was based around the Lao culture and history and was a great display of lights and colors to match each different scene and mood.

Due to the size of the stadium, it was not possible for us to connect all of the lasers using our standard cable systems, so we used a wifi system to connect our master and slave computers together. One computer on each side of the stadium containing the 5 control cards, one for each laser.

We received a master timecode from the control desk which locked our laser program into the music so we were able to sit and watch the show while the computer ran all of the laser by itself with us just monitoring the system.

The show was watched by an unprecedented 4 prime ministers from around the world.

This was truly a wonderful experience for me and also truly an honor for me to be asked to be part of this show. What a great way to finish the year and a brilliant example of lights and lasers for the SEA Games 2009 opening ceremony.

2009 SEA Games

The 2009 SEA Games will have 5 lasers in total. 1 unit of 10 watt, 2 units of 5 watt and 2 units on 9 watt RGB lasers all controlled by a wifi system and 5 Pangolin programming cards.

The lasers are provided by Oracle lasers and the programming is being done by Tim Bennett from Argon Animation and even though it is 1.30 in the morning it is still great to be here.

The installation of lasers is almost finish and programming of the 45 minute show begins in earnest tomorrow morning.

The 2009 SEA Games will be attended by hundreds of VIP guests as well as about 25,000 in the audience and this is the 2nd large show programmed by Argon animation in the last two months, the last on being the opening ceremony of the Asian Indoor games in Hanoi.

2009 SEA Games Football

The 2009 SEA Games is certainly an honor to be here for us and we look forward to bringing you more information as we go along.

Hopefully in the next day or two I can give you some photos of the programming so look out for that as it comes in. Yesterday we were treated to a local football match as we installed the lasers and equipment. Boys in Red played really well! Thanks for the entertainment.

This is Tim Bennett at the 2009 SEA Games for Argon Animation. See you tomorrow.

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2009 SEA Games and Argon Animation are at it again.

Leaving For 2009 SEA Games

After traveling through Bangkok and a 1 hour delay I finally arrived in Vientiane in Laos and got to the Sabaidee Hotel and very nice too. Except no kettle!

So today I go to site and will take a look at what is in store for me over the next 20 days as I get ready for the 2009 Sea Games here. It’s exciting!

Yesterday was an interesting day for me. I watched a movie on the plane which said “what’s the point of doing anything if you don’t enjoy it?” so as I sat there waiting for the late plane, instead of getting angry I decided just to enjoy it and finished reading my book (Blink by Malcolm Gladwell – It’s great – Read it!)

Yesterday I arrived in a country I have never been to before. It’s cool to do something new and during the day I noticed how many people I came in touch with.

Most of them I just looked at and spoke to only a few. A nod here a “hello” there and off we go never to see each other again.

Sometimes our lives meet just for a moment and then on with our own lives again. Sometimes, we swap numbers or cards, but for the most part we never know each other. It’s very strange.

Boarding For 2009 SEA Games

Today’s blog is not about lasers, it’s just about the journey to the lasers. I had a great first day, just enjoying the travel and the new people and the new experiences.

Laos looks really nice. Streets are clean, the people seem friendly and nice and it’s not too hot here. Less humidity.

I am looking forward to work tonight and getting ready for the opening ceremony for the 2009 Sea Games.

Tomorrow I will bring you some photographs of the stadium and tonight’s work, but for now this is Tim Bennett for Argon Animation News, 2009 Sea Games, Vientiane, Laos.

(I have always wanted to say that!)

Philippine Call Centers (about 60 of them all together) each year come together for a noisy but wonderful event of bands, music and art and there are normally about 3 to 4 thousand in the audience. This year is no exception.

Setting up the stage and lasers

The night packed with over 16 bands, countless models and performers starts at 5pm and goes on until the early hours of the next day. Philippine call centers certainly know how to party!

Argon Animation continues to support the Call Center industry as one of the sponsors of this event due to the great relationship between Armie and Tim. Thanks always for the support.

Philippine call centers and Argon Animation continue to party and promote the industry together which bring in thousands of jobs and hope for many.

If you are passing the World Trade Center tonight and you are in the call center industry stop by and see our lasers and have a great night.

Argon Animation at CCAP

Philippine Call Centers

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500 MW Laser and why I use them

Gary V and Tim Bennett With Two 500mw Lasers

Green Laser Beam

Why is it that most lasers have a green laser beam?

Well firstly the human eye can only see colors in the 380 to 750nm wavelengths under normal conditions and the eye is particularly sensitive to wavelengths around 555nm, which is green.

500 MW lasers at Rave Party

Therefore green laser beam is much cheaper to use (and to make) than red or blue for similar looking power which is great news for you as the end user and it also explains why a color laser is so much more expensive than a green laser.

500mw Laser

When Argon Animation Inc first opened for business in 2001, we had a 9W coherent full color laser which was really incredibly beautiful, but we had 500 kilos of equipment, a water cooling system which wasted gallons of water and needed 3 phase power from a generator to get it running.

Then we bought the first 500mw laser in the Philippines and although it used a green laser beam it only weight 20 kilos, it is air-cooled (so no more water needed) and it used plug in the wall power 220 volts single phase – no more generator) which was brilliant for us and also for you as it meant no water bills, no generator or diesel costs and our set up time was reduced from 20 hours to 3 or 4 hours.

The 500mw laser was small enough to be mobile, but at 500mw was powerful enough to be seen and at the 523 wavelength was very bright for the eye.

We can even use it outside at night!

