From concert halls and cruise ships to corporate settings and community events, the show production industry spans a wide array of environments with many different types of audiences in mind. Full Sail University’s Show Production bachelor’s program prepares students for the field by teaching the necessary technical skills to operate production equipment, but it also emphasizes the ways that those technical skills can combine with creativity and artistry to help put on live events that audiences won’t forget.

“There's a little bit of science that you learn, and then later in the lab spaces, you have to convey the artistic vision [of the production],” says David Dean, Show Production Program Director. “That's why we teach all three elements in our program: light, sound, and video. When you put all three elements together, you can really achieve some amazing [things].”

Productions can vary greatly in terms of how simple or complex they are. Once students have the knowledge to effectively use equipment, they should then be able to work with directors and artists to help bring their ideas to life.

“You might have a singer who has an artistic vision, where they want butterflies flapping around on the screen, trees blowing on the video walls, sound effects of frogs croaking and birds chirping… We can’t break the laws of physics but we can come close to creating illusions where someone says, ‘Wow, that’s so cool,’” David says.

Preproduction – or advance work as it’s known in the industry – is the first step in mapping out a live event. This includes developing an artistic vision for it. The Project and Portfolio III and Live Production Management courses explore some of these preproduction concepts. In Project and Portfolio IV, students also learn how to use Vectorworks, a design software for creating 3D-rendered environments. They use the software to develop a virtual model of a corporate event.

“Even in corporate productions, you are setting the mood of the meeting,” explains Project and Portfolio IV Course Director Susan Kelleher. “If a company is introducing a new product, you have to create that excitement.”

Another class that covers artistic approaches is Advanced Video Production. Students play the role of a video director in which they have to make decisions on certain shots during a live music performance. In Audio and Visual Technologies, they look at creative strategies to ensure both sound and visuals are presented in the most impactful ways possible.

Learning lighting techniques is another key aspect of designing an aesthetically appealing production. Lighting Concepts and Design explores basic lighting techniques, color theory, and fixtures for live productions.

“Using light allows you to manipulate human emotions… make people feel a certain way and help tell a story,” Susan explains.

Professionals must also be able to adapt to the available equipment in any venue, and incorporating a creative approach to a given scenario can be done with some planning.

“You are going to see incandescent lights and arc lamps and dimmers and old consoles and cables that you've never seen before in your life,” Susan says. “Not everybody has access to all the great technology.”

Prior to teaching, Susan toured with the National Shakespeare Company as a stage manager and technical director. She says it’s sometimes necessary to have heart-to-heart conversations with a show’s director or artists if it will enhance the artistic presentation.

“This is a collaborative industry,” she says. “I always tell my students, ‘You got to play well with the other kids, and if you can't, this isn't the industry you want to be in.’”

Some examples of roles that contribute to the artistic side of show production include tour manager, production manager, lighting designer, visual designer, sound engineer, and console operator.

According to Susan, taking a concept and making it happen in real time is the primary purpose of working in show production.

“In the end, it is about creating an experience… getting the audience to follow a journey that the artists themselves are taking them on. Our job is to make it look effortless so the audience doesn't think about the 100 people that made it happen.”