Events: Super Saturday – Save Even MORE on Registration
Are you on the right coast? Drop all your plans January 22nd and head to New York, IT’S SUPER SATURDAY! No, it is not the Super Bowl, or the Super Heavy Weight Fight of the Year, it’s the Saturday when Lighting Designers, Professionals and enthuses come together to talk, share, learn and celebrate the best art form in the entertainment industry, Lighting.
Meet theater professionals and network with like career people. It will be 10 hours of hard work, fun, and a great learning experience. The workshop is geared towards anyone interested in stage/theatrical type lighting including lighting designers, technicians, electricians, set designers, sound designers, architectural professionals, church lighting directors, teachers and students at all levels, etc.
If you register before the end of the year, 12/31/2010, you will be saving $50 off the price of registration. But wait, it get’s better. Scott Parker, the organizer of Super Saturday has offered something special to the readers of iSquint. Save an ADDITIONAL $25 off the cost of registration with the code “iSquintVIP”. Now if you register before the end of the year, not only do you save $50 by registering early, but with the code, you save an ADDITIONAL $25 dollars for a total cost of registering early.
Now, if you register after the new year, you can still use the code above to save $25 dollars off the cost of registering! A huge thank you to Mr. Parker for his generosity! If you get to Super Saturday, make sure to find Mr. Parker and say thanks!
Now what are you waiting for… GO REGISTER! You can learn more about Super Saturday by visiting www.stageseminars.com.
Richard Pilbrow Joins Super Saturday Faculty, January 22, 2011
Richard Pilbrow, internationally known lighting designer, has agreed to speak at the Sixth annual Stage Lighting Super Saturday seminars. Richard is passionate about the advancement of computer technology that allows lighting designers to free themselves from that same technology. He will discuss his recent use of the Apple iPad during a production of “Evening Primrose.” Pilbrow’s credits include “A Tale of Two Cities”, “Our Town”, “The Life”, “Show Boat”, Broadway; ”The Sleeping Beauty” American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera; “The Magic Flute” LA Opera; many UK National Theatre Company and West End productions. Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Theatre Projects Consultants for 1200 projects in 70 countries. Author of “Stage Lighting” an international teaching text and “Stage Lighting Design” published in 1997. In 2010 Live Design voted Richard “one of the 50 most powerful people in the entertainment technology industry.”
This popular annual seminar is designed for everyone involved in stage, architectural, or entertainment lighting. The sessions are not too basic nor too advanced. Everyone who attends will benefit. The intense all day seminar will be led by theatre lighting professionals leading sessions about inspiration, training, product, and just doing it.
A dozen theater lighting professionals will speak and about 20 industry lighting manufacturers will on hand and have technical personnel and equipment to demonstrate. The tentative program includes inspiration, fixtures, color, consoles, moving lights, trouble shooting, CAD, Virtual Magic Sheet & LightWright, paperwork, and other subjects. Starting at 8:00 am on Saturday, January 22, 2011, the sixth-annual Stage Lighting Super Saturday all-day seminar will take place at the conveniently located Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City located across from New York City’s Lincoln Center.
For more information, please visit www.stageseminars.com or contact Scott Parker at super2011@stageseminars.com, 1-866-832-4390.
Academy of Production Technology Offers Electricity Training in Dallas, TX
Are you looking to increase your self worth or gain renewal credits to your ETCP certification? Good news, the Academy of Production Technology is offering a 3 day training session in Dallas Texas next month. From December 1st through December 3rd, the APT is offering a training session on Entertainment Electricity, Power Distribution, and Controls Training lead by the Electron Magician himself, Mr. Richard Cadena, an ETCP recognized trainer and certified Entertainment Electrician.
The 3 days of training includes everything from basic electricity to advanced power distro, safety, codes and regulations, and control systems. Join ETCP Recognized Trainer Richard Cadena three days of discovery and learning about the essential skills of the entertainment electrician and technician. It covers theory and practice of entertainment technology for the working electrician and technician.
Day one: theory and fundamentals of electricity including
- DC and AC electricity
- Impedance
- AC power
- Phase angles
- Power factor
- Three-phase power
- Balancing three-phase loads
Day two: practical power distribution
- Electrical safety
- NFPA 70E
- Lockout/tagout
- Arc Flash/Arc Blast
- Portable generators
- Feeder transformers and cable
- Overcurrent protection
- Branch circuits
- Grounding
- GFCIs
Day three: networking Ethernet
- DMX512-A
- RDM
- ACN
- And more…
SPACE IS LIMITED, hurry up and register TODAY! Head over to the Academy’s website at www.aptxl.com and register now. Each day cost just $225 or for all three days $675. If you go, make sure to say hi to the swami for me!
Book: Intelligent Lighting: A Curriculum in Entertainment Technology
I received an email on Monday about a new out there on the market for our industry called, Intelligent Lighting: A Curriculum in Entertainment Technology by Matthew Haber. The book was actually released on June 14, 2010 and published by CreateSpace, an Amazon Company.
