# Looking for good technical seminars



## robmonty (Aug 28, 2017)

Hi 

I run a trade show/tech seminar session in Alberta, Canada whiich is a once yearly event usually in March. This event alternates between two theatres, one in Edmonton and one in Calgary, both owned by the provincial (state) government. This upcoming year in Calgary will be our 6th event. 

We have a one day trade show with about 30 vendors, and a number of seminars that are aimed at all levels of technician and production skill. We have very basic sessions for education, H.O.W and amatuer theatre market, as well as advanced sessions for for working professional technicians. We usually get about 350-400 people. 

I am looking to further expand our advanced sessions, which we have started running full days before and after the trade show day. In the last few years, with the help of C.I.T.T. we have had ETC console courses, a Rosco paint course, and a Digico console course. 

I am looking for good sessions that relate to theatre, touring, commercial production in stage, audio, lighting, rigging, production management and anything else related to producing a theatre, festival or commercial event. 

If you have any suggestions on seminars that you have attended that you felt were well presented and worth your time, or if you present a tech seminar that would fit into this event,please send me some info. 

Info on last years show is here http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/InTheCommunity/JubeCommunity/Workshops 

Thanks 


Robert Montgomery
Jubilee Auditorium 
Edmonton, Canada


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## soundofsparks (Aug 29, 2017)

Richard Cadena has valuable and important seminars. You could probably contract him for the event.

http://www.rcad.me/classes-workshops


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## ruinexplorer (Aug 29, 2017)

You might want to reach out to Cirque du Soleil international headquarters. In the US, they have representatives that teach courses at USITT, American College Theater Festival, LDI, and a few other regional technical conferences. They might have staff in Montreal that might be able to help out as well.


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## gafftaper (Aug 30, 2017)

Bill Sapsis and Tracy Nunnaly are both expert riggers who regularly teach courses at LDI and USITT.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Aug 30, 2017)

Ive presented on fire safety curtains too many times, first at a conference in London in 1992. I could revive that.........


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## BillConnerFASTC (Aug 30, 2017)

I hope not too obvious I'm in a sports bar in Canton Ohio.....slurring my posts....


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## gafftaper (Sep 2, 2017)

BillConnerFASTC said:


> Ive presented on fire safety curtains too many times, first at a conference in London in 1992. I could revive that.........


I would be interested in hearing you talk about how the life safety code, OSHA, and other safety codes apply to me the average Theater tech. A lot of code is for consultants and architects to design with. The parts of the codes for us the end users often don't get to us. 

Sort of a "The ten things technicians need to know about safety codes"


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## BillConnerFASTC (Sep 2, 2017)

gafftaper said:


> I would be interested in hearing you talk about how the life safety code, OSHA, and other safety codes apply to me the average Theater tech. A lot of code is for consultants and architects to design with. The parts of the codes for us the end users often don't get to us.
> 
> Sort of a "The ten things technicians need to know about safety codes"



Where it comes to fall hazards, its tough. Part of it is the lack of clarity and not much in the way of assistance with OSHA. For instance, they don't really say you don't have to have a guard rail at the edge of an orchestra pit, but do require you to protect workers from all fall hazards. And they have no reasonable system (timely) to ask for clarification or assistance. Its the great thing about local building and fire codes - they usually want to help.

I have thought about all those things to do with seating and aisles especially in relation to flexible spaces, where the local technician user has a substantial impact on this. Just aisle lights in a stack chair and portable riser system is not simple. And scenery - what is required? Just was on a project about to open and there was acres of Styrofoam "walls", nicely crafted to look like brick, very well painted and the grout lines very neatly carved out. Good looking scenery. Totally not allowed by virtually all known fire codes and this stuff is not much different than what covered the ceiling at the Station. I see it very often - lost of it for the opening show.

And you know, there are latches on doors from the stage to a corridor for a reason - so they don't open by air pressure in a fire and spread the smoke and fir from the stage into the corridor. I know they make noise and it was designed and built negligently but don't tape the latch so it doesn't latch. I have quite a collection of photos of this practice. 

And covering illuminated exit signs - oh my. 

