Theatrical Previs Contest

Download the training files:

You can download the Capture Presentation Files, the actual Capture files, and all of the associated patch documentation here! Use them to develop your design and programming skills!

Look out for 2021 contest details in the Spring!

2020 WINNERS:

GRAND PRIZES:

HONORABLE MENTION PRIZES

2020 Contest Info:

How To Enter

STEP ONE:
Choose a song from the musical theatre genre that is between 2 and 5 minutes long. 

While you can choose any musical theatre song, we recommend that you choose one that you feel can best display your abilities as an artist. 

 

STEP TWO:
Download the Capture Presentation File and supporting paperwork, available now on GitHub

You’ll need a computer that is capable of running a Capture Presentation File. See this website for more details. 

Program the song using ETC Eos-Family Software.

You’ll be asked to prove that the song was programmed on EOS – how you prove this is up to you. Screenshots of the cuelist, a printout of the cuelist directly from EOS, or a showfile are acceptable forms of proof.

You may use any version of EOS that you want, but Augment3d files are not being accepted as submissions since the software is still in beta. Only videos made in the supplied Capture Presentation File are acceptable.

STEP THREE:
Upload your design to YouTube or Vimeo no later than June 8th, 2020 at 11:59pm Eastern Time

If you do not have a YouTube or Vimeo account, the entry form (next step) will also allow you to upload the video directly. 

STEP FOUR:
Submit your entry using the official entry form here.

THE ENTRY PERIOD HAS CLOSED.

STEP FIVE:
A panel of judges will review each entry.

You can meet the panel of judges here.

You can view the entries here.

Finalists will move on to the final round – Announced on June 15th, 2020

STEP SIX:
The finalist videos will be voted on by the general public, with the votes closing on June 29th, 2020 @ 11:59pm Eastern Time. Check back here for voting instructions when the time comes.

Promote your video using the hashtags #PrevisContest and #TheatrePrevis! Start marketing your video early!

STEP SEVEN:
On July 6th, 2020
, the final rankings will be announced!

The winner of the popular vote will receive their pick of one item from the grand prize pool. The second place winner will choose from the remaining prizes, etc.

IMPORTANT DATES:

FAQ

You can vote here.

You can see the finalists here.

You can see the entries here.

You can view the judging panel and the judging FAQs here

Eastern/NYC. Assume any deadline time that you see on this site is in Eastern Time.

Probably! See the fine print below for details, but as long as you are not an active employee or contractor of Mike Wood Lighting Design LLC, Electronic Theatre Controls, 4Wall, or Capture, you’re probably good to go! You must be at least 13 years old to enter.

No – the terms and conditions below prohibit this.

No – if you are chosen as a finalist, you will not be able to win an honorable mention award.

Yes! Some smaller prizes might be geographically limited – See this chart for details:

Capture License – Worldwide
ETC Package – Worldwide
DMXCat – Worldwide

 

As additional prizes are announced, their location eligibility status will be updated here.

No. You’ll be provided with a Capture Executable file which can run on any capable computer and accept sACN and Artnet input. MW LIGHTING is not providing technical support for this contest unless you find something wrong in the patch that we need to correct. Please see Capture and ETC documentation on how to get the programs talking to each other. 

If it’s a couple seconds (<5), no big deal.

You may cut your song to fit, if you want.

You can find all files that you will need for this project here.

There is not a full drafting package for this project, only the Capture Presentation File, Patch Sheets, and a Lightwright file. You should be able to get everything you need from these documents.

You are able to change the view in the Capture Presentation File to see a wireframe, Plot view, and more. 

So in addition to being a lighting designer and programmer on this project, you also get to have a little fun as a scenic designer. There are lots of different goodies in the showfile for you to explore, including up to 16 actors that can be put anywhere onstage (including in the sky, in case you’re doing Wicked!)

There are also some trees and foliage, a living room scene, a bar scene, a grand piano, a car, and even a bus. 

You also have the ability to fly in/out a main curtain, change the trim heights on your borders, and fly in/out your legs. You can even fly out the CYC to reveal a brick back wall. 

My favorite thing is the stage deck. Using 20 channels of DMX, you’re able to control 20 stage deck sections to go up to 12′ in the air. The possibilities are endless!

