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'''Ivan Dryer''' (March 7, 1939 – July 27, 2017) is generally considered to be the father of the commercial [[laser lighting display|laser light show]] industry. He is the founder of the world's first continuously running laser entertainment, known as '''Laserium'''.
{{BLP unsourced|date=September 2013}}
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'''Ivan Dryer''' is generally considered to be the father of the commercial [[laser lighting display|laser light show]] industry. He is the founder of the world's first continuously running laser entertainment known as Laserium.


== History ==
Dryer was a filmmaker in the early 1970s. On one project, he worked with Dr. Elsa Garmire, a [[California Institute of Technology]] physicist interested in laser light art. (She had previously worked with other artists on special event laser shows.) Dryer was disappointed because the resulting film, Laser Image, did not have the pure colors and shimmer of laser light. Dryer realized that it was possible only to capture the special beauty of laser light by using the light itself, not in film or video form.
Dryer was a filmmaker in the early 1970s. On one project, he worked with [[Elsa M. Garmire|Dr. Elsa Garmire]], a [[California Institute of Technology]] physicist interested in laser light art. (She had previously worked with other artists on special event laser shows.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scienceandfilm.org/articles/3115/creatures-of-light-laserium|title=Creatures of Light: Laserium|last=Epstein|first=Sonia|date=10 July 2018|website=Sloan Science & Film}}</ref> Dryer was disappointed because the resulting film, ''LaserImage'',<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsBoUu2zIPg LaserImage film at YouTube]</ref> did not have the pure color and shimmer of laser light.


Dryer had the idea of bringing the Caltech laser to Los Angeles' [[Griffith Observatory]]. He, Garmire and Dale Pelton formed Laser Images, Inc. to create planetarium laser shows.
Dryer had the idea of bringing the Caltech laser to Los Angeles' [[Griffith Observatory]]. He, Garmire and Dale Pelton formed Laser Images, Inc. to create Laserium laser light shows to be presented in planetariums. ("Laserium" is a [[registered trademark]] for the company's laser light shows.)


The first Laserium show opened to the public on November 19, 1973. It is thought to be the first on-going laser show that was not part of a special or one-time event. The Laserium shows inspired other companies and individuals to create laser shows and displays. Laser imagery spread from planetariums to become more common at other venues such as concerts and corporate shows.
The first Laserium show opened to the public on November 19, 1973. It is thought to be the first on-going laser show that was not part of a special or one-time event. Laser imagery spread from planetariums to become more common at other venues such as concerts and corporate shows.


Laserium shows went on to be played in 46 cities worldwide, including Denver Colorado, USA, Los Angeles, California, USA, and San Francisco, California, USA. The shows were viewed by over 20 million people. According to the company, Laserium was the longest running theatrical attraction in the history of [[Los Angeles]]. The Los Angeles show continued until 2002, a run of 28 years. Laserium continues today in special events and on tour.
Laserium brand laser shows went on to be played in 46 cities in [[North America]], including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Seattle, Vancouver, and Toronto, as well as Paris, London and Tokyo.<ref>From an image in a 1975 Laserium program, listing sites of "Continuous, ongoing concerts" [http://laserium.com/anniversary40/index.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626194945/http://laserium.com/anniversary40/index.html |date=2017-06-26 }}</ref> The shows were viewed by over 20 million people.{{cn|date=December 2023}} According to the company, Laserium was the longest running theatrical attraction in the history of [[Los Angeles]]. The Los Angeles show continued until 2002, a run of 28 years. Laserium continues today in special events and on tour.


In 1989, Dryer received the first ILDA Career Achievement Award from the [[International Laser Display Association]]. Dryer's company Laser Images won 43 ILDA Awards for artistic and technical excellence, in the years between 1988 and 2000.
In 1989, Dryer received the first ILDA Career Achievement Award from the [[International Laser Display Association]].<ref>[http://www.ilda.com/awardsCAAlist.htm ILDA Career Achievement Award recipients (click on 1989 entry)]</ref> Dryer's company Laser Images won 43 ILDA Awards for artistic and technical excellence, in the years between 1988 and 2000.<ref>[http://www.laserist.org/awards_list-of-all-winners.htm List of ILDA Award winners, 1988-2014 (download spreadsheet)]</ref> Dryer also served as ILDA's president from November 1990 to November 1992.<ref>[http://www.ilda.com/past-board.htm ILDA Board timeline]</ref><ref>[http://www.ilda.com/history.htm ILDA history and timeline]</ref>


In 2013, Dryer received the first IMERSA Lifetime Achievement Award from the Immersive Media Entertainment, Research, Science and Arts association. IMERSA noted,{{cn|date=October 2023}}
Dryer also served as ILDA's president from November 1990 to November 1992.

