Craig Stelzenmuller and Guests

Photo: “Billy Elliot” Scenic Design by Campbell Baird and Robert Andrew Kovach; Costume Design by Dustin Cross; Lighting Design by Craig Stelzenmuller. Pictured: Sam Faulkner Photo by Curtis Brown. Production at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, North Carolina Theater.

Technology or equipment needs for your own computer to be installed prior to the first class You don’t need to be an expert in all of these platforms!

1. Vectorworks 2022 (Educational Version is ok!)
2. Lightwright 6 (Educational Version is ok!)
3. Microsoft Word & Excel
4. Filemaker 18 – 30-Day Trial – (Do not start trial until first Session!)
5. Moving Light Assistant – Free Reader
6. VLC Player or other way to view MP4 video files
7. ETC EOS Family v3 offline software (available from www.etcconnect.com

*NOTE:  FIRST CLASS ONLY HAS BEEN MOVED TO THURSDAY JUNE 9, 7pm – 9pm UCT – 4  EVERY OTHER CLASS WILL MEET ON MONDAYS.

Thursday, June 9: 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): What is an Associate?  Getting started

After introducing ourselves, we begin with an overview of contracts and negotiating. Then we discuss the first meeting with the LD and hear about the show and some of the initial design ideas. How do you begin to work with the scenic designs to create a drawing that the LD can use to layout the show? How do we begin to list and organize the Scenic Electrics? What sort of specifications will the scene shop require and when do they need them?

Agenda:

• Introductions
• Dropbox Organization
• The job of the Assistant vs. Associate
• Contracts, Weeks Proposals, Riders, Negotiating
• First meeting with the Lighting and Scenic Designer
• Real Estate and Position Drawings for LD to layout the show (Project)
• Set Electrics Specifications (Project)

Monday, June 13, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): The Site Survey and Scenic Bid Session

with Guest Sadie Alisa, Production Manager

This session will begin with preparing for a visit to the theatre space and how best to utilize the often times limited access. Do we have enough information to begin a light plot? A second meeting with the LD will provide more information that should allow us to make a preliminary light plot. Meanwhile, the scenic bid session will be taking place and the ALD will be tasked with reviewing the scenic electric specifications with the production managers and the scene shops. Did we provide the scene shops with enough information so they can accurately price our ideas? 

Agenda: 

• The Site Survey 

• Compile a Lighting Ideas List (In Class Activity) 

• Drawing the Light Plot 

• Review LD’s Rough Layout (Project) 

• Scenic Bid Session

Monday, June 20, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Shop Orders and Lightwright

with Facilitator Jess Creager

Now that we have a light plot well underway, the next task is to see if the production can afford the equipment! We will take an in-depth look at creating a professional shop order. It’s also time to get the Production Electrician involved to sort out the details and make sure the equipment list covers all the things we didn’t think about. As is often the case, we are a little over budget, so cuts will have to get made. We will get firsthand experience in the heartbreaking reality of cutting down a show and hopefully find ways to make it less painful next time!

Agenda:

• Review Preliminary Light Plot
• Creating Lightwright using Data Exchange (Tutorial Video)
• Organizing Lightwright
• Create a Shop Order (In Class Activity)
• Making Cuts (In Class Activity)
• Communicating Revisions to the Shop and Electricians

Monday, June 27, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Set LX Drawings & Final Prep 

with Guest Dave Rosenfeld, Scenic Electrics at Hudson Scenic Studios

The pre-production process continues at pace as we take on the task of creating set electrics drawings that detail the integrated equipment and layout of circuits. What else do we need to accomplish before load-in begins? Now that we have an approved bid from the shop, we can channel the show and get final color & gobo choices from the LD. Do we need to design custom gobos or make construction drawings for custom lighting positions? It also may help other team members to begin making magic sheets or a moving light layout.

Agenda:

• Set LX Drawings
• Channeling Considerations
• Incorporating Color & Gobo Information
• Paper Magic Sheets

MONDAY, July 4: NO CLASS BECAUSE OF U.S. Independence Day Holiday

Monday, July 11, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Followspots: Cueing, Calling, and Documentation 

with Guest Natlai Arco

The job of tracking and calling followspots for musicals is often given to the assistant and can be someone’s first experience working with a design team. It can also be one of the hardest jobs for a lighting designer of any age. How do we organize, call, and create paperwork for new productions that may be getting rewritten daily, or for touring productions which have new operators every week? We will practice creating spot cue sheets after a tutorial of the filemaker database “Spot On” and talk about the new technology of using remote control moving lights as spots. 

Agenda: 

• Job of Tracking and Calling Followspots
• Creating Followspot Paperwork (CLASS ACTIVITY)
• Spots for Tours and other large productions
• Remote Lamp & Moving Light
• Multi Language Spot Sheets 

Monday, July 18, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Focus Charts, ML Focus, and ML Documentation 

with Guest Alex Fogel

Load-in is underway! How do we occupy our time in the theater and what are some things to watch out for? What needs to be prepared in order to focus the show? We will look at what goes into a productive and well documented focus call. The programmer is also beginning to work on focusing moving lights. What do we need to consider to maintain and document a large moving light show? We will get some hands-on training with Moving Light Assistant software and hear from a programmer about how they work with the designers to document a show on broadway and on tour.

Agenda:

• Brief Load-in Discussion
• Review Set LX Drawings
• How to prepare for and conduct a Focus Call
• Creating Focus Charts
• Pre-Dry Tech ML Focus
• How to prepare for and conduct a ML Documentation Call
• Moving Light Assistant Software
• ML Focus for Tours

Monday, July 25, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Care and feeding of the LD and Lighting Team

Before the cast gets onstage, there is typically a few days of dry tech where the team first sits down at the tech tables together. This class session explores setting up the tech table workspace so information can be accessed readily, including magic sheets (both paper and digital). We will look at the technology involved in rehearsal video recording and playback systems, as well as brainstorm how ETC’s Augment3D and other visualizers can be incorporated into our workflows. What does this part of the process look like in other arenas of live entertainment?

Agenda:

• Dry Tech
• Organizing the Workspace
• Review Paper Magic Sheets
• Console Prep
• 3D / Augment3D
• EOS Magic Sheets

Monday, August 1, 7pm-9pm UTC-4 (EDT): Managing tech, previews, and getting to opening night

with Guest Carolyn Wong

The tech and preview periods can involve long hours and pressure as opening night approaches. Developing robust organizational habits for tracking details and distributing notes, can allow the ALD to focus on the design process and self-care. What are the responsibilities involved in archiving the lighting design so it can be maintained and replicated at a later date? 

Agenda: 

• Tech 
• Cue Synopsis
• Taking and Giving Notes
• Digital Archive, As Built Documents

 

This course, and especially Scholarship Support, has been made possible by donations from generous supporters of the Studio School of Design. Please become a supporter today to help us continue to achieve our community’s mission to make our profession stronger through knowledge, access and belonging.