The GRAND's Technical and Arts Workers Resiliency Program is intended to inspire a new cohort of theatre technicians and arts workers, and build capacity for those currently working in the industry. This program offers technical training to help jumpstart and advance careers. It is open to anyone from artists, to arts professionals, to seasoned techs, as well as to those who are simply wanting to learn more! Running March 24-27, 2023, this program will be free of charge for any interested attendees. No prerequisite training necessary.
Workshop topics include lighting, Qlab, sound, rigging, fall protection, navigating the union, working as a freelancer and more!
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada.
Technical and Arts Workers Resiliency Program
MARCH 24, 2023
Stage Crew, Lighting & QLab
Live Stage Crew 101
Date: Friday March 24, 2023
From: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
This workshop is an entry level program to teach people who have little or no experience working on a live concert stage as stage crew. The program includes instruction and practical on stage handling of equipment based on the Calgary Folk Festival protocols and basic industry standards. By the end of the workshop the participants will have set up and torn down an entire stage of equipment for a 4 piece band.
The program includes: Safety while working on stage, the various roles and duties of stage crew and the trained technicians, Identifying different types of equipment and how to handle them, the basics for preparing a stage for a concert, changing the stage from one performer to another during an event, and tearing down the equipment at the end of an event.
Facilitated by:
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John is the Production Manager for the Calgary Folk Festival, Block Heater Winter Festival and Festival Hall. Before coming to the Folk Festival Society of Calgary 13 years ago John has held a variety of positions in the live event industry over the last 30 years such as Production Manager, Tour Manager, Touring Theatre Stage Manager, Promoter, Promoter Rep for Live Nation Concerts, Festival Site Manager, Show Runner, Production Assistant, and Touring Musician.
Basics of Stage Lighting: Technical and Design
Date: Friday March 24, 2023
From: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
This workshop will provide an introduction to lighting design and technical operation for live events. Attendees will learn the basic tools of Stage Lighting; including lighting fixtures and accessories, signal paths, and control consoles. They will learn a bit of shape, mood, and colour theory for design as well! All the basics necessary to do lighting for performances.
Facilitated by:
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Matt is a lighting designer and cinematographer currently based in Calgary, Alberta. He has an intense passion for light and is often found studying the quality of light hitting objects (and friends). In his spare time, he experiments with film photography and photo development in his makeshift darkroom. Notable productions include; Table, The Nutcracker, and Fully Committed. He is currently, and very happy to be, the Head of Lighting at The Grand.
QLab 1 - Starting From Scratch.
Date: Friday March 24, 2023
From: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Main Lobby
QLab 1 - Starting from scratch is an introduction to QLab 5, starting with a simple setup and getting you to the point of being able to build video and audio cues.
Facilitated by:
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Colin Barden is an experienced audio technician, sound designer, and general theatre technician. Having completed a BFA at the University of Calgary in 2011, he joined the staff at U of C in a Head of Audio role for University Theatre Services where he stayed for nearly a decade. Frequent collaborators include W&M Physical Theatre, Steve Isom, Patrick Finn, and others. Currently he can be found working with Alberta Theatre Projects, The Grand, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Jubilee Auditorium, and Scotiabank Saddledome.
QLab 2 - Multi-projector video, OSC, devamps, and more!
Date: Friday March 24, 2023
From: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Location: The GRAND - Main Lobby
QLab 2 covers multi-projector video, OSC, devamps, and more! Taking a look into some lesser used QLab 5 features. Also taking requests for anything the workshop would like to learn.
Facilitated by:
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Colin Barden is an experienced audio technician, sound designer, and general theatre technician. Having completed a BFA at the University of Calgary in 2011, he joined the staff at U of C in a Head of Audio role for University Theatre Services where he stayed for nearly a decade. Frequent collaborators include W&M Physical Theatre, Steve Isom, Patrick Finn, and others. Currently he can be found working with Alberta Theatre Projects, The Grand, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Jubilee Auditorium, and Scotiabank Saddledome.
MARCH 25, 2023
Fall Protection, Navigating the Union, & Sound
Fall Protection
Date: Saturday March 25, 2023
From: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
This one-day course covers common fall protection systems, providing knowledge on selection, set-up, and usage. A variety of instructional techniques, including challenge questions, workbook exercises, and practical learning applications, will be used to educate course participants. The curriculum will cover proper pre-use inspection, harness donning, system selection, and system set-up. The course is suited for those who perform work duties at height in various at-height jobsite situations and will be responsible for selecting and utilizing the appropriate system components.
This workshop will culminate in a Fall Protection Authorized Person Comprehensive Certificate for each participant. Capacity is limited, so sign up today!
Facilitated by:
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Wilbur has been teaching fall protection for over seven years now. On top of certifying workers to be able to work safely at heights, he is also a level 2 High Angle & Confined Space Rescue Technician in the oil and gas industry for over 15 years as well as doing fall protection installs and inspections on commercial sites. In addition, Wilbur is a high rigger setting up shows in arenas and convention halls for the entertainment industry. In his free time, he is a recreational rock climber and has been for over 30 years.
Lunch & Learn: The Union
Date: Saturday March 25, 2023
From: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Main Lobby
Navigating the union can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have too be. Join us for lunch and learn, and find out how to navigate the union of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)! Meet and hear from your union rep (Matthew Gault) , as well as the President and IATSE International Vice President (Damian Petti), Film Vice President (Alex Free) and Business Agent and Vice President Stage Dept (Ian Wilson).
