With a heavy pantomime season in prospect, the company has a major interest in skills investment, and Theo Holloway believes the exercise paid off.
"We had 15 students - which, with such a broad range, is the maximum number we wanted to accommodate," he reports."It is the first time we've run a course in this format and it has attracted a real mix of people - from senior sound students, venue staff, freelancers and even a rock 'n' roll engineer, who is training at a drama school."
What emerged over the two days, he said, was a healthy appetite for learning. "Hopefully these people have seen us as being helpful, as we want them to come back and work with us in the future, as clients. We want people to be empowered by this session and then go out and feel it for themselves."
Set up to familiarise attendees with all the disciplines of sound production, the opening day presented a theatre sound overview incorporating digital desks, show control, radio mics, networking and other miscellaneous matters, while Day Two shifted the attention to comms, video and cue lights, finishing with a large Q/A with the Orbital grandees.
There was plenty of gravitas and experience among the presenters, including Jersey Boys FOH engineer, Richard George, who spoke about digital desks.
Other Orbital Sound presenters included Richard Carter, Ellie Scott, Nihal Badik and Bill Addison - with Chris Headlam, Eric Simpson, Gareth Owen and Chris Mace fielding the questions at the end.
(Jim Evans)
