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Lighting Network Basics

Automated lighting programmers are constantly using new equipment and setup configurations. It is very important for programmers to understand how networking has become an integral part of many systems. While a full understanding of computer networking concepts, equipment, and topographies is not required, there are some basic networking principles that you need to be familiar with. The number of lighting devices connected together with wired or wireless networking equipment is growing on a daily basis, but the general purposes can be broken down into three unique situations. However, before exploring these categories, you must understand some basics of networking.

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Patrick Dierson with Yao Ming meme caricature borrowed from a fan at EDC NY 2014.

Dierson Dives into Production Design, Bennett Designs Maroon V, Cory Says OK Go, Quick Cues and More

Patrick Dierson is gravitating more to production design these days, he told PLSN. Most recently, he was production designer for DirecTV’s Super Bowl Fan Festival Jan. 28-30 in the Phoenix area. “I continue to handle discipline specific duties in lighting and visuals on certain projects as well, but production design seems to be what most productions are turning to me for,” he said.

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Illustration by Andy Au

Dealing with the Unexpected

After a decade or so of touring, I’m eternally surprised at the sheer variety of problems that I get confronted with on the road. It seems there’s no shortage of new and creative ways that things can be mishandled, plugged in incorrectly, and perhaps even not plugged in at all. As denizens of the great and wonderful frontier known as The Road, it’s important that we develop a skillset of improvisation and problem solving while never breaking a sweat, or at least stoically pretending we haven’t, even in the face of moist and obvious evidence.

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Nook Schoenfeld, editor of PLSN magazine

LD Software Helps Get the Job Done

As a lighting designer, I just love my software. I know a lot of designers who whine about drawing plots and having to number things. They’d rather shout directions out to some assistant who can scribble notes now and transform that into 2D plots, 3D renderings and paperwork on how to make it all work. I get all that, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But I am not that guy. I am addicted to my software and would rather do it all myself.

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