TH 3399
Production Practicum III
Master Electrician
2 cr.

Ethan Hollinger

Office: MPAC 110
Phone: 218-726-7807
Email: eholling@d.umn.edu

Course Objective: To provide students with practical experience working as a production Master Electrician on a UMD Department production.

Learning Outcomes: Student Master Electricians will develop skills in reading and analyzing lighting plots and paperwork, creating schedules, and general skills in theatrical electrical implementation. Master Electricians will also gain leadership skills through managing the load ins, and working collaboratively with the other production departments.

Expectations: The student must meet all expectations as specified by the course instructor.

Evaluation: At the end of the semester, the instructor will assign a letter grade for the student work based upon predetermined expectations

Learning Objectives:
- Develop fluency in understanding and explaining theatrical lighting terminology and paperwork  
- Develop leadership skills through crew management
- Define and explain the role of the production master electrician
- Collaborate effectively with other production areas
- Create and execute effective implementation schedules
- Develop proficiency with Vectorworks and Lightwright

Course Requirements:
- Meet with designer upon plot completion to discuss implementation and potential difficulties
- Meet with Practicum Instructor prior to each work session
- Manage paperwork and plot changes via Vectorworks and Lightwright
- Manage practicum students
- Ensure proper implementation and integrity of lighting design

Job Description:
The Master Electrician is responsible for accessing the lighting design for implementation, loading the system in, implementing changes discovered during tech, maintaining the system throughout the run, and striking the system after the run. The ME works with the Programmer, Lighting Designer, and Stage Management team. The ME will also work with Scenic, Properties, and Costume departments to collaborate on specific effects and the timing of general implementation.

Specific Duties
Pre Load-in:
- Access plot for work flow, fixture counts, circuit counts, color and template counts.
- Look for problems in implementation
- Determine problems that will need to be implemented in collaboration with Scenic
- Determine Universe and Address layout for intelligent fixtures
- Determine power distribution for intelligent fixtures
- Determine layout of lighting network
- Discuss practicals or electrified prop pieces with Scenic, Properties, and Management
- Create load in schedule for realistic deadlines with Focus and Tech in mind

Load in:
- Manage load in
- Implement plot
- Implement lighting Network
- Address intelligent fixtures
- Facilitate in house tech position for console
- Maintain paperwork for dimmer numbers
- Maintain any changes to paperwork or plot that come up during load in
- Implement electrified props or practicals
- Access color and gobo inventory and needs
- Provide purchase list for color and gobos
- Implement spot lights and spotlight color if needed

Pre Focus:
- Schedule patching time with Programmer
- Patch rig
- Troubleshoot rig
- Cut and frame color and gobos
- Sort and distribute color to hanging positions

Focus:
- Run focus
- Ensure that all workers and designer are on task
- Facilitate all fixtures being focused

Tech:
- Check in with designer after every rehearsal to discuss notes
- Implement designer notes

System Check:
- Write up system start up and shutdown checklists
- Instruct board ops and spot ops on system check
- Run System checks each instance of rehearsal or show

Strike:
- Determine strike plan in collaboration with practicum instructor and Scenic
- Run strike
- As part of strike, hang, circuit, patch and focus rep plot

Seeing a Run Through:
The ME is generally not required to see a run through of the show.

Dress Code:
The ME will dress in shop appropriate clothes. Close toed and closed heeled shoes, no loose clothing, no loose hair.

Technical Rehearsals:
The ME is not typically required at technical rehearsals, however, the ME is required to manage system checks before the rehearsals begin.

Dress Rehearsals/Performances:
The ME is not typically required at technical rehearsals, however, the ME is required to manage system checks before the rehearsals or performances begin.

Strike:
Generally, Strike is held on the Sunday afternoon after the Saturday night performance. There
are the odd productions which close on a Sunday, which means strike will commence immediately after the final performance. The ME is responsible for running at least one of the strike sections.

Grading:
Final grade will be determined by the Instructor after consulting necessary production team members with regards to how well the duties listed above were executed.