PLASA Focus Leeds Announces 2023 Programme

PLASA Focus Leeds returns to the Royal Armouries from 9-10 May, and alongside the show floor, visitors can attend back to back seminars and workshops, led by respected industry leaders.

Seminar sponsors
Vectorworks, the programme sponsors, will present two sessions on their market-leading solutions – 'Vectorworks ConnectCAD' will walk attendees through audio-visual workflows, then 'Production Design for Sky Sports Boxing' will unpack the full design journey for a major TV event.

Lighting content
Lighting professionals can gain both creative and technical insights at the show. Renowned lighting designer Durham Marenghi will present 'Lasers as Light', showcasing his work on the Leeds Year of Culture Opening Ceremony, the World Cup Opening Ceremony in Qatar, and the 'hidden' New Year's Eve celebrations in London.

Elsewhere, ETC will present 'The Balance of Power', sharing considerations for new LED fixtures and how power control infrastructure could save your show.

And Whitelight will explore the huge issue of sustainability in venues, along with representatives from Leeds City Varieties, Royal Court Liverpool and Storyhouse Theatre in Chester, who will each discuss their recent lighting upgrades.

Plus, ChamSys will run workshops throughout the show, allowing visitors to get hands-on with pro consoles, learning about MagicQ, Timecode & Audio Timeline, and group based programming. Plus, lighting designer David Howard will demonstrate how to set up a show file for live busking.

Audio & Audio-Visual
Audio professionals can hear from HOLOPLOT in their session 'The Future of Storytelling', answering the question “what does immersive really mean?” This session will explore the answers by taking a look behind the scenes of London's latest immersive venue, Lightroom, and its opening show 'David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)'.

Also, the ASD will present how to 'Create Sound Design for a Content Based Theatre Show' using computer-based audio tools.

Riedel's session will cater for audio-visual professionals in their session on the Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Party. They will walk attendees through how they supported the iconic New Year's Eve celebrations with a comprehensive signal transport and communications backbone.

KV2 Audio will also be running continuous live audio demonstrations throughout the show, featuring the UK launch of the brand new ESR 106 and ESD 8. These demos will allow visitors to get a full-on experience of the latest sound systems being used in theatres and concert venues around the world.

Electrical & technical safety
James Eade will present two sessions at the show, taking a deep look at electrical safety. In 'PAT is Dead! Long Live ET!' James will provide a clear explanation of PAT testing. And in 'BS7909: 2023 – What's New?' James will share his expertise on equipment such as RCDs, battery storage and generator earthing.

The ABTT will also dive into the latest technical developments with their Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment, sharing all the amendments since 2022. Plus, Production Manager, Tom Goode will explore the relationships between safety, health, continuity and resilience.

Rigging & Skills Shortage
To address the issue of skills shortage, UK Rigging will present their latest scheme 'Project X' which aims to support freelancers who wish to join the entertainment rigging industry. Also on rigging, the National Rigging Advisory Group (NRAG) will provide the latest updates and answer questions from the audience.

Elsewhere, the Power of Events will lead a panel on the generation 'Picking the Best Pathway' for the next generation of event professionals. And Production Park and Backstage Academy will team up to discuss how to train and nurture industry newcomers.

Plus, BECTU will discuss issues facing freelancers, and a PLASA-led panel of industry charities and organisations will provide an update on their latest wellbeing initiatives.

Browse the programme: www.plasaleeds.com/seminars-training-2023