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 Sound Engineer on a UMD Department production.

Learning Outcomes: Student Sound Engineers will develop skills in reading and analyzing sound plots and paperwork, creating schedules, and general skills in theatrical audio and electrical implementation. Sound Engineers 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 audio terminology and paperwork
- Develop leadership skills through crew management
- Define and explain the role of the production sound engineer
- Collaborate effectively with other production areas
- Create and execute effective implementation schedules
- Develop proficiency with Qlab and audio console

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
- Manage practicum students
- Ensure proper implementation and integrity of sound design

Job Description:
The Sound Engineer is responsible for accessing the sound 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 SE works with the Sound Designer and Stage Management team. The ME will also work with Scenic, Lighting, 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, speaker layout and amp distribution
- Look for problems in implementation
- Determine problems that will need to be implemented in collaboration with Scenic, Lighting, or Costuming
- Confirm amp and speaker distribution
- Determine power distribution for active speakers
- Determine layout of sound network
- Discuss practicals effects and set mounted speakers with Scenic, Properties, and Management
- Create load in schedule for realistic deadlines with Tech in mind.

Load in:
- Manage load in
- Implement speaker layout
- Implement sound network
- Facilitate in house tech position for console if needed
- Maintain any changes to paperwork or plot that come up during load in. ○  Implement practicals or set mounted speakers.
- Troubleshoot rig

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 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, restore rep system.

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

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

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

Dress Rehearsals/Performances:
The SE 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 SE 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.