Doug Fleenor Design, Strong Entertainment Lighting, and SECOA, with many more expected to follow. PLASA Events also recently announced another fi rst. PLASA Focus: Tech, a four-day audio/video/lighting workshop and live concert, will be held February 19-22 alongside PLASA Focus: Austin 2012. The workshop brings together industry experts Richard Cadena ( Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light) , Brad Schiller ( The Automated Lighting Programmer’s Handbook ), Chad Yeary of Portal Designs, and Damon Lang of Nomad Sound for a unique hands-on learning program. . . . [Focus: Austin] results in a simpler exhibiting experience and a level playing field . . . Three areas of focus will be covered: a lighting focus on design, visualization, and programming; a video focus on video content design media server programming; and an audio focus on audio system design live mixing. This program in itself is unique, but what truly sets it apart is the opportunity for each student to design and operate a portion of a live concert before an audience on the fi nal night. The concert, featuring Devon Allman and Honeytribe, will be free to registered PLASA Focus visitors and exhibitors, putting workshop students’ work in front of their peers, potential employers, and the industry at-large. As an added bonus, a competition will be held for best design, with the winner receiving a one-year WYSIWYG license worth $1,150, donated by Cast Software. Richard Cadena—PLASA’s Assistant Standards Manager and Technical Editor for PLASA Media, founder of the Academy of Production Technology (www.APTxl.com), and ETCP Recognized Trainer—sees PLASA Focus: Tech as an opportunity for aspiring lighting, video, and audio designers, programmers, and technicians to hone marketable skills: “The most exciting part of this workshop is that every attendee will be able to design their own lighting looks, video content, or audio mix and see them come to life in a live event setting. It’s one thing to learn about these principles, but to apply them in a real-world situation with such a great band is an experience that will not soon be forgotten.” With truly unprecedented opportunities for learning and experiencing the latest in entertainment technology, PLASA Focus: Austin 2012 and PLASA Focus: Tech are set to take the Austin area by storm. For more information about PLASA Focus: Austin 2012, visit www.plasafocus.com/austin. For more information about PLASA Focus: Tech, visit www.plasafocus.com/tech. Ryan Swearingen is PLASA’s Marketing Communications Manager. FALL 2011 71 PROTOCOL