"We feel that training is essential, but currently undervalued in the industry. At White Light we believe we should be offering a complete service, and our Training Initiative - whether providing a course on a control desk or a seminar by one of our industry's leading lighting designers - is a vital part of that service," explains Jason Larcombe, White Light's Training Co-Ordinator.
Recent courses have included the regular Strand 500-Series training courses, covering different levels of use from basic plotting through to moving light programming, run by Rob Halliday; a new Whole Hog 2 training course run by John Harris and ETC console training run in conjunction with ETC. A new course, "Re-lighting for Stage Managers" has also been run in conjunction with the Stage Management Association; led by lighting designer Natasha Chivers and Matt Prentice, lighting design tutor at Mountview College, it offered hands on experience of equipment and explained the process of re-lighting shows on tour.
The ever-popular White Light Wednesday Workshops, now in their fourth year, have also expanded; over fifteen drama colleges now take advantage of these Workshops, though they remain open to anyone. Run by leading professionals, recent courses have included Pyrotechnics, led by Lincoln Parkhouse from JustFX, Rigging and Truss Design - the last course held at White Light's old base in Filmer Road - led by Adrian Forbes-Black from Tomcat; Colour and Gobos, a course held at Middlesex University and led by DHA and Rosco, and CAD and WYSIWYG, which looked at the application of computer technology for visualising stage lighting and was held a the Bristol Old Vic.
Strongly supported by White Light's suppliers, the courses have been well-received by those who have attended them. "The feedback we've received from students has been excellent, proving to us that there is a real need for practical experience based training," comments Larcombe. "White Light are pleased to be at the forefront of providing this kind of training."
White Light's new building in Wimbledon, London SW19 greatly expands the space and facilities available for training, with two fully equipped demonstration areas currently being created and a host of other meeting rooms available for smaller sessions. Courses can also be held at White Light's West End office in the heart of London's theatreland, or at colleges and theatres around the country, with forthcoming courses to be held for LAMDA, Nottingham Trent University and Rose Bruford College.
White Light also remains committed to encouraging student lighting designers, with the presentation of the annual White Light Student Lighting Bursary to be held on November 23rd. The bursary provides an opportunity for students to develop a theoretical lighting design for a project, which they then have to pitch to a panel of professionals as a test of their design, communication and presentation skills and their understanding of technology and lighting. Now in its fourth year, this year's bursary will feature two additional awards, one in memory of lighting designer Michael Northen, and one supported by ETC.
Further information about the White Light Student Lighting Bursary and all of the activities of The Training Initiative can be found on the Training Initiative web site, www.whitelighttraining.co.uk.