Training suggestions

[Zel]

Hello all,

I've currently been working as LD and AV supervisor for about 7 years now at my church. I have a small budget for training and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how best to spend it . Since I live in Jacksonville Fl. LDI and InfoComm is always a must and I've been through VariLite factory training. Basically I'm open to about anything I can talk my boss into, classes, seminars, books, factory, whatever.

I'm currently using an ION, VL 3500 spots, 2500 spots and VL 700A's with coemar parlites for the intelligent light and 5 racks of conventional lighting in a thrust stage design in a more conservative environment. There is opportunity to expand to more contemporary venues, though I'm not a big proponent of what I call "Flash/Wow" lighting (flash the lights/people go wow) except where it fits.

Anyway I could use some direction and ideas and I'm also very technical so everything is open.

Thx

 

[bishopthomas]

Are you wanting to train volunteers at your church or looking to gain some knowledge for yourself? If the latter, you can certainly get that for free if you know where to look. Offer to shadow or help out your local production company to see how they operate. Sometimes learning what NOT to do is just as valuable as what works. What areas do you feel you are lacking in expertise?

 

[Zel]

Yes . Right now I'm getting into show control via ETC's Net3 gateway. more in that area would help not specifically net 3, just show control in general. I hate to be vague, but I want to do/understand it all. People like my work but I'm limited in what I don't know. Next LDI I'm going to try for Blue Man Group if offered.

Does that help?

Addition:

After thinking about it some more here are some opportunities I have coming up.

1) show control: I understand there's an excellent book out there somewhere on the subject, just haven't found it. I'm getting with the manufacturer of my equipment to get me started.

2) installations:I've got three venues to work with

A) A big box 80'X40'X20' used for high school that is bare bones. I know that DJ quality stuff can go in there but what kind of questions to I need to ask the person over that department to make sure we're on the same track and get what he needs.

B) A 3000 seat stadium style venue that, at this point, has no video requirements so upper DJ/lower professional would work in here but we would need to redesign the stage (concert promoters have told us that), add truss, power balance for what is in there since no new power would be brought in except for concerts when they bring their own. How to determine where to put the truss to maximize use of the room would be an example of one question I would have (and how to hang it since hang points are 40' to 80' depending on where you look).

C) an as of yet UN-designed facility that should seat 1500 with a project start date of 1 to 2 years away. What would I need to know to intelligently communicate with all parties involved so that we get what we need and my vision has an imprint on the final design.