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ASD WINTER SCHOOL

JANUARY 6TH TO 10TH, 2020

The Association of Sound Designers present a week of theatre sound seminars. These seminars are open and free to all students, apprentices and tutors regardless of where you study or what you study, as well as all members of the ASD, AMPS and the IPS. You can register for individual sessions, individual days or the whole event.

The Winter School is being held at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with their kind support.

ASD members may benefit from our travel assistance scheme and receive money towards the cost of travelling to this event.

MONDAY 6TH JANUARY
SOUND DESIGN

1.00PM - 2.30PM

SOUND ARTISTRY AND DESIGN

Melanie Wilson discusses how she approaches sound design, text and composition.

Melanie is a multi-disciplinary sound artist, composer, writer and theatre maker, with a unique approach to creating sound based performance. In this session she will introduce us to how she uses sound as a language, in order to create her narratives, and how we can all apply these techniques when producing sound for performance

3.00PM - 4.30PM
SOUND DESIGN, COLLABORATION AND AURAL ENGINEERING

Ben and Max Ringham share their secrets for designing as a team and tell us a little about their unique approach to designing sound led performances.

Recent credits for Ben and Max include The Girl on the Train - UK Tour; Berberian Sound Studio - Donmar Warehouse; Tartuffe - NT, Betrayal - Pinter Theatre; Party Skills - Shoreditch Town Hall; Shadow Factory - Nuffield Southampton; Trust - The Gate, Quiz - Noel Coward; Present Laughter - Chichester; Machinal - Almeida; Love and Information - Sheffield Theatre; King Lear - Duke of Yorks; Frida Kahlo - V&A; The Meeting - Chichester; Pinter at The Pinter: Pinter 3,4,5,6- Jamie Lloyd Co; The Wolves - Stratford East; Dick Whittington - Lyric Hammersmith

17:00-22:30

TRADE SECRETS: BACK STAGE TOUR
Duchess of Malfi, Almeida Theatre

Join the team at the Almeida, as they show you round their latest show, The Duchess of Malfi.

11AM - 5PM
TECH HUB WITH MEYER SOUND

Aside from the events happening in the Embassy Theatre, we are running our Tech Hub in the Studio theatre. Manufacturers and distributors will be on hand each day to answer questions, demo features and let you get hands on with the equipment.

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TUESDAY 7TH JANUARY
SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

10.30AM - 12NOON
SOUND SYSTEM ALIGNMENT

Sound designer Phil Wright leads this session, A 101 for beginners on sound system optimisation, avoiding comb filtering and maximising intelligibility.

Phil Wright has enjoyed two and a half decades in the Pro Audio Industry, specialising as a Sound Designer for large scale Classical / Concert / Broadcast / Dance / Cinema & Operatic productions. After training at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Phil spent the early part of his career working at Sound By Design Ltd, during which time he handled the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in- house sound contract. From 2000-2012 Phil also managed the SBD team handling the BBC Proms live sound requirements. In 2012 Phil went freelance to concentrate on the design & mixing side of his career, and Phil Wright Sound Limited was founded. In this new role Phil has continued to work with artistes, producers and companies of repute to produce award winning productions around the globe. Recent credits include: Ministry Of Sound – “The Annual Classical” – UK / Europe & World Touring. Hawkwind “In Search of Utopia” with Orchestra – UK Tour. Barrie Humphries – A Weimar Cabaret – Barbican Theatre, London, Sir Paul McCartney’s “Ecce Cor Meum” – Royal Albert Hall / Carnegie Hall. Not The Messiah, He’s A Very Naughty Boy” – 40th Aniv. Monty Python Show – DVD/Cinema. English National Ballet – “She Said” & “Voices of America” – World Premieres. Sadlers Wells, English National Ballet – “Swan Lake” & “Romeo & Juliet” – In The Round – Royal Albert Hall. Disney’s “Pixar In Concert” with Live Orchestra – UK Tour, Love Actually, with Live Orchestra – UK Tour, Paddington the Movie with Live Orchestra – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Katherine Jenkins – Mezzo Soprano - UK / European / World Touring since 2013, Lesley Garrett – Soprano – UK / European / World Touring since 1999.