Here is a bit more from the jacket:
Intelligent Lighting: A Curriculum in Entertainment Technology is the first ever textbook for secondary school and university level classes on intelligent lighting. Written by the Author with the contributions of various industry partners and professionals, this book covers topics including moving lights, media servers, light board programming, LED fixtures, scrollers, and communications protocols. This publication is designed to excel equally as an all around reference guide for students and professionals alike as well as a textbook for technical theatre education. In addition to full color photographs and informative sidebars, Intelligent Lighting: A Curriculum in Entertainment Technology includes a handy glossary of technical terms, chapter review questions, and a book long design project.
Right now, Amazon.com is running discount on the book with a 22% discount off the retail price of $49.98 for $39.20. Head over to amazon.com to pick up a copy of Intelligent Lighting: A Curriculum in Entertainment Technology.
Sunday YouTube Video – History of Stage Lamps
A late but great Sunday Youtube Video. This past week I learned a LOT. But why does it have to end? Let’s keep learning! Take a look at this great video about the history of stage lighting and lamps. No, nothing is wrong with your speakers, there is no sound. Prepare to read and learn just a little bit about our interesting industry.
Have a great rest of your weekend and take charge of the week ahead.
#LDI2010 Preview: LD Tim Dunn Presenting in Robe’s Stand
Do you know lighting designer Tim Dunn… Well, you should! He is the designer behind the closing ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup! Check out some of the photos from the Closing Ceremony. Want to meet him? Well Robe has you covered.
Lighting designer Tim Dunn from Gearhouse South Africa will give a presentation about lighting the acclaimed Closing Ceremony for the 2010 FIFA World Cup for Robe at the Lighting Design International (LDI) exhibition 2010.
The presentation is currently scheduled to run once daily for the 3 days of the show – one of which will be in Spanish. Full details to follow.
Interested parties can register for a place at the front desk of the Robe booth – 2324.
Robe ColorWash and ColorSpot 2500E ATs and REDWash 3●192s were used extensively – along with other fixtures – in the award winning event at Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa, produced by The VWV Group. It has been hailed as the most spectacular World Cup ceremony to date.
Dunn’s presentation will detail the challenges faced by him and his team, which included precision lighting around the large format pitch video projections, and the subtleties of pinpointing the large cast with millimetre accuracy …. whilst still producing a show with all the spectacle and power required to WOW a stadium audience there for the final of the biggest sporting event in the world.
Added to that was an incredibly short timescale, limited access to the stadium, and a series of customisations needed to rig lights in the right positions – with all the associated red tape. Dunn will also expand on his use of MA Lighting’s Visualiser to pre-programme the show, and the control network used to route over 30 DMX universes.
There will also be the opportunity for a full Q&A session.
Copies of a new book, “Sense of Occasion”, a fabulous pictorial documentation of Dunn’s recent design work – featuring events as diverse at the South African Presidential Inauguration to the Opening Ceremony of the T20 Cricket Championships in Bangalore, India – will also be available for viewing at the presentation.
FIFA 2010 Closing Ceremony Photos
[nggallery id=72]
Mid-Atlantic Vectorworks User Group Meeting at the Mothership 10/14
I love user groups, they are so much fun. User group meetings bring together like minded people that share the same passion and love of whatever the user group is about. This time is it is Vectorworks!
On Thursday, October 14th from 7pm to 9pm, Vectorwork aficionados and lovers of the CAD program will converge on the mothership, Nemetschek’s headquarters in Columbia Maryland to talk, discuss and learn new tricks with Vectorworks 2011.
Not only is this a great time to learn new things, but talk with other users about problems, questions and issues that you face when working with Vectorworks. On top of that, it’s a great place to networks and meet new and exciting people! Then being at the mothership, we’ll get a chance to meet some of the people behind the software! I am totally there!
Here are all the details and how to register for the VUG-MA.
Date: Thursday, October 14th
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m. EDT
Place: Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc.
7150 Riverwood Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
Make sure to send a note to the group leader, Tom Pearce, (tns@coronal.net) to let them know you are coming. If you are not in the Mid-Atlantic region, no worries, there are still a ton of other VUG meetings across the country, check out the VUG website to find a meeting near you.
Take Vectorworks 2011 For a Test Drive Around Your City
You wouldn’t buy the latest sports car or luxury sedan without taking it for a test drive, and I’d bet you feel the same way about your design software. Much like a high-performance vehicle, Vectorworks 2011 software gets you where you’re going quickly, in style, and will make all your friends green with envy.
Join Vectorworks for a free, hands-on training session to experience the Vectorworks 2011 software for yourself.You’ll get three hours with a Vectorworks trainer to ask questions, get answers, and explore all the new bells and whistles of the Vectorworks 2011 software, including:
- Improved 2D/3D integration
- Renderworks™ 2011 with the CINEMA 4D® render engine*
- Real-world editing with the Push/Pull tool
- Exceptional text tools that allow you to create and edit text in a snap
- New scalable symbols functionality
Vectorworks is driving to a city near you.
Seats are limited—please reserve yours today!
