Too often, outdoor special events and music festivals are planned with little thought to safety. Too often, the bottom line takes priority over hiring a qualified crew to assemble, operate and load out events which typically have thousands of pounds of portable A/V gear rigged over the heads of the general public, performers and stage crew. Too often, unskilled labor is expected to know complex math formulas, industry standard practices and be familiar with quick changing weather conditions such as strong winds, storm fronts or be able to implement a bad weather plan, all of which are needed to do the job safely. Too often, these events compromise safety and place the public, talent and crew at risk along with destroying gear, prevailing wages and work conditions of qualified ETCP stage riggers.
Chicago is a world class destination city that hosts hundreds of outdoor special events, music festivals, concerts and more. Chicago takes very seriously the safety of those that attend, perform and work on events which help showcase Chicago’s rich and diverse cultural arts. Therefore, on May 24th Chicago adopted the following ordinance to help ensure safety and mitigate risks on all such outdoor events that use portable A/V equipment.
Section 10-8-335 of Chicago’s Municipal Code reads as follows:
“All rigging of portable audiovisual equipment and systems must be performed by a person holding a valid riggers certification from the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP). No person may employ, direct or allow a person to perform the rigging of portable audiovisual equipment and systems for an outdoor special event unless the person performing the rigging work holds a valid rigger’s certification issued by the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP).”
Ultimately, this ordinance will help ensure safer Chicago events by mandating that ETCP Certified Riggers do all rigging on these events. This is a tremendous safety measure implemented by a great Mayor and City Council.
Craig Carlson
Business Manager, Stagehands Local 2
International Vice-President, I.A.T.S.E.
Chicago Flyhouse – Wintrust Arena
Popcorn in hand, soda to the right, the sound barrels through the speakers and the lights dim to near blackout levels, the ambience of the room is perfect to escape from reality for a few hours.
The right environment can make or break an event instantly for those in attendance. When your favorite musician is about to play their first note, the mood set right before they play is of the utmost importance and light leaks can interrupt that mood and spoil the environment.
Wintrust Arena, new home to the DePaul University Blue Demon basketball teams and entertainment events, considered this exact scenario and focused on reducing light leaks it would receive throughout its new building.
To achieve this, installation of different blackout style curtains was needed. Using a mix of manual bi-part and one-way draw curtains along with numerous motorized roman shades, Flyhouse delivered on its promise to create an efficient and suitable atmosphere for all types of future events.
For the upper bowl seating and arena-ends, Flyhouse installed a series of remote operated roman shades to reduce light spill. The roman shades are of varying heights and widths, some upwards of 100 wide, to cover the expansive areas of windows and in hard to reach areas where a manual system would not be possible. The motorized component allows the shades to raise and lower at a variable speed of 20 feet/minute and uses a wireless controller that is able to operate at several locations within the arena. However, should the wireless controllers become inoperable, the system also has a hardwired pendant allowing the system to remain operational through another control point.
An added benefit of installing blackout curtains throughout the arena are the acoustical properties they inherit. The heavier fabric used in these curtains helps absorb and dampen the sound emitted from the event and those in attendance.
The manual curtains are hand-operated at vomitory and aisle entry locations of the venue which will provide a reduction of ambient light seen by fans and performers. It required the use of 1,700 feet of I-Beam style tracks and nearly 1,800 curtain carriers to complete this portion of the installation.
Wintrust Arena is now in position to offer the environment needed for each event; darkness or light depending on what is desirable to set the mood.
BackStage Pass: Reflections on Life in the Theatre
A new video program for the live event entertainment industry
Bill Sapsis is proud to announce the launch of BackStage Pass, a series of interviews with leading professionals in the live event entertainment industry. BackStage Pass videos offer a look back into the careers of people who have spent a lifetime working on live performances and shaping the future of the entertainment industry.
“The entertainment industry doesn’t do well at holding on to its history,” noted Bill Sapsis, BackStage Pass executive producer. “We tend to be too preoccupied with what’s right in front of us to look at the past when, truth be told, the past often provides insight into solving present day problems”.
BackStage Pass videos are available on YouTube for free and run about 60 minutes. The videos focus on what an individual has brought to the industry and on the effect the industry has had on them. There’s also some crystal ball gazing to see what may be in store for the next generation of theatre practitioners.
Neil Mazzella, President and Owner of Hudson Scenic Studios and Richard Pilbrow, Lighting Designer, Producer and Founder of Theatre Projects Consultants are featured in the first two releases of the BackStage Pass series.
BackStage Pass videos can be viewed here.
IATSE Local 417 - Dedicated to the Advancement of Rigging Skills
Great things are happening in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, as experts have determined by looking at such yardsticks as medical and high tech business startups, foodie-friendly cuisine, and livability. That’s according to the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Bon Appetite, and livability.com.
It should be no surprise that excellence in rigging safety is following suit. Here are some highlights of how ETCP has helped to make this happen, with training and measurability of skill and proficiency, and how a few more ETCP certified technicians are making a difference.
IATSE Local 417 (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, & Fayetteville) established a rigging committee, a group of riggers and riggers-to-be, in 2016 that is dedicated to the advancement of rigging skills in the local labor force. Matt Tippett, a co-chair of that committee, is a leading example. He passed his arena rigging test in August, and his certification helps ensure that the right way to do things is being passed on to new technicians, and that experienced stagehands continue their education.
On August 14th and 15th, ETCP certified arena and theatre rigger (and recognized trainer), and owner of To The Moon Rigging, Justin Argenio held a 2 day training session for IATSE Local 417. It was attended by over 30 stagehands who enthusiastically received the program, which stressed safety and best practices throughout a rigorous look at arena rigging concepts and hands on exercises. The adjacent jurisdiction of Winston-Salem and Greensboro’s Local 635 was able to enhance this event with the loan of Eddie Blue to help with the hands-on segment of the training. Mr. Blue is an ETCP Subject Matter Expert for Arena Rigging.
Congratulations are due to Mr. Tippett and Jeremy Jackson for passing their ETCP examinations in Arena Rigging within the last year. Along with Mr. Argenio, they make up one third of the qualified arena riggers in the state, all located in the Research Triangle area. More technicians are to follow, and the Research Triangle will continue to advance the ideals set forth by ETCP.
Ex-Offenders and Unemployed Youth Gain New Skills as Stage Technicians
Live event production companies in Las Vegas soon will be able to fill the void with newly trained employees. The Stage Technician Education and Development Intensive (STEADI) certificate program and entertainment electrics course offered by UNLV Continuing Education provides participants with an entry-level, intensive education in live event production.
Eleven students participated in the inaugural class through Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow’s (FIT) re-entry initiative program, including some residing at Casa Grande, a Las Vegas work release program, and Goodwill of Southern Nevada’s unemployed youth program. The seven-day course concluded recently and prepared students to work in entry-level jobs in live event production.
FIT and Goodwill of Southern Nevada paid the tuition to train the students with funding from the US Department of Labor and Workforce Connections. “Students were selected based on their interest and motivation to work in an industry that embraces diversity, creativity, and second chances,” said Jodi Gilliland, program coordinator with UNLV Continuing Education.
Students gained applied experience within a state-of-the-art production facility at 4Wall Entertainment in Las Vegas and studied with two titans of live event production. Instructors Roy Bickel and Richard Cadena have had long careers in live event production rigging and electrics.
STEADI was held at 4Wall Entertainment. For course schedules, visit continuingeducation.unvl.edu/catalog or call 702-895-3394. There is also custom training available for employers on their own premises.
For more information, visit https://youtu.be/PGd3REsUCEA to see a video of the instructors discussing the course and its expectations.