You can find DMX information for all of these items on the GitHub page, and I’ll be detailing them in my YouTube Live video as well. 

Ugh, that’s because of my general inattention to detail.

Please see the ISSUES tab on GitHub to see if your issue has already been reported – check the “closed” issues as well.

If you’ve found a new issue, please let me know at contest@mikewoodld.com and I’ll get it fixed. Please include:

  • The version # of the contest file
  • Your Operating System
  • Your EOS Version
  • The problem

 

 

There are ample moving lights in the show that you can use to accomplish what you’re trying to do. Unfortunately due to the way this contest has to be administered, I can’t honor requests to refocus lights unless you find something blazingly wrong.

No. You don’t need a control console, but if you don’t have one, you will need to download and configure ETC Eos Nomad.

That’s okay. You can run Nomad in “offline with vis” mode. We understand the limitations of this mode and will keep it in mind when evaluating entries.

I know it can be a little frustrating to have the occasional flashes from Nomad – unfortunately there’s no way around that. 

You can also pick and choose what instruments in the rig that you want to patch/use, if output count is an issue for you.

The entire project takes 4 universes of control, if you want to include all of the scenery, people, instruments, and camera controls. You can pick and choose what you use if you need to get under a certain count.

If you want to take advantage of a full-framerate rendering with your 2 universe nomad key, You can pick and choose what instruments in the rig that you want to patch/use.

Sure! Whatever helps you tell the story!

You’re welcome to use any version of EOS to program your show, but only videos from the Capture Presentation File will be accepted as official entries.

Absolutely! You can trigger your cues however you’d like – the programming itself must be done in EOS.

That’s okay. You don’t have to. We only require some kind of proof that the song was programmed on the EOS family. This can be a showfile OR it can be screenshots or a printout of the cuelist directly from EOS. When you fill out the entry form, you’ll be able to upload these documents.

Please refer to the Capture and ETC technical documentation for help. The files have been tested to work using sACN on Mac and Windows with Eos v2.9.1.

You’ll need to use some kind of screen recording software. Mac users can use Quicktime, and I’m sure there’s something built in for Windows that you can use. 

That’s okay! On the submission form, you can upload your video directly. Please note that if you use this method and you’re eventually chosen as the winner, your video will be posted/made public.

So, you uploaded your song to YouTube and got a copyright notice – That’s okay!

This is called a Content ID Claim.

Your video will still show up, you just can’t make any money off of it and the rights holder may run ads on your video.

It doesn’t count as a copyright strike

Sometimes, the owner of the rights of the song will restrict it from being viewed in certain regions. Sometimes, it will be blocked altogether. Because of this, we recommend doing a test upload to YouTube of just your song before you really get to work – that way you know what to expect.

Worst case, if it’s down to the wire and YouTube is blocking your video, you will be able to upload it directly to the submission form. Doing this will not have any impact on your ability to win. 

Check out the issues page at GitHub to see if your question has already been fixed.

Shoot us an email at contest@mikewoodld.com and we’ll get back to you ASAP OR fill out an issue on GitHub if you know how. 

The official email and the GitHub issues page are the only two official forms of communication for this contest. Please don’t message me on social media because I don’t want anything to get lost. 

Tell your friends about it!

Share my instagram @mikewoodld

If you’re feeling generous, you can join me on Patreon or even just throw me a tip over at PayPal or Venmo @mikewoodld – every little bit helps and goes towards Dwight & Chloe’s Catio Expansion Project

