It's the week of LDI2021 in Las Vegas with training underway and the exhibit hall open on Friday-Saturday-Sunday, November 19-21, 2021, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Today's featured session is the Lighting Programming Summit, on the afternoons of Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20. Organized by Luther Frank and his team at Sovereign Candle.
This two-day seminar and workshop covers live lighting programming across multiple industry-leading consoles. Experts will provide hands-on demonstrations of their skills, methods, and insights into their programming language of choice. They will also share career-building and networking advice to those new at navigating this highly in-demand field. New programmers should be ready with their best questions and ideas and potentially be ready to show off their skills in front of their peers. Experienced designers and programmers are encouraged to participate as well and come meet the up-and-coming talent from across the industry.
Day 1: Battle of the Busk
Required materials: Personal show file for console of choice.
Come see the competition we've all been waiting for: Watch five top programmers compete live in a friendly busking competition. A variety of consoles (grandMA, EOS, Hog, ChamSys, and Avo) will all share the same lighting rig as a DJ plays them through their sets in a back-to-back demonstration of their skills. We're letting the best finally take the hot seat like they've always wanted and can't wait to see what they've got.
After the show, our competitors will host a talk back. They will cover the workflow of their console language, their strategies for fast-paced and difficult environments, and swap stories of how they've built their skill sets as well as their careers. After sharing thoughts and advice, they'll conduct an open Q&A from the audience.
Once the session has ended at 5:00pm, all participants are welcome to stay and play with the rig for the final hour until 6:00pm. Meet your favorite programmer and talk shop with the console and lights right there at your fingertips.
Day 2: Cue4Me
Live participants will be chose first-come, first-served followed by a waitlist. Approximately 15 will be chosen.
Required materials: Personal show file for console of choice.
Come put your programming knowledge to the test under the direction of industry-leading designers! Using the same lighting rig and console options from Day 1, participants will have the opportunity to work live with a designer, taking direction, building looks, openly sharing strategies and methods forgetting the work done out in the field. Professionals from all segments of our industry— theatre, film, and live music—will be present to offer their unique perspective on programming workflow and philosophy.
Register now at www.ldishow.com and use discount code INST15 for 15% off the summit!
And if you are not coming to LDI, here are some things to keep you busy:
• LDI New Tech Breaks: Don't miss LDI's Virtual New Tech Breaks now On Demand: Presentations of new products and technology from LDI2021 exhibitors including: MyCaseBuilder, Zanni, Madrix, and Propared. Register Here and watch when you can, some really good products here, like Zanni's Ovees (pictured below), which will take you into immersive worlds of AR and VR.
Podcasts:
• Light Talk Episode 241: Exploding Tumbleweeds:
In this episode of LIGHT TALK, The Lumen Brothers discuss everything from Converting to LED to Travis Scott. Join Zak, Steve, and David as they pontificate about: More secret details about "Light Talk Live at LDI"; The "Lumen Brother (or Sistah!) of the Day" competition; Not Ready for Dishwasher Light Talk Coffee Mugs; Tesla's new insane Autopilot upgrade; Boynton Beach drivers; Dealing with Live Video; Barry Lyndon; Dance Booms vs. Dance Towers; Side-Arms; Roadies and Tumbleweeds; Land Crabs in Florida; The Travis Scott tragedy; The end of General Admission?; and How many LED engines do you need? Listen Here:
• Artistic Finance: Linkedin For Artists: Dawn Chiang: Lighting designer Dawn Chiang discusses how she uses LinkedIn, how to use it for freelancers and artists, and where to get free LinkedIn courses and training. You will learn about LInkedIn strategy and why all artists can benefit by using the platform. Listen Here.
• USITT: TECHHnically Speaking: TECHnically Speaking: Breaking Down Disability in the Industry: A talk with playwright, librettist, and host of the Break a Leg! Disability in the Arts Podcas,t Nicole Zimmerer, and sound designer and podcast producer Scott MacDonald to break down the realities of living and working with a disability in the industry. Listen Here.
• Geezers Of Gear: Live Design's Marian Sandberg and ACT Entertainment's Ben Saltzman are the special guests on LDI—The Show Must Go On.
"I know that people have feelings, one way or another about going to LDI this year. I've been talking and listening to so many folks who are either fired up, on the fence, or completely ignoring that there's a show, and doing other things instead. For ME... this is the 30th anniversary of a big moment in my life, and career. At LDI in Reno 1991— I was approached by Martin's US distributor to become their Sales Manager, and a really great career in this crazy business was formed," says Fairbairn. "Your decision to attend is so important. It's true, LDI is an important gathering place for our business each and every fall—LDI matters...and yes...The Show MUST Go On!! Watch Here!
Live Design Webcasts On Demand:
• Celebrating The Tonys: Interviews with Tony-nominated sound designer Jonathan Deans (Jagged Little Pill), and Tony winner for Moulin Rouge, Peter Hylenski, moderated by Abe Jacob, and sponsored by Meyer Sound. The second session, sponsored by ETC, features lighting designer Justin Townsend, Tony nominated for Jagged Little Pill and the winner for Moulin Rouge. Free. Register Here.
• Live Design Virtual Webcasts: Extend Your Reality: How to use the latest technology to create spectacular live experiences. This three-session virtual event is free to watch and sponsored by disguise, the platform for creatives and technologists to imagine, create and deliver spectacular live visual experiences. Three sessions that take you deep into the world of xR production. Ellen Lampert-Gréaux, creative director for Live Design/LDI, moderates. The tech and design savvy panelists are from disguise as well as such companies as Studio Lab, All Of It Now, Far Right Productions. Free. Register Here.
Let's Shop!
• Behind The Scenes Holiday Cards: Each design comes in a package of 10; Printed on 5 x 7 white card stock; Blank white envelopes included; Card packs are shipped in late November. Buy Here.
Exhibits:
• Showstoppers! Spectacular Costumes from Stage & Screen: Over 100 garments from Broadway, TV, film, and dance on display thru September 26, 2021. A great way to see costumes close up, and check out the detail and the craftsmanship. The venue is at Times Square, near 42nd & Broadway and the maze-like exhibit has been created by Thinc Design. Presented by the Costume Industry Coalition. All proceeds from the exhibition will raise money for the Costume Industry Coalition Recovery Fund, which continues to support one of the hardest hit sectors of the entertainment industry.
Older Podcasts:
• USITT: TECHnically Speaking: USITT's 2021 TDMY (Young Designers, Managers, and Technicians) winner podcast series comes to a close with costume artist Annie Ulrich, winner of the 2021 Barbara Matera Award for Costume Making. Annie Ulrich fell into theatre during her undergraduate studies at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she graduated with a BA in Theatre and Studio Art in 2013. From there, she freelanced as a costume designer and took on the role of assistant shop manager in the same costume shop at Middlebury. In the Spring of 2021, Annie completed her MFA in Theatre and Dance (Costume Technology) from the University of Texas at Austin. Listen Here.