ETC Training Paths for Eos, Hog, and Lighting Basics

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Hey, everybody.
Welcome back to Geezers of Gear

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Future Tech.
I'm Chris, and today we're

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talking training, which I know
that can sound dry if you say it

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the wrong way, but in our world,
training's the difference

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between, yeah, I can probably
get through this show and cool,

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I've got this rig handled.
Yep and I'm Lacey and I love

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this topic because live events
people are usually learning

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while the truck doors are
opening which is not ideal like

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at all.
Exactly, ET CS education team

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has a pretty broad training set
up and the thing I like is it's

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not just random documentation
tossed on a website.

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They're very clearly focused on
service support and actual

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education with ETC certified
instructors and interactive

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instruction geared to what you
need.

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That interactive part matters
because if you're new to a

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console or you've been around
forever but you've got gaps, you

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don't need somebody just speed
running menu trees at you.

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You need to ask dumb questions,
and I say that lovingly because

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I ask dumb questions constantly.
There are no dumb questions.

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There are only expensive
mistakes in front of an

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audience.
That's the industry version.

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That is painfully true.
So let's start with EOS.

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Family training ETC lays this
out really well.

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EOS consoles are built for
conventional systems and also

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fully integrated lighting rigs,
and the training is offered at

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different levels depending on
your skill and what you already

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know.
So you've got EOS family levels

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one through 4 and then expert
topics too.

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Which I appreciate because
beginner and advanced can mean a

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lot of things.
One person's beginner is I've

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never touched an EOS desk.
Another person's beginner is I

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can patch and record queues, but
don't ask me to get fancy.

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Right, and once you move up,
ETC.

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Also lists those expert topics
in stuff like Augment 3D, Magic

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Sheets, Busking, Advanced
Effects, and Virtual Media

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Server.
So that's not baby steps.

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That's OK, I know my way around
this thing.

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Now let me get faster and
smarter.

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And that's where confidence
really shows up, because a lot

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of people can sort of operate a
console, fewer people can

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operate it cleanly under
pressure when rehearsal's moving

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too fast and everybody's staring
at you.

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Oh yeah, the real exam is never
the classroom.

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It's when the LD says can you
just tweak that effect and

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they've already turned around.
I felt stressed just hearing

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that.
Now on the HOG side, ET CS 2 Day

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Hog Family Training is aimed at
getting you using your HOG

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console like a pro.
Their description says it covers

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both basic and advanced features
and it's hands on with the HOG

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Control software across the HOG
Four family of consoles.

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That's a nice balance because
some folks are coming in brand

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new and some are going.
I've used Hog before, but I know

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I'm leaving speed on the table.
That's it.

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An ETC.
Specifically calls out that hog

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consoles are among the quickest
available, which is a very live

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events way to describe them.
Speed matters.

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If the desk lets you think less
and execute faster, that's huge.

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Also, not everything has to be a
deep end programmer class ETC

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has lighting essentials and I
think that's worth shouting out.

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It's a customizable learning
series with a broad range of

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lighting and stage craft topics,
and it's aimed at people who are

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new to lighting and the stage
environment.

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Yeah, and it's modular, 1845
minute sessions you can choose

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from to build what fits your
group or venue.

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That's smart.
Maybe you've got students, maybe

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you've got venue staff crossing
over into lighting, maybe you've

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got crew that understands
production generally, but needs

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the basics organized better.
That's me with gear.

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Half the time I know enough to
be useful and enough to be

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dangerous, and then I want
somebody to go.

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Nope, start here.
And trainer LED learning does

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that fast.
You get structure, hands on time

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and you build confidence quicker
than trying to stitch it all

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together from panic searching
videos the night before loading.

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Which absolutely no one
listening has ever done.

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Definitely not me at one dot AM.
Never couldn't be us.

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The other practical thing here
is access ETC.

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Says they offer in person
training around the world

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tailored to different locations
and needs.

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And for listeners here that
includes classes available

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across the US in multiple
locations.

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So this isn't one of those great
program now fly across the

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planet situations.
Yeah, and that matters for

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working crews.
If you can find training nearer

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to where you already are, it's
way easier to justify the time

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and budget.
ET CS whole setup encourages you

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to search for a specific course
and find training near you,

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which is honestly how busy
technicians think.

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Anyway, Show me the course, show
me the seat.

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Let's go.
And if you can't get to an in

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person class right away, they've
got online options too.

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That's where I think a lot of
people can keep momentum going

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instead of waiting for the
perfect time.

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For sure ETC points to video
tutorials which are short videos

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to either learn a topic or
refresh on specific things.

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For EOS and Hog family consoles,
I love refreshers.

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Sometimes you don't need a full
course, you just need to

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remember 1 workflow you haven't
used in six months.

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Yes, or someone says a term in
your brain just goes blank.

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A short tutorial can save your
dignity.

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Then there's Learning Stage,
their online training portal

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that gives you access to a wide
range of short courses and

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console training options.
So if you want more structured

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online learning, that's the
lane.

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And they also list other
resources beyond that, which I

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think is cool.
Webinars, archived and new

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sessions, educational projects
based on real world production

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scenarios, and custom training
if a school or organization

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wants something tailored.
Plus technician training and

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educator or student
downloadables.

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It's a pretty full ecosystem.
I mean where was I going with

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that?
Oh right this is bigger than

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just take a class.
It's more like ETC has built a

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path.
You can start with fundamentals,

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move into console specific work,
then keep sharpening with online

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materials and projects.
That path is important because

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our industry has people entering
from all over theatre folks,

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concert folks, venue staff,
students, freelancers,

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hospitality people who somehow
got handed a headset and then a

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follow spot.
There's no one normal entry

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point.
Exactly, and ETC seems to

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acknowledge that new learners
can get into Lighting

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Essentials.
Console users can dig into EOS

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or HOG.
More specialized users can look

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at Mosaic, Echo Flex, or Echo
Boot Camps too, if that's where

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their work is headed.
So the practical take away is

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pretty simple.
If you want to get better,

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there's probably a lane for you
in person across the US online

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through video tutorials and
learning stage and more support

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if you want to go deeper.
Yep.

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Go explore the current course
listings, look at what matches

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your level, and keep an eye on
where ET CS training is heading

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next.
If your rig is getting more

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capable, your training probably
ought to keep up with it.

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That's a good place to leave it,
Chris.

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Always fun.
Always, Laci, thanks for hanging

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with us, everybody.
We'll catch you next time on

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Geezers of Gear Future Tech Bye.
Bye folks.