ETC jump-starts the Year of the Goat with training tour in Asia

In February, ETC conducted a regional training tour on the Eos Ti® lighting control console for users and clients in Seoul and Hong Kong. Led by ETC trainer Matthias Strobel, and in collaboration with ETC's authorized dealer C&C Lightway and ETC Asia, the training familiarized new users with the Eos console family's programming and philosophy, and provided experienced programmers with additional training on advanced features.  

The Seoul training held by C&C included two sessions, a five-day seminar for their client, TKLS, an influential rental company in Korea that provides equipment for many theatrical shows and other events; and a two-day seminar for the Technical Service department staff of C&C. 

The TKLS event had 10 participants who were new to the Eos Ti console but are experienced programmers on other manufacturers' products. Strobel began the training with an introduction to the console's hardware layout and its basic command-line syntax, and then moved on to sophisticated control features, such as show control, multiple cue lists, and all kind of effects. While the schedule at C&C mainly focused on recently added software features like the new workspace tools and some advanced features, such as the virtual media server for pixel-mapping and the console setup menu.

"The purpose of the Eos Ti training was to educate operators at TKLS," says Hwan-Soo Chung, general manager of C&C Lightway. "The result was very positive. They were impressed with the console and how it compares with those of other manufacturers." 

In Hong Kong, Strobel offered a two-day session to two groups of experienced users from the surrounding area and Taiwan, enhancing their skills and explaining features like Magic Sheets and advanced capabilities in blind. Ten participants attended the training each day, including dealers, rental companies, lighting designers, console programmers, and a university professor. 

"The training was very helpful regarding console operation, especially for a user like me in theater lighting," says Boon Ann Goh, a professor from the Taipei National University of the Arts School of Dance. "I found that the Eos Ti console is very user-friendly for lighting designers who work in the theater. All the control buttons, trimming effects, Magic Sheets and softkeys are easy to learn and understand."

Jit Lam from 3200K Productions, a rental company in Hong Kong, mentioned that the training covered how a new-generation console could help his designs and programming, thanks to "not only its programming speed, but its philosophy," he explains. "Being an expert on other consoles, I never thought I could easily control the tracking or selective record of anything. All these functions in EosTi are super awesome and helpful, letting the designer easily plot or design their lighting cues for the show." 

Strobel explained that he always tries keeping his trainings related to real-world examples from his own experience working as a programmer for different lighting designers, since he believes that this helps the trainees remember why and how a feature might be used. "For all of the trainings, we connected computers to the consoles running Capture visualization, so the trainees had a nice lighting rig to work and practice with," describes Strobel.