Since its launch in 1994, the 500-series has proved extremely popular with theatres of all sizes: in the West End of London alone, systems can currently be found in the Albery, Comedy, Coliseum, Her Majesty's, Piccadilly, Pit and Whitehall Theatres as well as at the Royal Festival Hall and on shows such as The Witches of Eastwick and Mamma Mia; the smaller 300-series, launched last year, is proving equally popular. However, though the consoles' basic functions are easy to pick up, their huge flexibility - and the complexities added by Strand's powerful ShowNet networking system, mean that many users have not fully explored their functionality or made the best use of their facilities.
It is to help overcome these problems that White Light will be running courses on the consoles as an extension of The Training Initiative, whose regular Wednesday Workshops on many lighting-related subjects continue to prove popular, particularly with lighting students at drama schools. The Strand courses will take place on Wednesday mornings during the first part of 2001 at White Light's new West End office in Shaftesbury Avenue, and will be open to West End theatre staff and lighting freelancers in particular, though all are welcome! Different courses will cover different subject areas within the console, from in-depth coverage of setting up network-based systems to examination of how to make the best of the console when controlling mixed rigs of automated and conventional lighting.
The courses will be led by experts in different aspects of the console. Course leaders confirmed so far include Antony Bridges of The Service Company (who has commissioned many of the most complex 500-series control systems, including those at the Coliseum and the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon) and freelance programmer Rob Halliday (who has used the consoles on many shows since 1995, including Pan in Australia and The Witches of Eastwick in London).
Anyone interested in taking part in these courses is invited to contact The Service Company on 020 7731 0966 or by email to training@serviceco.com, detailing any particular areas they would like to see covered. A schedule of courses will be finalised and posted on the White Light web site at www.whitelight.ltd.uk and The Service Company website at www.serviceco.com, with the courses commencing early in 2001.