Current industry standards

[Crystaljuggler]

Good morning everyone!

 

I last worked in theatre lighting and sound nearly ten years ago in South Africa - to give you an idea, I was first trained on a Strand M24 lighting board that was a museum piece even back then! I'm now looking to get back into live events after many years travelling around as a performer, and I'm looking into the current state of the art. (Not another freelancer, I hear you cry :) ) I'm primarily a sound man, but the more I can find out about as much as I can, the less the chance of me standing around like a lemon waiting for something to do - and if someone does throw me in at the deep end, I like to be able to at least dog-paddle.

 

Is there anywhere online I can find out about current working practices in the UK? I've found some info, and reading the forums here has been a good start, but has anyone put together a good guide to, say, etiquette and safe practices? I've already found OnStageLighting.co.uk, which is proving very valuable. Or should I just shell out for a good library of books as recommended in the sticky at the top?

 

Question two, is what manuals I should download for the most popular lighting and sound desks I might come across? I'm reading up on the Jands Vista system, Avolites Pearl, and Strand Palette, and downloading the various simulators and offline editors to play with. I've got the manuals for an Allen & Heath iLive, and Midas Heritage 3000, which the local production company in Aylesbury are using - any others I should look at? Even if it will take me some time to work my way up, I'd rather be reading and absorbing information than watching daytime TV.

 

I expect to start at the bottom but work up to pro as quickly as I can, so any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Jivemaster]

Can you find and pass a short course relevant to Health and Safety at work? Can your local college offer you something over say three days, possibly add First Aid at Work as well.

 

What part of the industry do you want to get in to? Theatre with predictable cues and states uses diferent attributes on a desk from busking rock n roll and may use different desks.

[Crystaljuggler]

Can you find and pass a short course relevant to Health and Safety at work? Can your local college offer you something over say three days, possibly add First Aid at Work as well.

 

What part of the industry do you want to get in to? Theatre with predictable cues and states uses diferent attributes on a desk from busking rock n roll and may use different desks.

 

Health and Safety is a good start, I'll look that up! I'm most interested in rock and live music events, as I don't see there being much work in the local theatres, but I can certainly turn my hand to corporate events as well - I'm also pretty handy with computers, so there may be uses for networking skills in that sort of arena.