Role of Chief LX

[Marc C]

Hi there everyone I am currently a student at The Central School of Speech and Drama and writing a research project on the role of a chief electrician and how the role is going to evolve in the future.

 

It would be really good if I could get any opinions from professionals on how you think the role will develop as a whole and with regards to technology, training and qualifications in the future.

 

Thank you and I look forward to reading your ideas

 

Marc

[mac.calder]

Chief LX, a fairly stable position I believe. At least for the next few years. Whilst the theatre has seen an increase in intelligent fixtures as opposed to generics, I cannot see the theatre moving too far from generics any time soon. There has been an increase in the use of networked technologies (DMX is no longer just being run to the dimmer room, instead we now need to be able to run DMX all over the place, which has lead to DMX being run over ethernet). I don't think there will be any reduction in the use of dimmed power (however Sinewave dimming will hopefully become the norm soon) however I can certainly see an increase in the number of non-dimmed power down in the dimmer room.

 

Qualification wise, safety will be a major focus - I know in AU there are about 3 competency certificates a cheif LX should have if the work place is to be considered "Safe". I can only see these laws getting more constricting as opposed to less. And also as I mentioned above, networking will become more prevalent, so some degree of network knowledge will probably be required, but nothing extreame (a 1 day course could almost cover everything I think).

[lamps galore]

something else to consider is the fact that a lot of chief electricians are also the in-house lighting designers. With more safety legislation going through from an elecrical point of view, it could be possible that in future (distant rather than near) the chief electricians' job becomes more "Electrical installation" orientated and design work going to other members of crew. Or vice-versa. So bigger and better funded theatres might end up having 2 people doing the job traditionally held by one person...

 

but then, I might be talking out of my backside... :)

 

Ricardo

[Tomo]

(however Sinewave dimming will hopefully become the norm soon)

I very much doubt this.

 

Sinewave dimming is difficult - it can either be done by rectifying the supply into two-rail DC (+v and -v compared to neutral) and regenerating a sinewave using PWM, MOSFETs and a small smoothing inductor, or by using PWM with IGBTs on the original sinewave.

 

Neither method is simple, cheap or reliable. The former essentially doubles the silicon in the dimmer, the latter uses VERY expensive silicon.

Both need complex software with large lookup tables - IGBT is harder as the silicon is more sensitive - although EMI noise issues are simplified due to the more predictable harmonics.

 

On the other hand, rectify-and-back allows the dimmer to be powered by perfectly balanced 3-phase, which may become cost-effective as you can lose an entire conductor in your power supply, and many power companies charge more for high neutral currents.

 

Back on-topic, I expect that the role of Chief LX is likely to move further towards electrical install in the larger receiving venues, but I doubt it will change much in smaller regional theatre, simply due to cost issues - it's much cheaper to use the salaried venue electricians as LD and/or board ops than to hire someone in. Small productions will keep the LX as LD, larger are likely to use the LX as board op/programmer.

 

However, my more general guess is that all roles are going to move even further into multi-skilling, with the concept of differing departments almost evaporating - there will be a Chief LX, Head Flyman, Head of Sound, maybe a Chief Video/Projection, and a pool of general technicians expected to be able to fulfil every role.

[johnhuson]

My personal opinion is that the term chief electrician as a title as massively incorrect. How many chief electricians around the uk now actually have any electrical qualifications, or for that matter have the need to within their actual role. It's a term from the past in my opinion and I've noticed trends towards roles like ' head of lighting' and 'head of sound' which are much more suitable role titles. To me the managemnet of the technical department in a modern producing or receiving venue should be based around a head of lighting, head of sound and a maintainence elecrician who looks after the actual electrical installation. In larger venues this would be supplemented by someone like a technical manager who is in overall control of these departments.

[MattH]

(however Sinewave dimming will hopefully become the norm soon)

I very much doubt this.

 

Sinewave dimming is difficult...

Now, I appreciate that sinewave is a difficult beast, but most major dimmer manufacturers now offer sinewave modules. It really isn't such a pipe dream...

 

 

:D - discussion of sinewave dimming is OT for this thread. Please take it to a new thread if you wish to continue the discussion. Thanks.

[ferg]

Hi there everyone I am currently a student at The Central School of Speech and Drama and writing a research project on the role of a chief electrician and how the role is going to evolve in the future.

 

It would be really good if I could get any opinions from professionals on how you think the role will develop as a whole and with regards to technology, training and qualifications in the future.

 

Thank you and I look forward to reading your ideas

 

Marc

 

 

Just thought I would put my two cents worth in,

 

I have had the role of chief LX or head LX for over thirty years now, being based in Australia I have had to deal with all sorts of scenario's from companies from Britain to the States and all points in between.

In all cases the title was obsolete and a bit odd back then ( I am talking 1976 here) it has not changed a bit.

I am also a practising lighting designer who learned on the job (being HeadLX) and though I could wire up a house if wanted to, I am not qualified to do so nor want to be......... I am a theatre electrician and proud of it.

 

Today I am teaching young tech's how to plot moving LX fixtures which incidentally were established around the time I got my first gig as a cheif LX in 1976, does anyone remember Showco and Genesis? But they also still need to know how to patch, focus a zoomspot and understand the difference between peak and flat and at the same time understand off line editing all of this relevant and valid but none more so than the other.

 

Give me a break here,

the first LX guys were electricians and they evolved to be specialised lighting guys, as far as I see the role has been evolving since the 1930's and still is, just because we we use buckets and computers as well as generics does not fundamentally change the fact that we light shows......... the technology is a means to an end just use it and keep a bit of tradition in honour of our brethren of the past...... they embraced the new technology whats the difference??..... sine wave LED's whatever bring it on!!

 

I currently teach cert 4 training at the Sydney Opera House and year 9 & 10 production Newtown High School pf the Performing Arts in Sydney as well as mentor other lighting designers, all my students have grasped the concept and history of the head LX I see no reason to change its natural evolution but leave the title alone it has stood the test of time.

 

cheers from Oz

 

ferg