Emily Lord's CEM Blog

This blog is by a Creative Events Management student, for other Events Management students or anyone else who may be interested. 

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Lighting

Lighting is “a fundamental element in creating a memorable and lasting impact” at an event. (Raj, Walters, Rashid, 2013. p.303)

There are four main components to lighting a stage or venue successfully. These are:

Light:

Profile spots (spotlights). The most common theatre lights. Better used individually. Gobos can be added to project images.

                   (Fig 1. Bron Elektronik AG Allschwil 2015): Gobos

Wash lights. Soft edged and when overlapped, the light intensity remains the same (unlike spots). Most commonly used to light the whole stage.

Birdies. Stand alone and can be plugged into a regular socket (though brightness control will be lost). Best used when other lighting equipment is not available.

 Support:

Scaffolds

Trusses

Grids

 Power:

Dimmers

Distribution

 Control:

Desks

Virtual lighting design package

 How to suspend lanterns:

1.      Go in behind the truss/grid/scaffold, so the lantern is facing away from              you.

2.      Hook it on to the bar and tighten the screw on the hook.

3.      Lock it on with the safety wire.

4.      Do not plug it in until the last minute.

5.      Wrap the cable that connects it to the desk around the bar, but not so              tightly that the light can’t be adjusted.

6.      Plug the lantern into the control desk and it will come on.

7.      From the desk you can then program the lights.

List of Figures

Figure 1. Bron Elektronik AG Allschwil. 2015. Gobos. Broncolor [online] Available at: http://www.bron.ch/broncolor/products/lamps/showproduct/light-shapers-for-pulso-spot/gobo-set-for-optical-snoot/?cHash=0407c76f6b9a97ce6e062aa5864a4f1a#.VkTWc7fhDIW [accessed 09/11/15]

Bibliography

RAJ, Razaq. WALTERS, Paul. RASHID, Tahir. 2013. Events Management: Principles and Practice. 2nd edn. London: SAGE Publications.

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Audio

How to set up a PA system: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76297CD09C71BB70

 Some good things to know about audio and PA systems:

An active speaker has an amplifier inside it so you don’t need to plug it in to an amp.

Cables and the device they plug in to have male and female ends. The male is output (pronged) and the female is input (holes). A male end can only connect to a female end and vice versa.

Line-in sockets on the back of the sound board are used for anything with a jack cable (guitars, ipods, etc.) and XLR sockets are used for mics.

Do not plug the PA into a domestic socket; you need to use tech power (TP).

Always turn on the mixing desk before the speakers so they do not blow, and then turn the speakers off first. You should also mute everything before unplugging anything.

Monitors face the performer(s) so they can hear what they are playing, and are connected to the sound board via an auxiliary cable.

When hiring a band, get a ‘tech spec’ from them. This will help you to set up the sound system and stage the way they require it to be.

It is important to assess the venue in case there are any restrictions on audio (e.g. decibel levels).

             (Fig 1. London School of Sound 2012): How to Coil Cables

List of Figures

Figure 1. London School of Sound. 2012. How to Coil Cables [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEd7ru24Vx0&feature=youtu.be [accessed 09/11/15]

Bibliography

expertvillage. 2008. How to Set Up a PA System [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76297CD09C71BB70 [accessed 09/11/15]

RAJ, Razaq. WALTERS, Paul. RASHID, Tahir. 2013. Events Management: Principles and Practice. 2nd edn. London: SAGE Publications.

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Working At Height

Working at height (WAH) is “work in any place where… a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury”. (Anon, 2015)

There is specific access equipment that should be used for WAH; including ladders, scaffolds and mobile elevated work programs (MEWPs). This equipment should be safe for use and should only be used by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training.

                (Fig 1. Working At Height Ltd 2013): Genie (MEWP)

WAH must only be undertaken when unavoidable. You must use the appropriate equipment and have been trained to use it, and you must not work at height alone. You must also report any fault with any equipment immediately.

 When preparing to work at height:

Prepare as much as you can at ground level

Inspect your equipment

Make sure your ground crew know what you are doing

Keep three points of contact on the WAH access equipment at all times

Climb slowly and always face the ladder

Do not hold things whilst you climb; get someone to pass or winch them up later

The current legislation surrounding WAH is the Health and Safety at Work Act, WAHR, PUWER and LOLER.

