#USITT2011 Stage Expo Hasn’t Even STARTED and I Have So Much to Share!

Today was jam packed with sessions, sessions and more sessions.  I was part of the panel for two sessions today and I had a BLAST!  The best part is, I have audio!  While I would love to share it as soon as possible, I just don’t have the capabilities to do it while in Charlotte, so we’ll just have to wait till the show is over, sorry.

The first session I was on the panel for was There’s a Lighting App for That/Mobile Lighting Tools. Just like it sounds, we talked about mobile apps! The panel was lead by Scott Parker from StageSeminars.com, joined by app developer Eric Cornwell from West Side Systems, legendary lighting designer, Richard Pilbrow, and me! We had a great discussion about why and how apps are developed.  How Mr. Pilbrow uses his iPad and various apps to aid him in designing and then me rounding out most of the other lighting apps and some other useful tips, tricks and ideas on how to manage not only your design process, but your life as well.

The second session that I was on the panel for was Marketing in the Digital World and Social Media for the Lighting Professional.  The panel included Andrea Bilkey, Jim Hutchison from JimOnLight and myself. The three of us discussed how important it is to be social both in the real world and online and offered some guidelines to help prepare yourself for that undertaking.  And yes, I was live tweeting the session a little bit.

The final session I got to for the day was the Lighting Commission Meeting.  The lighting commission is the group of people that organizes the lighting sessions for the conference.  It’s at this meeting where anyone, I mean ANYONE can put forth and idea for future sessions.  If you have a great idea for a session at USITT that deals with lighting, they want to talk to you! I have been apart of three sessions in the past two years and I have had a BLAST sharing my thoughts with everyone.  I encourage you to do the same.  Headed over to the Lighting Commission page and get in contact with someone and tell them about your great idea.

Finally, the day wrapped up with some dinner, a few choice beverages and the USITT 2011 tweetup at Strike Bowling.  I didn’t get a chance to take to many photos today as I was running around all over the convention center.  But in true iSquint fashion, I’ll have plenty of photos to share tomorrow!

Fill Up Your Dance Card at #USITT2011

Most people that are attending USITT in Charlotte, NC this week will be traveling either today or tomorrow.  Travel time is the best time to catch up on some reading or that pesky paperwork that always seems to fall behind. I don’t know about you, but I have an hour and a half flight that I am going to try and get  three hours worth of work done!

Why the push to get things done? Because it is USITT!!! Once you land in Charlotte, you will be pulled in so many different directions, lunch here, dinner there.. all the sudden it’s 2am and the bar is closing.  Not the best time to get work done, it’s bed time.

To help pull you in different directions, here are a couple of sessions and events that I’ll be attending.

Wednesday, March 9th at 9:30am – There’s a Lighting App for That/ Mobile Lighting Tools: I’ll be on the panel with Eric Cornwell, Scott Parker and Richard Pilbrow talking about apps, apps and more apps that make our lives easier in the lighting industry.

Wednesday, March 9th at 3:30pm – Marketing in the Digital World & Social Media for the Lighting Professional: I’ll be joining Jim Hutchison from Jimonlight to talk about how to put your best foot forward online and joining the conversation.

Wednesday, March 9th at 4:15pm – Lighting Commission Meeting and Refreshments: This is where ideas and new sessions come up.  Have an idea for a lighting session at next years USITT? Come and share!

Wednesday, March 9th at 7:30pm – The official USITT 2011 Tweetup at Strike Charlotte.  Bowl over your friends and meet tweeters from around the industry. www.strikecitycharlotte.com.

Thursday, March 10th at 11am – The Stage Expo

Thursday, March 10th at 8pm – The #2amt Tweetup, TBD. Stay tuned.

Friday, March 11th at 11am – The Stage Expo

Friday, March 11th at TBD – Field trip to the Charlotte Apple Store to see and possibly pick up the new iPad2.

Saturday, March 12th at 9:30am – The Stage Expo

I’m sure I am missing a couple of things, but you can always find something to do at any moment during the conference.  You can watch twitter and the hash tag #USITT2011 to find something going on. If you haven’t done it yet, make sure to download the USITT mobile app for your iOS device!

Everyone have a safe trip to Charlotte and see you around town!

#USITT2011 Is THIS WEEK… Are You Ready?

It’s March already?  Time is just flying by!  As I un-pack, clean, write and re-pack for USITT this today, I wanted to check in and see if everyone else is ready for the week.  Have you made a list yet? You really should.  It is the worst to get to the conference and realize you forgot something.

First things first… cloths, pretty important thing.  Dress not only for the weather, but also to show off your self.  Remember, we are selling ourselves here. Extra cloths never hurt.

Resume and business cards.  If you are a student or a job seeker at the conference, more is never a bad idea.  I might suggest budgeting about 200 or so resumes and 500 business cards.  Again, it sucks to run out in the middle of the conference, so more the better.  It is ALWAYS a good idea to have the digital files on a jump drive that you can take to a FedEx Kinkos to have printed in Charlotte if you run out.

The other thing I always want to point out is general behavior and representing yourself or company at the show.  The thing I want to mention is common sense, USE IT.  You should also read Steve Shelley’s ” write up on what to expect at industry events.  Mr. Shelley has been doing it for a long time and has some great advice.  You may have already seen this before, but read it again, I always do before a big event.

When I started attending industry events, one of my former bosses gave me the greatest pieces of advice. Whether you are representing a company or yourself, while you are at an industry event, you are “on” 24/7.  No matter if you are on the trade show floor or at the bar at the end of the day, put your best foot forward and let everyone see your best side.

