NCSA Commercial Stage Electrics

school of design and production

North Carolina school of the arts

Winston-Salem, nc 27117

NCSA CATALOG ENTRY: 

The class is a survey of the electrics department in commercial theater and in-depth study of the knowledge and expertise beneficial to lighting technicians in the field.

FORMAT AND OBJECTIVES

Topics will cover tour preparation and console programming.

TEXTS AND MATERIALS:

TEXTS:        

·        Backstage Handbook 3rd edition, Paul Carter, Broadway Press, Louisville Kentucky.

·        NEC2002 Handbook, Mark W. Earley, NFPA, Quincy, Massachusetts. (On reserve)  

     MATERIALS:

·        Access to the Internet

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.

·        Sesions marked Practical will meet in the electrics shop and will require tools.

EVALUATION: Grading is based on a point system.  Each of two exams is valued at 10 points for a total of 20. A progressive project will be worth 50 points.  The final 15 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.

PROJECTS

Project 1: Research on new console – read the Grand MA console manual.  Download the Grand MA offline program.  Prepare a list of questions you would need to investigate about the console and find out the answers.  Write out in long hand, what you did.

Project 2: Control Layout – make a schematic and a drafting or sketch on the plot of your control layout for the show.  Include devices, control assignments and a cable schedule.

Project3: Set up Mult-cable Layout – using the same method as above create a multi/circuit layout.  A cable schedule for mult-cable should be included.

Project 4: Set up Pin Patch – in the course of creating pin-patch you may discover that you want to alter the multi layout.  As part of pin-patch, create a cable schedule for all types.

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.