The seminar programme for PLASA Focus Leeds, which returns to the Royal Armouries on 10-11 May, has been announced with sessions from Soulsound, Association of Lighting Designers (ALD), BECTU and d&b audiotechnik.
This year’s programme aims to offer practical guidance for industry professionals with sessions including Justin Grealy of Soulsound hosting ‘A Sound Engineer’s Guide to Guitars and Guitarists’ and Dug Gutherie (Soulsound / Surfing Cow) looks in-depth at ‘Category Cables for Touring Applications’. Steve Jones from d&b Education and Application Support will present ‘Why Size Matters’ exploring how loudspeaker size affects its whole performance; its directivity, the direct to reverberant ratio and what loudspeaker throw actually means.
Elsewhere media and entertainment union BECTU will present ‘Tax Essentials for Freelancers’ by Tony Lennon. He will present top tips for freelancers from understanding your employment status to the options for offsetting business expenses against income. The Riggers’ Forum returns, led once again by Harry Box and Chris Higgs will feature a presentation called ‘Shouty, Shouty’, which will discuss the importance of ‘attitudes’.
The ALD’s session presents their ideas on finding a solution to encourage diversity. Association executive director Ian Saunders commented: “As a membership organisation, the seminar programme at shows such as PLASA Focus Leeds is an important part of opening up discussion around particular topics that affect those working in our industry. Whether that is concerned with current practice of lighting or video for live performance or issues that affect the future of structure of who we are and what we do. Points raised feed back into how as an organisation we relate to both members and the public as we develop future schemes and initiatives.”
“The free to attend seminar programmes at PLASA events enables the industry to have access to learn from expert speakers, discuss practical problems with their peers and discover the benefits of the latest technology in the market,” said director of events division, Christopher Toulmin. “We look forward to welcoming a variety of knowledgeable speakers to offer vital advice to attendees.”