A few of the common ones. Is that what you meant? You really want to know how many things you need to do to make the show better but are not allowed by regulation and why you shouldn't and the show should suffer? Is ignorance bliss?


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## gafftaper (Sep 2, 2017)

BillConnerFASTC said:


> A few of the common ones. Is that what you meant? You really want to know how many things you need to do to make the show better but are not allowed by regulation and why you shouldn't and the show should suffer? Is ignorance bliss?


That's exactly what I mean. It would be interesting to hear a panel discussion with you, maybe someone from a big theater or touring company who is a safety nut, and say a Fire Marshall.


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## egilson1 (Sep 3, 2017)

I also teach rigging.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Sep 3, 2017)

egilson1 said:


> I also teach rigging.


Not sure if this speaks to the motivation for this comment, but gafftaper seemed to be suggesting around codes and standards that are statutory law. With perhaps the exception of a local jurisdiction, there are not standards adopted into law for theatre rigging in this country to my knowledge. In addition, I think even a typical 60 to 90 minute seminar session on only rigging is unlikely to be very comprehensive - just too broad of subject. Of course I could carry on extemporaneously on just catwalk railings for at least an hour......... I suggested the idea of codes and means of egress in relation to assembly seating, aisles, etc. for the flexible space. I think the subject of building and fire codes in relation to scenery design and construction probably needs to be explored more, as evidence suggests it is not well understood (but do you want to know that foam is basically not allowed?)

I guess having attended a lot and presented a few sessions at conferences over 40 years, I'm jaded, but the better ones sure seem to be the more in depth on a narrow topic rather than the 50,000 foot overview of a broad topic. I feel like the subject matter has to go much deeper than the average knowledge of the people in the room, to be new and fresh, and challenging.


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## gafftaper (Sep 4, 2017)

egilson1 said:


> I also teach rigging.


@robmonty Ethan (CB username Egilson1) would be a great choice to add some good rigging classes to your conference! Send him a private message. ! 


BillConnerFASTC said:


> Not sure if this speaks to the motivation for this comment, but gafftaper seemed to be suggesting around codes and standards that are statutory law...


Actually I was suggesting several things at once including both rigging classes and a safety codes and standards class.

As for rigging classes I've seen some great "Rigging Track" approaches where people can take multiple 90 minute courses in a row over a weekend to come away with a pretty good rigging education. I've also seen a really good class on what Joe technician should be doing as informal inspections between formal professional inspections. Finally one I haven't seen, but would really like to see taught, is "Rigging in a High School theater" a class on what you should be teaching new high school kids for their first time working with a school fly system. What should they learn? What should the not be allowed to do? How to keep the drama teacher and parents from killing any kids etc...


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## robmonty (Sep 5, 2017)

Thanks for all the great info. Keep it coming. 

I separate the sessions into roughly 3 types: 1) technician training and catching up with new technology, 2) how to not kill anyone that is working or coming to your show by squashing, electrocuting or overworking them, 3) making art that you are proud to present. All these types of sessions can be tailored to the audience ability and resources available. I have been trying to get presenters who are able to do a longer, pro course, and also do a shorter very basic course that is included with the basic registration for anyone attending the trade show day. Ideally, the sessions should give the attendees something they can start using tomorrow, something to start working toward in a couple of months, and something to shoot for longer term. 

Another invite only session that we do at this event is the Roadhouse Roundtable. This session is aimed at roadhouse spaces, and although I had originally aimed this at production/tech directors and technicians, the attendees now include a good portion of FOH managers and theatre booking staff. This session is comprised of a guest speaker and then a facilitated session with topics from the floor. The facilitator takes a wide range of topics from the floor, sorts them into loose similar topics, and we split the room into 3 or 4 groups, each with a topic to discuss. We do that twice in the session, so 6 larger topics get discussed. There is lots of sharing of solutions that had worked for other spaces, commiseration at common problems, and identification of trends that we need to address. Theatres wind up sharing policy documents so as not to re invent the wheel. 


There is a bit of info on one of the Raodhouse Roundtable sessions here http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/InTheCommunity/JubeCommunity/Workshops/RoadhouseRoundtable 

Again, thanks for the suggestions so far, and keep those ideas coming. 

Rob Montgomery


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