Facilitated by:
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Coming Soon.
How to Achieve Killer Sound
Date: Saturday March 25, 2023
From: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
If you’ve ever wondered or wanted to know more about; How does ‘Live Sound’ work? How does ‘Live Sound’ work at a professional level? How do I record the audio so it actually sounds good? How does that compare to recording in the studio?Do I actually need to buy and/or use in ears monitors? Should I sell my soul and buy every tube amp ever made? What are the best tube amps ever made? And which ones should I sell my soul to own Using a tube amp and a set of drums, the deep dive is gonna be REAL.
Facilitated by:
MARCH 26, 2023
Rigging for Stage & Everything Freelance
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Mike Watson has been a professional sound, backline and guitar tech, as well as musician/producer for 20 years, having traveled coast to coast across Canada many times, Japan and the Philippines there isn’t much he hasn’t seen or experienced on the road.
Some quick highlights being playing in Memphis with his band The 6L6’s, opening direct support for Huey Lewis and The News, teching The Junos, Grey Cup, Sled Island, X-Fest/VirginFest, all of the Folk Festival’, a short Beyonce tour, and Trooper playing at an old folks home in Medicine Hat. There are certain insights he has gleaned on how to yield the best live sound, from monitors to amp volume, and how to record the audio so it actually sounds good.
Socials
https://www.facebook.com/the6L6s/
https://www.instagram.com/the6l6s/
The6L6s.com
Rigging for Stage
Date: Sunday March 26, 2023
From: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
Are you interested in learning more about the basics of Theatre Rigging? Join Rick Creswicke, Department Chair for the IATSE Rigging Caucus as he facilitates the IATSE Introductory Theatre Rigging course as part of The GRAND’s Technical and Arts Workers Resiliency Program. Topics covered include intro to rigging gear, tools and equipment, and safe work practice. You will learn rigging knots, terminology, and proper communication skills. You will get hands-on experience with handling gear and ropes, as well as some introductory skills that will open many doors for a career in stage, arena, and film applications. Introduction to Theatre Rigging is a FREE workshop, open to people of all skill levels.
Facilitated by: Rick Creswicke
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Rick Creswicke has over 23 years of rigging experience that translates to over 45000 hrs of rigging work. He works in Stage, Theatre and Film, and has taught rock and ice climbing for over 6 years.
Currently he is the Department chair for the IATSE Rigging caucus, and has been teaching rigging courses for IATSE for several years.
Lunch & Learn: Everything Freelance!
Date: Sunday March 26, 2023
From: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Main Lobby
Everything Freelance! For Freelancers: Tips and advice on how to be an A+ amazing freelancer. For Crew callers and Managers: tips on how to effectively book and work with freelance crews.
Facilitated by:
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Sam Hindle is a career-long freelance technician who has long resisted getting a J-O-B. She recently gave in to the mountains and now moonlights as the full time Technical Director for Performing Arts at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
Her expertise, enthusiasm and attention to detail make her a sought-after fixture on the Canadian performance scene. You will find Sam's steady hand behind events from live concerts to online presentations across Canada. She has worked on many large festivals and shows that have toured nationally and internationally. Over the past three years, she has added a hat and is now supporting events and music online as a Zoom Producer/Technician and Virtual Events Manager. Her background is as a professional Sound Technician, Stage Manager, Production Manager and Technical Director.
Socials:
@samdles
MARCH 27, 2023
Indeterminate Rigging & Stage Management
Indeterminate Rigging - Concepts and Techniques
Date: Monday March 27, 2023
From: 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Location: The GRAND - Flanagan Theatre
Strategies for identifying and dealing with indeterminate and atypical rigging loads and structures.
Facilitated by:
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Michael King is a Calgary based rigger and stage carpenter that specializes in flying effects and acrobatic rigging. His work has been featured on stages from the smallest black box theatres to the world's biggest stadiums as well as high end retail installations all over the world.
How to be a Stage Manager: An Informal (and Informative) Chat with Patti Neice
Date: Monday March 27, 2023
From: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: The GRAND - Main Lobby
"I think I would be a great Stage Manager, where do I start?" "How do I break into this industry?" "I learn everything in school, why do I need to apprentice?" "Why should I become an Equity Stage Manager?" "What is a Stage Manager? Why are they needed?" This workshop will be an informal chat to answer these questions and many more as well as talk about what being a Stage Manager is, the many hats one wears, a chat about things I and other SM wished they had known earlier in their career, the change that is happening in the industry and how you can help move that forward, and of course answering all of your questions. So please bring ALL your questions. My first question to you: what is the most important part of the job for a Stage Manager?
Facilitated by:
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After watching Anne of Green Gables at the Confederation center in PEI at the age of nine Pattis' life was forever changed, and then with the gift of grandparents who lived in Stratford Ontario, a life in the theatre was perhaps destined. Patti had the privilege to work across this amazing country for over 20 years as a Stage Manager. After completing the Technical Arts program at Sheridan College, she got in her car and worked wherever in the country the work was. These adventures took her to Nova Scotia, all over Ontario, New Brunswick, BC, on mupital North American tours of Canada and the USA, to Singapore, South Korea and Ireland, she settled in Calgary in 2011. While in Calgary she worked largely at Theatre Calgary, but also did shows at Vertigo, ATP, Lunchbox and spent her summers working on the Grandstand Show for the Calgary Stampede. Patti is now the General Manager at Lunchbox Theatre.