Skip to content

Articles

Check Your Calendar

As you begin this New Year of 2012, resolve to learn more about the clock/calendar features of your console.

It is a New Year and time for a new calendar.  As you prepare to look ahead to all the wonderful gigs that await you in 2012, you should consider not only your personal calendar but also the calendar functions on your automated lighting controller.  Because lighting controllers are built on computer platforms, they can provide many functions including automated tasks at specific times and/or dates.  Although the exact method will vary from console to console, the basic principles of programming to a calendar remain the same.  As always, be sure to read the user manual of your console of choice to learn the exact keystrokes required.

Read More »

Securing Your Show File

Imagine this: You have been having a programming marathon for the past 12 hours. You are in the groove. Everything is going great. Your fingers are flying across the desk. You have programmed over 300 looks, numerous cues, the timing is down. Then, without notice, your screens go dark. You have lost power. Your desk is dead in the water. Some unknowing stagehand decided to plug something in. That overloaded your circuit to the board and tripped it.

Read More »
Illustration by Andy Au

Paying it Back

I’m feeling pretty humbled this holiday season. Apparently I have a lot of friends in this wacky business of ours. And they thought enough of my work to cast a vote my way for a Parnelli Award this year. I cannot give enough thanks to all of you who helped me win this award for best lit concert tour of the year (Kid Rock’s Born Free tour). But I could never have gotten where I was, nor created a show that looked this good, without the help of a lot of people. Nor could I have gotten where I am without a lot of breaks from others. And I believe in paying it back.

Read More »