As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to confound us, the live events industry has tentatively been putting its toe in the water for performances as drive-ins or outdoors with a lot of social distancing and masks. If you prefer staying home, not to worry, there is always something to do... in fact the next few days are so busily scheduled with events all day Thursday, September 17 and into the weekend, including the film, Dancing Is An Old Friend, by my old friend, Marta Renzi.
Training & Webcasts:
• September 17 @ 9am Pacific: THEA Digital Case Studies (Block 4): Poverty Encounter, Children’s Hunger Fund, Sylmar, California, Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience, London, England The Google Assistant Ride, 2019 CES Trade Show, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Moderated by: Luc Mayrand, Walt Disney Imagineering. Register Here.
• September 17 @ 12pm Eastern:Theatre Artist Conversation Group: This week's guest is Segal Center (CUNY) executive director & director of programs, Frank Hentschker who has also created and moderated Segal Talks, an historic series of interviews with extraordinary theatre artists and scholars from around the world, during the pandemic. A remarkable achievement, which gives Frank a unique perspective on how theatre artists in many countries are coping with the pandemic .What did he learn? How does he see our collective response and what can we learn from artists in all parts of the world? Hosted by David Diamond. Register Here.
• September 17 @ 1pm Eastern: Ahead Of The Curve: Geoffrey Platt interviews Tim Nash, brand activation specialist. Watch Here.
• September 17 @ 6pm Eastern: IESNYC: 3D Printing For Lighting Professionals: The process, the possibilities, and how 3D printing is shaping the future of the lighting industry. Moderator: Jessie Grillo, specification sales, O’Blaney Rinker Associates. Panelists: Arthur Young-Spivey, creative director of technology, BluEdge Quan Gan, founder, Gantom Lighting and Controls; John Fox, president, Ascenti Lighting; Christopher Quigley, principal, Agency Custom. Zoom Here.
• September 17 @ 7pm Eastern: USITT: Resources for Teaching Studio Classes Remotely: Members of Kent State University's Design Innovation Team developed an app-based tool to aid in supporting educators’ explorations for connecting your course learning goals to the use of online tools for remote instruction. They focused on remote teaching strategies for studio/performance-based courses and believe this tool can be very useful for a variety of pedagogical and schedule types of instruction (laboratory, workshops, etc.). In this webinar, the team members will share the app and an assessment matrix with the participants concluding with Q&A while exploring apps during an interactive "playdate." Free to USITT members or $15 non members. Register Here.
Looking Ahead, Register In Advance:
Let's Go Shopping:
• Sunday, September 20: Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction: Broadway Cares has brought its fabulous Broadway Flea Market Online...with an online silent and live auctions, bidding already begun. Check it out here. And do let me know what you buy, it's for a great cause!
• Gillioz Theatre Poster Auction: Calling all poster collectors! In an effort to raise money to survive the pandemic, the historic Gillioz Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, for the first time is auctioning 99 event posters from its archives. Bid Here. Through October 31.
Live Design Virtual Master Classes: Lighting: Watch On Demand:
• Live Design Virtual Master Classes: Lighting: Three sessions focus on various angles of lighting: GDTF & MVR, a look at his innovative new technology and the bi-directional exchange of data developed by Vectorworks, Robe, and MA Lighting as an open standard for the entertainment industry. Plus a look at 2021 updates, with Matt Geasy of Clear All Visuals; LED Color Mixing, Color Temperature, and Light Quality, with Kevin Lawson and Greg Cohen of UVLD; Designing Immersive Lighting: The design and technical challenges of creating compelling immersive lighting for visual storytelling, using Pip’s Island, an interactive kid's experience, as the quintessential example. Speakers include: Al Crawford, Roya Abab, Zakaria Al-Alami, Manuel DaSilva, and Nicholas Palatella. Free; sponsored by ETC. Register Here to watch on demand.
Podcasts (new):
• Real Talk With Mason Brady: A talk with Brad Berridge is a sound artist at Feld Entertainment, which is the company that produces Disney ON ICE!, Marvel Experiences, and others. He has worked across the United States bringing his sound design and composition to tons of different theaters and auditoriums. Listen Here.
