LD-at-Large Podcast

with Brent Clark - Lighting Designer

On this episode, we discuss surviving almost three months and eighty-one games in the HNL bubble in Edmonton, Alberta, how he got through the monotony, the adventures that he encountered, the testing, the quarantines, the boredom, the excitement, the people, the interactions, the rules, the regulations, the yard, the flights, the lighting and the tribulations.

Please visit: http://www.lightingdesignbybc.com

with Myles Mangino - Lighting & Production Designer at Highlt Production Design Studio

On this episode, we discuss what can we do to keep up our rates post-COVID, working on the Biden/Harris campaign trail, the additional costs of providing PPE, how flexible we should be in giving a break for lower attendance rates, if we should encourage our clients to use local talent instead of flying people interstate, the possibilities of even stricter safety precautions and who should consume the costs of additional production costs during a pandemic.

Please visit: www.highlt.com

with Wu Chen Khoo - Freelance Lighting Designer, Technical Director and Stagehand out of Minneapolis, Minnesota

On this episode, we discuss how racism and classism exist in our industry, how travel restrictions can reduce business opportunities, what it’s like for immigrants to be working in entertainment, the role of classism in shaping the work of the local theater, how we can improve working conditions, how to encourage diversity in entertainment, how to create equal opportunities, and the inherent flaws in hiring practices.

Please visit: https://www.facebook.com/ClassandtheArts/ and http://www.techtoolstraining.org/

with Michael Meacham - Co-owner at iDesign Productions

On this episode, we discuss lighting for function vs. lighting for art, the importance of designing for fleeting moments as opposed to permanent installations, taking pride when people notice the lighting and when they don’t, starting small with a passion for lights in the DC nightclub scene, the nightclub scene compared to EDM today, transitioning to fountain designs, how to soak up the vibe of a place that doesn’t exist and decide what lighting is perfect, how previz has helped transfer that creative insights to a client, how to assemble a team to help create vision, and how having a strong team can help designers stay creative.

Please visit: www.idesignproductions.com

with Ross Chapple - Lighting Designer

On this episode, we discuss what drew him into the EDM world, what the EDM lifestyle is like, when to light the audience and when to leave them in the dark, lighting for cell phones, when to go high tech and when to rely on the basics, how much creative input and freedom he is required to express, the difference between working under strict guidelines and working with wide open free range, and the concerns of using technology responsibly.

Please visit: http://www.ross-chapple.com/

with Vincent Steenhoek - Founder and Managing Director at EVOKE Studios

On this episode, we discuss how AR and XR can never replace live events but they can amplify and elevate live events and corporate meetings, the difference between XR, VR and AR, what kind of planning is necessary for a show that includes augmented reality, how to manage infinite possibilities, how the isolation period has affected many business models, how to determine if the technology is adding to the message or upstaging the message, how technology could be making shows easier or more complex to produce (set design vs. content creation), and the mental health concerns of a digital entertainment industry.

Please visit: http://evokestudios.io/

You can have a look at the reel: https://evokestudios.io/works/aim-awards-2020/

with Megan Dougherty - Lighting Designer

On this episode, we discuss her origin story, giving out set-lists, adjusting to domestic life, working outside the lighting industry, traveling in a van, finding a niche in the entertainment industry, how to remain creative in the face of budgetary restrictions, unpaid internships, investing in ourselves and our exit strategies.

Please visit: www.megstagedesigns.com

with Jim Digby - Co-Founder of the Event Safety Alliance

On this episode, we discuss the mental and physical scars of injuries, maintaining safety in the "New Abnormal", what brought Jim into the forefront of industry safety and his nerdy safety journey, the considerations for outdoor events, the necessity of safety leadership, who takes liability for the audience well being, the importance of forethought and pre-planning, the power and necessity of live entertainment, COVID concerns, the duty of care, and finally the 2020 Event Safety Summit Dec 7, 2020 – Dec 11, 2020.

Please visit:  https://www.eventsafetyalliance.org/events/2020/12/7/2020-event-safety-summit-virtual

with Dawn Chiang - Seasoned Lighting Designer out of Connecticut

On this episode, we discuss the ways that we can give back to the industry, ways that we can accept help from our own industry, the human right to experience entertainment, the altruism of getting involved in our industry, the necessity of qualified mentors, chiseling away at the stigma against mental health, and three of the projects that Dawn supports including:

The Wendy Project - https://www.tdf.org/nyc/59/Wendy-Wasserstein-Project

Behind the Scenes - https://wp.behindthescenescharity.org/

Actors Fund - https://actorsfund.org/

Please consider donating to these organizations if you can or reach out for support if you need it.

Please visit: http://www.dawnchiang.com/ and follow https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnchiang/

with:

Mat Stovall, Lighting Designer

and Zach Matusow, Lighting Designer and Director

On this episode, we discuss traveling to China to do a show in the midst of a global pandemic, League of Legends - Worlds 2020, the rise of eSports games, the quarantine process, the flight over, working in China, the working guidelines and environment, the COVID screening process with documentation, WeChat,

Five weeks of XR environment studio shows, the audience at the show, and how the crew interacted before, during and after the show.

Please visit: http://www.zachmatusow.com/