Preparing to be a head LD

[flyboydc]

Hey guys.

Being that next year I will be talking the position of Lead Lighting Designer at my Highschool I was curious if ETC offered Advanced Programming classes for the ETC Eos. My Highschool runs all types of shows, from all variety's of dance, two musicals, two plays, and two large rock concerts, plus outside events and company's that require quick and straightforward programming. Although I feel confident that my programming skills with the Eos console are developing rather quickly, I still feel that I should know more about what the board can do on an advanced level. Especially for our rock concerts.

This is a very large responsibility and I am doing the best I can to prepare for the road ahead. I want to make my next year one of the best for myself and the technical department. Even some tips on being a Head Electrician/LD is very much appreciated. I am also curious about the roads that some of you guys took after High School when it came to perusing a career in Lighting or Entertainment.
Thanks in Advance!
Naf

[Footer]

They do offer training. For awhile they offered it for free if you made the trip to Wisconsin. A few of my friends took them up on this offer and got a lot out of it, however that was right when the console was coming out. Overall though, with any console... its only as powerful as you want it to be. If you are doing shows now and everything is working... don't worry about it. Until you challenge yourself to try harder things you will never learn more. So, push yourself beyond what you are currently doing until you can't do something... then find out how to do that. Its all in the manual.

And as far as getting into the lighting industry....
You could do what my wife did (who is now the Lighting Director at a 300 event/year 2 venue road house by age 24). Dance your entire life. Get a degree in theatre with a minor in dance. Date a TD/LD. Do shows with him. Decide you actually want to eat instead of starve. Work two summers doing "super" summerstock as an electrican. Send out a resume to every local theatre in the town you just moved to and don't know anyone. Go to a call as a general stagehand. Wait two days for the lighting director to quit. Take his job.

........it worked for her.........

[derekleffew]

flyboydc, I just received this email announcement today:
ETC Ion Training 2011 - Los Angeles - Invitation | Online Registration by Cvent .
April 13-15, 2011 at ETC West in Hollywood.

Don't worry that it's for Ion and not Eos; almost everything taught will be applicable to both.
I'd also suggest the ETC video tutorials, and Brad Schiller's The Automated Lighting Programmer's Handbook.

As for your break into the industry, see:
Getting a Job in the Industry - ControlBooth
Schooling for GrandMA console
will be doing my first "load out"
Everything Master Electrician

[David Ashton]

I would strongly recomend that after you get qualified you join an international tour, the intensity of this learning experience will teach you how to deal with stress, fatigue, how to deal with people at all levels, improvising your way out of problems and an understanding of all aspects of production.You also get to see the world.You will also get to understand the relevance of your training.

[SteveB]

Believe it or not, I found the ETC YouTube tutorials very useful when I had gone from beginner to intermediate user on my Ion. I still check in on some of the advanced stuff.

As to becoming an entertainment electrician and eventually Designer ?. You need a very good understanding of how electricity works, how electrical distribution systems work, how theatrical lighting systems function, and the tools of the designer - instruments, accessories and control systems. You need to remember a LOT of stuff to be good at it.

Lot's of good books, Steve Shelly's "A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting" is advanced but excellent. Other then that I'll let othere recommend textbooks as used by college programs.