Lone Star College-Montgomery opened its new state-of-the-art Live Entertainment Technology (LET) building with an eye-catching light show. The new 5,000 square foot space will allow students to get hands on experience with cutting-edge lighting, sound and camera equipment; setting them up to excel in the innovative entertainment industry.
“LSC-Montgomery is one of an elite group of schools in the nation to offer associate degrees in LET,” said Dr. Rebecca Riley, president at LSC-Montgomery. “This program gives students interested in the production and staging of entertainment events the competencies they need through higher education. Updating our equipment helps more people find rewarding careers and connects local businesses with the workers they need to step up to the plate in this unique, in-demand area. These students are able to pursue this exclusive field of study at an affordable cost.”
The LET program trains students to design, set-up and operate lighting, video and audio equipment. This includes microphones, speakers, projectors, recording equipment, sound and mixing boards, and more. The new building features three labs: a computer lab, lighting and sound lab and video lab. The lighting lab is 25-feet tall allowing students to practice full-scale production lighting.
“This building is the scale of a real venue for students to complete their training,” said Rob Kreps, program director, LET. “We can provide troubleshooting techniques that we could only teach in theory before now we can teach students how to climb truss, move it and work safely.”
The computer lab has 20 Mac computers for students to work on individual projects. Each of those computers has its own independent lighting and audio consoles. Couple that with advanced electricity boasting 600 amps of power, students will encounter systems professionals work with at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and the Hobby Center.
“Concertgoers attend shows to listen to top quality sound and see colorful lights pulse with the rhythm,” said Chase Waites Associate Professor Theatre. “With the opening of this building the next generation of behind the scenes technicians will learn the skills they need to make dynamic performances a reality. We give them the instruction and tools to learn and the students find their own inspiration. They do not have to look far, concerts, plays, even Sunday services at local churches have evolved into elaborate productions.”
This exciting major offers a unique career path for each student, depending on his or her individual interests. Students can take the general LET track that teaches the fundamental skills to design, maintain, and operate technology systems in entertainment and sporting venues, churches, auditoriums, theatres, convention hotels, and trade shows. Or for the aspiring filmmaker and video editor, the LET-Video program provides students with camera, scriptwriting and video editing experience.
“The video studio is brand new,” said Kreps. “We have green screen that is 50 feet wide and 15 feet tall, now we have the ability to practice video lighting and camera training.“
Students in the program work with 13 Sony and three Black Magic cameras that all shoot in high definition.
The new building provides space for students to learn, but most importantly students in this program intern with local and national performance groups prior to graduation.
“You cannot understand all that a live entertainment technician does without doing it yourself,” said Kreps. “The program is working as it should, students that graduate and complete their internships usually get their first job with the company they interned with.”
Students intern at GVP Media, AVPG, Brightstar Productions, A V Media, and Dosey Doe’s audio department. All interns are paid.
LET is one of the many degree and workforce programs offered by LSC-Montgomery. Students can receive an associates of arts, a level I certificate or a level II certificate.
To learn more about LET visit lonestar.edu/audio-visual-systems-specialist-aas.
In attendance at the event were Dr. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC chancellor; Board of Trustee members: Dr. Ron Trowbridge, Dr. David Holsey, Dr. Alton Smith (chair), and Linda S. Good, JD; Presidents of LSC: Dr. Rebecca Riley, Dr. Seelpa Keshvala, Dr. Katherine Persson, Dr. Gerald F. Napoles, Dr. Lee Ann Nutt, Mr. Shah S. Ardalan, as well as Tracee Evans, Communications Director, representing Congressman Kevin Brady.
For more photos of the event visit LSC-Montgomery’s Flickr.
LSC-Montgomery brings affordable, accessible higher education to north Houston. The modern, comprehensive campus provides a mix of academic transfer courses and corporate and workforce training programs. Whether it’s a jump-start toward a four-year degree or gaining the skills to land a real job in a meaningful career, LSC-Montgomery is here for the community.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 95,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.