The 2022 New World Rigging Symposium – The Conversation Continues

| ETCP Certifiable News: Winter 2022 |

Registration is now open for the 2022 New World Rigging Symposium, which will take place online April 5-7, 2022. Produced by ESTA and USITT, the NWRS brings together professional riggers, engineers, manufacturers, venue managers, educators and students to further their rigging knowledge, hear about challenging projects, get up to speed on new technologies, discuss current industry challenges, and get their questions answered by a host of subject matter experts.

Comments from attendees of the 2021 virtual NWRS include, “You had interesting, smart people talking about stuff they are wizards at,” “I thought the sessions were well thought out and put together. The opportunity to just discuss with engineers was super valuable,” and “Definitely worth my time.”

The NWRS also offers valuable information to those working in other areas of the industry who want to further their knowledge of rigging. One attendee wrote ““As an electrician cross-training, I found the whole thing absolutely fascinating and really excellent. The entire open nature of getting as much good information out there and also really technical questions was fantastic.”

The session lineup features an array of subject matter experts sharing their knowledge on:

• Rope 201
• Load Monitoring Systems: Know Your Limits
• Rope Access in Entertainment: Training and Usage
• Performer Flying Case Study: It Happened at Wembley
• Hosting Road Shows at a University
• What the Engineers Want You to Know
• Touring Overseas: Getting Your Ducks in a Row
• Rigging Challenges: Infrastructure Case Studies
• Women Riggers of ETCP
• Intro to Mental Health First Aid

The three-day Symposium will also include breakout rooms where attendees can get in-depth information from our sponsors as well as virtual networking opportunities with attendees and presenters. The Symposium will carry ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification. For a list of presenters, visit www.esta.org/nwrs. The cost of the NWRS is just $99. Register now!

Thanks to our sponsors for making the 2022 NWRS possible: Electronic Theatre Controls and Sapsis Rigging (Platinum); Kish Rigging, TAIT, Texas Scenic Company, and Wenger|J.R. Clancy (Gold); IA Stage, The Light Source, Reed Rigging, Reliable Design, and Stage Rigging (Silver); CM-ET, DeLong Rigging Solutions, EPS, Geiger Engineers, H&H Specialties, and Tyler Truss (Bronze); Lighting&Sound America and Protocol (Media Partners). There are a limited number of sponsorship opportunities still available. Contact riggingsymposium@esta.org for more information.

Winter 2021: Attend the Virtual New World Rigging Symposium

| ETCP Certifiable News: Winter 2021 |

Earn ETCP continuing education renewal credits by attending the virtual 2021 New World Rigging Symposium. Learn more at https://www.esta.org/events/symposium/nwrs.html. Attending the full Symposium will carry up to nine ETCP education renewal credits for recertification—and enjoy the inspiration and informative sessions from the comfort of your home!

Registration is now open for the New World Rigging Symposium (NWRS), produced by ESTA and USITT, which will take place online April 6 – 8, 2021. The NWRS provides a virtual opportunity for riggers and those interested in the entertainment rigging industry to network, discuss current issues and new technologies, and help shape the future of the industry. The cost has been reduced to $99 and the Symposium carries up to nine ETCP education renewal credits for recertification.

Participants will be given a range of opportunities to further their technical knowledge in sessions on video wall rigging, automation and motorization, performer flying and rescue, and types of ropes. They’ll have a chance to learn about how the installation of a tension grid is working in a major facility, to get their questions answered by a panel of the industry’s most knowledgeable structural engineers, learn about working in cinema rigging, and how to be aware of and address the mental health impact of the pandemic. Jeanette Farmer will deliver the Symposium’s Keynote speech. Visit www.esta.org/nwrs to see a complete schedule, session descriptions, and presenters.

The Symposium has been expanded to three days to allow more time for discussion and virtual networking over lunch and during the Rigging Cornucopia Happy Hour that will close each day’s sessions.

Thank you to our sponsors for making the 2021 New World Rigging Symposium possible:

Stage Rigging (Platinum); ETC (Gold); Certex, Geiger Engineers, Kish Rigging, and TAIT (Silver); CM-ET, H&H Specialties, Reed Rigging, Reliable Design, Sapsis Rigging Inc., Texas Scenic Company, and Wenger | J.R. Clancy (Bronze).

