Training

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19 February 2025

China - Audinate Group and Beijing Film Academy (BFA) have announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate Dante Certified Training into the curriculum of BFA’s Sound School department.

As part of the agreement, the two organisations established a Dante Certified Training Centre at the BFA campus to expand education of IP-based audio and video systems and applications. Through the Dante Training Centre, the Chinese film industry will offer a comprehensive series of training opportunities for Dante AVoIP technology and cloud-based applications to expand students’ knowledge and prepare them for future career opportunities.

The BFA is the largest film academy in Asia and China’s premiere educational film production academy. Founded in 1950, BFA developed a multilevel, multidisciplinary cultivation system that embraces th

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17 February 2025

Spain - Production Futures enjoyed a successful debut at ISE, where it was part of the Fast Forward Friday takeover of the Live Events Stage. Providing an inspiring focus for young people on networking, training, and career growth in the live event technology and broadcast sectors, the Production Futures takeover promoted a day of learning, targeted at helping to develop the skills and confidence to meet career challenges head-on.

Hannah Eakins of Production Futures saw the organisation’s first appearance at ISE as a very important milestone in taking its message to a global audience:

“Throughout the day, we invited special guests from all corners of the industry to give the ISE audience an insight into the world of training and work opportunities within live event and broadcast production, whilst simultaneously raising the profile of ne

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03 February 2025

Spain - L-Acoustics will host special Masters of Sound Experience interview and discussion sessions in Hall 8.0, demo room B4 on 4,5 and 6 February 5. These sessions will give guests the opportunity to delve into the creative process of today’s most forward-thinking sound designers: Tony Award-winning Cody Spencer (sound designer for Here Lies Love, The Outsiders, Romeo + Juliet 2024, JOB), Xandy Whitesell (sound engineer for Bon Iver, Nathaniel Rateliff, Gregory Alan Isakov) and Stephen Hughes (sound design and sound engineer for BBC Proms).

L-Acoustics will maintain a significant presence at ISE 2025, with displays in the Professional Audio hall (Hall 7, booth 7G150), and Residential hall (Hall 2, booth #2F150), where it will present its comprehensive range of professional and architectural audio solutions.

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27 January 2025

UK - Through pioneering a new entry-level qualification, Poole’s Lighthouse is highlighting offstage roles to young people interested in exploring careers in theatre and live events.

Working with the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) Lighthouse will host a pilot of the new Copper Award, created to recognise the achievements of initial entrants in the industry by engaging them in introductory training into backstage jobs.

The pilot is being run as part of the Young Technicians course at Lighthouse from next month and is already underway at the Southbank Centre in London as part of its Technical Academy.

“Lighthouse is proud to partner with ABTT and the Southbank Centre to pioneer the new Copper Award and to help nurture the UK's next generation of theatre technicians,” says chief executive Elspeth McBain.

“We wa

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24 January 2025

UK - Production Futures’ final On Tour event of 2024 took place at Production Park in Wakefield during November and proved to be another success. Young people from across the North of England were able to connect with representatives of its industry partners to explore paid opportunities and free training, as well as taking advantage of workshops, presentations and discussions.

In keeping with the Production Futures ethos, a team of apprentices from global production specialists PRG, designed the systems and installed all the technical requirements for the event’s focal point, the Talks Stage. With 38 locations in 29 countries across six continents, PRG specialises in lighting, audio, video, rigging, automation, digital services, camera, broadcast, and design for events of every size and scale, from concept to execution. The company is strongly

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23 January 2025

UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) has announced the launch of the third edition of its annual proactive conference day, the ABTT Make A Difference Conference, which is committed to finding solutions to current industry issues. The 2025 conference will be held on Friday 28 March 2025 at Rose Bruford College in Sidcup.

The theme for this year’s discussion is Rethinking backstage technical teaching and apprenticeships with and for Industry.

The conference is designed to be more than simply talking. There is no passive sitting and listening at the conference and if you attend, you are to committing to taking action by sharing your thoughts and views. You will spend the day developing ideas and strategies to achieve solutions for the issues discussed.

