New products announced opening night:
Masterfx Prodigy Pro
High End Systems "Ministar" moving light. $3,200 msrp.
https://www.etcconnect.com/ministar/?LangType=1033
Shure "Wave Tool" software. A wide variety of new troubleshooting tools with Dante integration. https://www.shure.com/en-US/products/software/wavetool
Chauvet Maverick Silens 1X Profile.
A new smaller version of the Silens.
https://www.chauvetprofessional.com/products/maverick-silens-1x-profile/
See you all in Columbus March 5-8, 2025!! Seriously, YOU should go! There are amazing things for everyone at USITT from the most basic beginner to career pros. I am always amazed at how much my brain gets stimulated and excited about doing what we do just by attending. If you are in high school and serious about a career in tech, a trip to USITT as a junior would be fantastic as you can talk to around 50 universities about their tech programs. If you are in your college or early in your career you should be there to learn, to network, and to talk to potential future employers. There were a lot of cruise ships and theme parks there recruiting hard for new employees. If you've been around the block a while like me, you should be there to share with the next generation and also to get your brain thinking again. It's easy to get complacent and do things that aren't safe. It's easy to get set in your ways and not think about trying new things. USITT will get you thinking about things again.
Yeah it really needs to move around more. To me it should only be in the same time zone once every four years. Within that rotation it should move north to south as well.Columbus should be a pretty big show. Its right in the center of mot of the theatre schools in the country from the northeast to all of the midwest schools. I'm still not sure how USITT hasn't been in the northeast since 1991... and hasn't been in NYC since 1985.
It needs to go back to Wichita. A 100,000 sq ft expo hall directly connected to a 4 venue PAC.... hard to come up with a more perfect place for USITT.
And that PAC hasn't had a damn thing done to improve it (other than a new roof, currently under installation) since you were there (last major fix was replacing dimming systems, that might have happened just before/after your time). It's also now managed by ASM Global instead of the City.Columbus should be a pretty big show. Its right in the center of mot of the theatre schools in the country from the northeast to all of the midwest schools. I'm still not sure how USITT hasn't been in the northeast since 1991... and hasn't been in NYC since 1985.
It needs to go back to Wichita. A 100,000 sq ft expo hall directly connected to a 4 venue PAC.... hard to come up with a more perfect place for USITT.
That is too bad. Ya, when I was there it was still the strand dimming and they were chucking CD80 packs on the electric bridges. Its always amazed me how cool of a venue CII is and what all it could do. If it wasn't for MTW I'm not even sure it would still be open. ASM also has the arena too right?And that PAC hasn't had a damn thing done to improve it (other than a new roof, currently under installation) since you were there (last major fix was replacing dimming systems, that might have happened just before/after your time). It's also now managed by ASM Global instead of the City.
The county arena downtown and manage/program the Orpheum Theater (which today got a city grant to fund part of the stagehouse renovation and auditorium restoration, will be closed for about a year once they get things moving).
As I a vendor I actually like the smaller booths. I feel it makes the vendors be more specific about what they are showing and get more creative about how to show it off.
Columbus should be a pretty big show. Its right in the center of mot of the theatre schools in the country from the northeast to all of the midwest schools. I'm still not sure how USITT hasn't been in the northeast since 1991... and hasn't been in NYC since 1985.
It needs to go back to Wichita. A 100,000 sq ft expo hall directly connected to a 4 venue PAC.... hard to come up with a more perfect place for USITT.
Stopping the show:
Led by a college production manager and a Broadway SM who called Spiderman... Yeah THAT Spiderman.
There where were a couple of great takeaways:
-Be ready to stop the show. You need to be prepared and yet be flexible. Have emergency action plans. Have a script of what you say in the very first moment to stop the show. Don't bring the lights up to full immediately. Take a short moment to assess the situation before you bring the lights up. Once you bring the lights up the audience will wander off and it's much harder to restart.
-There are two reasons to stop the show: Safety and Story telling. Is it dangerous to continue? Can you still tell the story?
-Don't forget to have a restart process. We focus on stopping but how do you restart?
I can't answer from the USITT standpoint, but of the advertising I've seen for TDs, most have lots of responsibilities listed, significant education desires, want tons of experience, and pays in Bat Guano for salary in exchange.A trend I heard in a few sessions is that no one can find Technical Directors to hire. This was a TD in the regional theatre and University position sense. Also, various friends of mine I talked to who were there in the academic world told me that their students are interested in working in immersive design, themed entertainment, film, and so on. Theatre is the 4th thing they would consider working in.
Curious about people’s thoughts on this.
^^^THIS^^^the advertising I've seen for TDs, most have lots of responsibilities listed, significant education desires, want tons of experience, and pays in Bat Guano for salary in exchange.
ME TOO!!! It was made very clear to me that the only reason this conference was approved for me to attend was because it was so close.I loved that time it was in Milwaukee.
Almost all University positions I see Require a master's degree and pay less than what I make here at the high school level. There is absolutely no financial incentive for me to get that degree, nor can I find any summer programs that would work.no one can find Technical Directors to hire
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