500 MW Laser Is Highly Visible

Well reduced times in set up so no more large bills with venues, no generators for the laser, no water cooling, compact equipment designed for laser show use which means smaller areas back stage. It is safer because no more water hoses running around and possible leaks and best of all the laser is highly visible to your audience.

Argon Animation has 2 units of 500mw B52 laser available for hire and we are the only company in The Philippines offering the 500mw B52 laser. It uses English and American technology and is not a Chinese copy. This means reliability during your shows and nice tight beams giving full power.

If you need a laser at your event (of course you do) then without doubt you need Argon animation’s 500mw laser.

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Laser Artist wanted for immediate training by Argon Animation Inc for our shows both locally (in The Philippines) and also with possible international work.

Laser Artist Job Description.

The laser artist will report directly to the directors of Argon Animation Inc, but they will be expected to run the laser animation department after training.

The laser artist will be responsible for the installation and programming of the laser shows exclusively for Argon Animation .

Full training will be given on the following:

Laser fundamentals
Laser equipment – lasers, scanners, power etc
Laser programming and design
Laser installation and show set-up
Laser safety and trouble-shooting
Show ingress, show operation, show egress

The Laser Artist Applicant should hold the following:

Clean driving license
College grad of an animation program or similar
Experienced in cell frame animation (hand drawn or computer drawn)
Experienced in Cinema 4D, Flash and 3D Studio Max (Not Maya)
Passion for theatre, music, the entertainment world, etc
Be easy to teach and have a desire for learning
Qualities as a leader
Be able to work unsupervised sometimes throughout the night

The successful laser artist candidate will be expected to be a hands-on-worker not only driving to the shows in the company van but also installing the equipment to Argon Animation’s specifications, be able to work easily with clients, producers and the show world people.

You need to be able to work long hours, sometimes weekends and holidays as we produce the shows that the audiences are watching. This is a tough and demanding work, but equally great fun and rewarding, so no sissy “it’s not my job” types. We do not work 9 to 5 we work when there are shows.

The successful candidate will be punctual (as in never late), able to work under pressure, creative, honest and ideally be familiar with the show biz world. If you have been show crew before that is great. We want to talk to you.

You must live in Metro Manila or surrounding areas. Preferred age between 25 and 30 and you should be physically fit and strong enough to lift lighting equipment and boxes. Dress and grooming should be tidy.

Please email me at tim@argon.com.ph with your resume and photo and explain why you want to work with us. I expect you to look at my website before you send me an email so that you know what we do.

Emails without photo or explanation will not be considered, nor will calling me on the telephone, nor visiting me at my office. If you can’t follow simple instructions I don’t want to talk to you.

Do not apply if you do not hold the qualifications as above or if you live outside Manila (unless you will relocate at your expense). Do not apply if you are boring and like working Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and you like weekends in bed. We hate people who like to sleep all day!

This is however an opportunity for the right person to be involved in a company that is unique and exciting and the only one of it’s kind in the Philippines. Your friends will be so jealous as you will go to shows all over the country for free!

We even pay you!

If you want to be the next Argon Animation Laser Artist please email me at tim@argon.com.ph and tell me why.

You may be the Philippines next laser artist!

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3rd Asian indoor Games and Argon Animation

The 3rd Asian Indoor Games was put together by a huge team of technicians from Singapore, Vietnam and of course Tim from The Philippines and together we successfully performed the opening ceremony on 30th October 2009.

The laser installation consisted of one 8 watt full color laser, two 10 watt green lasers and 2 five watt green lasers all controlled by a wifi link using 5 pangolin controllers and 2 remote computer stations.

This was a massive show with over 5000 performers, dancers and entertainers and performed in front of some of Vietnam’s greatest dignitaries including the President of Vietnam.

The show lasted a massive 55 minutes and contained three distinctive themes namely: The Festival of youth; cultural identity and integration and development. 5000 dancers in colorful costumes, with a huge background of lasers and lights, this show took us 10 days to program working mostly at night. We saw the sun come up virtually every day!

3rd Asian Indoor Games Opening Ceremony

This was a very important show for Hanoi as it is really a prelude to the 1000 year Hanoi anniversary celebrations taking place next year. Hanoi officials wanted to be sure that they really can pull off a huge event like this and the can pat themselves on their back as this event for the 3rd Asian Indoor Games went off like clockwork.

The audience yelled and cheered continually throughout the event which marks the beginning of a 10 day sporting event from athletes from all over Asia including a large delegation from the Philippines.

The event started spectacularly with the lighting of the olympic touch using pyrotechnics and fire much to the delight of the audience.

The lasers added to the excitement throughout the show blasting into the air and covering the stadium with beams and effects all choreographed to the 59 minute audio track using a SMPTE time code.

There we 14 different pieces of music throughout the show and each one had to programmed by the split second both with lasers and with lighting.

Argon animation Project Asian Indoor Games Logo

This was a huge collaboration of talents and skills from around Asia and Tim was very proud to represent Argon Animation at this amazing event, which is the 1st of 2 events, the next one being the opening and closing ceremonies of the South East Asian Games being held in Laos in December of this year and we can’t wait.

“I was really happy to be part of this team and to lend my skills to another incredible show. I was so happy when all the bosses of the organizing committee personally thank us face to face which is something that rarely happens these days and they gave us a wonderful thank you party afterwards.” Tim says as he sat waiting in the airport to go home.

This was a wonderful event and congratulations and thank you from Argon Animation to everyone who was part of the 3rd Asian Indoor Games.

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