PLASA Focus Leeds (10 -11 May, Royal Armouries) seminars this year offer visitors
the chance to attend sessions on a variety of topics and to demo new products from
leading brands in the world of entertainment technology.
Highlights include sessions from d&b audiotechnik, MA Lighting console training
from Ambersphere Solutions and HOG4 training from High End Systems. The
seminar from d&b audiotechnik’s Steve Jones explores how loudspeaker size affects
its whole performance including its directivity, the direct to reverberant ratio and
what loudspeaker throw actually means. The three sessions available from
Ambersphere Solutions on MA Lighting dot2 compact lighting consoles will provide
visitors with an overview of all the features of the new console, including hands-on
instruction covering all the basic operational features. High End Systems will also
offer training for their latest HOG4 Platform which offers 10 lighting consoles on one
platform with state-of-the-art hardware coupled with a tried and tested backbone.
Industry-focussed sessions give visitors advice and insight on topical issues facing
the live entertainment technology industry. Tony Lennon, from the media and
entertainment union BECTU, offers “Tax Essentials for Freelancers’ including top tips
for freelancers – from offsetting business expenses against income, to
understanding their employment status. The ALD will use their session as an
opportunity to discuss approaches to solving the lack of diversity in the industry.
Association Executive Director Ian Saunders believes that opening up a discussion at
a show such as PLASA Focus Leeds gives their organisation the chance to learn how
to relate to both its members and the public as they look to develop future schemes
and initiatives.
The ever-popular sessions from Soulsound continue at Leeds, offering visitors
practical advice for sound engineers. Justin Grealy’s “A Sound Engineer’s Guide to
Guitars and Guitarists’, follows on from his previous presentations at PLASA Focus
Leeds 2015. Meanwhile Dug Guthrie’s (Soulsound / Surfing Cow) in-depth
presentation on “Category Cables for Touring Applications’ aimed at touring
professionals and Jon Burton’s “Stepping Up’ offer visitors insight on key topics from
speakers with expert knowledge.
The Riggers’ Forum also returns to PLASA Focus Leeds, offering riggers the
opportunity to get together and discuss issues with peers and experts alike. Led
once again by Harry Box and Chris Higgs, known for their thought-provoking
seminars. Their ‘Shouty, Shouty’ presentation will discuss working attitudes and
communication. Total Solutions’ Rigging Training Manager, Chris Higgs says:
“”Shouty, Shouty’ is about the blend of planning, communication and people skills
that are as important when rigging in arenas as they are in theatres world-wide.
People working at height usually don’t want to be up there too long and as a result
can put pressure on people working below. If you combine this with fatigue, poor
communication and any number of auditory and visual obstructions, it can be a
recipe for disaster. This seminar will explore the needs of up-riggers, grounders,
flymen and stage staff and will suggest ways of managing them safely.’
For more information about seminar sessions or to register go to: plasafocus.com/leeds