Following the success of the 2023 conference, which covered t

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10 January 2025

Spain - Production Futures has announced that its team will be present at this year’s ISE in Barcelona, where it will take over the Live Events Stage on Friday 7 February for a focus on inspiration, networking, training, and career growth in live event technology and broadcast.

The organisation exists to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop careers in production across every area of the live event, music, touring, theatre, TV, broadcast and film industries, and this will be its first venture outside the UK.

Part of ISE’s Fast Forward Friday initiative, the takeover is targeted towards production newcomers in the first five years of their careers, and aims to promote a day of learning that will help develop the skills and confidence to meet career challenges head-on.

Mike Blackman, managing di

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17 December 2024

Europe - The Showlight Student Sponsorship deadline is approaching. Applications close on Friday 31 January 2025. The scheme is open to students and recent graduates of lighting for the performing arts, events, broadcast, film and architecture.

Successful applicants enjoy free-of-charge entry to Showlight 2025, with access to the full Programme of Papers, admission to the exhibition of major lighting equipment manufacturers, networking opportunities during the daily breaks and lunch, as well as a place at one of the Company Dinners on the Tuesday evening and the Conference Dinner on Wednesday evening. Around 30 places are available but spaces are filling up fast.

Former Showlight student participant and presenter of Sweeney Todd – A Site Specific Experience, Amy Mae Smith, comments: “Showlight is an inspiring few days where you

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17 December 2024

UK - Staged at the conclusion of its recent On Tour event at Production Park in Wakefield, this year’s Production Futures Breakthrough Talent Awards proved to be a major success. The awards recognise and mark the achievements of young talent within the production industries, with a mission to inspire the next generation.

Designed in cooperation with awards sponsors, the 2024 edition once again based its ‘prizes’ around ‘opportunity and access’ in contrast to the customary ‘glass trophy’ recognition. Winners received either mentoring sessions with judges and sponsors, all of whom are leading industry professionals, training sessions, or travel bursaries to visit next year’s ISE.

21 categories were covered by the awards, including six for outstanding achievement, reflecting the wide diversity of opportunity within the

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06 December 2024

UK - Production Futures’ next On Tour event will take place at the Roundhouse, London, on Tuesday 4 March 2025.

The free-of-charge event will promote employability, transferable skills, diversity, free training and networking, and will present paid work opportunities to newcomers across the live event and broadcast production industry.

Visitors to the show will enjoy a packed schedule, which includes special guests, talks and panels, while industry workshops will offer young visitors the chance to engage in a wide range of activities, from preparing to be job-ready with industry-oriented CVs, to hands-on exploration of lighting programming, CAD, audio engineering, as well as getting under the skin of music production, virtual production and event production planning.

Hannah Eakins, CEO at Production Futures comments: “We’re abs

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03 December 2024

UK - PLASA and NRAG (the National Rigging Advisory Group) have issued the following statement relating to recent fraudulent use of National Rigging Certificate (NRC) cards: “It has come to our attention that there are fraudulent NRC cards in circulation, and some individuals are falsely claiming to hold NRC accreditation.

“PLASA and NRAG highly respect the work of all those who have achieved the NRC, and are dedicated to preserving the high standards set by the NRC. We are taking the matter seriously and acting with urgency to ensure that this issue is resolved, promptly and permanently for the safety of all.

“If you are approached by anyone new, or work with anyone that you're not sure about, please make contact directly via nrc@plasa.org to check their credentials. You can also look up certified NRC riggers

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25 November 2024

UK - The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) has announced the launch of three new MA degree courses in technical theatre, with courses in Theatre Costume, Stage Management, and Performance Lighting Design commencing in September 2025.

These MA programmes aim to bridge the skills gap in the industry by training the next generation of technical theatre professionals in highly specialised areas essential to live performance. Each new course has been developed in response to the evolving demands of the industry, underscoring RADA’s commitment to equip the sector with supported technical specialists through in-depth and hands-on training.

