PLASA Show Launches Seminar and Training Programme

PLASA Show has launched its programme for the 2021 edition of the show, running from September 5-7 at Olympia London.

Sponsored by Vectorworks, the programme of seminars and training sessions is set to deliver in-depth content on the future of live production, immersive product experiences and plenty of practical training, bringing skills and knowledge to the forefront of the show experience.

Vectorworks sessions

Vectorworks are delivering two technical sessions based on their software products, firstly looking at Concert Design and Pre-visualisation with Vectorworks Spotlight and MVR Export, which follows a complete concert design workflow, from creating detailed drawings and rigging plots to exporting a fully functioning pre-visualisation model.

Their second session, Schematic and Rack Layout Design in Vectorworks ConnectCAD, details the complete schematic workflow from creation of signal flow diagrams to designing rack layouts with ConnectCAD.

Standards and safety

In addition to the Theatre Show Hub, the ABTT will be running a session on their Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment, which will surely be one of the most popular programme entries. More sessions on the topic of safety come from chartered engineer James Eade who will detail electrical safety changes for 2022 and an expert panel discussing Health & Safety Essentials.

A look at lighting

Leading lighting manufacturer ETC will host two sessions, one comparing moving lights and how to interpret specification sheets, and the other asking how – and why – to use multi-emitter LEDs.

Plus, Dan Murfin from the National Theatre will teach attendees how to incorporate the game-changing Augment3d into their workflow. Hands-on training comes from ChamSys and CHAUVET Professional who will be hosting practical training on their newest consoles and fixtures, including the ChamSys Stadium console and CHAUVET’s Ovation Reve E3.

On a more technical note, there will be an industry panel hosted by PLASA detailing the latest developments on EcoDesign, the new regulation for stage lighting.

Immersive audio

Addressing audio, the unmissable d&b Soundscape Theatre hosted by d&b audiotechnik will run throughout all three days. This new feature will invite visitors to escape the buzz of the show floor and immerse themselves in Soundscape demonstrations and seminars, each showcasing the cutting edge of immersive audio technology.

Additionally, audio manufacturers will host live audio demonstrations in controlled environments, allowing visitors to hear what major sound systems are capable of. This includes RCF Audio who will be demonstrating their NX 9 Series, as well as KV2 Audio who will return with their market-leading products.

The future of live entertainment

Looking to the future of live productions, Carol Scott from TAIT will deliver a keynote talk on how the live sector can become a sustainable industry; Tom Harper and Robin Elias from Unusual Rigging will look at the evolution of rigging; and lighting visualiser James Simpson will unpack the most popular entries from his Future Tech column.

Finally, an informal session on apprenticeships will take place on the last morning of the show, led by employers with existing apprenticeship schemes and forward-thinking educational institutes.

The programme is completely free and unlimited for all pre-registered PLASA Show visitors. More seminars will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information about the programme and to register for the show please visit www.plasashow.com