Winter 2019: Rocky Paulson – Keynote Speaker New World Rigging Symposium - March 19-20, 2019

| ETCP Certifiable News: Winter 2019 |

ESTA and USITT announce the second New World Rigging Symposium, taking place March 19-20, 2019 in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo 2019 in Louisville, KY. Building on the enormous success of last year’s inaugural symposium, the 2019 event will once again provide an opportunity for riggers and those interested in the live entertainment rigging industry to network, discuss current issues and new technologies, and help shape the future of the industry. 

Registration for the two day Symposium, including lunches, reception and a USITT Stage Expo floor pass, is $375. Register for both the Symposium and the full USITT Conference for just $675. Click here to register. Scroll down to see the full list of sessions.

Attendees at the 2018 symposium were impressed with the knowledge and passion of the presenters and their fellow attendees, which made for an educational and inspirational event. The mix of professional riggers, engineers, health and safety professionals, venue managers, educators, and manufacturers ensured stimulating and sometimes spirited interactions in the sessions as well as the networking events. One attendee commented, “Sitting in the room and hearing the talk, discussion, and questions–priceless.”

Rocky Paulson, a production rigger for over 35 years and the founder of Stage Rigging, Inc. will be delivering the Keynote Address. Rocky rigged some of the largest and most prestigious shows and events ever produced. In the early days, while working with other pioneers of rigging, he helped to establish many of the standard practices of arena rigging that are still used today by riggers worldwide. Rocky has spent years teaching rigging and fall protection seminars. He was one of the first members of ESTA's Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group and authored its first ANSI standard on wire rope ladders. Rocky was also a co-chair of the original subject matter experts for the development of the ETCP arena rigging certification.

ETCP Certificants can satisfy all 10 of the education points by attending the symposium.

Sessions:

TUESDAY, MARCH 19th

Keynote Address by Rocky Paulson

Challenge Accepted! Creating the Unknown: A Case Study
Colin Peters, Alex Serrano, Jim Shumway
A discussion and presentation of the challenges created from new innovations and first-time designs, creations, and fabrications; a case study of a New Year’s Eve project. From artists’ concepts to reality and of all the struggles, hurdles, and frustrations in between to achieve the dream of sailing into the New Year. Professionals from Tait Towers and Rock Lititz will discuss the problem solving, resourcefulness, stress, pressure management, and the decision-making processes of taking an innovative rigging and aerialist project from concept to reality. 

Entertainment Engineering: How to Get Everyone on the Same Page 
Roger Bardwell, Bill Gorlin
Every installation has its challenges. How do production and engineering communicate effectively? Two experienced professionals, an engineer and a production specialist, discuss how to talk to each other.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Identifying Fall Hazards in Your Work Environment
TBD
We all know they are there, but we don't always see them. Almost all performance venues have fall risks hiding in plain sight. Some are built in, and some are created in the course of our production work. Learn how to identify and resolve these hazards.

Measuring the Uncertainties: Understanding and Working with Load Cells
David Bond, Jeff Reder
Touring rigs, whether concert or theatrical, have become larger, heavier and more complex and our understanding of indeterminate structures has matured. All of this points to the need for load cells in day to day operations. This is a primer on what load cells do and how to use the information they provide. 

Risk Assessment: Where Do I Start?
Dominic Housiaux, Mike Kelly, Orestes Mihaly 
Every facet of law and insurance tells us we have to do a risk assessment of our work before we begin. Learn how to do a risk assessment - what are the processes, practical and legal, for establishing engineering, administrative and pro-active policies to protect workers and the public.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20th

Automation in a Theatrical Environment
TBD
As technology progresses more and more theatrical conventions have become automated. Everything from the fly system to the deck wagons to the scenery itself can be and often is controlled by some form of automation. We will explore the state of automation in theatrical productions and where the panelists believe we are heading next.

Mental Health in the Entertainment Work Environment
(sponsored by Behind the Scenes and MusiCares)
John Draper, Eddie Raymond
The pressures of life in the entertainment world are increasingly difficult and the stress is taking its toll on our fellow workers. Depression and suicide are all too common in our industry. Learn how to recognize the danger signs and where to find the resources to use when we encounter someone in need of assistance. John Draper is the Executive Director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Engineering for Success: Why Things Don't Fall Down
TBD
Structural design is not a simple process. It should incorporate: design factors, venue analysis, temporary or permanent installation considerations, and a plethora of other elements. We tend to take for granted that the rig will stay up; this session will help us appreciate why. 

