"Automation in Performance" Seminar to Address Need for Automation Training to Fill Job Roles

In order to address a rapidly growing and worldwide demand for skilled automation professionals to fill roles in an international and lively job market, interested parties from across the entertainment industry, including potential employers, consultants, technicians, users, and students are gathering for a one-day seminar next month.

The event will explore the challenges in representing all aspects of stage automation within technical theatre training. Presented by the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Stage Technologies, the seminar "Automation in Performance," which takes place in Cinema 2 at the Barbica, London on Friday, December 16, will feature speakers from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Theateradvies Amsterdam, Leicester's Curve Theatre, and Stage Technologies.

Stage Technologies' group CEO Mark Ager will provide the keynote presentation. Ager said, "It's incredibly important that automation training is included in technical theatre courses. As the rising number of entertainment producers demand ever more elaborate effects the need for adequately trained automation operators and technicians is not going away. Automation technology is now widely used across all entertainment genres such as theatre, popular music tours, opera houses, cruise ships, as well as film and TV; and directly interfaces with lighting, sound, AV and stage management. It is imperative that we not only train those who work directly with the equipment but also that everyone from designers through to directors and stage managers have an awareness of the equipment, its capabilities and its limitations."

Ben Sumner, director of technical theatre at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, said, "We are delighted to firmly establish what will be an on-going relationship with Stage Technologies. This seminar was conceived as one way of ensuring that we address the industry's needs in training the automation technicians and designers of the future. Our new theatre in Milton Court will include a fully automated flying system, not only fly bars but also flexible point hoists. This gives us a unique ability to train our technical theatre arts students in cutting edge technology. Automation is a new string to our bow; we are excited to be able to give students access to this technology in an environment in which they will work collaboratively with creative teams, bringing to life the designers' vision. We see this as a natural extension of our well established reputation for maintaining the highest possible production values in an educational environment both in the UK and internationally."

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