• USITT TECHnically Speaking: A COVID-19 Discussion With Bryan Honeycutt: A talk about his recent training to become a COVID-19 Compliance Officer, what he predicts the industry will look like upon reopening, and how all parties including cast, crew, and audience will play a role in the industry’s reopening. Listen Here.
• in 1 : The Podcast: See Lighting Foundation—Immigrant Designer Roundtable: Cory Pattak and ‘Changing the Landscape’ producer Alan Edwards chat with Cha See, Rodrigo Muñoz, Yee Eun Nam, and Ntokozo Fuzunina Kunene about the difficulties non-citizens are facing including the inability to collect unemployment, the rules surrounding work visas that prevent them from seeking out other work which could lead to possible deportation, and how this administration’s callous and hostile behavior towards immigrants has affected their lives. Listen Here.
• Artistic Finance: Ethan Steimel interviews costume designer Cynthia Winstead, who discusses finances throughout her career as a costume designer and professor, and how scholarships and endowments work. Listen Here.
• Chris Lose LD-At-Large: Relationships Know No Borders: With Martin Kelly account executive at Christie Lites Toronto: A look at the hidden politics of lighting, how we can help each other during isolation... and more. Listen Here.
For Your Viewing Enjoyment:
• Dancing Is An Old Friend: A film by Marta Renzi: Two old friends re-connect virtually. One still dances professionally, the other only for pleasure. Like their friendship, their dancing manages to transcend time and distance. Watch Here (or below)
• Philadelphia Fringe Festival: Held every September this 4-week festival has gone online with over 120 events, including the JCWK Dance Company that invites us to look through "the other side of the window screen" at HOMEbody. Details Here.
• Latino Theatre Company, This is a Man's World: Written & performed by Sal Lopez. In this candid and intimate performance, music and memory swirl as Lopez relives the lessons that shaped his life, from the scent of a piroul tree in Mexico to the thrill of young love to the effects of the Watts Riots and the birth of his son. Set & projection Design by Yee Eun Nam, lighting design by Phillip W. Powers, sound design by Ivan Robles. Thru September 17. Watch Here.
• The Metropolitan Opera Nightly Streams: Week 27 of goodies from The Met archives. Watch Here.
• Cirque du Soleil: Best Of Trampoline: From trampoline walls to floors and nets, get your bounce on as Cirque du Soleil takes you to new heights! Watch Here.
#WeMakeEvents #RedAlertRESTART
• RedAlert LIVE The four-hour live stream of the #RedAlertRESTART event on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. Hosted by lighting designer Christian Jackson, with live feeds and video from across the country plus Trinidad & Tobago. Watch Here.
• Artistic Finance: Ethan Steimel interviews lighting designer Dennis Size, vice president of design at LDG, a major television lighting company based in New York City, to discuss how LDG has weathered the COVID pandemic so far and discuss the RESTART Act to provide financial assistance to live event businesses and to #ExtendPUA for unemployed workers. Listen Here.And Charles Ford, who discusses his role as the Chicago regional director of the #RedAlertRESTART event coming up on Tuesday, September 1. Listen Here. And lighting designer Sammy Ross about live event workers during the time of COVID-19 and why the federal RESTART act is necessary. Listen Here.
• LIGHT TALK: The Lumen Brothers welcome new Lumen Sistah Ellen Lampert-Gréaux to the family. Today, the family welcomes Stephanie Freed and Brad Nelms to talk about this week's RED ALERT plans. Join Ellen, Stephanie, Brad, Steve, Stan, and David as they pontificate about: The horrible financial challenges our friends and colleagues are facing; Big plans for big cities; The genesis of the project; The Restart Act; #WeMakeEvents; Legislative challenges; Press coverage; Save Our Stages; The issues with unemployment insurance; 1099's; PUA and FPUC; People want to work; Arguments against ignorant comments; Manufacturers and production support shops' challenges; Celebrity PSA's; Event structure; Live feed; The future of #WeMakeEvents and RED ALERT; and How we can all help. Listen Here.
