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ETC Announces School Winners
Peter Willis, development director of Howard Eaton Lighting, nominated St Giles Primary School in Horsted Keynes for ETC's grand prize draw, consisting of an ETC SmartFade lighting control desk, two SmartBar dimmer bars, four Source Four PAR washlights, four Source Four junior Zoom spotlights, and two SmartStand portable lighting bars.
Peter, whose daughter Laura attended the school until July, said: "I am delighted to have won such a competent package of equipment on behalf of the school, and I hope that it can become both a school and village resource. Some years ago the school, with considerable help from the local community, was able to fund the construction of a new hall, although sadly the allowance for lighting was restricted to some 32A outlets and empty trunking. Since that time Howard Eaton Lighting has supplied some lighting bars, but I have still had to beg and borrow equipment for the various school shows, not to mention the ones in the local village hall.
"Like many in this business, I got hooked at primary school, in my case as a workhouse boy in a 1970 production of Oliver - although I traded gruel for technology when it came to asking for more! I joined the lighting department during rehearsals and was in charge of the electric fire flicker effect (a plug and a loose socket, manually operated), and cross patching the limited number of lights to the even more limited number of dimmers, between scenes. My thanks go to everyone at ETC for this opportunity to further the children's interest in the performance arts."
Used by professionals and not-so-professionals alike, the Smart Solutions range is ideal for schools and small theatres, because the SmartBars can be plugged straight into a domestic mains supply.
Mark White, ETC's regional manager for UK and Ireland, said: "We are delighted to be able to help St Giles and the wider community around the village of Horsted Keynes. So many people in the theatre, like Peter, say that it was their school that first introduced them to their profession. We wanted to give them - the people that use our equipment - a chance to say thank you. With the combination of Peter and the lighting equipment, the children of St Giles really are the winners!"
"School performances play a very important role in children's educational development," says the school's head teacher, Joanna Francis. "We're all so pleased to have been entered and won this competition. We were concerned that when Peter's daughter left, we would lose his skills as a lighting designer. I know that isn't so, but nevertheless this equipment will make everything so much easier. It's so simple to use that Peter might lose his job to one of the older children!"
Other winners of new ETC products at PLASA 2005 were Ron Hill, of Sutton Theatres, Chris Hook, StageRats Ltd, Nathaniel Keiller, Theatre Royal Windsor and Becky Daley, JP:LX. All four each won a Source Four complete with the new EDLT - Enhanced Definition Lens Tube option. Whenever a crisp edge is needed for a window gobo in a theatrical scene, or whenever a projected corporate logo needs to be spot on, the EDLT is the choice. Set for delivery in December, the Enhanced Definition Lens Tube option will be available in 19º, 26º, and 36º beam angles, with the 50º beam angle will follow in the first quarter of 2006. The PLASA draw winners will be presented with their Source Fours at the ETC Christmas party in December.
In picture: ETC’s Mark White about to unload the kit at St Giles school and some of the first year pupils at St Giles try their hand at lighting.
6th October 2005
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