NRG

NRG AT THE TPI AWARDS

A growing tradition in the Robe camp, a handpicked group of Next Robe Generation (NRG) students joined this year’s TPi Awards lighting crew.

Making its annual home at Battersea Evolution at the end of February, the TPi Awards welcomed over 1,600 personnel from all corners of the live events industry for an annual ceremony to celebrate another year of jaw dropping live touring feats. Robe were on site providing its part to the stunning production, supplying over 300 of its fixtures across the venue. Lighting Designer Nathan Wan returned to head up the visual spectacular alongside Associate LD Andy Webb. Prior to the evening’s festivities, TPi spoke to Wan about the six, fresh-faced NRG (Next Robe Generation) students brought on to fill the crew roster.

“It gets harder each year to whittle it down to six students to join the TPi Awards crew,” began Wan, reflecting on this year’s selection process. “We had so many strong applications come through and it just seems the calibre keeps going up.”

Launched in 2016, NRG manufactures in-house incentives to offer future lighting professionals the chance to meet other like-minded individuals. Not only that, NRG offers networking opportunities for students to rub shoulders with leading lighting specialists.

The process, as it was for the year before, involved students submitting an application, followed by an interview with Wan. “The second stage, which we introduced last year, involved the interviewees creating a lighting design for a fixed digital model. The reason for this was for the students to really showcase their creative talents.”

Eventually after the process came to an end, six students were picked. Alex Merrett took on the role of Assistant Lighting Designer with Owen Yelland being offered Systems Tech and lead RoboSpot operator. The main bar was over seen by Espen Karlsen and supported by Ben Linwood. Finally, overseeing the Robe VIP bar were Jasmine Williams and Georgia Wren.

“I’ve been particularly impressed with Alex this year,” stated Wan. The LD had brought Merrett on-board to aid in the lighting programing for the show, which included a three-day stint at Robe’s Northampton facility. “Alex had worked on the Awards last year, over seeing the main bar. The difference a year makes is quite incredible. He’s a different guy to the one I first met last year. One of the main reasons I picked him was that he is calm and doesn’t seem to rattle so easily – a necessity when you are working on a show like the TPi Awards where there are a room full of knowledgeable critics. He’s done so well this year and has got a bright future ahead of him.”

Merrett, who is in his last year at the University of South Wales, spoke to TPi about some of his responsibilities with this year’s event. “In the initial stages I created the lighting paper work on WYSIWYG along with programming the show with Nathan,” he reflected. “During the event I operated the lighting.” Although having worked on this project in 2018, the young LD detailed some of the things he had picked up from this year’s awards. “This event is one where all attendees are looking at everything. You have to make sure everything is perfect down to the minor details!”

Having ticked off Assistant LD for the TPi Awards from his list, Merrett already has a few other jobs in the pipeline. “But I currently have 5 weeks of my University course left – so that’s my main focus right now.”

114

Working with Merrett was Owen Yelland from Rose Bruford College. Yelland worked as lighting systems tech for the second year following his success and aptitude for the job at the 2018 event. The main bar area - an extremely important space as the entry portal where everyone walks to gather for the show-stopping evening ahead - was designed, programmed and operated by Espen Karlsen, also from Rose Bruford College, assisted by Ben Linwood from Guildford School of Acting. Finally, the Robe VIP lounge lighting design was a collaboration between Jasmine Williams from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff and Georgia Wren from LIPA.

Wan concluded: “Andy and I really enjoyed working with all the NRG students. They bring vitality, fresh perspectives and lots of enthusiasm to the project, and I hope it was a character-building experience for them to know what it’s like being under pressure at the sharp end of the industry”. www.robe.cz www.productionfutures.co.uk

ALEX MERRETT ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES

I thought this years event was great, It was great to work alongside Nathan Wan, Andy Webb and the rest of the NRG team. Some of my roles and responsibilities were to create the lighting paper work on Wysiwyg, I attended a production meeting and also programmed the show alongside Nathan. During the event I operated the lighting.

ESPEN KARLSEN MAIN BAR LIGHTING DESIGNER ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE

I want to thank NRG and Robe for letting me as a student be apart off an event of this calibre. I also want to thank Andy Webb and Nathan Wan for giving us so much freedom and control over our designated areas. It is truly a great opportunity to get some contacts but also to get experience in the live event industry, and make us more ready for work when we are done with college.

GEORGIA WREN ROBE VIP LOUNGE CO-LIGHTING DESIGNER LIPA

Working on this event has been an amazing opportunity. It’s has been a crucial networking event that couldn’t have come at a better time for me just before I leave university. It was nice to work with people from different universities. I would like to say a big thank you to the Robe team that I was working with for making the TPi Awards such a memorable experience.

JASMINE WILLIAMS ROBE VIP LOUNGE CO-LIGHTING DESIGNER ROYAL WELSH COLLEGE OF MUSIC & DRAMA

Working with Hawthorn was fantastic and they treated me as an equal during the load in which was both the most physical challenge I’ve faced but also one of the best. Working with Nathan Wan and Andy Webb was an honour. They looked after us so well and did a fantastic job. Being able to design the Robe VIP area with Georgia Wren and play with the brand new Robe T1 fixtures.

BEN LINWOOD MAIN BAR SUPPORTED TECHNICIAN GUILDFORD SCHOOL OF ACTING

The TPi Awards exceeded my expectations. The amount of kit from Robe was impressive. I haven’t had a chance to experience Avolites before, so to get the training and finally get my head around one has made a huge difference. I have also taken a lot away about scheduling and managing such a large event.

OWEN YELLAND SYSTEMS TECH AND LEAD ROBOSPOT OPERATOR ROSE BRUFORD COLLEGE

This was my second year working on the TPi Awards. It is always a pleasure to be a part of the team working on this event. I really enjoyed taking on more responsibly this year looking after the RoboSpots for the main show.

116