THE FINE PRINT

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

  1. Eligibility: This Contest is open only to those who sign up at www.mikewoodld.com/contest and who are 13 years of age or older as of the date of entry. The Contest is void where prohibited by law. Employees and Contractors of Mike Wood Lighting Design LLC, Electronic Theatre Controls, Capture Visualization AB, 4Wall Entertainment, their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, and suppliers, (collectively the “Employees”), and immediate family members are not eligible to participate in the Contest, unless the Employee has not been employed or contracted for at least 6 months prior to submission deadline. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.
  2. Agreement to Rules: By participating, the Contestant (“You”) agree to be fully unconditionally bound by these Rules, and You represent and warrant that You meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, You agree to accept the decisions of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Contest.
  3. Contest Period: Entries will be accepted online starting on 18 May 2020 and ending 08 June 2020 11:59pm EDT. All online entries must be received by 08 June 2020 11:59pm EDT. Dates are subject to extensions which will be announced on the contest website.
  4. How to Enter: The Contest must be entered by submitting an entry using the online form provided at www.mikewoodld.com/contest. The entry must fulfill all Contest requirements, as specified, to be eligible to win a prize. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications may be disqualified at the sole discretion of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN. You may enter only once. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN.
  5. Prizes: The Winner(s) of the Contest (the “Winner”) will receive prizes as detailed in the Contest description at www.mikewoodld.com/contest. Actual/appraised value may differ at time of prize award. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted except at MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN’S discretion. The prize is nontransferable. Any and all prize-related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes, shall be the sole responsibility of Winner. No substitution of prize or transfer/assignment of prize to others or request for the cash equivalent by Winner is permitted. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission for MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN, Electronic Theatre Controls, and Capture Visualization AB to use Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.
  6. Odds: The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  7. Winner Selection and Notification: Winner will be selected by the parameters detailed in the Contest description at www.mikewoodld.com/contest under the supervision of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN. Winner will be notified by email within five (5) days following selection of Winner. MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN shall have no liability for Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 5 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Winner selected. Receipt by Winner of the prize offered in this Contest is conditioned upon compliance with any and all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. ANY VIOLATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES BY WINNER (AT MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN‘S SOLE DISCRETION) WILL RESULT IN WINNER’S DISQUALIFICATION AS WINNER OF THE Contest, AND ALL PRIVILEGES AS WINNER WILL BE IMMEDIATELY TERMINATED.
  8. Rights Granted by You: By entering this contest, You understand and agree that MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN, ELECTRONIC THEATRE CONTROLS, CAPTURE Visualization AB, 4WALL ENTERTAINMENT, anyone acting on behalf of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN, ELECTRONIC THEATRE CONTROLS, CAPTURE Visualization AB, 4WALL ENTERTAINMENT, and MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN, ELECTRONIC THEATRE CONTROLS, CAPTURE Visualization AB, 4WALL ENTERTAINMENT’s licensees, successors, and assigns, shall have the right, where permitted by law, to print, publish, broadcast, distribute, and use in any media now known or hereafter developed, in perpetuity and throughout the World, without limitation, your entry, name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness, image, statements about the Contest, and biographical information for news, publicity, information, trade, advertising, public relations, and promotional purposes. without any further compensation, notice, review, or consent.  By entering this content, You represent and warrant that your entry is an original work of authorship, and does not violate any third party’s proprietary or intellectual property rights. If your entry infringes upon the intellectual property right of another, You will be disqualified at the sole discretion of MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN. If the content of your entry is claimed to constitute infringement of any proprietary or intellectual proprietary rights of any third party, You shall, at your sole expense, defend or settle against such claims. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN from and against any suit, proceeding, claims, liability, loss, damage, costs or expense, which MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN may incur, suffer, or be required to pay arising out of such infringement or suspected infringement of any third party’s right.
  9. Terms & Conditions: MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest should virus, bug, non-authorized human intervention, fraud, or other cause beyond MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN’S control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Contest. In such case, MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN may select the Winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN. MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Contest, to void votes for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by Contest rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such attempt be made, MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  10. Limitation of Liability: By entering, You agree to release and hold harmless MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN, and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any liability, illness, injury, death, loss, litigation, claim, or damage that may occur, directly or indirectly, whether caused by negligence or not, from: (i) such entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or his/her acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize or any portion thereof; (ii) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunction of any computer, cable, network, hardware, or software, or other mechanical equipment; (iii) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any transmissions, telephone, or Internet service; (iv) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Promotion; (v) electronic or human error in the administration of the Promotion or the processing of entries.
  11. Disputes: THIS Contest IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND TENNESSEE, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Contest, participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in TENNESSEE having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances shall participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waives all rights to, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, including reasonable attorney’s fees, other than participant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. costs associated with entering this Contest). Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
  12. Privacy Policy: Information submitted with an entry is subject to the Privacy Policy stated on the MIKE WOOD LIGHTING DESIGN website. To read the Privacy Policy, click here.
  13. The Contest  is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Vimeo.
  14. By submitting an entry, You, the Contestant, have affirmatively reviewed, accepted, and agreed to all of the Official Rules.