- Santa Barbara, CA October 11, 2010 – Register Now
- Los Altos Hills, CA October 12, 2010 – Register Now
- San Francisco, CA October 13, 2010 – Register Now
- Columbia, MD October 26, 2010 – Register Now
- Las Vegas, NV October 27, 2010 – Register Now
- Boston, MA October 29, 2010 – Register Now
- Richmond, VA October 29, 2010 – Register Now
- Orlando, FL November 2, 2010 – Register Now
- Dallas, TX November 3, 2010 – Register Now
- Irvine, CA November 10, 2010 – Register Now
- Alexandria, VA November 11, 2010 – Register Now
- New York, NY November 16-17, 2010 – Register Now
- Chicago , IL November 19, 2010 – Register Now
Sunday YouTube Videos
This weeks Sunday YouTube Videos is dedicated to light & color. Both are always around, surrounding us, effecting the way we think and act. May favorite part of teaching lighting has to be color theory and how we perceive color. It plays an enormous role in what we do in theatre. Here are a couple of videos that help explain how light and color are not just the same, but how we react to them. I LOVE the last one!
LDI2010: More Learning Available at PRG Institute
If you are heading to Las Vegas next month for LDI, why not take FULL advantage of your time there? Production Resource Group, (PRG) is offering classes on their products. Here are the details on the classes being offered at PRG Institute.
PRG is pleased to offer introductory training on our proprietary products including Mbox EXtreme® Media Server, Bad Boy® Luminaire, the V676® and V476 ™ Lighting Control Consoles, and the Series 400® Power & Data Distribution System. These highly acclaimed and widely used products have quickly become industry staples for designers, programmers and technicians in concerts, theatre, special events, film and television.
Join us at the PRG Las Vegas depot for hands-on introductory training that will give you the knowledge you need to start using any or all of these exciting PRG products.
At PRG Institute you can sign-up for one session, any combination of sessions or all three days to get exactly the training you want. Class sizes are limited to allow hands-on training for all attendees so sign up today for PRG Institute in Las Vegas.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 19th
9:00 – 12:00 Teching the PRG Bad Boy – Session Cost: $50.00
1:00 – 5:00 Networking with Series 400 Power & Data Distribution System – Session Cost: $50.00
Wednesday, October 20th
9:00 – 5:00 Mbox EXtreme Media Server Basic Training – Session Cost: $100.00
Thursday, October 21st
9:00 – 5:00 Introduction to the PRG V676 & V476 Lighting Control Consoles – Session Cost: $100.00
If I wasn’t getting in late to Vegas, I would totally be there to learn all about PRG’s products. Hurry and sign up for the PRG Institute at LDI in Las Vegas, you’ll be happy you did! You can learn more about the PRG Institute by visiting PRG’s website at www.prg.com.
Renew Your ETCP Certification at LDI 2010
Continued training and professional development activities are essential in the changing entertainment technology environment. Therefore, to maintain ETCP certification, an ETCP Certified Technician must accumulate 40 renewal credits of continued training/professional development OR retake the certification examination and accumulate a minimum of 10 renewal credits of continued training/professional development over the 5 year period following the examination to maintain certification.
LDI 2010 provides many opportunities to gain renewal credits at the 2010 show, which will occur October 19-24, 2010. The following courses are taught by ETCP Recognized Trainers and are sponsored by The ESTA Foundation Seminars &Training Committee: “Left Brain Rigging: An A-Z On Math and How it Applies to Rigging,” Johnny Perri (14 ETCP Renewal Credits); “Stage Rigging Fundamentals,” Jay O. Glerum (14 ETCP Renewal Credits); and “Left Brain Rigging Calculator,” Johnny Perri (7 ETCP Renewal Credits).
Three courses are offered by ETCP Recognized Training Programs: “FTSI Professional Automation Training: Navigator Programming and Equipment,” Fisher Technical Services (21 ETCP Renewal Credits); “Safely Building the Beast,” TOMCAT USA, Inc. (12 ETCP Renewal Credits) and “Overview of the Ion Control System,” (3 ETCP Renewal Credits) and “Advanced Tips and Tricks for the Ion Control System,” (3 ETCP Renewal Credits) – both taught by ETC.
There are many other opportunities for ETCP Renewal Credits and more information about these courses can be found at: www.ldishow.com. Want more information about ETCP? Please contact Meredith Moseley-Bennett, Certification Manager at certification@esta.org or call 212.244.1505.
Books: Late & Great: American Designers 1960-2010
I am a huge history buff. I just can’t get enough learning about our past! ESPECIALLY when it comes to our industry. I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll say it again. I feel that we should look to the past and learn about where we can from to help us move forward. History has a way of foretelling our future in some way shape or form. Will history tell us what the next great thing is, probably not, but think about trends.
Back to the book. USITT has announced the release of their latest book, Late & Great: American Designers, 1960-2010. The book is written by Bobbie Owen but 27 authors contributed to producing this look into our history. Here is a little more from the description.
Designers participate in the creation of art and entertainment productions with the same level of professionalism as performers and directors, but their names are less often remembered and their contributions can often recede into the collective memory. Late & Great: American Designers 1960-2010 helps to raise designers’ public profile by honoring 25 designers with a record of their artistry.
The book is published by Broadway Press and is available through the USITT website, www.usitt.org for $40 USD for current USITT members and $45 USD for non-members.