• LD At Large: Chris Lose interviews Vickie Claiborne, training manager Americas at disguise and regional director for WeMakeEvents and Andrew Gumper, owner and president AG Production Services and national committee for WeMakeEvents, to discuss what we can do to show support and solidarity for our brothers and sisters out of work. Nationwide, we can light it up red on Sept. 1st from 9pm-midnight. We can take a photo and share it far and wide on social media with the hashtags #wemakeevents and #redalertrestart. We can send emails to our local representatives. We can reach out to our fellow artists, production professionals and friends and make sure that they are doing well. Listen Here.
• Michael Strickland of Bandit Lites on CNBC Squawk Box...Watch Here.
• Geezers Of Gear Podcast: Brad Nelms joins Marcel Fairbarin to discuss something they started to help our industry be heard, and to help promote and push for addition funding by way of the RESTART Act. They had no idea how quickly and how large this movement would become. On this episode, they talk about how they did it, the growth and expectations, and maybe even what you can expect in the future. Listen Here.
• in 1: The Podcast: Cory Pattak interviews Brad Nelms, director of #WeMakeEvents North America about the #RedAlert Day of Action on September 1st to raise awareness for the RESTART Act currently sitting in Congress, which would help out businesses facing economic hardship from the COVID crisis as well as push for badly needed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Listen Here.
• Artistic Finance: Ethan Steimel interviews Michael Strickland, founder of Bandit Lites, as he talks about the congressional RESTART Act to provide financial assistance to live event businesses affected by COVID-19 and #ExtendPUA unemployment benefits .Listen Here. And an interview with lighting designer Sammy Ross about the predicament of live event workers during the time of COVID-19. Listen Here.
An Important Conversation:
• Live Design and USITT co-hosted "A Conversation On Diversity And Anti-Racism In Entertainment Design," moderated by David Stewart, production manager for Disney Parks Live Entertainment, and an important voice in the ongoing quest to increase diversity in our industry. The full panel for this important discussion includes lighting designers Rachael Blackwell, Porsche McGovern, and Xavier Pierce, lighting/projection designer Roma Flowers, lighting designer/event coordinator Ebony Madry, and production manager Lawrence Bennett. Watch Here.
Training & Webcasts When You Want:
• GLP 10 Out Of 10 With Mike Baldassari: This week on GLP's 10 Out Of 10 we host lighting designer Mike Baldassari, who has designed Broadway shows such as Children of a Lesser God and Holler If You Hear Me, the film Rock Of Ages, and tours with artists such as Alice in Chains, Neil Young, and many more! Watch Here.
The Creative Quarantine Sessions: John Iacovelli: Join Alexander Whittenberg as he interviews award-winning theatre/film/TV scenic designer John Iacovelli. Watch Here.
• History In The Making: Steve Terry In Conversation With Dave Cunningham and Gordon Pearlman... A time machine talk about the advent of computer-controlled lighting consoles. Watch Here.
• Elation Professional Online Learning Center: Provides lighting professionals with easy-to-access learning options, the new resource site is full of free educational and training material. Watch Here.
• The Elation Hour: A series of interviews with leading designers from film/TV, theatre, concerts, corporate events, festivals, and more... Watch here.
• Scott Parker: A lot of training videos to choose from, from his Stage Seminars to a book review of Richard Pilbrow's Stage Lighting Design. Watch Here and Here (Stage Seminars)
• Lighting designer Mike Woods: Online training videos. Watch Here.
• Ross Video: Ross Live | 2020: A weekly series of presentations, podcasts, and product launches designed to highlight best practices across a range of live production environments. Watch Here.
• MA Lighting grandMA3 onPC command wing XT: A new member of its grandMA3 onPC solutions range: the grandMA3 onPC command wing XT. With the grandMA3 onPC software pre-installed on a built-in MA motherboard, the grandMA3 onPC command wing XT offers MA3 power with onPC flexibility– just add up to four touchscreen monitors, and it's ready to go! Watch Here.
