Rigging and automation specialist Jimmy Johnson has joined the team at Motor State Automation (MSA) led by Christian Vigsø.
He will be focusing on technical sales for MSA’s innovative solutions including the bespoke design and delivery of systems for entertainment projects involving artists, set, scenery, props, equipment, objects, or anything else that needs to move.
Motor Stage Automation (MSA) is a fresh and innovative new company based in Denmark, working internationally perfecting the art of imagineering for stage and show automation.
Vigsø commented: “We are hugely excited about this collaboration! MSA will benefit from Jimmy’s wealth of experience and massive enthusiasm for the industry and the world of automation as well as his love of logistics and the challenges involved in finding smart and creative solutions!”
Johnson stated: “MSA’s approach to business and investment is impressive. We all share the same values and work ethics, and I relish this opportunity of working more closely with a great company and an outstanding team.”
MSA has purchased large quantities of leading brands like Litec, Kinesys, and Alfa System in the past year to facilitate and combine with its range of in-house products like MSA touring dollies, to help provide fast, efficient, and cost-effective automation for a diversity of theatre, music and corporate shows, tours, and events.
“The company and the kit almost sells itself,” added Johnson, noting that, once the preserve of only the largest shows with massive budgets, automation is now becoming increasingly affordable – and therefore popular to produce the wow factors every show needs to thrill its audiences.
Vigsø noted that the development of networked control systems with multiple protocol integration is another factor pushing the technical trend for moving things in contemporary show designs. Automation control can now be combined more seamlessly with lighting, video, and other visual aspects.
Johnson will also continue to be involved in other projects as a consultant, co-ordinator and specifier which will enable him to keep abreast of the fast-changing technologies in this discipline as well as the demands, ideas, and thinking of creatives and leading productions.
Johnson has been in the industry for 25 years. His first tour was with Hank Marvin in 1997 and for the first 12 years of a busy career, he was primarily working on the lighting side as a designer, programmer, and tech.
Wanting to expand his horizons, he then started to hone his rigging and automation skills, working with rental companies and as a freelancer and has also toured as a production manager and tour manager.
He has shared his knowledge as a rigging teacher and mentor, has written various courses and also satisfied his own creative streak by producing his own digital art shows.
It is this breadth of skills and activities that also appealed to Vigsø and is a big part of why he wanted him onboard at MSA. “It’s important to be able to think out-of-the-box to evolve truly creative solutions, which is one of MSA’s USPs,” he concluded.
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