School of Design and Production
North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston-Salem, NC 27117
NCSA CATALOG ENTRY:
A dialogue of basic stage electric equipment and lighting technology. Course discussions will include conventional instrumentation, power distribution and control systems. The sequence will conclude with exercises in preparing a lighting shop order.
DESCRIPTION and FORMAT:
This is an in depth course designed to prepare NCSA students to work as Master Electricians in both our theaters and commercial theater. The Winter term will cover basic dimming, DMX, soldering and power generation and distribution. Advanced concepts such as control layout and power layout will be discussed. The class will concentrate on projects and practical "hands-on" sessions.
TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
TEXTS:
•Backstage Handbook second edition, Paul Carter, Broadway Press, Louisville Kentucky.
•NEC2005 Handbook, Mark W. Earley, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts. (On reserve in library)
MATERIALS:
•Wire strippers – 22AWG through 10AWG – this may require two tools
•Insulated, 3/16” flat-blade screwdriver and #2 Phillips screwdriver…or
•…10-in-1 screwdriver (recommended)
•6-8” needle-nose pliers
•Diagonal cutters
•Multi-tester (Volts AC, Volts DC, Resistance and continuity)
•Soldering iron, gun or station capable of 750oF
•Optional: 9” lineman’s pliers
GENERAL INFORMATION:
•Please be on time for class! Arriving late is disruptive to your fellow classmates and excessive lateness will be noted.
•Power off all pagers and cell-phones before class.
•Attendance will be taken and disruptions will be noted; both will affect your final grade.
•Sessions marked Practical will meet in the electrics shop and will require tools.
CLASS PARTICIPATION
All cell phones and pagers must be powered off prior to class! Please be on time for class. Arriving late is disruptive; lateness will be noted and points deducted from the final grade, ½ - percentage point for every occurrence of lateness. An unexcused absence will result in 1 – percentage point deducted from the final grade for each occurrence. Participation in class is essential to the learning process and is taken in consideration when evaluating the “class participation” portion of the final grade. While during most lectures, computers present in class will be tolerated, any use of non-class related programs will be not be tolerated.
A student engaging in any form of “instant messaging,” gaming or other activity during class will be asked to leave and not return with the device in question, even if that is the student’s primary device to take notes. The student will be given an “F” for attendance and participation for the day and subsequent days until they are able to pay attention in class.
Projects:
Projects will be graded on their presentation and organization as well as the amount of data.
1.PROJECT 1 (10): Solder Soco; due January 23rd
Solder on a soco connector for the e-shop. See shop foreman for the connector and cable.
2.PROJECT 2 (10): Dmx Terminator; due February 13th
.
3.PROJECT 3 (20): SHOP BOOK; due March 6th.
Find manuals and assembly guides for as many pieces of rental equipment in the shop as possible. At the least the student should include the basic instrumentation (both ERSes, Fresnel, PARs and the CXI colorchanger), but more equipment information is encouraged. While digital copies of the above are a good addition to the book, printouts will be expected.
EVALUATION: Grading is based on a point system. Quizzes shall be weighted to be worth a total of 10 points of the final grade. Three projects will be worth a total of 40 points. The mid-term will be worth 15 points, the final 20 and attendance 15. EXTRA CREDIT - opportunities will be made available to students for extra credit; an extra credit assignment may also be requested. Completing an extra-credit assignment is the only way for a student to receive a “+” in addition to their grade. An extra-credit project may allow points to be added to the students grade-score at the discretion of the instructor. However, extra-credit will not be offered to replace missed exams or poor attendance.
Incomplete Grades and Late Assignments:
Students are expected to complete all work as assigned for the class on time. If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to comply with this requirement, he/she may request a make-up time to complete missed practicum, quizzes and/or exams. Further, if a student attending and participating in class regularly is unable to perform satisfactorily in practicum and/or on quizzes and exams, he/she may request additional assistance from the instructor. If, despite extra effort, the student is unable to complete the assignments satisfactorily, he/she may request an incomplete or “I.” An incomplete allows the student one extra term to complete the course satisfactorily or the grade is automatically converted to an “F.”
Student Responsibility for Coursework:
In submitting assignments and projects for courses, students take responsibility for their work as a whole, and imply that, except as properly noted, the ideas, words, material and craftsmanship are their own. In written work, if students cite from a source of information or opinion other than themselves without giving credit, either within the body of their texts or in properly noted references and without using quotation marks where needed, or otherwise fail to acknowledge the borrowings, they have in fact presented the work, words or ideas of others as if they were their own. Failure to abide by those simple principles of responsible scholarship is dishonest, as is receiving or giving aid on tests, examinations or other assigned work presumed to be independent or original. A student whose work is found to be dishonestly accomplished and submitted as his or her own for credit will be removed from the course with a grade of “F.”
NC School of the Arts policy on working with students with disabilities:
In compliance with the NC School of the Arts policy and equal access laws, I am available to discuss appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with disabilities. Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the trimester, except for unusual circumstances, so arrangements can be made. Students are encouraged to register with the Officer for Student Disabilities to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.