UK - More than 200 students from institutions around the UK tuned in live to Production Futures’ new YouTube channel for the launch of the Production Futures Studio TALKS podcast last week. Cheshire College, LIPA, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Norwich University were all represented, with in some cases, tutors bringing whole classes to the session.
The inaugural podcast with lighting designer Tim Routledge was presented in conjunction with the BBC’s Bring the Drama Festival, which sees the Corporation joining forces with some of the UK’s prominent cultural organisations to open doors of opportunity for the next generation of behind-the-scenes talent.
The 90-minute live broadcast Q+A, which saw Tim take part remotely from a secret location - he is currently working on production rehearsals with Take That - provided the young audience with valuable and inspiring insights into the world of lighting and production in general.
Hannah Eakins of Production Futures hosted the podcast, and reflects on a successful launch: “We received great feedback from everyone involved in this first edition of the podcast, and owe a debt of gratitude to Tim for generously taking time out of his busy schedule to participate.
“In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be broadcasting conversations with inspirational figures from across the sector, of all ages and at all stages of their careers, including our own Breakthrough Talent award winners - people who are ‘paying it forward’ to help newcomers access and better understand the produ
UK - Confetti, a learning institute offering specialist vocational education and training, has announced the launch of the Steve Lillywhite Scholarship. This award is named after the six-time Grammy-winning record producer Steve Lillywhite and aims to ‘provide exceptional opportunities for driven and motivated UK students pursuing a career in music production’.
Steve Lillywhite is celebrated globally for his contributions to modern music, having worked with iconic artists such as Talking Heads, The Rolling Stones, U2, and The Killers.
Now, in partnership with Confetti, he seeks to mentor and guide the next generation of musical talent. Lillywhite said: "I’m deeply committed to nurturing the future of music production, and I’m excited about the prospect of working closely with a deserving student at Confetti, helping them take significant strides in their career."
The Scholarship is open to all UK students applying to the MA Music Production course at Confetti's campuses in Nottingham and London. This scholarship opportunity includes 100% fully-funded tuition fees and personalised 1:1 mentoring sessions with Steve Lillywhite. Additionally, students will benefit from Confetti’s partnership with Tileyard, a creative hub home to over 200 music businesses such as Soundcloud, Ableton and Believe, and over 150 private recording studios.
To be eligible for consideration, applicants must hold an offer to study on the MA Music Production course at Confetti and be classified as a 'Home' student. The application process requires the submission o
UK - The ALPD has announced the successful candidates for their Design Lumière and their Production Lumière for 2024. This is the first year in which the ALPD has been able to offer a Production Lumière placement to complement its successful Design Lumière programme.
A pathway scheme for emerging lighting designers, the Design Lumière Scheme gives the successful candidate valuable experience of working professionally as an assistant lighting designer for six months and the Production Lumière for four months. For both Lumières, the scheme begins with time spent at Glyndebourne.
The Production Lumière this year, Ellen Butterworth-Evans, is already at Glyndebourne and will continue there until mid-April, when she then spends four weeks at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and two weeks at Lamp & Pencil.
The Design Lumière for 2024 is Imogen Clarke. Imogen will spend three months at Glyndebourne followed by a further three months, when she will work with several different lighting designers on a variety of productions.
Imogen started out as an apprentice at Fairfield Halls, moving to Richmond Theatre and then The Peacock Theatre to work full time. As a freelancer, she works across dance, theatre, musical theatre and ballet as well as site specific projects wearing lots of different hats.
“I'm over the moon to become this year's Design Lumière and gain the opportunity to develop my craft and learn from working alongside the brilliant designers across this year's scheme. I’m greatly looking forward to beginning the course
UK - Guildhall School of Music & Drama has announced a new BA degree in performance design, starting in September 2025. The three-year, full time BA programme will equip students with the practical and imaginative skills required to create designs for stage performances and live events.
Led by stage designer Dr Susannah Henry, the BA in Performance Design is the newest course to offered by Guildhall’s Production Arts department. The Performance Design programme blends studio-based design work with hands-on experience, including collaborating on a wide range of performances using Guildhall School’s state-of-the-art facilities.