{{Blockquote|text=In addition to his pioneering creative and technical achievement, he also did something unprecedented for planetariums and science centers: Laserium showed that these facilities could be used as entertainment venues, increasing attendance and generating revenue... Dryer's influence carries on with presentations where light becomes an actor.}}

In his IMERSA acceptance speech, Dryer concluded by saying:

{{Blockquote|text=I'm delighted that we managed to enlist what was then a somewhat esoteric technological device that has been used to guide missiles and telescopes, to instead guide the neurons in millions of brains to dance synesthetically in a fusion of music and image that enhances both – to create a machinery of joy. The compliment I most prize[d] was from a woman who came up to me and said, "You know, I envy you, you’re spreading joy!"}}

In 2017, ILDA declared Dryer's birthdate, March 7, to be an annual event called "International Laserist Day".<ref>[http://www.ilda.com/march7.htm March 7 - International Laserist Day]</ref>

==References==

* {{cite news |last=George |first=Jason |date=2005-02-05 |title=A 70's Duo Rocks On: Pink Floyd and Lasers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/05/arts/music/a-70s-duo-rocks-on-pink-floyd-and-lasers.html |work=New York Times |access-date=2017-05-30 }}
* {{cite news |last=Ehrman |first=Mark |date=2002-01-09 |title=The Night the Lights Went Out in Griffith Park |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jan-09-lv-laser9-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2017-05-30 }}
* {{cite podcast |url=http://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/when-laser-science-was-far-out/ |title=When Laser Science Was 'Far Out' |website=Science Friday |publisher=Science Friday Initiative |host=Ira Flatow |date=2016-04-22 |access-date=2017-05-30 }}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.patrickmccray.com/tag/ivan-dryer/ |title=From Laser Art to Laserium |last=McCray |first=Patrick |date=2016-04-22 |website=Leaping Robot Blog |access-date=2017-05-30 |archive-date=2017-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503205542/http://www.patrickmccray.com/tag/ivan-dryer/ |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite news |last=Harlander |first=Thomas |date=2016-08-25 |title=L.A.’s Forgotten Laser Emporium Will Take You Back to the ’70s |url=http://www.lamag.com/culturefiles/l-s-forgotten-laser-emporium-will-take-back-70s/ |work=Los Angeles Magazine |access-date=2017-05-30 }}
* {{cite news |date=2017-08-02 |title=Legacies: Marty Sklar, Ivan Dryer, Ira West, George Casey |url=http://www.inparkmagazine.com/legacies-marty-sklar-ivan-dryer-ira-west-george-casey/ |work=inpark Magazine |access-date=2017-08-03}}
* {{cite news |date=2017-08-02 |title=Ivan Dryer, Laserium Founder and Laser Show Pioneer, Dies At 78 |url=http://www.livedesignonline.com/business-people-news/ivan-dryer-laserium-founder-and-laser-show-pioneer-dies-78 |work=LiveDesign Magazine |access-date=2017-08-03}}

;Specific
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.laserist.org/awards1989.htm#caa ILDA Career Achievement Award citation]
* [http://www.laserist.org/awards1989.htm#caa ILDA Career Achievement Award citation]
* [http://imersa.org/speakers/item/ivan-dryer Dryer's IMERSA acceptance speech, with a detailed history of Laserium]
* [http://www.pulpless.com/rainsamp/cadenzas.html#violet Dryer describes how Laserium started and the future of laser shows]
* [http://www.pulpless.com/rainsamp/cadenzas.html#violet Dryer describes how Laserium started and the future of laser shows]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EuwOu5im-M How Laserium works - video explanation of the laser-projected images]
* [http://www.laserium.com Laserium home page]


{{Persondata
| NAME = Dryer, Ivan
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Visual music artist
| DATE OF BIRTH =
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dryer, Ivan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dryer, Ivan}}
[[Category:Visual music artists]]
[[Category:Visual music artists]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Laser art]]
[[Category:Laser art]]
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[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]

Latest revision as of 15:34, 20 September 2024

Ivan Dryer (March 7, 1939 – July 27, 2017) is generally considered to be the father of the commercial laser light show industry. He is the founder of the world's first continuously running laser entertainment, known as Laserium.

