PLASA Focus: Orlando Unveils Professional Development Program

  • Free registration is now open for the PLASA Focus: Orlando 2013 Professional Development Program, a two-day program of free educational seminars and workshops, running alongside PLASA Focus: Orlando, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, Florida on May 15-16, 2013.
  • Still in the early stages of development, the program provides visitors with access to the latest trends, technologies and techniques, and is a unique opportunity for visitors to further develop their specialist knowledge.
  • The program will kick-off on the Wednesday morning with Tony Hansen delivering a session entitled LED: State Of The Technology Address. LED technology is advancing at breakneck speed and Hansen will discuss how far it has come in the last year, where it's headed, and where it still needs to improve. Hansen has been a freelance designer and programmer and now works for Techni-Lux. He brings a broad range of experience in many areas of the entertainment technology industry including theme park ride integration, convention centers, retail environments, houses of worship, stage shows, and theatrical lighting applications.

Jason Robinson is a production designer with a history of challenging and unusual gigs who currently works for WWE's WrestleMania and NASCAR. In Painting the Big Picture in Live Event Production, he will share his experiences as a designer of big budget shows, survey the current technology landscape, and predict what the future holds for the live event production industry.

In How RDM Works For You, Bill Ellis, president and Co-Founder of Candela Controls Inc., will explain the benefits of Remote Device Management which means you can manage your lighting devices remotely from the ground. In this session you will learn how to make RDM work for you, see it used on practical equipment you can buy today, and learn what manufacturers are planning for the equipment of tomorrow.

High-resolution pixel mapping represents the latest advancement in video technology for live shows and installations. In a session entitled Advanced Mapping Techniques with Hippotizer Media Servers, Tim Nauss will explore VideoMapper, PixelMapper, UberPan and other industry-leading features of Hippotizer. Nauss, a product specialist and trainer for TMB, studied Design and Technical Theatre at Christopher Newport University in Virginia and has extensive design experience in theatre and concert productions.

In Developing Your Career in the Live Event Production Industry Dana Roun, director of audio programs at Full Sail University, explores the new opportunities emerging in the field of live event production and explains why those who are trained and qualified will be best placed to take advantage. The session includes a presentation of the educational and employment opportunities that can be found in the industry today, as well as discussing where potential opportunities may lie in the future.

IATSE and What We Do for You, presented by Brian Lawlor and Mark Kiracofe of IATSE International, explains what the IATSE is (and isn't). A panel of representatives from area Locals will be on hand to give a brief overview of their specific Locals, what crafts they represent and where they work. This is also an opportunity to ask questions about membership processes, fees, and the benefits of belonging.

Visitors can book their place at these sessions now on the PLASA Focus: Orlando website: plasafocus.com/orlando/seminars.

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