1PM - 2.30PM
L-ACOUSTICS L-ISA

Julien Laval and Marcus Ross introduce the L-ISA spatial audio system.

3PM - 4.30PM
SOUND DESIGN IN AMAZING SPACES: CONTEXTUALISING THE THEORY

Scott Willsallen is an Emmy Award winning sound designer, well known for his experience in major international broadcast projects including Olympic Games, events, and systems infrastructure design for performance venues.

5PM - 6.30PM
VECTORWORKS: PLANNING YOUR SYSTEMS

Tom White looks at how to use Vectorworks software to plan and document a sound system.

11AM - 5PM
TECH HUB WITH SENNHEISER, L-ACOUSTICS, DiGiCo, RIEDEL

Evening Social

Sound Network Mixdown

Join the ASD team for the Annual Sound Network get together

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WEDNESDAY 8TH JANUARY
SUSTAINING THE FUTURE OF SOUND

10.30AM - 12NOON
d&b audiotechnik: ENVIRONMENTAL CHOICES IN A TECH LED WORLD

How can we innovate and reduce our environmental impact? Adam Hockley from d&b explains how they manage to create their innovative products while still protecting the environment.

Adam is a member of the Education & Application Support (EAS) team at d&b audiotechnik GB. With a background in touring theatrical productions, Adam has spent the last 6 years designing and consulting upon loudspeaker systems, predominantly for theatrical, live entertainment and corporate sound reinforcement applications. Since the launch of d&b Soundscape, Adam has specialised in supporting sound designers to apply the technology in their work. His role at d&b audiotechnik also involves developing and delivering training seminars and workshops.

1PM - 2.30PM
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 101, PLUS AN ADDICTIVE HISTORY OF BASS

Sound Designer Sarah Angliss gives an insight into what AI music is, or can be. Sarah will explore what an evolutionary algorithm is and what to say when you're asked about them. She will delve into how to apply the theory to your own work, while also informing the modern techniques with a brief history of how bass has been used to manipulate audiences.

Sarah Angliss is a sound designer, composer and robotic artist who creates distinctive sounds that blur the boundaries between sound design and musical composition. Sarah’s work reflects her lifelong fascination with ancient music, faded variety acts and defunct machines. Though her music, performance and writing, she explores the uncanny properties of technology, revealing resonances between European folklore and early notions of electricity and sound. Honoured to be the recipient of a 2018 Paul Hamyln Foundation Composers Award, Sarah is currently composing Giant, an electroacoustic chamber opera exploring the chilling betrayal of Charles Byrne (librettist Ross Sutherland; director and dramaturg Sarah Fahie). Giant is supported by Snape Music and funded by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation.

15:00-16:30PM

Introduction to Depping for Musical Theatre: Getting started, staying employed

Zoe Milton takes you through the skills you'll need to start your career in Musical Theatre. Explaining and demonstrating typical mic placement for musicals, outlining backstage responsibilities and getting advice from current number one sound engineers, this session will give you all you need to get you started in the West End and beyond.

5.30PM - 6.30PM
PANEL DISCUSSION: FUTURE OF THEATRE AUDIO

Hosted by Melanie Wilson, this panel brings together emerging and established practitioners, educators and artists to discuss the future of sound and the people making it. It will touch upon sound making as part of a multi-disciplinary theatre practise, informal routes into sound making, sound design as composition, feminist sound and how to look after yourself as a freelancer.

The panel will include Tim X Atack, Julie Rose Bower, Lou Platt and Peter Rice.

11:00AM - 5PM
TECH HUB WITH SHURE, WAVETOOL, D&B AUDIOTECHNIC AND YAMAHA

EVENING SOCIAL

Swiss Cottage Pub

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THURSDAY 9TH JANUARY
CO-OPERATION & INTEGRATION

10.30AM - 12NOON
STORY TELLING: TRANSFERRING SOUND DESIGN TO DIFFERENT MEDIUMS

Sound designer Kirsty Gillmore walks us through the techniques of designing for different mediums.