Student designers will gain an understanding of the creative, collaborative and practical elements of performance design, developing their skills through studio-based projects, before building to fully realised designs for public performance. The programme also explores the histories of art, design and theatre, incorporating self-led research to shape and inform students’ own identities and aspirations as emerging performance designers.
Working in close collaboration with students on Guildhall School’s other Productions Arts courses, including the School’s BA in Production Arts and BA in Digital Design & Production, Performance Design students will have the opportunity to develop design skills in areas such as costume, video and lighting, and learn about the technologies and processes needed to make a performance happen. They will also build connections with existing the School’s industry partners and a n
USA - Sphere Entertainment Co has announced the inaugural Sphere XO Student Design Challenge - a partnership with the greater Las Vegas community that gives select members of the general public the opportunity to see their art featured on the Exosphere.
The Sphere XO Student Design Challenge is a collaboration between Sphere and the Clark County School District (CCSD) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) that will provide more than 100,000 Clark County-based students with an opportunity to create art for the Exosphere.
Eight student winners ranging from elementary school through college will be chosen by a combination of voting by the general public on thesphere.com, and selected by professional artists who have designed for the Exosphere, including Refik Anadol and Michela Picchi.
The Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, which will kick off this month, will be themed around the 4th of July, with winning students’ artwork debuting on the Exosphere on July 4, 2024, which will also mark the one-year anniversary of the first illumination of the Exosphere.
In addition, winning high school and UNLV students will receive a $10,000 educational scholarship from Sphere. Winning elementary and middle school students will earn a $10,000 donation from Sphere for their school’s art programme to further art education in public schools, as well as tickets for their entire school to attend The Sphere Experience this autumn.
“Sphere is more than a venue - it is a new entertainment medium uniting art and science to broaden our understanding
Europe - MA Lighting has released grandMA3 software version 2.0.0.4. This software release features new functionalities and workflow improvements for many different applications.
The area of data handling and organization shows’ lots of improvements’. Sheets can be filtered and reorganised to create a personal workspace. The transfer of fixture data gets much easier with the new Clone window. Working in big sequences with a lot of data is now improved by the use of new tracking functionalities. And the new Fixture Type Presets allow the user to easily transfer predefined content from show to show.
The MA University with the grandMA3 special course v2.0 presents detailed information about the new software release - online and completely for free. Additionally there is an update to the grandMA3 User Training and a new grandMA3 Essentials Training available. Local MA distributors will help to get access to the MA E-learning platform.
MA Lighting is offering grandMA3 v2.0 public webinars in April, presented by the MA Lighting tech-support.
Italy - TT+ Audio is launching an online training and certification platform. Designed to help sound system engineers get the most out of their audio systems, TT+ Audio Academy enhances pro-audio expertise in mastering live audio technology and large-scale acoustics.
The platform offers two comprehensive courses accessible online 24/7, allowing participants to choose where they start. After viewing the video tutorials for each chapter, participants will undergo an evaluation via a questionnaire. Successful completion of these tests grants access to the practical section of the course, where the participants can apply their knowledge hands-on with a full-scale GTX System.
The practical section can be held either at the TT+Audio headquarters in Italy or at a training centre designated by international offices and partners. The System Technician Level 1 course covers the GTX system's components, including setup, safe handling, and dismantlement procedures. It introduces participants to RDNet configuration, system planning, and workspace organisation for effective system control.
Building on this foundation, the System Engineer Level 2 course further explores acoustics and audio engineering principles. A prerequisite to this advanced course is the completion of Level 1. Participants will also enhance their skills in optimising subwoofer configurations and designing extensive systems, utilising RDNet's full capabilities for detailed planning, control, and optimisation of the GTX sound system and RDNet-equipped products.
Find out more about TT+ Au
Czech Republic - With approximately 1,500 students, the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague is the largest art school in the Czech Republic. The Academy is divided into three faculties which develop students in the fields of theatre, film and TV, and music and dance.
