The Technology Commission of OISTAT announced the creation of the Technical Invention Prize (TIP) to be awarded at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial and Scenofest events. Modeled on USITT’s Tech Expo, this competition will highlight the creative solutions developed for backstage and in production use by technical professionals worldwide. Plans for this new initiative include publication of a catalog highlighting the submissions and sponsorship of a prize for the winner. The competition will be juried by the membership of the OISTAT Technology Commission.

USITT members are eligible and encouraged to submit projects for this opportunity to be in the international spotlight. The deadline for submission has been extended to October 1. Additional information may be found on the OISTAT website. Members who have questions may e-mail USITT’s OISTAT Technology Commission delegate, Fritz Schwentker, at usitt@schwentker.com.

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PLASA 2010 will gain a host of new features this year as the list of exhibitors in audio, video, lighting, and staging technologies continues to grow. The Innovation Gallery, profiling the launch products nominated for an Innovation Award, will have a new format. Entrants will demonstrate their products to the awards judges. Visitors will be able to get early access to the gallery from 9:30 a.m. each morning. The ISCE and Springboard Pavilions will be radically expanded.

Also brand new is Industry Skills & Qualifications when the industry will meet its future talent as leading schools and colleges with arts production courses participate in the show, with a number of seminars focusing on the importance of training and education in the industry. The major four-day Education & Learning Programme will go live with a diverse mix of presentations and industry-leading contributors.

Online registration takes less than five minutes at www.plasashow.com.

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Entertainment lighting, effects, and sound equipment manufacturers are invited to supply products for this year's Connectivity Pavilion at LDI 2010, October 22 to 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Controllers, monitoring equipment, signal distribution devices, luminaires, accessories, and other devices that use the American National Standards developed by ESTA's Control Protocols Working Group are being sought. Particular standards include ANSI E1.11, E1.17, E1.20, and E1.31, otherwise known by their acronyms DMX512-A, ACN, RDM, and sACN (streaming DMX-type data using ACN) respectively. The devices will be shown working together as part of a multi-protocol network to show the utility and compatibility of the protocols.

Manufacturers interested in participating are asked to fill out the response form.

Selected participants will be expected to ship the product and have it available at the Pavilion by October 20 for booth set up. Participants will be responsible for picking up the products and return shipping after the close of the show on October 24.

Manufacturers should provide personnel to demonstrate during show hours, but no person will be expected to be there the entire time. For more information, contact Karl G. Ruling; ESTA Technical Standards Manager; 875 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1005; New York, NY 10001; 212-244-1505; standards@esta.org.

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A cut-and-paste document to use as a reference when writing specifications is available for free and was developed by the ESTA Technical Standards Program.

The document is available for free download on the TSP Published documents web page. People also may access the document directly.

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CITT's 20th Rendez-vous will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in August. Click here for full schedule. To register, click here.

Preconference workshops will be held August 10 and 11. They include Rigging and Flying Performers and Entertainment Electricity and Power Distribution.

The event will include the CITT Forum where professional entertainment riggers and general stage technicians will be recognized. There will be breakout session on education and industry issues. The popular Junk Challenge will be part of the opening night reception. The event challenges the technical and creative skills of the delegates. Tours and seminars will be offered as well as the annual trade show. Exhibitors will include Christie Lites, EPIC Production Technologies, Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC), GerrAudio Distribution, JD International, MDG Gog Generators, Ontario Staging, Roland systems Group, ROSCO, Sennehiser Canada, Show Distribution, Staging Concepts, Technically Yours Inc. (TYI), and ZFX Flying.

Swag Bingo will take place at Montes Bar & Grill in Dartmouth, about a 20-minute ride from downtown Halifax. Continuous, complimentary shuttle service will be provided all evening between downtown Halifax and Montes.

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Nominations for the 2011 Awards for Young Designers & Technicians in the Performing Arts, (YD&T) are scheduled to open in September 2010. USITT has updated the web-based process to make electronic uploading of applications, portfolios, and materials easier than ever.

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The nomination process for the USITT Rising Star Award sponsored by Live Design/LDI 2010, will open in early September 2010. The Rising Star Award includes a cash prize and recognition of new talent in many areas of design.

Start thinking of the young designers, technicians and rising stars who it would be appropriate to nominate, and plan to visit www.usitt.org, after September 1, 2010 for more information.

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