THTR 274 - Theatre Technology
I developed this course about 15 years ago, transforming it from an AutoCAD class originally created by my predecessor. After teaching it as a CAD drafting course using Vectorworks, I realized that spending an entire semester on one software was an inefficient use of time. Since contemporary software is often best learned through self-paced video tutorials that students can learn on their own, I restructured the course to focus more broadly on entertainment and theatre technology.
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As a result, this course has evolved to provide guided learning utilizing a variety of computer hardware and software technologies. Specifically the class emphasizes experimentation with industry standard lighting controls software (ETC Eos), sound and projection playback (QLab), ethernet networking for entertainment applications, Show Control solutions, and software tools for Lighting Design (Vectorworks with BeamViz and integration with Lightwright)
In the syllabus provided below, you will find the current structure of the course. As part of my ongoing commitment to improving the learning experience, I am actively working on a comprehensive redesign of the class. My goal is to create an environment that allows students to engage more deeply with the material by offering additional opportunities for practical application of skills. By incorporating more hands-on projects and real-world scenarios.​​
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Below the photo on this page is an example assignment.
EOS CONSOLE
CUEING PROJECT - 50 points
You will complete a cueing project using the the ETC Gio @5 Console.
There are lots of training materials online that will help to get you started at:
http://www.etcconnect.com/EosFamilyVideoSeries/
-You may light as little as 30 seconds of your song, or the whole song if you choose. You will want to listen to the song several times, and experiment with the Gio @5 Console as much as possible. The goal is to have fun and learn how to program the Ion. However, you must follow the following parameters:
-Build at least 10 lighting looks (cues) with transitions to be cued to your song. (However, if you choose to light the whole song, you should build more than 10 lighting looks.)
-You must use moving lights in some of your cues.
-You should build Beam/Focus/Color Palettes to help you in your cueing process.
-Label any cues and palettes that you build to keep track of them for yourself.
-Use split time fades in some of your cues.
-Use Follows in some of your cues.
-Refer to the videos for help.
-Help one another, share console time, collaborate.
-You should plan to spend at least a few hours working on this project. Each student will get some time to work in-class as listed in the syllabus, however YOU WILL NEED MORE TIME OUTSIDE OF CLASS to complete your project.
Be Aware: Programming moving lights can take a long time. Do not bite off more than you can choose. Having a plan before you start programming will make for more efficient use of your time.
Please Note:
-When you are finished working for a session, be sure to “Save As” your show file and store it on your USB drive with a name that makes sense to you, so that you can find it again. You can remove your USB drive after you have saved without ejecting it.
-Follow the shutdown procedure on the console — Browser > Exit > Power Off Device