The high standards of artistic education offered by the institution are reflected by the frequent prestigious awards achieved at domestic and international festivals and events. The Academy’s technical provision is maintained to a high standard, in order to provide its students with the best possible learning environment.
Recently, the Theatre Faculty (DAMU) wished to invest in new loudspeakers to improve provision in a number of its learning spaces, and engaged Milan Úbl of established audio, lighting and AV specialists, DJ Servis to supply and install new systems for nine classrooms used for dance lessons and acting performances. DJ Servis recommended HH Audio loudspeakers as a quality, robust and competitively-priced solution.
HH Audio’s Czech distributor Music Trade supplied a total of 18 x HH Tessen Install Series TNi-W12-Pro high power, two-way, full-range units for the installation. With rotatable HH/Celestion designed waveguides, the loudspeakers can be used in either vertical or horizontal configurations depending on the requirements of the space. Flexible connection and mounting options make the TNi-W12-Pro a very versatile option for the widest range of applications where exceptional audio performance is required.
Martin Pivoňka of Music Trade comments: “The
UK - The latest recording room to be refitted at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) has an Audient ASP4816 Heritage Edition console at its heart. More compact than the rooms in the main studio block, this studio has been designed to meet several different needs. Providing extra space for students during LIPA’S busier periods was a must, as was growing the synthesiser inventory. This latest refit also includes the upgrade of the facility’s Foley capabilities.
LIPA’s head of sound technology, Jon Thornton explains the educational facility’s history with Audient. “Our two entry level studios are both based around ASP8024-HE consoles. We’ve had ASP8024s in those rooms since the console was first released - we’re now on our third consecutive pair.
“Those rooms are used not only by our students studying sound technology, but also by music students taking a specialism in production. As a result, they can get incredibly busy at certain times of year, so we needed an overflow. So building the studio around the ASP4816-HE was an obvious choice.”
An in-line, fully analogue recording and mixing console, the Audient ASP4816-HE provides everything expected of a large format console but in a space-friendly format. “The control room space wasn’t really large enough to house another ASP8024, but the ASP4816 is so similar in layout and signal flow that students can be up to speed with it in no time.”
Most recently, this was home to the 5.1 post production studio, after the main post space was upgraded to Atmos. “Tak
UK - Christie has announced this year’s National Film and Television School (NFTS) Most Promising Student Award, an award Christie has sponsored for 19 years. The winner of this year’s award is Creative Business MA student, Cody Updegrave, who was praised for his hard work, commitment, and leadership qualities.
Previous award winners have gone on to make stellar introductions to their careers, gracing the global stage at international film festivals and winning further awards for their work. “Cody has poured his heart and soul into the life of the school, leaving an indelible mark as student representative and through supporting the expansive spectrum of VFX productions across the NFTS,” comments Ian Haig, head of the NFTS Creative Business MA.
“Not only is Cody extraordinarily kind, he also effortlessly tackles any challenges that come his way. Cody is a great leader, and his smart, friendly, and enormously hardworking approach has been pivotal in reshaping the Creative Business MA’s role throughout the school. Cody embodies the spirit of collaboration, inspiring other students to engage more deeply in projects while taking the time to listen and advise others. Above all, Cody stands out as an exceptionally talented individual who is an outstanding ambassador for the NFTS, contributing immensely to its success.”
NFTS alumni have won 14 Oscars, 165 BAFTA awards and earned more student academy award nominations than any other film school.
“It’s a pleasure to continue our longstanding relationship with the NFTS, a leading in
USA - Pensacola-based All Pro Integrated Systems selected 12 Ayrton Huracán LT long-throw LED moving head profiles and two MDG ATMe hazers for a recent technology upgrade in the Dale Horton Auditorium at Pensacola Christian College. Both brands are exclusively distributed in North America by ACT Entertainment.
Pensacola Christian College was founded in 1974 to provide a Christian-traditional liberal arts education. Named for the founder’s father, the Dale Horton Auditorium is the home of the college’s fine arts events, recitals and other programs.