Creating a Professional Work Environment
Sarah Gascoine, Eddie Raymond, Eric Rouse
The world of entertainment rigging has matured, and the work force has diversified. The old ways of looking at our work place are obsolete and it is time to create environments that are inclusive and provide opportunity for everyone. A panel of diverse entertainment professionals will discuss their views on today’s work places and offer suggestions for improving those environments.

Hot Button Issues and The Way Forward
Eddie Raymond, Bill Sapsis
You will receive a comment card at the beginning of the symposium to direct the conversation for this session. What’s keeping you up at night? What is it you’ve always wanted to see done differently? What is it you’ve always wanted to see change, but hasn’t? Concluding with a wrap-up of the 2019 New World Rigging Symposium and a look to future discussion topics for the 2020 Symposium. 

Spring 2018: Presenters Announced for the New World Rigging Symposium

| ETCP Certifiable News: Spring 2018 |

ESTA and USITT announce the presenters for the upcoming New World Rigging Symposium, March 13-14 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo. Full session descriptions can be found at www.esta.org/nwrs_sessions. The Symposium will carry 10 ETCP education renewal credits for re-certification.

• Keynote Address: Scott Fisher
• Show Rigging on Cruise Ships. Big ideas. Tiny venues: Bob Murphy, Paul Riley,Loren Schreiber
• Ground Support Concert Rigs: Mike Garl, Jeff Reder, Jose Roche, Will Todd
• ANSI Standards and ICOPER. Paperwork that’s actually useful: Tiny Good, Karl Ruling, Bill Sapsis
• Damn it, Jim. I’m a chain hoist, not a winch: Rick Montgomery, Eric Rouse, Ken Tilson
• OSHA, Risk Assessments and Rigging Emergency Action Plans: Steve Adelman, Tony Galuppi, Eddie Raymond
• Automation and Touring. Because we can: Joe McGeough, Bob Powers, Jim Shumway
• Structural Engineering. For when guessing just won’t do: Bill Gorlin, Michael Nishball, Miriam Paschetto
• Training, Certification and Liability. It’s a good start: Pete Donovan, Eddie Raymond, Drew Wending

Registration for the Symposium is open at www.usittshow.com/registration. Registration for the two-day symposium, including lunches, is $375 and attendees will receive a free show floor pass to the USITT Stage Expo March 15-17. Attendees wishing to attend the full USITT Conference will receive a discounted price of $675 for both events.

Winter 2017: New World Rigging Symposium Sessions Announced

| ETCP Certifiable News: Winter 2017 |

ESTA and USITT announce the session lineup for the New World Rigging Symposium, taking place March 13-14, 2018 in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo 2018 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In these ten sessions participants will be given the opportunity to further their technical knowledge, keep up to date with codes and standards, and learn what it’s like to work as a rigger in other segments of the entertainment industry. Attendees will also hear from experts in related fields. Full session descriptions can be found at www.esta.org/nwrs_sessions.

• Keynote Address: Scott Fisher
• Show Rigging on Cruise Ships. Big ideas. Tiny venues.
• Ground Support Concert Rigs
• ANSI Standards and ICOPER. Paperwork that’s actually useful.
• OSHA, Risk Assessments and Rigging Emergency Action Plans
• Damn it, Jim. I’m a chain hoist, not a winch.
• Automation and Touring. Because we can.
• Structural Engineering. For when guessing just won’t do.
• Training, Certification and Liability. It’s a good start.
• Young Riggers Networking Lunch
• Hot Button Issues

The New World Rigging Symposium will also include multiple opportunities for attendees to network and a special lunch will include young industry members keen to learn from the professionals about how to pursue a career as a rigger. 

Registration for the Symposium is now open at www.usittshow.com/registration. Registration for the two-day symposium, including lunches, is $375 and attendees will receive a free show floor pass to the USITT Stage Expo March 15-17. Attendees wishing to attend the full USITT Conference will receive a discounted price of $675 for both events. A wide range of sponsorship opportunities is also available at www.esta.org/nwrs_sponsorships.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

AV Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Bronze Sponsor