Overview 

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 who plans sound for live productions.


Performance Criteria

You must be able to:

  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 hanges with decision-makers when requirements cannot be met
  4. obtain the licenses required for reproduced sound 
  5. select the most appropriate 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. work within budget constraints 
  13. recognise and anticipate budget overspend, identifying reasons for it and agreeing actions to deal with it
  14. keep records of agreed plans

 


Knowledge and Understanding

You must know and understand:

  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. relevant aspects of regulations, environmental and health and safety considerations in 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. who needs confirmation about systems, when it is appropriate to provide written confirmation and when oral advice is acceptable
  14. the performance characteristics of suitable equipment and which has the greatest potential to meet the production requirements
  15. the principles of acoustics and how they apply to sound system design
  16. basic electronic principles including impedance, gain, attenuation, signal to noise ratio
  17. how loudspeaker position affects sound distribution and dispersion
  18. gain structure and its implications
  19. record keeping requirements