“The auditorium is a 3,500-seat, multi-purpose space that mostly had technology original to its building in 1986,” says Justin Schwartz, design engineer at All Pro, an audio, video and lighting systems integrator serving the needs of organisational, commercial, educational and governmental clients nationwide. “They were overdue for a change and wanted to transform the auditorium to better serve its multiple uses.”
One goal was to replace all the conventional lighting with LEDs. “The catwalks are on two levels with the farthest at a pretty steep angle to the stage; they struggled to get good light downstage and on the thrust,” Schwartz explains. “Performers were actually trained to keep their heads tilted up to catch the light. The auditorium couldn’t change the catwalks, but they could put moving heads on automated truss.”
All Pro began by getting a generic model of the auditorium and spending 60 hours rendering the room to show new lighting placement. “They liked the idea of
UK - Newcastle University Business School (NUBS) has embarked on a comprehensive refurbishment and modernisation initiative, including the high-profile St James’ View event space. The objectives were to create a space with a high-spec aesthetic finish incorporating the latest hybrid meeting capabilities - a distinct improvement on the original twin projectors and drop-down screens with a podium.
Newcastle University Audio Visual Department consulted with Audiologic on the design and equipment specification for this space based on previous hybrid teaching solutions. GVAV won the tender exercise and subsequently outsourced the equipment supply, design and commissioning expertise to Audiologic.
Facing challenges such as a room layout with two glass walls and an awkward shape, making acoustics difficult to negotiate and sightline and speaker positioning challenges due to the lectern position, the team embarked on a mission to create a facility tailored to meet the evolving needs of the students and faculty.
The large space is also divisible into three areas, depending on use, and it was an essential requirement that content could be routed from anywhere, to anywhere.
Darren Mitchell, technical lead at the university for the project, specified a spread of equipment based on the Q-SYS Ecosystem, driven by a Q-SYS Core 8 Flex, conferring with QSC technical support directly to confirm suitability. Given the requirement for high quality aesthetic finish to the room and the amount of speakers required to provide the best audio solution throughout th
UK - Production Futures has announced that Talks, a feature of the organisation’s On Tour events, is to be developed as a podcast and YouTube platform. The new format will feature a series of live-streamed, recorded discussions with a variety of production industry experts covering a range of topics, all of which will be designed to provide a valuable resource for young people interested in careers in the sector.
The initiative will be launched on 12 March when lighting designer Tim Routledge will join a Q&A session chaired by Production Futures’ Hannah Eakins in an online session from 11am GMT, broadcast from the organisation’s Strawberry Studios set in Manchester.
Tim, who is looking forward to taking questions from the young people in attendance, is enthusiastic about the event: “I was never academic at school and despite my school wanting me to do something more traditional, I wanted a job I was passionate about. So how do you end up flashing lights for popstars and TV shows all over the world? From a huge London New Year’s Eve show to Eurovision - how can flashing lights be a proper career? I’m very much looking forward to exploring exactly those questions with Production Futures’ young guests!”
As well as being the first in this series of filmed podcast/interviews, Tim Routledge’s session will also be featured in the BBC’s Bring the Drama Festival, an initiative which sees the corporation join forces with some of the UK’s leading cultural organisations, aiming to open doors to the next generation of behind-the-scenes
UK - Racquet Studios, a Sussex-based operator in the realm of virtual production, celebrated a successful student open day with East Sussex College at their Eastbourne facility on 22 February, offering more than 120 attendees from a range of creative courses a ‘deep dive into the transformative world of virtual content creation and filmmaking’.
The event, which was hosted in partnership with Canon Cinema EOS Cameras and Croatian specialist manufacturer, stYpe, illustrated the evolution of virtual production, highlighting its significant advantages over traditional filmmaking methods while emphasising the various creative and technical skills that feed into the cutting-edge solution.
The event solidified Racquet Studios' commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in the field of VP while engaging with young creatives to develop and retain skills in the region.
The day, which was split into two sessions, kicked off with a comprehensive introduction to VP, where the Racquet team guided participants through the sector's evolution.
The team also delved into the process of photogrammetry, unveiling the intricate method of creating digital twins of objects and environments through complex photography techniques. This process plays a crucial role in the complex recreation of assets that fuel the digital creative ecosystem.
