Interpret and plan sound for theatre and live productions

This standard is about planning sound for a production. You will need to interpret designs, seek out any additional information and prepare detailed, accurate and practical plans in consultation with other members of the team.

This standard is for anyone involved in planning sound for theatre and live productions.

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1. gather information to plan sound, seeking advice and assistance when required
2. assess the feasibility of meeting sound requirements, identifying any opportunities, limitations and constraints
3. negotiate changes to sound with decision makers when requirements cannot be met
4. provide information to the production manager for licenses required for reproduced sound
5. select equipment to meet production requirements, taking account of technical and financial factors and equipment availability
6. plan rig positions for equipment that provide the best sound quality possible within venue constraints
7. develop rig plans that maximise clarity and evenness of coverage for the entire audience
8. plan choice and position of equipment that allows for intended staging of productions
9. plan systems that are achievable and within budget and time constraints for productions
10. include contingency plans for equipment failure
11. produce specifications for the systems you devise
12. recognise and anticipate budget overspend, identifying reasons for it and agreeing actions to deal with it
13. keep records of agreed plans

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1. where to obtain information on the script, score, brief, agreed designs, production contexts, intended look and feel of productions and the expectations and preferences of decision makers
2. the effects of different stage formats on lighting design and the importance of reviewing information on all venues and circumstances in which designs are intended to be used
3. who is responsible for designs and creative and technical requirements and how you will be kept up to date on any changes to design requirements
4. how to breakdown the requirements of sound designs
5. production, financial and resource constraints and deadlines, the quality parameters for the work and the flexibility around agreed constraints
6. how to work in line with budgets
7. the roles and responsibilities of creative and technical team members and the lines of communication
8. legislation, organisational requirements and codes of practice for the use of materials, processes, technology and the venues involved and how to carry out risk assessments of sound plans for staff and audience
9. sound style and quality and typical staging characteristics associated with different kinds of production including live music, theatre, dance, opera, corporate events or arenas
10. symbols, terminologies, formats and conventions used in electrical, mechanical or electronic drawings and specifications, including schematic drawings
11. the types of drawings used for sound plans, how they interrelate and how to extract dimensional or statistical information from them and identify areas that are unclear or incomplete
12. licenses relating to sound and how to obtain them
13. the performance characteristics the equipment that has the greatest potential to meet the production requirements
14. the principles of acoustics and how they apply to sound system design
15. basic electronic principles including impedance, gain, attenuation, signal to noise ratio
16. how loudspeaker position affects sound distribution and dispersion
17. gain structure and its implications
18. record keeping requirements

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3

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2028

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Current

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Original

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ScreenSkills

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CCSTTL9

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Technician, Assistant Technician , Technical Supervisor , Technical Manager, Head Technician, Theatre Technician, Stage Technician, Production Technician, Technician Crew , Sound Technician, AV Technician, Sound Operator

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interpret and plan; sound; theatre and live productions;

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