History

[edit]

Dryer was a filmmaker in the early 1970s. On one project, he worked with Dr. Elsa Garmire, a California Institute of Technology physicist interested in laser light art. (She had previously worked with other artists on special event laser shows.)[1] Dryer was disappointed because the resulting film, LaserImage,[2] did not have the pure color and shimmer of laser light.

Dryer had the idea of bringing the Caltech laser to Los Angeles' Griffith Observatory. He, Garmire and Dale Pelton formed Laser Images, Inc. to create Laserium laser light shows to be presented in planetariums. ("Laserium" is a registered trademark for the company's laser light shows.)

The first Laserium show opened to the public on November 19, 1973. It is thought to be the first on-going laser show that was not part of a special or one-time event. Laser imagery spread from planetariums to become more common at other venues such as concerts and corporate shows.

Laserium brand laser shows went on to be played in 46 cities in North America, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Seattle, Vancouver, and Toronto, as well as Paris, London and Tokyo.[3] The shows were viewed by over 20 million people.[citation needed] According to the company, Laserium was the longest running theatrical attraction in the history of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles show continued until 2002, a run of 28 years. Laserium continues today in special events and on tour.

In 1989, Dryer received the first ILDA Career Achievement Award from the International Laser Display Association.[4] Dryer's company Laser Images won 43 ILDA Awards for artistic and technical excellence, in the years between 1988 and 2000.[5] Dryer also served as ILDA's president from November 1990 to November 1992.[6][7]

In 2013, Dryer received the first IMERSA Lifetime Achievement Award from the Immersive Media Entertainment, Research, Science and Arts association. IMERSA noted,[citation needed]

In addition to his pioneering creative and technical achievement, he also did something unprecedented for planetariums and science centers: Laserium showed that these facilities could be used as entertainment venues, increasing attendance and generating revenue... Dryer's influence carries on with presentations where light becomes an actor.

In his IMERSA acceptance speech, Dryer concluded by saying:

I'm delighted that we managed to enlist what was then a somewhat esoteric technological device that has been used to guide missiles and telescopes, to instead guide the neurons in millions of brains to dance synesthetically in a fusion of music and image that enhances both – to create a machinery of joy. The compliment I most prize[d] was from a woman who came up to me and said, "You know, I envy you, you’re spreading joy!"

In 2017, ILDA declared Dryer's birthdate, March 7, to be an annual event called "International Laserist Day".[8]

References

[edit]
  • George, Jason (2005-02-05). "A 70's Duo Rocks On: Pink Floyd and Lasers". New York Times. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  • Ehrman, Mark (2002-01-09). "The Night the Lights Went Out in Griffith Park". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  • Ira Flatow (2016-04-22). "When Laser Science Was 'Far Out'". Science Friday (Podcast). Science Friday Initiative. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  • McCray, Patrick (2016-04-22). "From Laser Art to Laserium". Leaping Robot Blog. Archived from the original on 2017-05-03. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  • Harlander, Thomas (2016-08-25). "L.A.'s Forgotten Laser Emporium Will Take You Back to the '70s". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  • "Legacies: Marty Sklar, Ivan Dryer, Ira West, George Casey". inpark Magazine. 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
  • "Ivan Dryer, Laserium Founder and Laser Show Pioneer, Dies At 78". LiveDesign Magazine. 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2017-08-03.
Specific
  1. ^ Epstein, Sonia (10 July 2018). "Creatures of Light: Laserium". Sloan Science & Film.
  2. ^ LaserImage film at YouTube
  3. ^ From an image in a 1975 Laserium program, listing sites of "Continuous, ongoing concerts" [1] Archived 2017-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ ILDA Career Achievement Award recipients (click on 1989 entry)
  5. ^ List of ILDA Award winners, 1988-2014 (download spreadsheet)
  6. ^ ILDA Board timeline
  7. ^ ILDA history and timeline
  8. ^ March 7 - International Laserist Day
[edit]
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