Before breaking for lunch, all students had the opportunity to take to the stage and get hands-on with the professional setup, which included Canon Cinema EOS Cameras, lenses and global-leading camera tracking tec
UK - Production Futures recently staged another successful On Tour event at Fly By Nite Studios in Redditch. Young people from across the Midlands were able to connect with representatives of Production Futures’ brand partners to explore paid work opportunities and free training across the sector.
A feature of the event was the presence of a team of apprentices from global production specialists, PRG.
Having been engaged by Production Futures to build and equip the event’s TALKS Stage with audio, lighting and video provision, PRG, which places a strong emphasis on in-house education and training, suggested using the occasion as an opportunity to provide its apprentices with valuable real-world, hands-on experience. Dovetailing with Production Futures’ vision, PRG’s apprentices, who divide their two-year apprenticeship between in-service training and studying with the Access Creative College, stepped forward to deliver every technical requirement of the TALKS Stage.
To maximise the opportunity, the project was included as part of the apprentice scheme’s assessment, enabling the participants to use the experience as evidence toward their final qualification.
Hannah Eakins, chief executive of Production Futures, comments: “The TALKS Stage is an important focal point of our events, and the PRG apprentices provided us with a superb platform with which to connect to all the young people attending the show. In addition to building the stage, they delivered lighting and audio of an exceptional standard, as well as live streaming and reco
USA - Meyer Sound collaborated with staff and researchers at the University of California San Diego’s Department of Music to beta test NADIA, the next generation processor of Meyer Sound’s Constellation acoustic system. Spatial sound and variable-acoustics technology upgrades were installed in the department’s Experimental Theatre, which enabled real-time development with faculty and students while offering the opportunity to gain skills, learn in interactive ways, and accelerate experimental music research.
UC San Diego is the first educational institution to integrate Meyer Sound's NADIA hardware platform in its facilities. The installation highlights Meyer Sound’s commitment to audio education and illustrates the potential to apply the company’s technologies in diverse learning environments.
“With the emergence of spatial headphones, immersive art installations, and concert venues like the Sphere, everyone is excited about the idea of creating content for these experiences, but rarely do students have access to these facilities,” said Jeremy Olson, UC San Diego’s theatrical production specialist.
The 150-seat Experimental Theatre, part of UC San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Music Centre, doubles as a laboratory and performance space and offers a range of multimedia capabilities including video projection, custom lighting, and live computer interfacing. The facility was equipped with the Constellation acoustic system when it was built in 2009. With Constellation, the acoustic properties of the space are transformed at the push of a but
USA - Meyer Sound has launched an expanded education programme for 2024, coinciding with the celebration of its 45th anniversary.
“As the pace of audio technology accelerates, Meyer Sound is strengthening its commitment to education programs, which we see as investing in the future of the industry,” says Robyn Bykofsky, Meyer Sound’s training & education manager. “Our training programmes are aimed at all experience levels, with science-backed in-person and virtual course content that fits the way people learn today.”
The 2024 programme builds on the success of the company’s revamped 2023 initiatives, which engaged more than 1,800 students through 50 in-person trainings around the world and through coursework in the new Meyer Sound Learning online platform.
This year, Meyer Sound is extending in-person education across the U.S. and beyond, with trainings in Berkeley, CA; Irvine, CA; Portland, OR; Las Vegas, NV; and international events in Mexico City; Hamburg, Germany; and Derby, UK. Building on the success of 2023’s pilot programme, the Meyer Sound Learning platform continues to expand its offerings, including supplemental online training materials, on-demand e-learning content, and virtual instructor-led sessions.
Meyer Sound’s collaborations with key industry players showcase the power of industry cooperation in nurturing artistic and technical excellence and advancing innovation.
In January, Meyer Sound held a three-day training at Clair Global for Metallica tour crew members and Clair Global staff, focusing on de
USA - Martin Audio US has set two training days to ensure system users and designers are properly equipped to get the best outcome from their implementations. They will learn how to achieve full optimisation, control and monitoring of performance on a variety of Martin Audio systems.