List of Figures

Figure 1. Working At Height Ltd. 2015. Genie (MEWP). Working At Height Ltd. [online] Available at: http://www.workingatheightltd.com/powered_access_platforms/genie_used_access_platforms/genie_used_access_platforms.php [accessed 05/11/15]

Bibliography

Anon. 2015. Working at Height [online] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/height.htm [accessed 05/11/15]

Health and Safety Executive. 1974. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/contents [accessed 05/11/15]

Health and Safety Executive. 2005. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/735/contents/made [accessed 05/11/15]

Health and Safety Executive. 1998. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/made [accessed 05/11/15]

Health and Safety Executive. 1998. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2307/contents/made [accessed 05/11/15]

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Rigging and Manual Handling

Rigging

 The rigging area must be treated like a building site. Hard hats and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be worn by everyone whilst rigging is taking place.

Everything used for lifting (carabiners, screw pin shackles, etc.) is marked with how much it can hold. Do not exceed this.

                 (Fig 1. A. Noble & Son Ltd 2015): Screw Pin Shackle

All lifting equipment must come with a CE marking. This marking “means that the manufacturer has checked that the product complies with all relevant essential requirements”. (Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, 2012)

More info on the CE marking

More info on rigging regulations

 Manual Handling

Manual Handling is “any activity that requires an individual to lift, move or support a load”. (Anon, 2013)

When lifting:

1.       Plan the lift – think about how heavy the object is and where you are               taking it.

2.       Place your feet apart

3.       Bend your knees, not your back

4.       Grip the load with your palms, not just your fingers

5.       Lift smoothly and avoid jerking movements

6.       When carrying, keep the load as close to your body as possible, with the           heaviest side of the load closest to you

(Occupational Health Department Imperial College London, 2015)

          (Fig 2. Healthwise, Incorporated 2015): Proper Lifting Technique

List of Figures

Figure 1.  A. Noble & Son Ltd. 2015. Screw Pin Shackle. Nobles [online] Available at: http://www.nobles.com.au/Products/Lifting-Rigging/Shackles/Blue-Pin-Bow-Shackles-Safety-Pin [accessed 10/11/15]

Figure 2. Healthwise Incorporated. 2015. Proper Lifting Technique. WebMD [online] Available at: http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/proper-lifting-technique [accessed 12/11/15]

Bibliography 

Department of Business, Innovation & Skills. 2012. CE Marking [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ce-marking [accessed 09/11/15]

Anon. 2015. Guidance For Rigging In UK Venues [online] Available at: http://www.aeo.org.uk/files/naa_rigging_guidance.pdf [accessed 09/11/15]

Occupational Health Department Imperial College London. 2015. Moving and Handling Techniques [online] Available at: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/pls/portallive/docs/1/15879696.PDF [accessed 09/11/15]

Anon. 2013. Manual Handling [online] Available at: http://www.healthyworkinglives.com/advice/work-equipment/manual-handling [accessed 09/11/15]

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Risk Assessments and Health & Safety

Risk Assessments

A risk assessment (RA) is needed for every event; you cannot hand in an old RA for the same venue. The point of an RA is to say that the task (event) is safe to carry out but not necessarily that the task is safe, though generally a good RA should make it as safe as possible.

A blank RA form

If you are managing an event but have not written the RA yourself, check it before it is handed in because if something were to go wrong, you would be responsible.

General Health and Safety

Common hazards at events: weather, fire, electricity, vehicles, machines, working at height, lifting, manual handling, slips, trips & falls

If you hire technicians, ask if they comply with legislation and check to see if their equipment has been tested.

All electrical appliances must be PAT tested to insure they are safe, and technicians should also check the equipment before it is used.

Try to keep cables on the floor in straight lines and out of the way so they don’t become trip hazards. Black tape is used to hide the wires and white tape to make them visible (for fire exits and to show where lights are, etc.)

  Bibliography

Anon. 2015. Fuseboxes Explained [online] Available at: http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/electrical-items/fuseboxes-explained/ [accessed 08/11/15]

JOINES, Paul. 2015. Risk Assessment [online] Available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4y5BRIm_APZQ1FuT2NuWjFPMWs/view [accessed 05/11/15]

Anon. 2015. PAT Testing and Portable Appliance Testing information [online] Available at: http://www.pat-testing.info/ [accessed 05/10/15]

Health and Safety Executive. 1998. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/made [accessed 05/11/15]