The MA in Performance Lighting Design will enable students to have a sustained and lifelong career as lighting designers. Students will examine what it means to use lighting as a powerful creative tool for storytelli

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21 November 2024

USA - The 2025 NAMM Show (Anaheim, 21-25 January) will place a strong emphasis on pro audio. NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) has “maximised the show’s exhibit and demo space, so professionals will have their best-ever opportunity to get hands-on with the latest in pro audio technology. These new product introductions will be complemented by a full suite of educational sessions and training opportunities for professionals in live sound, recording and music technology.”

“One of the main reasons that audio professionals come to the NAMM Show is to hear the latest equipment from the biggest pro audio brands,” said John Mlynczak, NAMM president and CEO. “We are making that easier than ever before with more demo space for our exhibitors and more opportunities for our members to hear what state-of-the-art truly sounds like.”

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08 November 2024

UK - QuickLink, provider of multi-camera video productions and remote contribution solutions, has announced the expansion of its reseller partner network, providing additional support and benefits for partners through its new Certified Partner Programme.

As part of this initiative, QuickLink also introduces a new Reseller Locator platform, enabling customers to easily find authorised QuickLink partners.

The new Certified Partner Programme introduces two tiers, gold and platinum. These two tiers provide QuickLink partners with access to a comprehensive set of resources, training, and promotional opportunities.

Through the programme, QuickLink partners can access an extensive array of technical, marketing, and sales tools designed to enhance their expertise and expand their business opportunities. The programme offers exclusive training session

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29 October 2024

UK - The much-anticipated James Eade Rigging Power Systems training course, in partnership with EXE Technology, returned mid-October, leaving participants inspired and empowered with new skills to tackle rigging challenges in today’s demanding live entertainment sector. The event drew rigging and technical professionals from across the country, all eager to deepen their expertise and experience of rigging electrical systems using the latest technology.

The 2024 Rigging Power Systems course, hosted at Rigging Team’s HQ in Stevenage on 10-11 October, boasted a sell-out event attracting delegates from various sectors of the industry and as far afield as Tahiti.

Running for the second year, the course was developed by Matt Millward, head of automation at Area Four Direct UK and chartered engineer James Eade, who has a wealth of industry knowledge in

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22 October 2024

Europe - Showlight 2025 is offering a sponsorship scheme for a number of students and recent graduates of university, college or school courses related to lighting for the performing arts, events, broadcast, film and architecture.

Say the organisers: “We are now inviting international students to apply for placements which allow free of charge entry to Showlight 2025 in Dijon, France from 19-22 May 2025. At least 30 places are up for grabs, and you’ll need to be available for the entire four days as they will be packed with special events you won’t want to miss.”

All students get to enjoy the full Programme of Papers, admission to the accompanying exhibition of major lighting equipment manufacturers between Papers Sessions, the networking opportunities of the daily morning and afternoon tea breaks and lunch, as well as a place at one of the C

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15 October 2024

UK - Optimal Audio opened the virtual doors to its training academy. Open 24/7, the Optimal Audio Academy has certification-based courses ‘conveniently available to the world and any time that suits’.

Simple to navigate, the Optimal Audio Academy provides modular courses to help system integrators and installers to understand how to best maximise the portfolio and most importantly, WebApp.

Comprised of a streamlined product offering that works seamlessly together, the Optimal Audio ecosystem is particularly suited to multi-zoned commercial installations, such as retail and hospitality venues. WebApp, the ‘secret sauce’ of the ecosystem, makes short work of customisable installation parameters and provides an intuitive interface for the end user that’s as straightforward as any smart home appliance. Set up is already as simple as possible bu

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09 October 2024

UK - Guildhall School of Music & Drama has announced Backstage Roadshow, a series of free backstage arts skills workshops that will be given directly to UK state schools from September.

The initiative will introduce children and young people to the variety of creative pathways that exist within theatre, live events, television and film. Led by industry professionals and designed by Guildhall School’s Production Arts tutors, the Backstage Roadshow will provide participants with a crucial insight into one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors, inspiring young people to train and work in the creative industries.