The two-day programme will take place on 13-14 March at Frost Productions, 6 Empire Blvd, Moonachie, NJ 07074 and the trainer will be product support engineer, Joe Lima.
Day one will examine in depth Martin Audio’s proprietary software platforms, Display 2, Display 3 and Vu-Net. The following day will see attendees explore the MLA Mini, in groundstack and flown configurations, before diving into networking and connectivity, and concluding with an XE system overview.
Joe Lima comments: “As the demand for Martin Audio products continues to increase in the US market, training on systems like DISPLAY and VU-NET is not just beneficial but vital. With our products gaining significant traction and recognition within the marketplace, ensuring that professionals are well-versed in the intricacies of our software is paramount.”
Registration is at https://martin-audio.com/events/march2024training
Australia - The ASP4816-HE compact console has been chosen for JMC Academy in Melbourne, the final of the three antipodean JMC education facilities to upgrade to the Audient mixing desk.
Studio/facilities manager, Marcus Hernan explains the setup: “We have five studios on campus as well as numerous smaller production suites and edit labs. Each studio follows the curriculum from small bedroom style production suites with all-in-one interfaces in trimester one, to the ASP4816-HE in tri two, control surface in tri three and a larger format console in tri four onwards.”
Originally a studio lecturer at JMC Academy, Marcus has worked with them for over a decade. He continues: “Our Audient is housed in the trimester two studio as the formal introduction to analogue studio workflow. It is the centrepiece of a studio comprising a ProTools rig with an assortment of outboard gear tailored toward the demonstration and application of the basics of studio operation and recording.”
He describes how certain features of the small format analogue recording console have been helping to inspire students. “Personally, I am a big fan of the bus comp and mix processing options. They are cool additions that you generally don’t see on a lot of other (console) options. The EQ circuit is also very easy to get good results with. For our students in particular, it is great to see the excitement when they get those results so early on, often when they are quite timid with regard to real world processing, especially on the way in.”
Mainly used by audio engin
UK - Tring Park School for the Performing Arts is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school in Hertfordshire, UK. As a specialist provider of vocational training in the performing arts, the school offers courses that include dance, acting, commercial music and musical theatre, as well a full academic syllabus from Preparatory to A-Level.
It is one of only 21 schools selected to allocate government-funded Dance and Drama Awards, a scholarship scheme designed to subsidise the cost of professional dance and drama training for the most talented students at leading institutions. Since 1945, the school has been located in Tring Park Mansion, originally designed by Sir Christopher Wren and formerly occupied by the Rothschild family.
Audio technology plays a vital role in many areas of the school’s curriculum, particularly where its vocational courses are concerned, and the school recently took the decision to modernise its approach to provision for its many rehearsal rooms. Tring Park contacted regular supplier Studiospares of Luton for advice about easy to operate, flexible and portable systems that could deliver high-quality audio in often large reverberant spaces.
Greg Niedzwiecki, pro audio sales at Studiospares, recommended the versatile HH Electronics Tensor Go, a powerful portable PA system that can be operated cable-free thanks to its high-capacity integrated lithium-ion battery.
With four-channel integrated mic/line mixing functionality, high-grade balanced ¼ inch/XLR combination input connections, and a studio quality dig
UK - PLASA Focus Leeds is gearing up for another successful year at the Royal Armouries from 14-15 May 2024, and you can now register for your free entry badge.
Attracting over 2,000 visitors, the popular regional event is known for connecting professionals with lead names in the entertainment technology industry across two friendly days of networking and discovery.
Boasting a fully booked show floor, PLASA Focus Leeds will feature 150+ brands in pro audio, AV, lighting, rigging, and staging. Attendees will have the chance to closely examine new products and engage in face-to-face discussions with potential suppliers.
Lighting professionals can look forward to meeting Ambersphere, Avolites, ChamSys, Chauvet Professional, Entedi, ETC, GLP UK, Prolight, Robe UK, TMB, and Vari-Lite.