• Strand Lighting: Theatre Systems Design Basics. Presented by Bobby Harrell. Watch Here.
• frame.work videos are now online, a conference for video professionals. Watch Here.
• 4Wall Entertainment: Archives for Sunday Roundtables and Thursday Tales From The Road. Watch Here.
• ETC Story Q&A with Tom Littrell: thoughts from Outreach and Training Specialist Tom Littrell on LEDs. Read Here.
• Unreal Interactive Demo. Watch Here.
• Opera America – live streams.
• ETC On Headset: The Billington Files
• TDF Stages, list of streaming performances updated daily.
Podcasts:
• Shackles, Burlap, and Lies: Vice-president of Entertainment Project Services, LLC Joe Champelli shares his journey through entertainment rigging and automation with stories from his first job installing the Pirate Show at Treasure Island in Las Vegas to his current position working with clients such as large theme parks in Anaheim California. We also discuss his involvement with submitting the original request to the ESTA Technical Standards Program to create the Performer Flying Systems standard, ANSI E1.43-2016. Listen Here.
• USITT Podcast: TECHnically Speaking: Clint C. Clarke has worn many professional hats so far in his career – from working in arenas, to the wireless team for Barack Obama’s inauguration, Clint now calls the Most Magical Place on Earth his home as he works as the audio designer for Disney Parks Live Entertainment. Listen Here.
• Artistic Finance Podcast: Steve Woods, one of The Lumen Brothers who is usually heard on the podcast Light Talk, about his journey from being an on-the-road lighting designer to becoming a professor of lighting design. Listen Here.
• Signal To Noise Podcast: Episode 61 delves deep into the art of theatrical sound design with guests Jason Crystal (associate sound designer, Hamilton, The Cher Show) and Elisheba Ittoop (sound designer, The Edge of Night, A Raisin In the Sun, Testmatch). The conversation with co-hosts Michael Lawrence and Willa Snow explores how technical tools help achieve artistic goals, and comparing and contrasting sound design for musicals and straight plays. Listen Here.
• Light Talk With The Lumen Brothers: Caribbean Dreaming: The Lumen Brothers welcome their good friend and LiveDesignOnline guru and LDI creative director, Ellen Lampert-Greaux. Join Brackley, David, Ellen, Stan, and Steve as they discuss: Cruising around Tierra del Fuego in the Light Talk Catamaran; Letter from Campbell (our youngest fan); A meal for Toffee; Ellen's octopus story; The history of LDI; Steve reveals the secret password for LDI; The Earthquake at the Infomart; The Donner Party on their way to LDI Reno; The Hall of Fog; Blowing up cars in Reno; BAM years; Living as an ExPat; Ellen's detour; Organizing how to run a film festival without a cinema; "Octopus on a Stick"; Ellen's views on the future of the Entertainment Industry; and Expanding revenue streams in a post Covid world. Listen Here.
• Get A Grip On Lighting Podcast: Leadership Under Covid: Kevin Poyck just had his legs under him as CEO and president of Signify’s Americas Market Group when the outbreak threw his business into chaos. He shares his thoughts on virtual offices, managing at a distance, and the shape of post-pandemic normalcy. What really brought him to our show today was a recent study at Boston University that confirmed how effective a new Signify UVC lamp really is, which leads to a vintage Philips UV disinfection manual and the modern rush for germicidal lamps. It’s time for us all to turn a page as we proceed out of our current crisis. Listen Here.
• LD At Large With Chris Lose: Recent episodes include Michael Berger, Seth Robinson, and Rob Koenig. Listen Here.
• The Evolution of Special Effects With John Canning of Digital Domain: Tyler Gates and Sophia Moshasha catch up with John Canning, executive producer at Digital Domain, to talk about how animation and special effects in media production have evolved to become higher quality, less costly, and easier to achieve with immersive technology. Listen Here.
Industry Resources:
• USITT Women In Theatre Network
• LDI on demand videos and webcasts
• Magnum’s complete list of free training and resources