The roadshow also seeks to demystify production arts language and career paths for teachers within schools and support them in helping find the right paths for young people. Jon Hare, outreach manager (production arts) at

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09 October 2024

Italy - RCF has confirmed details of its Sound Engineering University Course 2024/2025 with enrolment now open. The objective of the course is to provide fundamental theoretical knowledge for the comprehension, analysis and design of modern sound diffusion systems.

Such knowledge ranges from the fundamental principles of acoustics, to transducers and speakers, electronic amplifying systems and digital sound filtering, and also soundproofing systems.

Main topics include: Acoustics in open air and indoor spaces including design and simulation methods; Transducers and speaker systems including clusters, arrays and point source configurations; Electronics including circuit analysis, filters, amplifiers and DSP and Sound system design including practical experience in measurements, listening tests and tuning.

This university course features techni

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04 October 2024

UK - Avolites has announced the launch of its Academy Online Learning Platform, which takes a ‘bite-sized’ learning approach and replaces the previous version launched in 2021.

This new platform will mean anyone with an internet connection can access and learn to use Avolites software. At launch, the platform will have the Titan Intermediate (Level 1) training course available and contains over 70 three-to-five-minute videos. All the individual videos are grouped together into ‘lessons’ for ease of navigation.

All the videos will have the option of an English voiceover appearing as subtitles in several languages, and more will be added in the future. To further promote users’ knowledge retention, taking the online courses and simultaneously practising live on the software is recommended.

After completing each video and lesson, there

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27 September 2024

UK - Production Futures has announced the dates for its autumn On Tour events. They will take place between 10am and 3pm on Tuesday 15 October at the Backstage Centre in Purfleet and Wednesday 27 November at Production Park in Wakefield. That latter event will see the presentation of this year’s Production Futures Breakthrough Awards, where as well as receiving the kudos of being named a winner, successful nominees will benefit from direct contact with the sponsor of their award.

The events will enable young visitors to directly connect with representatives of Production Futures’ brand partners to explore employment opportunities in the production sectors. Both occasions will enjoy packed schedules including panel discussions, advice, workshops, special guests, networking opportunities and more.

Production Futures has also announced that

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20 September 2024

UK - The Schools Engagement Programme, launched in January 2024 in the East of England region by The Power of Events with grant support from the EIF, has announced that Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) has been confirmed as exclusive sponsor of the Edinburgh region. This now takes the UK roll-out to five regions alongside recently confirmed new regions Birmingham, Hertfordshire and the South Coast of England.

EICC’s support will enable The Power of Events, in partnership with local event professionals volunteering as schools ambassadors, to deliver an event industry showcase and overview of career opportunities to secondary schools & colleges across the Edinburgh region, starting in Spring 2025.

The Schools Programme has already attracted 200+ school ambassador industry volunteers across the four Nations willing to support the p

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18 September 2024

UK - Production Futures, the organisation founded to create opportunities for young people to learn, train, network and develop real careers in every sector of the production industries, has announced a collaboration with the Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE). The aim of the partnership is to strengthen industry links and provide clear pathways for newcomers in the sound, communication and visual engineering sectors.

As part of the ISCVE Early Careers Committee’s commitment to supporting the next generation of professionals, the collaboration will help to further bridge the gap between education and industry, offering links to ISCVE’s range of free and paid training programmes via the Production Futures platform, giving education partners and newcomers access to essential learning tools.

Jason Williams, early careers

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17 September 2024

UK - Entertainment technology distributor Entedi announced its partnership with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at PLASA Show 2024.

Through this partnership, Entedi and RADA are set to ‘transform the training landscape’, acting as a hub for the entertainment lighting industry.

By providing in-depth demonstrations and specialist equipment training, Entedi will play a key part in ensuring that RADA’s delivery of lighting theory and the practical application of the latest technologies stays at the cutting edge.

Cally Bacchus, managing director at Entedi, comments: "We are incredibly excited to collaborate with RADA. This partnership represents a unique opportunity to nurture the future and current generation of lighting professionals by combining RADA's exceptional educational framework with Entedi's industry-leading technology an