Kirsty Gillmore is an experienced sound designer and sound engineer she is also a fully trained classical musician, composer and experienced performer. Her credits include Kill Climate Deniers: The Pleasance Theatre, The Little Prince: Arcola Theatre, Cancel the Sunshine: Hope Theatre, L'Ospedale: Wilton's Music Hall, Murderer: Upstairs at the Gatehouse, The Shadow Formula: Greenwood Theatre.

1PM - 2.30PM

Designing for Musicals: Q&A with Richard Brooker

Join Richard as he unravels how he designs sound for musicals. In a change to the usual seminar format, Richard will answer your questions, discussing how his career has developed and giving you a unique insight into how he creates the sound environments for his performances. This session aims to create a relaxed and informal atmosphere that will allow attendees to learn as much as possible.

If you have a question for Richard you can email us in advance, or simply turn upon the day and take advantage of this opportunity to get to the heart of designing for musicals.

Richard Brooker's credits as sound designer include: Orfeus: Young Vic Theatre, West Side Story: Manchester Royal Exchange 2nd season, How The Grinch Stole Christmas: UK Tour, The Bodyguard: German Tour, West Side Story: Manchester Royal Exchange, Annie: UK Tour, The Bodyguard: UK Tour, Twelfth Night: Young Vic, Benidorm Live: UK Tour, Dusty: UK Tour, Sunshine on Leith: UK Tour, Sunshine on Leith: West Yorkshire Playhouse, Phantom Of The Opera: Staged Symphonic Concert, Moscow. Dreamgirls – West End, Funny Girl - Menier Chocolate Factory, West End & UK Tour, Sweet Charity - Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre, Sister Act - Leicester Curve & UK tour, Xanadu - Southwark Playhouse, Close To You: Bacharach Reimagined - West End & Menier Chocolate Factory, The Last Tango – West End & UK tour, Annie - UK Tour, Bend It Like Beckham – Phoenix Theatre London.

15:00-16:30

Integration of Lighting, Automation and Video Systems

Dominic Bilkey takes a look at the types of equipment and protocols used when linking different disciplines together.

17:00-18:30

PANEL DISCUSSION: UK Technical Backstage Entertainment Industry Mental Health Evaluation

Over the Summer of 2019, the biggest survey of backstage professionals was commissioned by industry Associations, ABTT, ALD, ASD, PLASA and PSA. In association with project “Blackout” the immersive mental health installation using lighting sound and video. The report has been completed and the results are going to be explained in this panel, hosted by Zoe Milton.

Join Dr. Paul Hanna (University of Surrey), Mig Burgess (Guildford School of Acting) and members of the ALD, ASD, ABTT, PLASA and PSA as they discuss how we can use this information to promote positive mental health within the industry and support the members of our industry who are currently coping with a mental health problem.

11AM - 5PM
TECH HUB WITH QLAB, AVID

EVENING SOCIAL

Join us for the world famous ASD/ALD Pub Quiz!

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FRIDAY 10TH JANUARY
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

10.30AM - 11.30AM
BUILDING A BRAND

Autograph Sound is a brand that has sustained it's self through the massive industry changes of the last 40 years. Find out what the team believes is the secret of their success and learn how you can apply that to your own brand.

12NOON - 1PM
YOU'RE NUMBER 1! NOW WHAT...

Join Roisine Mamdani as she gets to grips with the team building side of being a number one Sound Mixer in the West End.

Roisine has worked in theatre Sound teams across the country. Her West End credits include, Show Boat, School of Rock, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd and many more. Roisine is currently mixing The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe at the Bridge Theatre in London. Heading up a team of three, Roisine has developed skills which have no effect on her mixing, but are essential for a happy team. From interpersonal skills, communication with different departments and knowing how to get the best from your team members, learning how to navigate everyday situations is essential for all team members, especially the No1.

2PM - 3PM
TAX AND YOU

Join the team from Will Taylor Accountancy as they guide you through the finer details of tax compliance. Got a burning tax question? Email us and they can prepare an answer for you.

3PM - 4PM
WHAT IS PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE AND WHEN DO I NEED IT?

Join the team from Performance as they discuss what your PLI is for, how Professional Indemnity is different, and when you might need extra cover. Got an insurance related question? Email us and they can prepare an answer for you.