After another successful year of ideas being entered, the ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform had the tough job of choosing a winner for the 2024 “Idea of the Year” Award. 

Set up as collaboration between the ABTT and  Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the Virtual Ideas Platform serves as an informal introduction service between independent creative innovators and commercial developers behind the sectors’ leading brands, products and services. 

Following a stimulating debate about the submissions, the judging panel came to the unanimous decision to present the ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform 2024 Award to Steve Macluskie, Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Toby Cass, 3rd year Production Technology and Management student for their innovative product “Beam Strap” which is a lightweight beam clamp derivative, designed to take the hassle and mass out of hanging production loads on steel I-beams.

Figure 1: ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform Winners 2024, Steve Macluskie (left) and Toby Cass (centre) with ABTT CEO Liz Sillett (right). Photo Credit: Origin8 Photography.
 

Announced at the ABTT Christmas Party at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on the 6th December, the platforms concept designer Charles Haines, had the honour of presenting the Award to the two recipients whose initial prototype was first shown at the ABTT Theatre Show in June 2024. Charles added “Based on the interest show at the ABTT Theatre Show in 2024 it will undoubtedly be a firm fixture in many a riggers toolbag in the coming year or two.”

When asked about the development of the idea, Steve and Toby commented that they had “initially started sketching out ideas for a lower capacity, lighter alternative to a standard beam clamp in Spring 2024, with concept drawings developed and 3D models printed which immediately proved the potential of the device.”  Steve then submitted the 'Beam Strap' into the 2024 ABTT Virtual Idea Platform which enabled them “to have prototype models manufactured and load tested leading to three global name manufacturers in the rigging sector to express solid interest in developing the product.”

Figure 2: Early Concept CAD Drawing of winning product idea, Beam Strap, drawn by Steve Macluskie.

The Virtual Ideas Platform assisted & supported in the early stages of design development, with patent advice & guidance, alongside technical tweaks and building a working prototype. This was then load-tested under trial conditions to prove the concept before being handing over to the entrants preferred commercial partner and ABTT Gold Industry Supporter Flints, for the next stage on the design pathway.

ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform Winners, Steve Macluskie and Toby Cass said of winning the Award; “We are thrilled to receive this award and are grateful to the ABTT VIP initiative which allowed us to take the design from concept into production and share it with the entertainment industry.”

Ben Lyle, Managing Director of Flints who has been key in supporting the products development and future distribution added; “Flints would like to congratulate Steve and Toby on becoming ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform winners. We feel that the Beam Strap is the perfect example of what the VIP is all about and, building on the success of the Wire Saver Grummet, Flints is looking forward to taking the Beam Strap into commercial production.”

Figure 3: ABTT Liz Sillett speaking at the ABTT Christmas Party Awards. Photo Credit: Origin8 Photography.

ABTT CEO Liz Sillett said of the Platform: “It is great to see how effective this initiative truly is and we can’t wait to see the finished product on sale at the upcoming ABTT Theatre Show on June 5th-6th  2025. The ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform was created to help bring those innovative and creative ideas that backstage people come up with to counter a technical challenge, to fruition. It identifies, acknowledges and honours those innovators in our midst and we cannot wait to see what new ideas are submitted for 2025 when submissions reopen in the New Year.”

The ABTT Virtual Ideas platform is open to anyone and everyone with an idea and aims to recognise and help realise new ways of making theatre work. By its very nature, theatre is a dynamic working environment. Our Industry strives to invent and develop new and better ways of doing things whether this is in special effects, costume and wardrobe, wigs, make-up and hair, scenery, stage, sound, lighting, automation, audio-visual and any other discipline which makes live performance happen. If you have an idea, don’t just sit on it, submit it and see if it can be brought to life!

More information on the ABTT Virtual Ideas Platform can be found here: https://abttvip.com/