Top quality pro audio is also on offer from Audio-Technica, Bose Professional, d&b audiotechnik, EM Acoustics, Funktion-One, JBL Professional, KV2 Audio, Martin Audio, Nexo, Shure UK and Wharfedale Pro.
Heavyweights in rigging will also be in attendance, such as Alustage, Area Four Industries, ChainMaster, Doughty Engineering, Rigging Services, Rope and Rigging, Triple E, and UK Rigging.
Not only that, cutting edge AV can be seen at the stands of Epson, Lang UK, PSCo Group, Riedel Communications, and ROE Visual. And innovative staging will be on show courtesy of Absolute Casing, APT-GB, Drapemakers, Harlequin Floors, J&C Joel, and NSP Cases.
A programme of seminars, workshops and demos, sponsored by Vectorworks, will run throughout the s
USA - Situated on the Kent State University campus in Kent, Ohio, the Centre for the Performing Arts is dedicated to creative excellence and delivering an exceptional learning environment for students. After struggling with a single-channel communications system and walkie-talkies for some time, the School of Theatre and Dance evolved its production communication with its recent installation of Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station IP intercom platform.
The new Arcadia system seamlessly integrates with the school’s Clear-Com FreeSpeak II digital wireless and HelixNet digital wired party line intercom user stations they had previously installed as part of an infrastructure upgrade. This set-up now combines all the functionality Kent State University requires to have the constant clear communications it needs for every stage of the production - from pre-production tech set-up, including in-class education, to the actual performances.
“With three venues, including our Porthouse Theatre outdoor stage, we’re producing 10 theatre, dance, and musical productions a year, all student-designed and produced,” said Jeff Polunas, assistant professor of sound & projection design.
“With such a busy production schedule, we were looking to get our shows up and running more efficiently and boost our educational value for the students. I knew that a dependable and coordinated communications infrastructure and workflow was imperative for our and our students’ success. Our entire production communication system is now Clear-Com, so everything is interc
UK - Rise, the advocacy group for gender diversity in the broadcast media technology sector, has announced its 2024 global mentoring programme.
This year's mentoring initiative will span the UK, Europe, ANZ, APAC, India, and North America, aligning with Rise's mission of fostering inclusivity and diversity in the industry on a global scale. The 2024 activity will build on the successful delivery of two mentoring programmes in 2023, which supported 125 mentees globally.
Each regional cohort will follow a shared agenda, with the incorporation of tailored enhancements to ensure its relevance to the unique dynamics of the local territory. The schedule will feature a combination of scheduled masterclasses and networking events, as well as the inclusion of responsive content based on feedback from participants. The participants will also have the opportunity to connect with other mentees across Rise chapters, creating a global networking experience.
Rise is actively seeking both mentees and mentors across all regions covered by the programme to expand its community. Interested parties are invited to submit applications via the Rise website from February 1-29 February 2024. The programme runs for a six-month period, and mentees are expected to commit to regular meetings with their mentors, attend scheduled events, and actively engage in the mentoring relationship.
Rise mentees are selected based on their passion for the broadcast industry, career goals, and the potential for growth, as well as a demonstrable commitment to the scheme. The programme is
UK - Production Futures reports that it has been chosen as a partner for the BBC’s Bring the Drama Festival. This initiative sees the BBC joining forces with some of the UK’s leading cultural organisations to create the first festival of its kind, aimed at bringing together stage and screen and opening up the doors to the next generation of behind-the-scenes talent.
The BBC is supporting the UK’s world-beating creative industries by trying to ensure that the brightest and best people want to work in theatre, film and TV, and helping them to identify where the opportunities lie. This mission aligns with Production Futures’ aim to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries.
Just as is the case for Production Futures, the BTD initiative seeks to address a skills gap in the industry and widen access for ‘hard to reach’ groups.
Production Futures chief executive Hannah Eakins comments: “For the BBC to raise the profile of initiatives like ours means this will raise the profile for training and work opportunities into the production industry which has always been our mission. We are excited to have been chosen to participate in this incredible campaign, highlighting all of the opportunities available to young people behind the screen and stage production during the BTD Festival."