We are in an industry were everyone knows someone.  The person you just meet might know someone else and start talking about you.  Putting your best out there will make sure that conversation is a good one! I don’t mention this to scare you from having fun and being yourself, just use common sense. ;)

I look forward to seeing everyone in Charlotte later this week!  This is going to be a great week. Make sure you are prepared and ready. Safe travels everyone!

JR Clancy to Showcase Rigging Projects at USITT in Charlotte

The very latest in rigging technology—from award-winning innovations for a grand opera house to the safest choices for schools—will be showcased in videos at J. R. Clancy’s booth (#730) at the USITT conference in Charlotte, NC, March 9-12, 2011.

J. R. Clancy will feature high-resolution videos of several of its most recent rigging projects in action:

1.    The custom-built, 40-foot-high chandelier in the Winspear Opera House in Dallas features 318 cast acrylic rods which vanish as the house lights dim before a production begins. Clancy technology made it possible for the rods to move in synchronized patterns and retract into the ceiling smoothly and rapidly, powered by 44 custom-design winches with up to eight lines per winch. The video provides close-up views of the intricate rigging above the house ceiling while the chandelier’s rods are in motion.

2.    Clancy’s PowerAssist™ allows you to motorize new or existing counterweight sets economically.  This eliminates handling counterweights, simplifying operations. PowerAssist can be provided with Up / Down pushbuttons, or with the SureTarget™ preset position controller.  These are widely used on lighting and orchestra shell ceiling sets where accurate positioning is essential.

3.    Imagine changing over from a dance concert’s scenery to an orchestral shell and acoustic canopy in just 47 minutes—using a student crew!  At the Miller Performing Arts Center at Alfred University, Clancy’s PowerLift automated rigging system makes even the most complex changeovers easy. You’ll see students operate the PowerLifts using Clancy’s top-of-the-line SceneControl 500 rigging control console, removing dance concert scenery from battens without moving a single counterweight, and hanging pieces of the Wenger Diva shell effortlessly. Preset limits for each batten return the shell to the correct position.

More on J. R. Clancy is available at www.jrclancy.com.

Useful Development Re-Releasing USITT App for iOS AND Droid

I just heard from the iOS developer, Useful Development, that they are re-launching the USITT App for this years Conference and Stage Expo in Charlotte North Carolina. You may remember last years conference when Useful Development announced and released the iOS app, USITT 2010, as a replacement for the printed conference and stage expo guide. The app served as a tool to locate sessions, conference events and of course a map to the stage expo to find any given exhibitor you may have been looking for.

With the upcoming release, it not only is getting update with the 2011 conference and stage expo information, but a couple of other useful additions.  I am not sure yet what some of these new features may be, but one thing now iOS device owners will welcome, the USITT app will be available for the Android as well!

Useful Development has taken all of the feedback and advice from last years conference and revamped and reorganized the app to make it even more powerful of a tool while in Charlotte.  Be on the look out for more information about the USITT app during February.

USITT Announces Architectural & Theatre Students “Ideal Theatre” Design Competition

As a lighting professional and lover of the theatre, have you ever walked into a theatre and thought… “What the hell kind of design is this, who designed this place, a blind man”?  We have all been there.  Sitting at the drafting desk, looking over a sectional, “was the architect on crack when he put the front of house pipe there”? I personally have walked in to many, MANY theatre in my day and looked around and thought… really, a box boom there, or seriously, no cove position?

Now is your time.  USITT just announced their Ideal Theatre Architectural Design Competition. If you are either a Theatre student or architectural student, SIGN UP.  The goal of the competition is simple, teamwork.  The theatre student serves are the “client” and the architectural student as the designer.  The goal, create the ideal theatre!  How awesome is that?!

Winners of the 2011 Ideal Theatre Design Competition will be announced at the 2011 USITT Conference & Stage Expo in Charlotte, North Carolina.  If you are either a theatre or architectural student, what are you waiting for, head over to www.usitt.org and get all the goods to enter!

Early Registration for USITT Ends Tomorrow – Feb. 18th

Are you planning on attending the USITT Conference and Stage Expo in Kansas City? If so, I’ll see you there.  That is if you have your registration in! If you have not registered yet, why pay full price?  Tomorrow, February 18th is the deadline for early registration for the show! After tomorrow, the prices increase!

There are all kinds of work shops and sessions to attend as well as the Stage Expo to see some of the latest and greatest lighting products. You can hear Broadway Lighting designer Jennifer Tipton talk about lighting the stage and how it relates to painting in time and space.

The USITT Conference and Stage Expo runs from March 29 through April 3rd with the Stage Expo open from March 31st to April 2nd. All of this takes place at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

So what are you waiting for?  REGISTER NOW!

Present a Session at USITT 2011

The USITT Lighting Commission for Programming is calling on lighting professionals for session ideas for the 2011 USITT conference.

The USITT Lighting Commission is gearing up for the 2011 conference and is looking for ideas and session submissions. Sessions may consist of a single speaker, round table discussion, interactive workshop, or panel discussion. The workshops are 75 minutes long and should focus on lighting technology, design, history, education, safety, or projections. 2011 will be a Light Lab year so ideas for displays in the lab are also being sought.

Submission need to be in by March 26, 2010 to be considered. The Lighting Commission will review and submissions at the 2010 Conference & Stage Expo in Kansas City. Download the submission form or fill out the online form.  To volunteer to work on the 2011 conference, come to the Lighting Commission meeting at this years conference in Kansas City.

I have submitted my idea, have you submitted yours yet?